How Spurs Drew: Away at West Brom

Spurs fans might console themselves by saying that bad days happen, and that in fact the 1-1 draw away to West Brom on Saturday could have been worse.

Indeed it could have, though let’s not flatter West Brom too much. Spurs earn as much fault here as West Brom earn praise.

There is some – reluctant – praise to be given, however. Pulis constructs his teams with the primary focus being to play a simple game based on vigorous challenges, keeping the ball in the air and standing in their opponents way. There’s nothing especially refined about it; while Pochettino works in pen, Pulis works in buckets of paint.

It is, however, effective in the broadest sense. While most of the Premier League has slowly drifted toward a Spanish type of possession-and-passing brand of football, Pulis has only dug in further on a traditionally British style. It works only insofar that it is among the last vestiges of such football in the English top flight and therefore not what most oppositions are trained to play against. Spurs and others struggle to cope with a team that refuses to play the ball on the ground, that refuses to have a recognizable playmaker, that refuses to be polite. It won’t win Pulis any trophies, but it’s just enough to keep West Brom in the top flight.

More from Match Reports

On Saturday, that style of play meant that Spurs couldn’t find their rhythm in midfield, in either the defensive or offensive senses. Attempts to pass the ball forward were often met with meaty challenges, or at least the threat of them. Eric Dier and Mousa Dembélé combined for more completed passes than West Brom’s entire five man midfield, though most of them were laterals or simple plays forward. The lack of space behind West Brom’s backline meant that there were few chances for quick, long passes to the wings, Toby Alderweireld’s accurate punt to the onrushing Alli for Spurs opening goal being among the only exceptions.

The lack of effectiveness in the midfield buildup play compelled Christian Eriksen and Érik Lamela to come inside from their nominal positions on the wing in order to actually receive passes. This created a profound lack of width, especially in the first half, one in which West Brom used to their benefit. Their full-backs played more narrowly, clogging up the passing lanes in their third even more than they were to start.

When possession was reclaimed by the Baggies, were savvy enough to not fall into Spurs’ pressing trap. Knowing how much Spurs were built around closing down balls passed on the turf, used their advantage in height to keep the ball in the air as it moved back toward Hugo Lloris’ goal. With Eriksen and Lamela often occupied, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker were left exposed out wide in defense. It’s not surprising that West Brom’s equalizer started with a player on Rose’s flank and ended with a player on Walker’s.

Next: Tottenham Links: Daniel Levy is the World's Best Chairman

James McClean gave Walker trouble all day. Even if the English full-back often proved up for the challenge – with the exception of the goal – the continual harassment meant that he was unable to get forward as much as he would have liked. A mere 17% of Spurs’ attacks in the first half came from the right, a situation created by Lamela being bogged down in midfield and Walker being pushed back by McClean.

This analysis ignores the fact that, for the most part, it appeared as if Spurs were playing at roughly two-thirds capacity. There’s no accounting for lack of spirit, and that it passed with only a draw as a consequence is perhaps something to be happy about. Pochettino has some mental work to do with this team. Injuries, exhaustion, lack of form – these are all at least partially valid excuses for not playing at your best. Lack of motivation or overconfidence – if either were the culprit on Saturday – should not be tolerated however.