Three areas Tottenham will look to improve against Manchester United
By Gary Pearson
Tottenham’s revolution kicked off with a 2-2 draw at Brentford, and while there were countless positive takeaways, Ange will want to improve various facets against United on Saturday.
Teething problems are part and parcel with a different formation and philosophy implemented by a new gaffer.
So what areas will Ange look to improve for one of Tottenham’s highest-profile matches of the campaign?
3. Create more clear-cut chances
For all of Tottenham’s dominance at Brentford, the away side struggled to create enough clear-cut chances. Spurs’ first goal came from a brilliant James Maddison set piece. Their second was barely a half-chance, with Emerson Royal connecting beautifully with a seeing-eye shot from long range.
Neither goal came from a golden scoring opportunity, and there were sparse others of note.
Tottenham had 70 percent of the ball, 16 attempted shots, and six on target. Aside from Sonny’s left-footed attempt and Richarlison’s stinger right at Mark Flekken’s gloves in the second half, Tottenham didn’t create any other clear-cut chances.
If they can add the finished product to their dazzling football, Spurs will indeed be in business, at least offensively.
2. Get Richarlison more involved
This one goes for the entire forward crew but more so for Richarlison.
The Brazilian needs to be way more involved. His expected goals in the opener were .17. He had one shot on target, one key pass, and 36 touches.
Richarlison’s shot on goal came from his best chance of the match. He fizzed the shot directly at Flekken’s hands. He had one progressive carry and one progressive run. Those numbers won’t garner an increased goal production from the Brazilian No. 9.
Tottenham will look to get Richarlison involved early and often. He can’t have too many matches ensnared in the shadows, especially considering Spurs’ palpable lack of options up front.
1. Find a way to shore up gaps left behind fullbacks
On opening day, Emerson Royal and Destiny Udogie enjoyed outstanding performances in West London. They did precisely as Ange asked, pressing forward, sliding seamlessly into the middle of the park, and distributing accurately, advancing play efficiently.
Oh, and Royal scored a cracker, locating his shooting boots with big Ange in the building.
There was a lot to like about our fullbacks. However, both were exposed on Brentford’s goals. Royal left his mark on a Bees free kick for a split second and couldn’t get back in time to nullify the dangerous cutback.
Udogie got caught upfield, leading to Sonny conceding a penalty after trying to make up for the left back’s brief absence. Neither player can be held entirely accountable. They’re learning how best to play as inverted fullbacks, probably the most challenging position in Ange’s 4-3-3.
Both players will grow as time passes, adapting to their new roles. They’ll find a way to mitigate being exposed like they were at Brentford. However, neither full-back can be expected to cover those gaps consistently.
They need their centre-back’s help with that. Davinson Sanchez could have covered better on Brentford’s second. While the Colombian had an outstanding match, Cristian Romero may have handled that particular scenario better.
Under Ange, the centre-backs have increased responsibility, ensuring the gaps left by the advancing full-backs are covered. Everyone needs time to find the successful formula. Hopefully, they don’t need too long, though, as losing to United at home would be infuriating.