Tottenham Hotspur will face Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
Former Celtic and Aston Villa striker Tony Cascarino has suggested in The Times that Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris should play the ball long from the back.
Tottenham play a high-pressing game and often start playing the ball out from the back.
Lloris, who is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, is a key component of that strategy.
Cascarino believes that the France international goalkeeper should not always play the ball short, and should at times play it out long.
“Tottenham Hotspur have been sticking stubbornly to their plan of Hugo Lloris passing the ball to a centre back or defensive midfielder near the edge of his penalty area, even when those players are being tightly marked,” Cascarino wrote in The Times. “I never understand why teams continue to do something that doesn’t work.
“In these situations the goalkeeper has to accept that his favoured policy is not worth it, and kick the ball long.
“Ideally he should look for Vincent Janssen or Harry Kane, but if neither of those big forwards are on the pitch he should still go for distance — even if Tottenham lose the ball, at least they are not doing so in a dangerous area.”
Tottenham’s recent form and results have not been great, and perhaps Cascarino has a point.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are back in action later today when they take on Arsenal away from home at the Emirates Stadium in the North London derby.
The Gunners will head into the Premier League match as favourites, but Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has claimed that Spurs’ chances of winning the title this season should not be written off.
Carragher has also outlined what he finds admirable in Tottenham manager Pochettino, highlighting the fact that the Argentine boss refused to blame his side’s defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday evening on the Wembley pitch.
“It was admirable that Pochettino refused to blame Wembley for the loss on Wednesday night but it is not Spurs’ home and unfamiliarity can unsettle players,” the former Liverpool defender wrote in The Daily Mail. “Arsenal won just two of the six games they played there in the Champions League in 1998 to 2000.
“Would it be the end of the world if Spurs failed to advance? Again, the answer is no. The aim for Tottenham is to be Champions League regulars but, with them only being three points off the top, why can’t they push for the title?
“They will be in the thick of the fight and remember, they are the Premier League’s only unbeaten team. Should that still be true after they have faced Arsenal, the mood around Tottenham will change completely.”
Arsenal are third in the Premier League table at the moment, while Tottenham are currently fifth.
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