Can we try to forget Real Madrid and the Bernabéu yet? It’s a little like knowing how long is an acceptable time before you forward that joke text you received when a famous person died. Of course there’s still the second leg to be played but even the most optimistic person has got to realise that games just about pride rather than success and I for one would accept defeat if it meant winning our next three league games, all at home, and proceeding a massive game at Stamford Bridge.
The first of those games is tomorrow as we welcome Tony Pulis and Stoke City to the Lane. Tony Pulis, a man who doesn’t know if he should wear a tracksuit or a shirt and tie, a man who’s pragmatism has propelled Stoke into the Premier League and maintained their position there. A man who’s success could be viewed on a parallel with our very own leader’s early career. He’s also a man I can’t stand. He’s a man who puts points above all else, a man who sets his team up to stick it to the opposition, a man who’s footballing beliefs go against everything as a spurs fan I believe in. Much like Sam Allardyce, football as an entertainment would be better off without him.
For someone who despises their style of play so much I’ve seen them home and away for the last three seasons and I was also fortunate enough to witness their first home game back in the top flight. I have a decent amount of respect for the team and their fans for what they’ve managed to achieve and the support they give their team. That doesn’t mean I’ve got to like how they’ve gone about that success though.
Anyway, this isn’t about Stoke. In fact it’s not really about what Spurs need to do tomorrow to try and get themselves back into the top 4. I’ve decided to concentrate on what I’d like to see us do tomorrow, not what I believe will happen but if I was manager for 24 hours this is how I’d go about things.
Firstly, I’d change the formation. No 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2, it’d be the very fashionable 4-3-3. Which players are fit or not for tomorrow is anyone’s guess at this stage and there’s always the possibility of Harry resting players in the faint hope of the biggest comeback in footballing history but I’d hope that didn’t happen. The resting players, not the comeback bit 
If the end of the Madrid game was anything to go by Bale might not be fit and who knows if Lennon is over his bout of flu or whatever it was but for these purposes I’m assuming the usual suspects will be available.
Certain players are interchangeable in the line up. For example, if Corluka couldn’t play Hutton or Walker could replace him. Oh wait, hmmmmm, well you know what I mean. I’ll say it again, I’m assuming the main participants this season are available for selection.
So the defence pretty much picks itself and with the amount of injuries we’ve had it has done all year. It’s the midfield and forward line that needs freshening up, and with Sandro I believe we’ve found the perfect player to allow us to play this formation, and if you sit on the side of the fence that wants Bale at left back, the only way that’s going to happen successfully is with the Brazilian in the team covering his forward runs. If Corluka wasn’t fit tomorrow I might even consider asking Ekotto to play on the right and pushing Bale back. With all respect to Stoke it’s unlikely the defence will be coming under severe attack anyway so I would like to think we could cope if Bale’s fitness levels weren’t high enough yet to track back all the time, and as I said, Sandro should be able to slot in comfortably.
The midfield three of Huddlestone, Sandro and Modric makes my mouth water. Not in a sexy way or owt like that but it’s got pretty much everything. Strength, guile, versatility, passing, shooting, intelligence and youth. The only thing it lacks is pace but with the exception of Hudd they’re not Corluka slow. Those three should be able to control a game, especially at home and also pick out the right passes and cover breaks from the opposition.
The forward three are a little different with regards to who should play. Obviously we don’t have the main striker to make this formation work to it’s fullest potential but we do have in Pavlyuchenko and Crouch two players who should be able to do the job adequately. Forget the Madrid jumping into tackles thing for one second or a lack of movement and first touch. We know what we’ve got in the squad isn’t good enough and we should’ve bought in either of the last transfer windows but we didn’t. It’d be a close call between Pav and Crouch for me but I’ve just sided with Pav simply because I think he links up well with Bale, or at least better than Crouch, and Pav on a good day is better than Crouch on a good day. Maybe. I’m not a fan of either if truth be told but goals is what we need to win games. We know what Crouch brings to the team and goals aren’t it.
Bale obviously likes to get forward, can produce good crosses and has an eye for goal so the further forward he is the better in my opinion but he does need to learn how to get away from his marker and is one reason why he’s not my young player of the season, no matter how good he’s been at times. van der Vaart would have to be disciplined enough to stay forward and have faith in Modric and Huddlestone being able to find him and his team mates. The key to it, much like the 4-4-1-1 we’ve played so much is not isolating the striker. Both vdV and Bale are old fashioned playground glory boys so if they were told to stay up field and score goals I’m sure they’d do their best.
That leaves one of our main players missing though. What to do with Lennon? Personally, unless we play a wing back 3-5-2 formation I can’t see how we can get all of our midfielders in, which means someone’s got to sit out. It’s a straight fight in my eyes between Lennon and vdV and purely for his goalscoring vdV just edges it but only just. On current form, Lennon would get in front of him and some time on the bench might do vdV the world of good. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt with his niggling injuries and walking down the tunnel nonsense but only for the time being. Unfortunately when all of them are fit, Redknapp’s going to have to make the same decision. The player he selects to sit out will probably be Sandro which will be a shame and a mistake in my eyes. By playing him in a three it releases the shackles from Modric and Huddlestone and with the ability both of them possess it could propel us forward far more than vdV or Lennon can.
So that’s what I would do tomorrow just to give things a little wake up call. It’s not perfect and I’m not saying it’s better than whatever Harry chooses to do, it’s just a different type of match preview. It would mean Corluka and Ekotto pushing forward and offering width which they can do but they’re unlikely to be producing quality into the box so that would have to come from elsewhere, Bale or vdV being the prime candidates. If you really wanted to mix things up you could put Lennon at right back .
For the record I can see us playing Huddlestone tomorrow which will mean no place for Sandro or Modric moving to the left depending on whether Bale is fit or not. Stoke will know what to expect and set their stall out accordingly. vdV will play about 70 minutes whether he’s playing well or not and every time Stoke get a throw in I’ll be crapping my pants. 4-4-1-1, 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 we’ve got to win and for a change I’m positive.
3-0 Spurs victory.
COYS
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As always a good read.
I just think we get a little bogged down in systems. When I first began to manage teams at a local level, I genuinely thought if you got the system right, everything else would fall into place. Overtime I learned that it’s all down to players rather than systems. Doesn’t matter what system you use if Crouch can’t use his height to power headers like Adebayor did the other night, then you’re stuffed. I’m firmly of the opinion that Tottenham have too many players (Jenas, Lennon, Huddlestone, Corluka to mention a few) who are simply not good enough to help the club progress. These players have had their chance over the last four or five seasons and have shown they simply can’t deliver on a consistent basis. ‘Arry needs to buy (although I agree our two best signings Sandro and Vdv were nothing to do with him). We have quality players in Bale, Modric and VdV (even if he is a sulky boy) so I would keep it simple. Same back four as you, Huddlestone doesn’t do it for me so Lennon, Sandro, Modric and Bale in midfield, Pav and VdV upfront with ‘Arry telling VdV he doesn’t want to see him picking the ball up off the back four, just stay up front.
I like the suond of you 433. Got a feeling Crouch will start – chance for redemption and to defend those throw ins.