Tottenham has stormed into the Premier League’s top two by playing a style of football that is different from what they played under Mauricio Pochettino.
The Lilywhites, under the management of Jose Mourinho, care much less about keeping possession as they launch counter-attack after counter-attack.
Their game against Liverpool last night showed how effective their new system is even though they lost the game.
They had the better chances than their opponents and scored a goal, while Liverpool had all the possession yet they needed some poor corner defending from Spurs to score the winning goal.
Martin Keown was writing about Mourinho’s men after the game and he said that the Special One has had them trying to win the Premier League through a “smash-and-grab approach”.
He says Spurs have backed themselves to be hard to score against and are always ready to do damage on the counter-attack.
He wrote on Mail Sport: “Tottenham are trying to win games — and indeed the Premier League — with a smash-and-grab approach.
“They back themselves to be hard to beat and every time they score on the break, that is like oxygen to them.
“It feeds them for their next period of suffering without the ball.
“It renews their belief in this way that Jose Mourinho has them playing.”
Comments thing is being changed today
Just to clarify: for some reason a sentence jumped to the bottom of that post. When I said “we’ve seen that under Poch” I was referring to playing free-flowing football and coming up short.
The edit option seems to have disappeared.
David, I get what you’re saying, but when it comes to home fans, it doesn’t really matter the manner of your win, what matters is that you are scoring goals, winning games and winning consistently. If you’re playing attractive, free-flowing football and coming up short, it’s all for nowt. The fans will buy into the new system as long as it yields results, and results mean trophies.
We’ve seen that under Poch.
…. and Villa on 19 with 2 games in hand.
Just saying 😉
Proved he can’t defend last night though didn’t he.
Lucky for the first one, then put Dier on the ground for the second one, LiVARpool alright.
In other news ManU up to 23pts and a game in hand.
*Nervy experience
As long as Spurs are winning is fine to a point but when the local natives return tell that to 60,000 fans enduring a never experience on home soil!! Certainly not the great Bill Nic stylish way of winning but by suffocating opponents and hitting them on the counter is effective. Beware that our next opponents erratic Leicester’s quick fluid approach play via the potent force of Messrs Barnes, Maddisson and Vardy makes for a cunning exciting contest.
Nice honest solid utility defender Davies he is overshadowed by the supreme quality of Liverpools Andy Robertson’s up and down desire of delivering a constant diet of inviting juicy crosses and corners in to the box!!
I love the “smash and grab” approach! Certain pundits are still carping on about how Spurs fans can’t be enjoying Mourinho’s ‘defensive’, ‘boring’ brand of football. Personally, my heart’s racing every game when the ball’s in our box, waiting for that interception and burst upfield, Son like a cheetah after a gazelle, the long pinpoint through-ball from Kane.
I think it’s as entertaining as I can remember in a long time.
We’ve become ambush specialists and I love it.
I see that Davies made the Fifa world 11 . Can’t have been that bad this year.