How Can Tottenham beat Liverpool in the Champions League final?
Tottenham Hotspur have already achieved the impossible dream of getting to the Champions League final. But how can they go one step further and win?
Liverpool have a better side than Tottenham do.
Arguing that would be on the ridiculous side of foolish. That though doesn’t mean much when it comes to just one single game. Over the course of a full season in a round robin style league where every team plays every other one twice the law of averages tends to have the best team win out. Thus for instance Manchester City and Liverpool with their vastly superior sides won the league in England this year.
That though does not hold true with cup competitions which is why in a day in age where money has taken more and more of a grip on the game and the separation between rich and poor is more stark than ever before, they are the far more interesting and competitive part of football. Any team can have their day if they play their cards right and Tottenham have the ability to do that.
The good news is that Liverpool’s attacking players with the exception of Sadio Mane are either recovering from injury or in bad form. Mohamed Salah is now suffering from what is becoming his annual important-time-of-the-season injury, Roberto Firmino is as far off form as he has been under Jurgen Klopp and the rest of the team has had trouble getting goals in the same fashion as last season.
Tottenham have a spectacularly talented defense and shouldn’t be worried about losing out. Danny Rose can contain Salah should he play and whoever might replace the Egyptian would be a lesser worry anyway. The mistake would be in Tottenham not picking the fastest center back pairing that they have. Liverpool’s threat is not aerial, except at set pieces. Tottenham need to make sure that they can move and flow with Liverpool in the manner that they North-Westerner’s do so as to best counter their threat.
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It will be the job then of the wingers to push the wingbacks back and counter their threat. Trent Alexander-Arnold is too dangerous in terms of his offensive contribution to be allowed to press too far forward into the defensive third. This responsibility then broken up between Alli and Moura is something that will be interesting. Moura shouldn’t chase back too far and should be hovering around the halfway line which will keep Arnold occupied that said as he presses in Alli should engage him immediately. If he has the ball anywhere near the middle of the park he should be pressured by both players with immediate affect.
The tough thing then as has proved for everyone this season will be splitting and then isolating Liverpool’s central defenders. They won’t be beaten in the air but they could be occupied. Llorente should start and simply take the battle to Van Djik at every single opportunity. If Llorente isn’t physical enough to earn a cautionary yellow card from the referee then he’s not doing his job.
That then leaves the heroic’s to Son who is as dangerous as any player in the world at the moment. Spurs should look to break on the counter attack and maintain possession. They don’t need to park the bus or anything like that their midfield has the quality to maintain possession and counter all at once. If they can they should soak up pressure in the defensive and middle third before quickly breaking once on of the fullbacks slips out of position to press or they have isolated a central defender.
Tottenham won’t get many chances but what they do get if they can capitalize will get them ahead early. Liverpool don’t tire so the match must be won early on and waiting for a team with the general fitness that Liverpool do will be a mistake. Tottenham must build the edge up early in the match and try and force Liverpool into questioning themselves. Having just lost the league despite the best season any of the players have ever had it would be interesting to see if they started to meltdown with the pressure building later. To incite some recklessness on their part would be hugely helpful if Tottenham could make it happen.
Tottenham have every chance of winning this match and making a historic day out of it. They should promise themselves when they leave the dressing room that they will return as either corpses or champions and nothing in between.