Manchester City have won 15 games in a row and this weekend host Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium. How can Spurs upset the odds and beat City?
1. Press like maniacs
The instinctive reaction when facing a side as dominant on the ball as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is to drop back, defend deep and pray to try and knick something on the break.
You can see the logic here. More men in defence makes it much harder for Manchester City to find passing lanes through the defence. Moreover by playing so deep, you draw City into attacking positions and so, when you counter-attack, you do so against only a couple of their defenders.
But this tactic is so reliant on chance, as well as your side’s ability to be lightning quick on the break. Tottenham could do that, sure, but it’s not the best way for them to play if they want to maximise Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen.
The best tactic for Tottenham would be to do what Pochettino has so often done against Guardiola: press high with an almost rabid intensity. Look to cut off attacks as they begin, and win the ball back in dangerous areas.
Guardiola’s side will not be cowed from building from the back, that is certain, so the chance is there. Especially as they will be without John Stones and Benjamin Mendy, two key elements in building from the back.
2. Attack the channel inside Delph
Whether Tottenham press high or sit deep and break, one thing is certain: they must target the gap between Fabian Delph and his centre-back, possibly going to be Eliaquim Mangala?
This is unquestionably the weakest link in Manchester City’s back-line, and is the space that Tottenham can attack and get the most joy from. With Serge Aurier (or Kieran Trippier) and Christian Eriksen flooding into that channel, space and danger can then be created in the middle of the box as City adjust their back-line to cover for Tottenham’s raids.
3. Be physically intimidating
This is the Premier League, physical play is expected. Tottenham need to take advantage of that because there is no greater deterrent to poised passing play than getting kicked to bits.
A seasoned side like Guardiola’s Barcelona or his Bayern Munich would be able to cope with such brutality, but his Manchester City side are not there yet.
Tottenham have shown an ability to be physically intimidating in the past. They need to tap-in to that sensibility and bring it back to unleash onto Manchester City. Run as close to the edge of the laws as possible, but make sure they know fear.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
