In an open letter to the Tottenham Hotspur fan base on the finish of the 2021 season, chairman Daniel Levy highlighted the membership would look to nominate a supervisor who might ship “free-flowing, attacking and entertaining” soccer – and so they’ve discovered what they had been searching for in Ange Postecoglou.
The Australian has turned Spurs into the Premier League’s high urgent aspect. Should you have a look at the chart beneath, going left to proper, Tottenham have received extra excessive turnovers than some other aspect to this point this season. Their upcoming opponents Arsenal are dwelling in the midst of the pack.
Going up the chart, you can even see solely Manchester Metropolis have sometimes received the ball again greater up the sphere – a metric referred to as ‘beginning distance’. So, Spurs at the moment win the ball again round 46m from their very own objective.
They’re on the entrance foot and the North London Derby on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – reside on Sky Sports activities this Sunday – can be no totally different.
The aggressive nature and affect Ange has had on the crew is evident to see within the graph beneath. Previous to his arrival, Tottenham sat again, simply 40m away from their very own objective, when beginning a passage of play.
Since then, Tottenham have pushed ahead almost six metres. That is quite a bit. They’ve gone from a deep crew to probably the most superior aspect – bar Man Metropolis.
They’re reaping the rewards for his or her efforts, too. Final season, Tottenham ranked second for possession, second for ahead passes and fourth for photographs. Their defensive efforts are translating right into a risk on the reverse finish of the pitch.
It is a new season however nothing new from Spurs, as they appear set to proceed with their mercurial fashion of play.
Simply have a look at this: Who’s obtained the ball most within the last third whereas below stress this season? Let’s glaze over Kevin De Bruyne. Subsequent on the record? James Maddison, then Heung-Min Son, then Pedro Porro – a full-back.
There’s a draw back to all of this, after all. The trademark excessive press and focus to take care of possession of the ball additional up the pitch leaves them inclined to counterattacks.
As you possibly can see on this chart, Manchester United had been turned over greater than some other crew final season with counters reaching the ultimate third – and we all know that was an issue with United final season.
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We additionally know Newcastle suffered defensively and so they rank among the many 5 groups right here.
Spurs rank sixth worst. Given their attacking dominance, maybe the high-risk strategy is value that?
The alarm bells do not cease ringing there, both. Whenever you examine Spurs and Arsenal final season, Ange’s aspect conceded greater than twice the variety of objectives.
Solely six groups conceded extra anticipated objectives than Tottenham. After which there’s the sensitive topic of set-pieces, identified to get on Ange’s nerves.
Spurs shipped 23 objectives from lifeless balls final season and solely Nottingham Forest (27) and Sheffield United (24) conceded extra.
In full distinction to Spurs, Arsenal conceded a league-low 29 objectives. Even their anticipated objectives conceded was a league-low – which suggests there was no luck concerned.
However the query is, will the Arsenal defence miss the presence of Declan Rice forward of them following his crimson card towards Brighton and Hove Albion?
These numbers counsel he completes 97.1 per cent of passes whereas below stress – a better ratio than any team-mate.
Shedding a cool, calm and picked up determine like Rice would influence any crew – however can Spurs exploit this new-found weak point within the Arsenal squad?
Spurs sometimes solely permit opponents 6.3 passes earlier than urgent and inflicting a defensive motion – which is 2 lower than Arsenal, even after they have Rice main the cost.
Postecoglou is but to style victory within the derby – along with his aspect taking only one level from the fixtures final season.
Nonetheless, with the footballing philosophy he is instilled on this group of gamers, in addition to an immense quantity of expertise throughout all positions, he is obtained the instruments at his disposal to safe all three factors towards a depleted Arsenal this time round.
