NaijaSpurs
Les Ferdinand
I fear that central midfield area looks too soft
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Lucas Moura
- Thread starter Denmark Spur
- Start date
I fear that central midfield area looks too soft
K.D.D.D.D.Soc
Ian Walker
You're crazy
Spur of the moment
Frederic Kanoute
How Lucas Moura has added another dimension to Tottenham’s attacking play
By Oliver Young-Myles
After scoring twice against Manchester United on Monday evening, Moura has shown he is key to Mauricio Pochettino's attacking plans
Much has been made of Tottenham’s poor away record against their top six rivals, but Monday’s 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford shows that Mauricio Pochettino’s side are continuing to evolve in the Argentine’s fifth season in charge. Before the game, Spurs had won only two of their previous 20 matches away to United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project and Liverpool, but a Harry Kane header and Lucas Moura double gave them an emphatic win over Jose Mourinho’s beleaguered team.
It was Mourinho’s biggest ever home defeat and one of his lowest moments as United manager. Spurs rode their luck at times and on another night could well have gone in behind at the break had Romelu Lukaku taken a couple of chances that fell his way. However, Spurs were clinical in the second half and the way in which Pochettino set his side out had a huge bearing on the result.
Pochettino’s tactical evolution
During Pochettino’s first couple of seasons in charge of Spurs, his team was set up almost exclusively in a 4-2-3-1 system with the wingers tucked in and the full-backs providing the width on the outside. In 2016/17, he successfully adapted to a 3-4-2-1 in response to Antonio Conte’s success with Chelsea using a back-three. Against United on Monday and for the final half hour of last weekend’s 3-1 win over Fulham, though, Spurs were set up in a 4-4-2 diamond with Christian Eriksen playing in his natural role as a No.10 and Lucas Moura partnering Kane in attack.
The average position map from the United game showed that all six of Spurs’ midfielders and attackers were bunched inside the confines of the centre circle. It didn’t really work in the first half as United managed to pin Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose deep into their own half, meaning Spurs, without any width in midfield, were forced into playing direct, which suited their opponents.
In the second half, though, the benefits of the system became clearer as Spurs regained some control in the middle while also having a quick, direct outlet up front. Kane’s opening strike – a majestic header planted in the stanchion of the goal – came via a Kieran Trippier set-piece, but both of Lucas’ goals were as a result of his positioning at the apex of the Spurs attack.
A new role for Lucas
When Lucas was signed from PSG in January, it was assumed that he had been bought to provide Spurs with natural width on the right wing as well as pace and dynamism during attacking transitions. Aside from Son Heung-min, Spurs lacked an attacking player with such characteristics.
Pochettino had long sought after a player of that ilk. A move for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha fell through in 2016 and Spurs instead turned to Moussa Sissoko, fresh from his barnstorming performances for France at the Euros. Sissoko’s kick-and-run style has never suited a team that plays in a controlled manner and Lucas’ arrival looked to spell the end of the Sissoko experiment on the right wing. Except Lucas hasn't really played there either.
Instead, the Brazilian has been used in tandem with Kane in a two-man strikeforce, at least in the last game-and-a-third anyway. The average position map of Spurs’ side from Monday’s game shows that Lucas, rather than Kane, was Spurs’ most advanced player – that can’t have happened too often since Kane’s rise to prominence in 2014.
As a natural winger, Lucas’ ability to commit defenders with his speed and close control is a key part of his armoury and it was in evidence for his second and Spurs’ third goal of the night when he breezed past Chris Smalling en route to burying an effort beyond David De Gea. His first, meanwhile, was equally clinical as he ghosted into the area to turn Eriksen’s cut-back into the corner.
Both of Lucas’ finishes were hit with such conviction and confidence that you could be forgiven for thinking it was Kane who had delivered them and, while he is renowned for being a wide player, the Brazilian’s goalscoring record at PSG indicates why Pochettino has given him his current role.
Although he has never surpassed the 20-goal mark in a campaign, Lucas’ return of 19 from 53 matches in the 2016/17 season shows that he has a knack for goalscoring. Indeed, it was only the arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar last summer that forced Lucas out of the PSG side after what had been his most productive season in the French capital.
‘He has brought different alternatives’
After the game, Pochettino was full of praise for Lucas, saying: “He is showing his quality. I am so happy, he’s a great guy and he brought the team different skills, different alternatives and the most important thing is to find a different place to how he was finding in Paris last year. I think it’s [up to us] to find the best place to help him to perform in the way that we want.”
If Monday night is anything to go by, the best place to get the most out of Lucas is up front, alongside Kane, in a 4-4-2 diamond. Pochettino’s tactics are evolving again and that can only be good news for Spurs and their in-form forward.
Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/...otspur-manchester-united-mauricio-pochettino/
By Oliver Young-Myles
After scoring twice against Manchester United on Monday evening, Moura has shown he is key to Mauricio Pochettino's attacking plans
Much has been made of Tottenham’s poor away record against their top six rivals, but Monday’s 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford shows that Mauricio Pochettino’s side are continuing to evolve in the Argentine’s fifth season in charge. Before the game, Spurs had won only two of their previous 20 matches away to United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project and Liverpool, but a Harry Kane header and Lucas Moura double gave them an emphatic win over Jose Mourinho’s beleaguered team.
It was Mourinho’s biggest ever home defeat and one of his lowest moments as United manager. Spurs rode their luck at times and on another night could well have gone in behind at the break had Romelu Lukaku taken a couple of chances that fell his way. However, Spurs were clinical in the second half and the way in which Pochettino set his side out had a huge bearing on the result.
Pochettino’s tactical evolution
During Pochettino’s first couple of seasons in charge of Spurs, his team was set up almost exclusively in a 4-2-3-1 system with the wingers tucked in and the full-backs providing the width on the outside. In 2016/17, he successfully adapted to a 3-4-2-1 in response to Antonio Conte’s success with Chelsea using a back-three. Against United on Monday and for the final half hour of last weekend’s 3-1 win over Fulham, though, Spurs were set up in a 4-4-2 diamond with Christian Eriksen playing in his natural role as a No.10 and Lucas Moura partnering Kane in attack.
The average position map from the United game showed that all six of Spurs’ midfielders and attackers were bunched inside the confines of the centre circle. It didn’t really work in the first half as United managed to pin Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose deep into their own half, meaning Spurs, without any width in midfield, were forced into playing direct, which suited their opponents.
In the second half, though, the benefits of the system became clearer as Spurs regained some control in the middle while also having a quick, direct outlet up front. Kane’s opening strike – a majestic header planted in the stanchion of the goal – came via a Kieran Trippier set-piece, but both of Lucas’ goals were as a result of his positioning at the apex of the Spurs attack.
A new role for Lucas
When Lucas was signed from PSG in January, it was assumed that he had been bought to provide Spurs with natural width on the right wing as well as pace and dynamism during attacking transitions. Aside from Son Heung-min, Spurs lacked an attacking player with such characteristics.
Pochettino had long sought after a player of that ilk. A move for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha fell through in 2016 and Spurs instead turned to Moussa Sissoko, fresh from his barnstorming performances for France at the Euros. Sissoko’s kick-and-run style has never suited a team that plays in a controlled manner and Lucas’ arrival looked to spell the end of the Sissoko experiment on the right wing. Except Lucas hasn't really played there either.
Instead, the Brazilian has been used in tandem with Kane in a two-man strikeforce, at least in the last game-and-a-third anyway. The average position map of Spurs’ side from Monday’s game shows that Lucas, rather than Kane, was Spurs’ most advanced player – that can’t have happened too often since Kane’s rise to prominence in 2014.
As a natural winger, Lucas’ ability to commit defenders with his speed and close control is a key part of his armoury and it was in evidence for his second and Spurs’ third goal of the night when he breezed past Chris Smalling en route to burying an effort beyond David De Gea. His first, meanwhile, was equally clinical as he ghosted into the area to turn Eriksen’s cut-back into the corner.
Both of Lucas’ finishes were hit with such conviction and confidence that you could be forgiven for thinking it was Kane who had delivered them and, while he is renowned for being a wide player, the Brazilian’s goalscoring record at PSG indicates why Pochettino has given him his current role.
Although he has never surpassed the 20-goal mark in a campaign, Lucas’ return of 19 from 53 matches in the 2016/17 season shows that he has a knack for goalscoring. Indeed, it was only the arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar last summer that forced Lucas out of the PSG side after what had been his most productive season in the French capital.
‘He has brought different alternatives’
After the game, Pochettino was full of praise for Lucas, saying: “He is showing his quality. I am so happy, he’s a great guy and he brought the team different skills, different alternatives and the most important thing is to find a different place to how he was finding in Paris last year. I think it’s [up to us] to find the best place to help him to perform in the way that we want.”
If Monday night is anything to go by, the best place to get the most out of Lucas is up front, alongside Kane, in a 4-4-2 diamond. Pochettino’s tactics are evolving again and that can only be good news for Spurs and their in-form forward.
Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/...otspur-manchester-united-mauricio-pochettino/
metalgear
Luka Modric
After the game, Pochettino was full of praise for Lucas, saying: “He is showing his quality. I am so happy, he’s a great guy and he brought the team different skills, different alternatives and the most important thing is to find a different place to how he was finding in Paris last year. I think it’s [up to us] to find the best place to help him to perform in the way that we want.”
It was Moura's performance but credit has to go to Poch for having the courage to play him as a striker further ahead than Kane. To dare is to do!
Lemonade Money
Dimitar Berbatov
Not this gonads again.
Lemonade Money
Dimitar Berbatov
It does seem that Llorente is not needed now.
We should be able to cover for injuries with any 3/4 from Eriksen, Lamela, Dele, Son, Moura, Kane.
We should be able to cover for injuries with any 3/4 from Eriksen, Lamela, Dele, Son, Moura, Kane.
afsoc4life
Dean Richards
People forget that he used this vs Southampton at their stadium when Toby was still playing for the Saints.
StephenH
David Ginola
From a flat feeling only a few weeks. Looking at the team/squad now it looks nicely balanced.
Football can make fools of us all!
Moura was a revelation the other night, that and seeing Winks take the pitch was great. Let’s not expect too much from Lucas too soon.
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Lemonade Money
Dimitar Berbatov
It also appears he played striker and second forward in Brazil, so maybe Poch just knew that.
Spur of the moment
Frederic Kanoute
StephenH
David Ginola
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Lemonade Money
Dimitar Berbatov
He played three at the back before Conte did it in England.
greatwhitenorf
Edgar Davids
I thought that was common knowledge
Got buried in the statistical blizzard generated by Leandro Damiao.
glorygloryeze
Tom Huddlestone
Could this guy be the 'gamechanger' wing-forward Poch has clearly been wanting for years? Is he the key type of player to take the ball from the middle and drive us up the pitch through pace and trickery through the middle? Could he, by proxy, act as another line of defence in the midfield because of that threat?
Hmmm...
Looking at our rivals, how do people think Moura compares to the likes of:
- Hazard
- Willian
- Pedro
- Mane
- Salah
- Sane
- Sterling
- Alexis Sanchez
- Anthony Martial?
Hmmm...
Looking at our rivals, how do people think Moura compares to the likes of:
- Hazard
- Willian
- Pedro
- Mane
- Salah
- Sane
- Sterling
- Alexis Sanchez
- Anthony Martial?
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Very difficult to compare at this time. He seems to be settled in and getting used to our style. His best level is very good for sure, but how consistent will he be? How will he deal with playing different positions and roles?
Massive potential, deserving to be on that list you put up. But needs to perform consistently over months before he really belongs there and can be compared to those players.
90291Spur
Paul Walsh
LOVE inbetweeners. I know this should be in the TV thread, but it’s a brilliant series. My nearly 13 year old lad has aleady watched it 3 times and repeats massive chunks of it regularly.
Bedfordspurs
Chris Waddle
For me he is a cross between Mane and Salad
He has pace but is more direct than I expected