How Spurs can stay third: keep cool and play Luka Modric in middle
Standard Sport's Tom Collomosse looks at some of the steps the manager and his players could take to put the season back on track.
In the space of only 16 days, Tottenham have gone from challenging for the Premier League title to fearing for their place in next season’s Champions League.
Harry Redknapp’s team should still be capable of securing a top-four finish, but three consecutive defeats have given new hope to Arsenal and Chelsea. Arsenal’s win over Saudi Sportswashing Machine last night cut the gap between the north London rivals to a single point.
Since Fabio Capello resigned as England manager and Redknapp was installed as favourite to replace him, Spurs have won one Premier League game and lost three — the first time they have suffered three straight losses in the League under his management.
Standard Sport looks at some of the steps the manager and his players could take to put the season back on track.
1. KEEP BEST PLAYERS IN BEST POSITIONS
Luka Modric is one of the most creative players in the division and must be used centrally. When he is deployed on the left, he seeks to drift inside, which denies Spurs an attacking threat on the flank while, at the same time, reducing the influence of their best player. Even if Redknapp has to switch from 4-4-1-1 to 4-2-3-1, with Modric playing ahead of two more defensive players like Sandro and Scott Parker, the Croatian’s space and options must not be restricted.
It is a similar situation for Gareth Bale. Giving the Welshman a free role earlier in the season was a clever move by Redknapp but his best work is still done on the left flank. Moving Bale away from the wing he favours makes Spurs less menacing. Aaron Lennon’s injuries affect the team’s balance but it is a shame if Modric and Bale have to suffer as a consequence.
2. INTENSIVE SET-PIECE TRAINING
How regularly do Tottenham produce goals from free-kicks and corners? It is a source of frustration for supporters that Spurs are not more prolific from set pieces. Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Modric have all tried from the edge of the penalty area, but rarely have they succeeded.
Younes Kaboul’s blunderbuss free-kicks threaten fans in the back of the stand, defenders in the wall and advertising logos. The team’s attacking approach yields plenty of set pieces, especially at White Hart Lane, and a squad with Spurs’ talent can surely think of some more effective routines.
3. DON’T THINK OF ENGLAND
For the manager, this is virtually impossible. Everyone has been in a situation where there is the chance of another job but the Football Association’s well-meaning decision to keep their distance might actually be destabilising Tottenham’s season.
For the players, there is less of an excuse. The uncertainty about Redknapp’s future will be a topic of conversation among the squad but it should not have an effect on performance. It is highly unlikely that Redknapp would leave the club before the end of the season, so the players can block it from their minds at least until May 13, when the Premier League season ends.
4. ONE FORWARD
It is harsh on Jermain Defoe and, more recently, Louis Saha, who have been lively when their chances have come. Yet Spurs have done their best work this season when Emmanuel Adebayor has played as a lone forward, with Bale, Lennon, Van der Vaart and Kyle Walker moving forward to link with him. Adebayor’s finishing is not as accurate as Defoe’s and this can be frustrating but his awareness and ability to create chances for others cannot be underestimated. If Adebayor is at his best, Spurs remain a huge attacking threat without running the risk of being overrun in midfield.
5. STAY CALM
This is, perhaps, the most important aspect of the run-in for Spurs. Redknapp’s tension was palpable in the interview he gave after the defeat at Everton at the weekend, while the players have looked more prickly than usual during recent matches.
Everybody needs to take a deep breath. The last fortnight has been chastening but there is no reason for panic. Only one of Tottenham’s remaining 10 Premier League fixtures is against a team currently in the top seven of the table.
They have an easier run-in than Arsenal or Chelsea. Keep their nerve, remain concentrated, and third place should still be theirs.
