Stats insight into Spurs defending

[Dave-F]

Interesting. But like most stats it kinda backs up common sense and what we already know about Spurs and the way Poch sets them out really. Press high and the opposition is left to go direct to get out. Which would work in our favour if we could pick these direct balls out better, take control again and go again. Trouble is, we don't pick off the direct passes very well. In some ways, we would possibly do better with a 4-1-4-1 formation or some variant around that. Maybe that's why Dier is getting tried out in the DM role.

 

[StartingPrice]

Makes a lot of sense and could be due to the high defensive line... Playing a high press does cut down the short passes through the midfield and increase our potential to win back possession but it leaves us exposed against speedy forwards and the ball over the top.

It is a fundamental of the type of system favoured by Pochettino. So I'm not really surprised.

No system is ever going to reduce goals conceded to zero. No-one should expect that. I think I was aware when Pochettino joined that we would concede goals this way - that is one of the reasons having a competent sweeper-keeper is so vital.

What is more important is the ratio of goals scored to goals conceded. And, for whatever reason, something defensively wasn't working last season as we were conceding far too many goals. The fact that the Head Coach and his support staff have identified and purchased defenders suggests that they believe the defence was more to blame. But it could just be that they were easier to purchase and a DM of the required quality is harder to identify and purchase. And I thought the key thing with Trippier was in his attacking play (and his fitness) - okay, I'm starting to confuse myself now!

So, in essence, I agree with you. I don't think it was unexpected that we would concede goals this way - just that we conceded so many. I would also consider (for yet another season) that the defensive personnel were far too prone to individual errors that resulted in goals - those inexplicably crass moments popularly known as brain-farts.

 

[yankspurs]

Well we had a multiplicity of issues defensively last season. No pressing from the front 4, besides Lamela. A CM2 that was weak defensively, a horrible CB pairing lacking communication and a brain dead RB.

It really doesnt surprise me that we conceded less goals and all around were better in attack and defensively when Fazio lined up next to Vertonghen and Dembele played over Chadli, with Eriksen out left and and Lamela out right. Looked like a 433 since Dembele played deeper in the role than Eriksen normally did. Verts and Fazio had a much better understanding, 3 in the midfield helped shield the back 4 and helped the poor pressing leading to direct chances from the front 3.

When Poch dropped Dembele and Lamela for Townsend and Chadli, the solidity in the midfield went out the window as did any competence in the high press. That compounded with Dier and Vertinghen's poor understanding and a brainless Walker to cause an absolute calamity of issues defensively.

Trippier is hopefully the upgrade we needed at RB. Not sure if Toby/Verts will be a better partnership than Fazio/Verts. We still desperately need a first xi quality CM and we should also go 433.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

Oh, the 'brain-farts'...

Lost track of the number of times we went from a dominant, just-waiting-for-a-goal-or-two display to conceding after someone attempted a Cruyff turn, slipped and sent a perfect through ball to their striker on the stretch.

Our defensive bloopers 2014-2015 would be epic...

 

[Blake Griffin]

T.A is an upgrade on Fazio but still a pretty average player, Wimmer I've read is like Dawson, Tripper is hopefully an upgrade, unless the whole team improve defensively it will just be the same as it was last season.

i haven't seen wimmer but he's supposed to be pretty quick, which dawson obviously wasn't.

 

[idontgetit]

We played extremely narrow so it's not surprising we cut out a lot of short passes through the middle. It's easy playing aggressive long passes against us because teams can play simple long balls down our flanks on the counter. I bet the stats would show a fuck ton of long passes against us that lead to crosses or that are assists of assists

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Idontgetit seems to get it pretty well. The lack of width and the high back line just creates lack of space to play through middle. We do however have plenty of open space at the back as our fullbacks play so high and nobody from midfield drops in to help cover. Combine that with slack pressing up top and it's hardly a surprise to see the data.

 

[double0]

The high pressure up top wasn't as bad imo than our back 4. Kane Lamela were very Good at the press, Eriksen put tremendous mileage into his game...Chadli tho was a bit poor. It wasn't as if teams had untold chances presented to them either but when they did our defence just weren't up to the job.

I don’t care what anyone says, sometimes you need defenders to just defend and stop being pussy cats. we were unable to rely on defence....Vertonghen was shocking imo

 

[Kspur]

Part of the problem lies in a lack of pace imho. Coupled with a sweeper keeper you need pace to recover when the high line is caught out.

Very interesting article. Thanks for posting

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

The high pressure up top wasn't as bad imo than our back 4. Kane Lamela were very Good at the press, Eriksen put tremendous mileage into his game...Chadli tho was a bit poor. It wasn't as if teams had untold chances presented to them either but when they did our defence just weren't up to the job.

I don’t care what anyone says, sometimes you need defenders to just defend and stop being pussy cats. we were unable to rely on defence....Vertonghen was shocking imo

I think Vertonghen is under a lot of pressure. He may be popular but his defending has been pretty suspect.

 

[Gedson100]

Part of the problem lies in a lack of pace imho. Coupled with a sweeper keeper you need pace to recover when the high line is caught out.

Very interesting article. Thanks for posting

There's a fantastic stat analyst called Paul Riley who specialises in goalkeepers; he regularly puts out really creative & clever work and really gets into the relevance of stats by looking very closely into things like location. In this piece from February he was able to show that after spending 2013-14 charging to the four corners of the box like you'd imagine a sweeper keeper would, Lloris had been reigned right back since Pochettino came in.

That's a truly revelatory piece of analysis given how many fans still presume Lloris is a "sweeper keeper". Of course months on, and having conceded a shit-ton of goals, one wonders which strategy might work best but it' s interesting that the general increase in fan appreciation for Lloris this season coincides with him taking fewer chances in his positioning.

 

[spursLA]

We played extremely narrow so it's not surprising we cut out a lot of short passes through the middle. It's easy playing aggressive long passes against us because teams can play simple long balls down our flanks on the counter. I bet the stats would show a fuck ton of long passes against us that lead to crosses or that are assists of assists

IIRC the article doesn't get into whether the long passes are down the flanks or down the middle. There might not be enough data to be able to make the distinction clear. It does show that the long passes are turned into shots at higher than average rates. My naive take is that CBs who make more interceptions i.e. who read the game better may help solve the problem.