Eriksen and Lamela Balance Attack at Spurs

By Ryan Wrenn | Jan 22, 2016

Jul 29, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen (23) controls the ball against the MLS All Stars during the first half of the 2015 MLS All Star Game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Saturday’s visit to Crystal Palace might be a chance for Eriksen to firmly reclaim his spot on the left side of Spurs’ attack.

Since the Dane arrived in 2013, he’s been at his best in a central or slightly wide left playmaking role. While he’s been dropped deeper on occasion and occasionally has liberty to drift across the pitch, it’s from that left-of-center position that Eriksen has earned his reputation at Spurs.

He naturally began the season in the same area of the pitch, often linking up well with Harry Kane as the striker also has a tendency to drift wide from his striker role. While initially it seemed like more of the same could be expected, there was something missing: goals.

Eriksen had developed a knack for finding late, decisive goals for Spurs last season, becoming something close to the club’s closer in crucial games. His level of fitness was such that he could cover more ground much later in the game than practically any opposition defense, an advantage that often left him open with a shot on goal. Thanks also to a knack for direct free-kicks, Eriksen notched ten goals for the club last season in the Premier League.

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His ability to score in open play for Spurs began to wane late last season and it’s carried over into the current term. While he was still often a crucial component of the attacking mechanism – particularly from dead ball situations – he simply wasn’t scoring, despite the fact that his shot counts and general offensive numbers didn’t seem to be dipping.

In reaction, Mauricio Pochettino moved him over to the right wing and instructed him to drop deep, much in the same way that Mousa Dembélé featured in the same position in the opening stages of the season. He sat deeper than usual and generally played the role of distributor rather than attacker. His shot counts dipped along with the rate at which his passes were converted into shots.

At the same time, however, Érik Lamela and Dele Alli’s partnership behind Kane was blossoming. Pochettino had every reason to stick with that trio of attackers after Spurs’ success against Norwich, though clearly the set up wasn’t getting the best out Eriksen.

Should rumors be believed, Eriksen confronted Pochettino about his positional switch and, proving himself once again to be the quality manager Spurs fans believe him to be, he relented. Eriksen was switched back to the opposite side of the pitch and was allowed to drift through the lines, occasionally swapping sides with Lamela as Alli worked through the middle.

And it worked. Eriksen scored his first two goals from open play in almost a year.

We can expect something similar against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Lamela might even set up camp in the deeper position Eriksen temporarily occupied as it seems his skillset – one that is split between precision passes and determined pressing – might best utilized there.

Next: How Will Tottenham Line Up Against Crystal Palace?

From his position working between the lines on the right side of Palace’s defense, Eriksen should continued to find the same joy he found last week. He might not score – both of his goals against Sunderland were aided in some small part back the incompetence of the Black Cats’ defense – but he’s got a point to prove after Pochettino gave him his chance.

With the likes of Joe Ledley, Joel Ward and Scott Dann attempting to corral Eriksen, Kane, Alli and likely also Dembélé on the left, this could be another devastating day for Spurs’ opposition.