Tottenham Need a Layered Defense Against Southampton

By Ryan Wrenn | Dec 27, 2016

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 02: Moussa Sissoko of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Wembley Stadium on November 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images) /

Questioning and debating Tottenham’s formation has become a weekly tradition, and Wednesday’s match against Southampton is providing plenty of fodder.

In recent weeks Mauricio Pochettino elected to field multiple formations in response to the tactics of Tottenham’s opposition.

Against Hull, Tottenham mimicked the three-at-the-back formation that nullified the relegation fodder’s narrow attack. Against Burnley he fielded a team that most closely resembled a 4-3-3. In the weeks prior to those matches, Tottenham re-employed the 4-2-3-1 formation that proved so successful last season.

It’s fair to assume that Claude Puel’s Southampton will elicit a similar shift in shape on Wednesday. Unlike other teams, it’s easy to guess what Pochettino will have to do to combat the home side’s advantages.

More than almost any other side in the Premier League, Southampton favor width. It’s no wonder; in Nathan Redmond and Sofiane Boufal they have two direct, pacey options on the wings. Plus, prior to his injury, Charlie Austin was proving to be an ideal target for their crosses.

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Even with Austin out, the re-emergence of Jay Rodriguez as a proper striker seems set to sustain Southampton’s abilities to frustrate opposing defenses.

“Frustrate” is about the full extent of it, however. While both wingers are prolific in their accurate crossing and create more than few chances themselves, the Saints haven’t quite found a way to convert reliably yet.

Nevertheless, Pochettino’s first and last concern will be keeping Southampton from exploiting the flanks. To than end he should have his Tottenham side favor a layered tactical approach.

To most teams that would involve two banks of four players in defense and midfield. That allows reasonably crowding of the center while also providing resistance against overloads down the flanks.

Such overloads are Southampton’s bread and butter. It’s not just Redmond and Boufal who can prove threats, but the full-backs they partner with. Cédric Soares and Ryan Bertrand team with Redmond and Boufal respectively to create and exploit space down the touchlines. Tottenham will need to come to St. Mary’s prepared to take on all four players.

To accomplish this will take a little tinkering. Playing Tottenham’s customary narrow game might be ill-advised. Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli can and will track back and defend if asked, but doing so tends to mean that chance creation all much dries up.

Better options, improbable as it might seem, could be Heung-min Son and Moussa Sissoko. Neither has been at his best in recent weeks, but in terms of countering Southampton’s wide threat they might be better suited.

Deploying those players would, admittedly, be an against-the-grain approach. Eriksen and Alli are in too good form to drop suddenly, even if Tottenham have a busy week ahead with matches against Watford and Chelsea.

There’s plenty of logic to back up the choice were Pochettino to make it. Both Son and Sissoko are better in wide areas. With Danny Rose possibly out injured, having some energetic presence on the flanks — i.e. not relying on Ben Davies — is a necessity in possession.

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Out of possession, both players can keep their opposing full-backs pinned back and unable to assist Redmond or Boufal. That strips Southampton of a lot of their attacking verve, especially with Rodriguez not exactly experienced in the centre-forward role.

It’s possible too that Pochettino simply asks Eriksen and Alli to perform these tasks off the ball. That, as we’ve said, keeps them farther back than they might otherwise play, but both players are versatile enough to handle running a bit farther.