Imagining The Next Mauricio Pochettino Team – Tactical Analysis

As time ticks on and football restarts, one may find himself perplexed when remembering that one of the game’s best coaches is still unemployed.

Mauricio Pochettino has had time to sit back and relax since his dismissal from Tottenham Hotspur in November of last year and he is undoubtedly one of this summer’s most sought-after targets in club football.

His highest highs at Tottenham were memorable, and his lowest lows were substandard.

This Mauricio Pochettino tactical analysis aims to understand why and how his tenure at Spurs ended the way it did.

Throughout the analysis, we will observe Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs, the system that made them such a consistent outfit, and of course the fall that led to his sacking.

With this tactical analysis, we aim to answer the larger question: Wherever Pochettino ends up, what will his next team look like on the pitch?

Mauricio Pochettino Pressing

A fixture of every good Pochettino team even before his time at Tottenham Hotspur was the pressing intensity he instilled into his sides.

In their peak, Spurs usually ranked only second to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in PPDA (passes per defensive action) with a very low 7.7 passes allowed. 

Tottenham’s most effective press was when they were in their 3-4-2-1 shape that allowed more flexibility in the attacking half of the pitch but also enabled more men to come back to defend.

Tottenham used this system of press and cover to nullify a strong Chelsea teams midfield presence in the 2016/17 FA Cup Final.

Jan Vertonghen found himself tracking Willian for much of the game, fortunately, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld shifted over to plug up any gaps left by the left-footed Belgian.

Another key aspect is the role of the attacking-midfielders, in this example, Christian Eriksen, as he drifts into the midfield to help limit Chelsea’s space in that area.

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