In a game between two sides using high defensive lines, runs in behind the opposition were always likely to be crucial … and controversialThere are many similarities between the footballing philosophies of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, and for the second time this season, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur contested a fast-paced, exciting game based around pressing and high defensive lines. Whereas Tottenham ran out 2-0 winners in October, however, City failed to translate their superiority here into three points.Guardiola has often played a 4-2-3-1 in recent weeks but on Saturday used a 4-3-3 – and an extremely attack-minded 4-3-3 at that. Leroy Sané, Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling played high up the pitch, pressing Tottenham’s centre-backs, while David Silva...
Spurs are at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and Pep Guardiola needs the City team who overcame Arsenal to turn up not the one humbled 4-0 at EvertonLess than a fortnight ago, the day after Manchester City’s 5-0 demolition of West Ham United away from home in the FA Cup, the Sun produced one of the more inspired back pages of the season in honour of the performance. “MC Hammer!” the main headline screamed, accompanied by a picture of David Silva complete with speech bubble reading: “You can’t touch this.”It all seemed completely in order. Pep Guardiola’s side had just made the most emphatic of statements to restore some of the belief that went missing in the new year fixtures,...
Spurs’ 2-0 win over Chelsea was as impressive for the mature game management of Mauricio Pochettino’s side as Alli’s continued goalscoring exploitsOnce again Tottenham Hotspur were in the last chance saloon against Chelsea. Lose on Wednesday and the damage to their Premier League title hopes would most likely have been fatal. This time, however, it did not descend into the equivalent of one of those scenes in which bodies are hurled across the tables and gunfire shatters the whisky bottles. Tottenham kept their cool and the 2-0 home win was notable for its comfort in the closing stages.“It was not the first time we have played well against Chelsea,” Mousa Dembélé said. “But this time when we went in front,...
Tottenham’s coach has made his reputation as a master tactician and he showed why when his side stalled the Chelsea juggernaut with a 2-0 home winMauricio Pochettino has earned a reputation as a fine tactician, and this was a very impressive strategic performance by the Tottenham Hotspur coach against Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system – the first time anyone has truly outwitted Chelsea in that shape.Since Conte switched to 3-4-3 after a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in September, Chelsea had won all 13 league matches, and had been so utterly dominant that opposition managers have found themselves terrified of playing their regular system for fear of being torn apart. The problem, though, is that no one had actually...
Spurs have found a ruthlessness in front of goal over the festive season but have not always made pressure tell against the team top of the Premier LeagueTottenham Hotspur could hardly look sharper going into Wednesday’s high-stakes duel against Chelsea but they know the match represents a mighty test of their finishing skills and they must pass it if they are to retain hope of ending this season as champions. Related: Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea: match preview Related: Mauricio Pochettino reckons everyone else wants Spurs to beat Chelsea Continue reading...