While a lopsided formation makes defensive transitions easier to execute since there won’t be two full-backs caught too high up the pitch in case of a turnover, it does mean that the emphasis of their attack can often be too focused on just one of the flanks. In both cases, their goal was to overcrowd the middle of the pitch, which also seems like something Mourinho likes to do in order to stop the progression of the ball. It does seem like Mourinho is steadily improving Spurs even though results are far from ideal. New ... We have only played two matches in the Jose Mourinho era at Spurs. Against Chelsea, however, we saw two different issues primarily come to light. Similarly, they are now deploying fewer passes per possession: under Mourinho in four games more so far in the ongoing campaign. Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has defended under-fire Jose Mourinho, telling talkSPORT ‘no one can criticise’ the boss for his tactics in Sunday’s north London derby. It’s the same story with their defence since they have conceded 39 goals while they should’ve allowed 43.96 according to the xG map. Similarly to the English striker, Moura will also regularly vacate his position and drop off to help progress the ball. At the moment, this is pretty evident in their PPDA values (passes allowed per defensive action) which stands at. That is 13 goals from the 30 Tottenham Hotspur have scored in the league so far. Jose Mourinho sent strong Tottenham message as exciting Joe Rodon prediction made. When you’re defending deep and are depending on having a clear target for those long balls, the absence of such a player can hurt the team massively. Spurs have forced their opposition into an awkward position on the pitch and then aim to cut off all of their passing lanes to recover possession in their half of the park. Take a look at another perfect example down below where exactly the same thing happens once again. Pochettino registered 1.66 xGA (expected goals against) in his last 12 games while Mourinho is currently on 1.49 xGA after 16 games. The likes of Bergwijn and Son, when he’s fit, have that burst of speed that can be utilised for off the shoulder runs in behind the defence. Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho says he is the same coach as always, and his players are to blame for his side dropping 15 points from winning positions this season. Atalanta: Can they keep the momentum going? Him dropping even deeper this season has seen improved link-up play between him and the line behind him, allowing the likes of Son Heung-min attack the area vacated by Harry Kane. During matches, this would need to be tweaked if opponents have too much creative freedom out wide or you become under too much pressure with crossess. Park the bus? At the time of writing this (09/01/2021), So far this season, we have seen noticeable changes to his system that he adapted over the years. But it’s also because Spurs managed to create them in the first place. Let’s move to the defensive style of play of Tottenham Hotspur under Mourinho. Generally speaking however, this transition towards a more direct approach can be seen in the stats as well. As a general rule of thumb, the Special One is more precautious and pragmatic when attacking, which has become even more emphasised with the long-term injuries to both Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son, and will adjust his offensive tactics in such a way that they never leave him too open or too exposed. If it has shown anything, it is that Jose Mourinho needs to give Tottenham tactics a “Plan B” when it comes to how he sets his team up to play. So without further ado, this tactical analysis will now shift towards Tottenham Hotspur’s attacking and defensive tactics, identifying some of the most prominent strategies the Lilywhites are using within Mourinho’s philosophy but also some of the areas that are still lacking. The Special One prefers a solid and compact defensive unit over a high-pressing one that tries to win the ball higher up the pitch. Generally speaking, both the defensive and offensive tactics have been improved under the Portuguese manager despite hiccups in both phases of play. At times, we must slow the game down, Shoot On Sight: So far 35% of Spurs shots have been from outside the box, Play For Set-Pieces: I find this actually helped us when making our transitions quick. : This had an negative effect on our counter attacking. Secondly, I hope you […], On the 23rd February 2020, it was announced that the Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech had agreed to a deal to […], Dominating Spain and Europe just 20 years ago, Deportivo La Coruña became somewhat of a yo-yo club between Primera and […], Of course, the situation seems at least a bit better than it was in Mauricio Pochettino’s final days, as we will discuss further down the line of this tactical, A lot of that is simply due to his squad being extremely thin in some parts of the pitch but they still have more than just a solid base for the not so distant future. Typically of a Jose team, Tottenham Hotspur also aim to transition very quickly, Tottenham Passing Network from recent game. One of the problems, however, that have somehow crept in as of late seem to be connected to Tottenham Hotspur’s lack of width in general but especially on the left side of the pitch. Of course, so many players attacking central areas may become a little predictable to when central areas are congested, the two wing backs usually would offer an outlet out wide to then try and work the ball back into the central areas. Of course, so many players attacking central areas may become a little predictable to when central areas are congested, the two wing backs usually would offer an outlet out wide to then try and work the ball back into the central areas. The team is sitting in eighth with, points under their belts at the moment of writing this tactical analysis but their expected points tally says they should only have, Similarly, they are overperforming their xG values as well with, goals scored in the process. The Athletic claim that several dressing room sources have voiced their discontent regarding Mourinho’s tactical approach. They are still creating more chances and conceding less than they have under Pochettino and that’s a great sign for the squad. Mourinho once again decided to sit deep and overcrowd the middle of the park in hopes of squeezing the ball away from the Blues and striking on the counter. Notice in the example below as they create the very same thing from a throw-in routine. Tottenham Hotspur Squad Unhappy With Jose Mourinho’s Tactics Poor Form and Poor Football Causes Tottenham Hotspur Squad Members to Speak Out If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Tottenham Tactics are Becoming Too Obvious When Tottenham Hotspur beat North London rivals Arsenal 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 6th December they played a counter-attacking game. In 2019/20 and especially under their new coach, Tottenham Hotspur have mostly set up in a 4-2-3-1 system, favouring it in 33% of all the games played throughout the campaign and across all competitions. Winks can carry the ball forward and spray it wide if necessary but Dier is not as comfortable in possession and can be forced into mistakes. But what you may also see is another shape when attacking as the two wingers tuck in so narrowly and Kane dropping deeper, effectively makes two up top and more bodies in the box with players outside the box lurking. But generally speaking, and even though it may seem like they are still conceding a lot, stats do suggest an improvement is taking place. This resulted in 1.41 conceded goals in his last 12 Premier League games in charge while Mourinho is now on 1.37 in his 16 games in the league. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho was critical of his players in the aftermath of a draw with Newcastle - and could be edging closer towards the exit door. But we’ve even seen big changes from him since last season and the Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg signing meant that he could be a little more adventurous with his tactical set-up. Of course, once again, injuries have played a part here as Ndombele has rarely been fit for long enough to feature consistently. As a result, upon losing possession and during the opposition’s build-up play, Spurs will mostly drop into their usual 4-4-2 defensive shape that can turn into a 4-3-3 once the ball is recycled towards the wings and low pressure is applied on the ball-carrier. The team is sitting in eighth with 40 points under their belts at the moment of writing this tactical analysis but their expected points tally says they should only have 36.6 and be sitting in 11th. Observe an example of that below as Spurs snatch the ball away around the halfway of the pitch and immediately the wide players burst forward and the central ones – who all stay relatively close to each other – combine quickly to eject the pacy players as soon as possible. The forward drops deeper, pulling his marker with him and that creates space behind them. This is where I find small features that I find important and compared them to real life performances. Deportivo La Coruña: What’s sparked Fernando Vázquez’s remarkable recovery? Additionally, the sheer compactness and the fact that some of their pacy players such as Alli, Moura or Bergwijn can stay higher up the pitch means that it’s far easier to construct a successful counter-attack and Spurs have made that a formidable weapon under Mourinho. The men in the middle of midfield stay close to each other, they remain compact and this reduces the chances of gaps appearing in midfield which could happen if Jose chooses to further his line of engagement and go for a more urgent pressing defensive style. But the manager is yet to lose control of the whole dressing room yet. Pochettino registered, xGA (expected goals against) in his last 12 games while Mourinho is currently on, It does seem like Mourinho is steadily improving Spurs even though results are far from ideal. Dimitri Payet: The tactics behind his Marseille revival under André Villas-Boas, Scout Report: Christopher Nkunku’s RB Leipzig resurgence under Nagelsmann. Pass Into Space: Compliments counter-attacks. “In Jose, we have one of the most successful managers in football.” “He has a wealth of experience, can inspire teams and is a great tactician. Firstly, his pivot duo choice affects this massively – at the moment, only Harry Winks seems like a certain pick for the coach while his partners will change from Eric Dier, Tanguy Ndombele and recently even Giovani Lo Celso. Still, it does seem like Mourinho is still experimenting with his squad but generally, he favours a more direct approach that completely bypasses the middle of the park and aims to advance through the flanks for the majority of the time. Tactical Analysis: Getafe’s time under José Bordalás, Red Star Belgrade’s new midfield: Njegoš Petrović and Veljko Nikolić. Against Leipzig, however, they failed to cover their half-spaces successfully and it led to their opposition constantly exploiting that area. We’ve seen that in their clash against Chelsea when Frank Lampard’s troops squeezed the life out of them and practically limited them to moving strictly inside their own backyard. To try and channel most of my play in central areas for us to play dangerous vertical balls. You can see how that looked like on the pitch in the graphic above. Former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov was impressed with Spurs defender Joe Rodon over the international break and is backing the Welshman to star for his club too. Though Kane and Son may be recognised as the stars of this team, Hojbjerg has certainly deserved his praise for his role in this side as things seemed to have clicked a little better since his arrival. This is partly on Lampard’s tactics as well as his midfield was sometimes not optimally organised and gaps like that one appeared due to their own mistakes. SYSTEM OF PLAY: 4-2-3-1 In Tottenham Hotspur, Mourinho inherited a side of extremely talented players that were not living up to the high standards they had set for themselves throughout their careers. Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Tactics - Football Manager 2020, in this video you can check replication of Jose Mourinho's real life tactic into fm 20 tactic. This all highly depends on the personnel Mourinho chooses. The defending shape is key to how Spurs counter-attack so it needs to be disciplined. And lastly, the positional rotation between Kane and Son has been a pleasure to watch this season and seems to have gotten the best out of both so far in this Premier League campaign. It’s the same story with their defence since they have conceded, All Content © 2021 Total Football Analysis Magazine. You can see an example of a combination of zonal and man-marking in the advanced areas of the pitch in the image above. Spurs threw away a two-goal first leg advantage to lose 3-0 after extra time in Croatia, the result raising eyebrows across Europe and representing a fresh nadir in Jose Mourinho's time in charge. Spurs were on the backfoot in both games and similar mistakes crept in that gave their opposition multiple openings. With the Positive mentality, players may leave their defensive position a bit too frequently than Jose would like, but just like him, he have to be pragmatic for the results without losing too much of the realism feel we want from this tactic. Jose often operates in a mid-block despite people claiming he often parks the bus. But depending on the choice of that second midfielder, Spurs possess or don’t possess a dose of press-resistance in their pivot line. Spurs have averaged 43.58 long balls in Pochettino’s first 12 games in charge in 2019/20 while they now sit on 50.25 under Mourinho. At times we’ve seen an increase in the pressing intensity and even change of shape. Jose Mourinho decision on Jan Vertonghen vs Leicester City underlines Spurs' new defensive focus; Read More Related Articles. Notice below how a somewhat usual scenario for Tottenham Hotspur’s build-up tactics might look like. Dominik Szoboszlai: Is he ready for the next big move? In November of 2019, Tottenham Hotspur announced Jose Mourinho as the new manager after parting ways with Mauricio Pochettino. Now that Jose Mourinho has been in charge of Tottenham Hotspur for just over three months, it’s once again time to look at the work he’s doing and if the team is going in the right direction with him at the helm. In possession we have seen countless times this season, When the two wingers do come inside, this allows the wing-backs to make runs from deeper areas to stretch the opponent. Ben Davies and Jan Vertonghen are more defensive-minded so that makes the left more pragmatic in the first place. and is higher than in any of Pochettino’s previous years in charge. The defender is dragged away from his standard position and Spurs can immediately send a long ball over the top to find a runner who’s now in acres of space behind the enemy lines. Disclaimer: Of course, we are not going to achieve the exact same movements as in real-life or we may not even share the same views tactically. Notice in the image below how Spurs are one pass away from completely leaving Chelsea in the dust but a last-ditch tackle from the Blues saves the day. But what you may also see is another shape when attacking as the two wingers tuck in so narrowly and, CD - R - Ball-Playing Defender - Defend -, mourinho tottenham tactical analysis fm21. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. But so far, we’re yet to see that kind of resolute performances from his Tottenham Hotspur team and a lot more will be expected from the Special One in the future. Note in both examples above how once Moura cuts inside from the left, Chelsea can basically disregard the whole flank since Davies doesn’t move past the halfway line. As always, Jose has been pragmatic this season. In the example above, we can see Tottenham Hotspur inviting pressure on the left just so they can switch the play onto the right side when the chance appears. This resulted in, But generally speaking, and even though it may seem like they are still conceding a lot, stats do suggest an improvement is taking place. Still, their defensive organisation is not without fault and we’ve seen some of their biggest weaknesses exposed against Chelsea and RB Leipzig respectively. Their lacklustre pressing tactics, no proper target man for transitions, lack of any width in the pragmatic approach and gaps they leave in their defensive shapes have already cost them quite a lot in the ongoing campaign and will definitely have to be taken care of in the not so distant future. While Spurs manage to cage the opposition’s midfield, their narrow and compact positioning means that the half-spaces are left wide open and Leipzig constantly progressed the ball through those channels. In any of Pochettino ’ s revamped and revitalized Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham during the 2020/21 season FM... Revamped and revitalized Tottenham Hotspur also aim to transition very quickly, Tottenham Hotspur also aim to transition quickly! 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