e-Spurs Tactics Board - Spurs v Everton

Matt Tumminia runs a tactical eye over our game against Everton and the players who may make the difference.

First, let’s look at the positives from our midweek match against Basel; we didn’t lose. That’s about it. No other real positives could be taken from that stinker. Bale out. Lennon out. Gallas out, well, two positives from the match. Yup, it was about as bad of a match as this squad could play and they have played some shockers this term. The good thing is that we have a good amount of matches coming up so there is no real time to dwell on the past. We gotta be motivated for the end of season run-in to secure Champions league football for next term. We start with Sunday’s match vs. Everton.

Toffee’s Tactics

David Moyes sets his team up to cancel out the oppositions attacking threats and tends to grind out results using the counter as opposed to opening up and playing attractive football. No slight to Mr. Moyes, but sometimes it could be painful to watch as we all found out last weekend when they played Stoke. One counter, one goal, 3 points. The less said about that match, the better, although it should be noted that Everton lined up in a 3-5-2. I would be willing to bet that they will not line up against us in the same formation as the off-the-ball movement of our players is 10x better than Stokes. The positive thing about our opponent using this approach is that now that many of our best attacking outlets are injured, maybe they will have no real idea how to play against us. That would be super. Regardless, they prefer to play a 4-5-1 or a slightly variable 4-3-3 with Anichebe and Mirallas on the wings, using their full-backs, Baines and Coleman, to overlap while the wingers tuck inside. Jelavic will probably start up front as he has represented quite the thorn in our side lately with two winners in the past two meetings. As for the rest of the squad, this may be what it looks like:

Howard

Coleman Jagielka Distin Baines

Neville Gibson

Mirallas Osman Anichebe

Jelavic

They will have no fear of us as many have made the point that we are too reliant on our best player, Bale, who is out for the next two weeks, yet I see it differently. They may come to the Lane being confident that we have completely lost our way and are about to head into a tailspin of epic proportions. This could play into our hands. We still present a good deal of pace and power and with the front four looking like Siggy, Duece, Holtby and Ade, I am sure we can
cause them problems. I have heard the idea of Walker being played on the wing to give us pace. I can see the reasoning behind this as he offers plenty going forward and although extremely talented, he’s tended to regress this term in his defending. Not a bad idea and it could work as him and Naughton would be given the task of nullifying the attacking threat of Baines. Regardless of whoever we play on the right side, they have to concentrate and not allow Leighton much time on the ball. We will probably line up like this:

Lloris

Walker Daws Caulker Jan

Parker Dembele

Holtby Duece Siggy

Ade

This will be a tough match with both teams fighting for Champions League qualification. Both teams are missing key players so the other cast of characters will have to step up and be counted. I think this is a great opportunity for our players to make an impact and dispel any lingering doubts about our place near the top of the league and gain us entry into the Promised Land. I can see us getting a scrappy 2-1 win and for those who noticed, I did predict a 2-0 win in our Writer’s Prediction League but that was before Bale and Lennon going out. Hopefully Ade and Duece could provide us with the needed firepower until the others regain fitness.

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