Time for Tottenham to Deploy Højbjerg as Lone Defensive Mid

Sure playing with two holding midfielders was something Mauricio Pochettino did regularly and José Mourinho has continued at Tottenham. However, raise your hand if you thought that was going to change this season when Spurs signed Pierre Højbjerg. I know my hand is up in the air and although two holding midfielders have benefited Tottenham in the past, it is time for change. That change should begin with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg doing what he was brought in to do, play the lone defensive midfield.

Tottenham Need the Best out of Højbjerg

When Tottenham were winning early in the season, it seemed Pierre Højbjerg was the greatest signing in Spurs history. Much of this was because Højbjerg was positioned deep and was able to attack the ball. As the season has gone on Pierre has been found further up the pitch and covering even more for others, leaving him less positioned centrally where he needs to be.

Having Pierre Højbjerg staying home in the deep middle of the park would require some changes in how Spurs defend the flanks. However, having someone play the deep outside of the pitch defensively is probably a good idea and it should not be Højbjerg. Ultimately, Pierre Højbjerg was signed to recover protect the defense and recover possession for Spurs, something he can not do as effectively further up the pitch.

Højbjerg is more effective deeper on the pitch

In fairness as a great recoverer of the ball, it would logically seem to make sense to have him doing it as high as possible. What we have seen however is that by pushing Højbjerg further up you take away his impeccable timing. If you are playing defensively from near the front third everything happens fast and you have little time to react, which sometimes is to Højbjerg and Spurs benefit and other times not so much.

Using whoscored.com statistics HotspurHQ looked at the first 11 matches versus the last 10 matches for Højbjerg. Pierre Højbjerg is getting more interceptions over the last 10 matches than he did in the first 11 – up the Arsenal win – but he is also getting fewer tackles, is being dispossessed at a much higher rate and then is subsequently committing more fouls. Of course we know what happens to midfielders committing a lot of fouls in transition, you get cards.

In the first 11 matches Højbjerg picked up 1 yellow against Everton on the opening day. In the last 10 matches, he has four yellow cards. A yellow for a player like Højbjerg has a major impact as physicality is a big part of his game and he has to limit it with a yellow in hand. So instead of having a player able to see a play develop and make a tackle or steal the ball, we have Højbjerg trying to react in transition and leaving the team exposed as he is just too far up the pitch.

Alternatively, when he is playing in a deeper role he is winning more balls on the ground and in the air, while being dispossessed less. Further, one of the best traits Pierre Højbjerg displayed during the early part of the season was his incredible long passing ability. Højbjerg’s total passes are up, but his long balls and key passes are both down all because Spurs are no longer playing to his strength as a deep lying midfielder, which then hurts the defense too.

What happened to slotting into the middle center back?

Remember that time when early in the season in possession Spurs could push the fullbacks up the flanks because the center-halves could essentially play a back three with Pierre Højbjerg as the center back? I know I do but apparently Tottenham does not. In those first 11 matches, Højbjerg averaged 2.36 clearances per game compared to just .9 per match now. Instead of being positioned for success Pierre Højbjerg is constantly chasing.

One of the problems with the defense has been the spacing of the center backs where they are too close to one another. This was not a problem earlier in the season when Højbjerg often slotted between the backs in possession creating the cover and balance in the back and the ability to push forward. For whatever reason, that aspect of the Tottenham game has been lost.

Lately it is the flat back two playing the ball up to Højbjerg with his back to the defense. This is no way to spread the field, the opposition, or create attack. If Højbjerg were the lone defensive midfielder he would stop being pushed forward and could go back to slotting into a back three in possession, once again giving Spurs a true ball winner in the defensive middle of the pitch and getting some push from the flanks without total exposure defensively.

Tottenham need more attackers on the pitch

Pierre Højbjerg was the best ball winner in the Premier League last season and for the first 11 weeks of this season. Because of that, Tottenham had some freedom to attack and that needs to return. It is was becoming obvious before the Harry Kane injury, which now just makes it painful, Tottenham need more not less creative players on the pitch.

If Pierre Højbjerg is the lone holding midfielder you can get two creative players on in front of him with license to attack. Tottenham need players to be able to push forward freely and know they have cover. This does not mean they are not accountable to try and recover and get back when it is their turn but Spurs have clearly lost that confidence.

At this point, players are not sure what will happen it they drive forward and lose the ball. Earlier in the season it was kind of obvious, Tottenham were going to get it back. Now when Spurs give the ball away sometimes you have to wonder when they will see it again. All this goes back to confidence in oneself, in the game plan, and in the person next to you.

If José Mourinho and Tottenham want to get back to that feeling and that confidence and know that everyone can do their job, it starts with having their current best player Pierre Højbjerg – Kane is out – play in his best position, which is as a lone defensive midfielder.

Is it just a coincidence that Tottenham’s two biggest victories on the season 1-6 at Manchester United and 2-5 versus Southampton saw Pierre Højbjerg as the lone holding midfielder in a 4-3-3? Probably not. Maybe José hates giving up those goals with fewer defenders, but we all sure like the goals and wins, and winning is what this it is all about.