Premier League 2019/20: Tottenham Hotspur vs Watford

Struggling Tottenham Hotspur hosted bottom of the table Watford as both sides looked to find a positive result that would lift some of the gloom surrounding their respective starts to the season.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have been a beleaguered force since the start of the season, with their ageing squad looking ever like they are no longer willing to go the full distance for the Argentine manager. Even with some impressive transfer business done, their results have been indifferent as the squad has looked stale and in need of a further overhaul. The underlying numbers do not point towards a team that is going to see a dramatic upturn in fortune any time soon.

Watford came into the fixture winless in their first nine games and rooted to the bottom of the table, having already changed managers as Quique Sanches Flores returned to the club for his second spell in charge of the Hornets. Despite propping the table up, the underlying numbers do not suggest a team that is playing particularly poorly, with xG and xGA data suggesting a team that looks more mid-table than relegation contenders. Unlike Spurs, this points to a team that can expect an upturn in fortune to come along shortly.

This tactical analysis will detail what was a fascinating fixture in North London, with a vital three points on offer for two struggling teams.

Lineups

Pochettino moved away from his 4-4-2 diamond system, one that has come under fire this season and set-up with a back three, perhaps anticipating Flores system that utilises two strikers a move that the Spurs coach has deployed against the Spanish coach before. In a controversial team selection, perhaps with players returning from International duty in various states of fitness, as well as a Tuesday Champions League match to plan for, Heung-Min Son only made the bench, as did Tanguy N’Dombele who can already justifiably lay claim to be Spurs best central midfield option. Chief playmaker Christian Eriksen did not even make the bench.

Premier League 2019/20: Tottenham Hotspur vs Watford – tactical analysis - tactics — [Wyscout]

Flores selected a 5-3-2 system, as the Spaniard would look to stifle Spurs by sitting deep, and use the movement and mobility of ex-Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck and Roberto Pereyra, backed up by Abdoulaye Doucouré on the break. With Flores opting for a back five, the obvious tactical theme you would expect to become apparent was the battle between opposing wing-backs.

From the outset, it was clear how the pattern of play would develop during the game. Spurs in possession of the ball seeking to control the game, with Watford dropping deep, narrow and compact to control the space.

Here you can see Spurs back three fanned out, with Sissoko and Winks in central midfield and both wing-backs pushed up high and wide to occupy and pin back Watford’s defensive line. Lucas and Dele occupied narrow starting positions in support of Harry Kane, with the potential of creating a three v three up against Watford’s trio of centre-backs. One immediate issue that this clash of systems may create was Watford’s central midfield three outnumbering Spurs central midfield pair.