Five Reasons Why Tottenham Hotspur Should Change to a 4-3-3
By Aaron Coe
Given the lack of funds potentially available to reinforce the team in January, a formation that better fits the personnel for Tottenham Hotspur may be the answer.
Tottenham Hotspur have stagnated over the last month as the team has struggled to generate a real burst offensively and have simultaneously had problems keeping clean sheets. Given a tight operating budget and the potential need to make things work with what they have, Tottenham Hotspur should really consider a switch to a 4-3-3 formation. Here are five reasons we believe José Mourinho should seriously consider a change in formation.
Reason 1: More Skill in the Midfield
Right now, Tottenham are struggling to provide both defensive coverage and offensive link-up play with their triangle midfield. While one could argue Spurs play with five midfielders in the 4-2-3-1 formation Heung-Min Son and the opposite winger are just that wingers in what is essentially a three-man front line with Harry Kane.
This leaves the midfield with the two at the base, Pierre Højbjerg and most often Moussa Sissoko and another midfielder playing in an attacking central midfield role. This has been primarily Tanguy Ndombele in League, with one of Giovani Lo Celso, Erik Lamela, and Dele Alli filling-in for Spurs in Europe.
Given Tottenham have been struggling in possession and passing, having more skill, and passing in the midfield, by playing two more skillful players with Højbjerg would seem to make sense. While Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso struggled to play together with one as a ‘winger’ and the other in the attacking midfield position, if one were clearly on the left and the other clearly on the right, they would be less likely to be getting in each other’s way.
If Mourinho did not want to use both Lo Celso and Ndombele, Dele or Lamela could be the alternatives on the right and the left. Either way, you are getting more skill and ideally more ball movement into the game. Mourinho, could even consider using double wingers with Lucas Moura or Steven Bergwijn behind Son to create more potency in attack.