Tottenham’s mental fortitude displayed in their comeback from 3-1 down at home to Arsenal will have been the envy of opposing fans, even though the point gained from the eventual 3-3 draw still leaves them ten points behind their arch-rivals.
Harry Redknapp’s laissez faire attitude to tactics was hailed by last night’s saviour Rafael Van der Vaart in November when he said:
“There are no long and boring speeches about tactics, like I was used to at Real Madrid.
“There is a clipboard in our dressing room, but Harry doesn’t write anything on it. It’s not that we do nothing – but it’s close to that.”
The players enjoy the football, and fans enjoy watching it because it guarantees goals. Redknapp’s approach, however, also guarantees a plateau, and Spurs are more or less there already.
The problem with Tottenham is, for all their freedom and quality, their approach is inflexible and basic. It isn’t quite kick and rush, but it does borrow elements from the more agricultural aspects of English football’s past. The idea is generally to play quickly and directly, moving the ball from the centre to the wing and then into the penalty box. Against the sides who lack the means to defend, such as Stoke City, against whom they have hit five this season, Wolverhampton Wanderers, against whom they have scored six, or the teams who lack the will to defend such as Arsenal, their approach will always garner rewards. Against any sides with a hint of defensive sophistication, however, they will always struggle. That much is evident in the fact that they have scored just once in games against Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea this season, with a trip to Stamford Bridge still to come.
It seems to be a received wisdom that Redknapp, legal problems notwithstanding, will be England’s next manager, and will not show himself to be loyal to Spurs when such an offer comes around. What isn’t said is that that might be just what Tottenham need after next season. With their status as a club finally capable of Champions League qualification thanks to Redknapp, what they need if they are even going to come close to finishing above Arsenal is a manager with real tactical depth to guide them up the last few steps of that golden stairway. It might make them a little more boring, but if they can usurp any of the current incumbents of those top four places then it’s a price Tottenham fans should be more than willing to pay.
