http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/spurs-sign-pochettino-will-side-line-next-season/#_
With Mauricio Pochettino confirmed as Spurs’ latest manager how he will look to set up Spurs next term? The continuity in his style of play has translated over from Espanyol to Southampton and seems likely to be a starting place to understand what he will attempt to bring to his Spurs side.
In terms of formation both Southampton and Espanyol lined up in a 4-2-3-1 in nearly every fixture of Pochettino’s tenure. Pochettino’s team will likely ditch the 4-4-2 imposed by predecessor Tim Sherwood and return to the favoured formation of Andre Villas-Boas. The formation, which features two central midfielders with considerable defensive responsibilities, was criticised by some as being too negative. However, this formation was used by Southampton, Everton and Emirates Marketing Project for stretches of last season and they produced some of the most attractive football in the league.
Pochettino’s philosophy is said to have been what attracted Levy to chose him over Frank De Boer and Rafa Benitez. De Boer’s Ajax plays the modern tiki-taka whilst Benitez is the arch-pragmatist who sets his team up to win with precise tactical instructions based on the opponent. Pochettino’s ideas are influenced by Marcelo Bielsa and centred on pressing in numbers high up the pitch, compressing play with a high defensive line, playing out from the back and then swiftly forward in the opposition half. The results are that this produces an attractive style with his teams rarely dominated. It does however have two major pitfalls. Playing a high line requires excellent organisation and the correct personnel – the lack of either can lead to disaster.
The intense pressing also means that Pochettino’s teams have run out of steam and opposition teams have exploited this with Southampton dropping more points from wining positions than any other team.
In terms of personnel there are those who will benefit from Pochettino’s appointment and others who will likely leave. In defence Jan Vertonghen should be a mainstay and prosper under the new manager with his technical ability and proclivity to carry the ball out of defence. Vlad Chiriches should also continue his promising development. In Pochettino’s system the full-backs are as much a part of the attacking unit as the defensive which should suit Kyle Walker. Elsewhere Michael Dawson could well be moved on with Hull and Crystal Palace reportedly circling. Danny Rose was a weak link that even Sherwood could identify, although may be retained as back-up. The defence needs a partner for Jan Vertonghen who is more technically proficient than Dawson and more reliably fit than Younes Kaboul as well as a top-class attacking left-back.
