Roberto de Zerbi don turn Tottenham to new machine after dem collect second win for row – 2-1 victory for Champions League-chasing Aston Villa ground. Dis season, Spurs don see three managers – Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and now De Zerbi – with different styles, but di team dey come together even with short time wey di new boss get.
With confidence wey don return plus tactical principles wey simplify players’ decision-making, Spurs squad and fans fit believe say things don change for better and dem go escape relegation. De Zerbi deserve plenty credit for di way he set up im team.
Na big night for Spurs, but who be favourites to go down? De Zerbi dey praised for how im sides build from back, but Spurs’ defensive work shine pass for Villa on Sunday. Unai Emery team dey build short and central before speeding play when space open higher up pitch dis season – no too different from De Zerbi style.
To counter dis, De Zerbi ask Spurs to press aggressively while blocking middle of pitch. Richarlison key to plan, positioning himself to block pass into Villa’s right centre midfielder Lamare Bogarde, while angling body to discourage Emiliano Martinez from playing down Villa’s right. Next to am, De Zerbi choose Conor Gallagher wey mark Youri Tielemans.
Sometimes, Richarlison press Martinez with Rodrigo Bentancur stepping up from midfield to take responsibility for Bogarde. Di Spurs trio ensure Villa’s central midfielders no fit receive ball unmarked. Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel also get important roles. Kolo Muani often position himself between Tyrone Mings and Ian Maatsen.
If Martinez play to left centre-back Mings, Kolo Muani press intensely while angling run to block pass into Maatsen. But if Maatsen look likely to receive freely, Pedro Porro step up from right-back. Spurs react to these pressing triggers with impressive coordination.
Villa’s centre-backs and full-backs dey marked, wey mean Martinez and Mings limited to looking for attackers wey drop deep centrally. Spurs funnel Villa’s play down middle while also setting up to get numerous players for that area of pitch. Tottenham also ready to follow Villa’s dropping forwards when dis happen, with Kevin Danso particularly aggressive in stepping out to Ross Barkley, winning ball and starting attacks.
When Villa play those riskier passes, Spurs’ attackers immediately turn and press backwards, converging around player in possession and increasing chances of turnover. Villa struggle to progress ball and Spurs convert opposition’s possession into chances of their own.
For possession, Emery 4-4-2 dey pulled apart by some impressive rotations wey De Zerbi don become known for. Danso, Antonin Kinsky and Micky van de Ven form wide three around Villa’s front two wey give dem overload and help dem play out. Di Czech goalkeeper ability wit both foot also open up number of angles to help Spurs progress ball.
Tottenham two full-backs and two central midfielders key to pulling Villa’s shape apart. One of di midfield two often move wide either to drag one of Villa’s midfielders wit dem – or to receive ball unmarked themselves. Joao Palhinha or Bentancur dey seen dropping in to form back three alongside di two centre-backs. Dis give Spurs overload against Villa’s front two again, dis time higher up pitch.
De Zerbi also give left-back Destiny Udogie licence to push up pitch – and he often allowed to do so by Villa’s right-sided attacker Jadon Sancho. When Udogie make darting central runs, Tottenham midfielder drop into space wey he vacate – filling in at full-back. After enticing Villa to step up following series of short passes, Kinsky tend to look long for Udogie run.
Richarlison, Tel, Kolo Muani, and Gallagher dey close by, arriving to pick up any knockdowns – and Spurs, wit territory and space high up pitch, create numerous dangerous chances. For other flank, right-back Porro movement infield drag Morgan Rogers – nominally Villa’s left-sided midfielder – wit am.
For possession, Gallagher as Spurs number 10 tend to move to whichever side ball dey. Tielemans often follow am wide and Bentancur, recognising dis, shuttle across to help Spurs create four v three situations for flank: Bentancur, Gallagher, dem winger and full-back against Villa’s full-back, central midfielder and winger. These numerical advantages help Spurs establish strong attacking possession for final third, spending less time defending for dem own half.
De Zerbi take over Tottenham side wey dey struggle for form, confidence and wit series of key players out injured. But he don already drill into im side set of principles wey echo wetin he do for previous jobs – albeit adapting dem to quality of im players. Spurs play short from dem keeper but more willing to go long to target man for Richarlison than De Zerbi Brighton dey.
Given di impressive physicality of Spurs squad, utilising high press as method of chance creation don smart too. Tudor look to take similar albeit less coordinated approach out of possession, but De Zerbi don build on dat – no defending man-to-man across pitch but instead asking im side to pick moments to win ball back.
None of these tactics dey possible without squad wey believe in message wey coach dey relay. For im news conferences so far, De Zerbi don focus on one idea – say Spurs must believe in demselves, and shake off any negativity, if dem go be Premier League side next season. Dem performance against Villa go don help.
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