'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Tottenham Hotspur goes into the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final with a slight advantage, having won the first leg 1-0 at their revamped home turf. The rampant Manchester City side is favorites to overcome the previous leg's deficit suffered as Spurs have lost their prolific marksman and skipper Harry Kane due to an ankle injury.
The second leg of an all English encounter promises tension and excitement as the unbridled City side is aspiring for a quadruple trophy haul whereas Pochettino's men are targeting their first European semi-final since 1982.
The Argentine tactician is wary of the difficulties his side will face when they play against the world-class City side at the Etihad Stadium. Keeping the clash against Man City in his mind, the North London side gave optimum rest to their key players in the league match against the Huddersfield Town.
Outclassing Pep Guardiola's men over the two legs is a huge ask, but Pochettino certainly looks capable of such a feat, and he should follow a tactically sound path to do so. Here are the 3 tactics which Pochettino could follow against Manchester City.
#3 Negating City's pressure on Tottenham's defense:
Pep Guardiola preaches a possession-based, fluid, and attacking style of football. He wants his players to regain possession as soon as they lose it. Guardiola's six-second rule became famous where the team fought to regain possession as a whole during his time at Barcelona.
The Catalan's City side follow a similar blueprint, with his attacking players and midfielders pressing very high up the pitch to win the ball in attacking areas. This results in a very high defensive line.
The full-backs play further forward to provide natural width. This leaves the center back pairing in a potentially vulnerable position and huge space is formed between them and the wide defenders which could be exploited by the opposing attackers.
Tottenham players need to show confidence on the ball when in possession. The Technical abilities of their defenders, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will play a vital role in holding the ball and negating City's first line of press. The midfielders should release the ball in the wide channels, where the maximum space is found in City's half of the field. Spurs should move the ball quickly so that the City players are caught out of position and they are able to orchestrate counter-attacks against them.
Son Heung-Min could utilize the vacant leeway between the high full-backs and the center-backs and mediate the brisk transition from defense to attack. This tactic worked wonders for Swansea, who scored two goals in their FA Cup encounter.
#2 Shielding the Wings well.
The fundamental aspect of Manchester City's build-up play is to operate in broad areas. Pep Guardiola instructs his wide players to hug the touchline as much as possible. It helps in stretching the opposition and generates space for the players to occupy the goalscoring positions.
Kyle Walker, Raheem Sterling, and Leroy Sane are intelligent exponents of the wing-play. They always make overlapping and underlapping runs between the opposite defense to break them down.
The midfield players play the ball through the lines into the running wingers or full-backs and the ball engineers its way into the box from the wings. Tottenham should patrol the wide areas well and stay focused to read the wide players' movements and runs.
The central-defenders should stay on their toes, monitor the wings, and intercept the balls coming into the box from these areas.
#1 Putting shackles on Fernandinho.
Fernandinho is the lynchpin of Manchester City side. His vibrant style of play sets the tone for other players. The Brazilian often does the "dirty work" of winning possession for his team and recycling it. He is a midfield wall in the City side and provides impetus to his team's game.
The midfield dynamo makes two tackles and averages 1.6 interceptions per game in the league this season. He not only provides the engine but also commands the play for his mates, as he averages 73.07 passes per league game. The dual contribution from the Brazilian underscores his pivotal role.
Chelsea could control the Manchester City side in their League Cup clash where the game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes and City clinched the title by winning on penalties. The London outfit restrained Fernandinho by cutting the pass routes to and from him. They made it hard for the midfielder to receive the ball and spread it among his teammates. The 33-year-old completed only 35 passes that day, which is considerably low compared to his average.
Mauricio Pochettino and his Tottenham side need to find a similar way to contain the midfield enforcer. The midfield trio of Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko, and Christian Eriksen could form a triangle around h Fernandinho to stifle him.
