Eriksen: 'Big' Wembley pitch will suit Spurs on Champions League nights

[mawspurs]

Christian Eriksen believes the large pitch at Wembley will suit Tottenham's game in the Champions League next season.

Read the full article at Evening Standard

 

[chico]

Can't wait! Playing a top European side in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley will be awesome!
We have enough international players who will be used to playing there too!

 

[Amo]

Buuuut I thought it makes no difference and shouldn't be used as an excuse!

 

[Chris_D]

Hope so but agree with earlier post that it shouldn't make a big difference. Sometimes we seem reluctant to get the ball wide and try to play everything through the middle, with luck we have a plan.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Hope so but agree with earlier post that it shouldn't make a big difference. Sometimes we seem reluctant to get the ball wide and try to play everything through the middle, with luck we have a plan.

I reckon the implicit point being made is that "playing everything through the middle" is easier on a wider pitch, because the opposing defence needs to be spread wider to cope with the fullbacks and that clears a bit of room for the attacking four in the centre.

It's not about the wide players being wider, it's about the defence having more gaps. A number of teams countered our attacking approach last season by clogging the zone just outside the penalty area. That's more difficult on a wider pitch.