Football’s such an easy game on paper. All you’re doing is comparing two teams and deciding how one team can take advantage of another’s weaknesses. In the match preview for the Sunderland game I stated we needed to play very narrow and encourage Steve Bruce’s side to attack down the flanks due to that not being their favoured approach. It’s exactly what we did and with a little bit of luck it paid off. Tonight’s game is the complete opposite.
Champions League is back on the agenda and the next few weeks could define our season one way or the other. When the draw for this stage of the competition was being made I was dreading being paired with AC Milan. They were the one team I didn’t fancy our chances against, especially after they witnessed what we did to their local rivals in the group stages and my thoughts on the difficult task ahead haven’t changed. With the exception of Barcelona and Real Madrid, who we couldn’t have drawn at this stage, I don’t think there’s a team better equipped to win the competition. That being said, every team has a chance in any match, no matter what the circumstances. So here’s how we do it.
Missing Personnel
Both teams have major players out for this game, and while Milan are missing Pirlo, Ambrosini, van Bommel and ex Spur Boateng (can’t believe he’s playing for AC Milan now) I don’t really care about their team. It’s all about the Spurs side in my opinion as it is in any game because on our day we can beat any team. The obvious omission is Gareth Bale who could’ve been key to the result and how we played as a team but there’s also the probability that Modric won’t play. With Jenas being suspended, the need for the little Croatian is more than ever. If he plays then great, but if he doesn’t we look like we’d start with Palacios and Sandro which might not be a bad thing. If both perform to their abilities it could favour us in the away leg.
Pace and Width
This is where not having Bale is a major problem. AC Milan have an average age of 68 years old and don’t like pace which Bale has in abundance. As does Lennon so a lot will depend on how he performs on the night. If we get the ball to him he could find himself with a lot of space to run into especially if Antonini is caught in advanced positions as he often likes to do. Milan’s width is created by their full backs so quick, incisive counter attacks down the wings could be the best way for us to grab what could be a very important away goal.
I’m sure Niko will start on the left but I worry about his lack of pace and defensively I’d prefer to have Pienaar out there to help Ekotto if needed. I would expect Benny to come under serious attack from Milan in the guise of Ibrahimovic who likes to drift out to that side of the pitch and will fancy his chances in an aerial battle. For this reason alone I’d start with Pienaar who has a little more discipline and more pace which should enable him to support attacks more often. He’s also more likely to hug the touchline and not drift inside as Niko will do. However, if Niko starts there’s no real problem because at the moment if there’s a goalscorer in the team it’s him.
It’ll be interesting to see who starts up front. It looks like van der Vaart will play so I would presume we’ll go with Crouch up front which in Europe so far this season has served us well. I can’t help but wonder though if Defoe might be the better option. As crazy as that sounds given his current form and inability to hold the ball up as I’ve said already our best chance of getting something from tonight is pace. Raw, unadulterated pace, and that’s the one thing JD’s got plenty of. Crouch is probably the better option though simply based on Europe’s best defenders struggling to deal with him in recent years.
With regards to attacking the team picks itself. Lennon, Niko, vdV and Crouch will undoubtedly start. As I’ve said you could replace Niko and Crouch with Pienaar and Defoe but they’re more likely to make an impact from the bench. Defensively it’s a little bit trickier. The back 4 are shoe-ins, Corluka, Gallas, Dawson and Ekotto with the bumbling yet sometimes superb Gomes behind them. With Ibrahimovic playing as a lone striker it’ll be down to one of the midfielders to pick up Robinho or Pato who like to drop deep and link with the midfield, much as vdV does for us. If Modric plays this will be done by Palacios and if we’ve ever wanted a good game from Sgt Wilson it’s tonight. If Modric doesn’t play we would obviously lose his creative abilities but we should be a lot tougher to breakdown centrally with Sandro joining Palacios.
Their passing skills might not be up to much but as I’ve said, we need to keep the ball and play it wide whenever possible. They shouldn’t need to look up and search for 30 yard passes if Lennon and Niko are available for the short ball. Modric would probably play the same ball the majority of the time anyway.
By nature we’re a counter attacking side. There’s no reason why we can’t play our normal game and come away from the San Siro with our heads held high once again. Expect Milan to have plenty of the ball especially centrally but any width they have will have to be provided by the full backs and that’s when we should be ready to take advantage. Win possession, quick supply to the flanks and look to cross for three-metre-Peter to add the finishing touches. Obviously we’ll have to play well but there’s no need to think if we do play well we won’t get at least a draw, even if Modric doesn’t play. Cut out the silly mistakes, start brightly and cause them trouble. Remember, while we may not be the favourites we haven’t been for much of the last year in anything and that hasn’t stopped us finishing in the top 4, scoring plenty of goals in the group stages and finishing top of our group which is more than AC Milan managed to do.
This spurs side is made of sterner stuff than yesteryear and it could be the age old Harry ploy of “go out there, kick it about and play your natural game” is exactly what we’ve got to do.
COYS
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i like your enthusiam here think you can play your own game against AC, but i think this will be spurs downfall, AC thrive on teams attacking them, they have the best defensive record in Seria A at the moment and probably the best attack in Europe. I hate to say it but you need to defend deep at San siro and hope u get lucky then attack at white hart lane. Sorry guys but i see this being quite one sided! 3-0 at a guess to Milan!
I can’t argue with you there Branch. I don’t think we should go all out attack as Redknapp has suggested. Whether he does that is another matter though. However, if we’re to get something from the tie an away goal would be quite handy and to get there we need to play to our abilities and that’s attacking with pace and width. IF we play well we can get through this tie, but we would need to play well for 180 minutes. Its all down to whether we can do that or not.
AC Milan have an average age of 68 years ????????? Do not AC Milan lightly……they have Ibra 29, Robihno 27, Pato 21, Abate 23, Antonini 27, Flamini 26, T.Silva 25 that means 7 outfield players are below 30….
They also have speed for counter attack….
Spurs needs to be careful….
Hmmm, interesting thoughts Anil. The trouble is of those players you mention only Pato is any good. As for having speed for the counter attack. Well, that’s just not true is it? See last night as an example. Play tight and attack with width, that’s as simple as it had to be. Thankfully, Redknapp did exactly that and we won.