Premier League 2019/20: Southampton vs Tottenham – tactical analysis

The start of the calendar year is where things get serious. Teams struggling for form now have to pick up some points otherwise relegation becomes a real possibility. Teams looking to push for higher positions need to keep momentum building through the dense winter fixture list.

This Premier League fixture saw Tottenham travel to the south coast, where they met a tough Southampton side who had seen a recent change in fortunes, picking up seven points from the last nine available before this game.

In this tactical analysis, we look at the tactics implemented by Southampton and how they overcame a lacklustre Spurs. We also provide an analysis of the flaws in the Tottenham tactics which is restricting their attacking prowess.

Line-ups

The hosts started in a traditional 4-4-2 shape, but their system was anything but. Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond led the line up front and were used as the first line in an aggressive Southampton press. The pair stayed narrow and moved in unison to block passing lanes into midfield whilst hassling the Tottenham defenders intently. Behind the first wave, James Ward-Prowse and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg commanded the second from their usual central midfield position. In this role, the duo constantly broke up play with aggressive interceptions, ground duels and if that failed, tactical fouls.

Moussa Djenepo and Stuart Armstrong provided the width. The wingers were instructed to run into the channels in offensive transition in an attempt to exploit the space vacated by the advancing Tottenham full-backs. Southamptons full-backs each operated a slightly different role based on the system adopted by Spurs. Ryan Bertrand was given full license to attack, as he looked to support his winger with overlaps. The presence of Moussa Sissoko for Tottenham on the right-wing made this a viable tactic for Bertrand who was less afraid of being punished for his attacking role. This contrasted with Cédric Soares, who also was given license to go forward but was far more restricted due to the pace and guile of his opposite number, Lucas. This is evident in the passing map of the Saints below.

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