When Did Tottenham’s Latest Slump Start?

If we’re being perfectly honest with ourselves, Tottenham’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Saturday was at least a month in the making.

As it happens, the beginning of this slump can be pinpointed. It came in the 64th minute of Tottenham’s 4-0 win over West Brom.

That result was the sixth consecutive win for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, a streak that sustained itself through the busy festive period and beyond. With the record against West Brom spotty prior to this match, such an emphatic win seemed like a surefire sign that Tottenham’s good fortune was set to continue.

And then Jan Vertonghen fell to the ground after rolling his ankle chasing a ball out to touch. The Belgian centre-back managed to get to his feet but only with assistance did he make his way down the tunnel. The prognosis delivered in the following days was dim: Vertonghen would miss at least the next two months, maybe more.

Now, Tottenham suffered almost this exact same blow last January. A hard tackle in the match against Crystal Palace injured Vertonghen’s knee and Pochettino was forced to resort to newcomer Kevin Wimmer in the centre-back role though till April.

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Many feared a slump then, but it never materialized. The Austrian performed well up to the standards set by Vertonghen, and Tottenham continued their ascent into the title race.

Why, then, can’t Pochettino simply employ the same solution to this most recent Vertonghen dilemma? Two reasons.

One, Wimmer doesn’t look like a reliable back up. A groin injury over the summer removed him from contention early on in the season, forcing Pochettino to turn to Eric Dier as a third-choice center-back. When Wimmer returned to health and came back into the side, his performances simply did not impress enough for him to top even a lack-luster Dier.

Two, Tottenham’s run of good form before Vertonghen’s injury owes itself to a tactical switch for which Wimmer is not ideal. The 3-4-2-1 formation relies on the mobility and full-back experience of both Vertonghen and Dier on either side of Alderweireld. Asking Wimmer, who has no experience outside of a traditional centre-back role, to slot in there is a lot harder than it was to ask him to slot into a 4-2-3-1.

As it happens, it’s that formation Tottenham deployed during these last few weeks since Vertonghen’s injury. As much blame can be pointed toward a knee injury picked up by converted wing-back Danny Rose for that shape change, but Vertonghen’s absence alone might have been enough for the three-at-the-back scheme to be abandoned.

Next: Tottenham Player Ratings: 2-0 at Liverpool

Unfortunately, his season’s iteration of the 4-2-3-1 doesn’t come close to last season’s — especially with Vertonghen and Rose down. There isn’t the same defensive solidity or fluency from defense to midfield to attack. It’s no wonder than Liverpool ran over Spurs, or that teams like Sunderland and Middlesbrough so successful stifled otherwise strong XIs fielded by Pochettino.

Check back on Tuesday for a deeper dive into the 4-2-3-1’s baffling fall from grace, and why the 3-4-2-1 continues to represent Tottenham’s best option.