Clearing the lines will be my attempt to provide myself with things to watch in each third of the field while watching each Tottenham Hotspur match. As I slowly train myself on watching everything and everyone on and off the ball, these articles will remind me what to keep track of while watching the game and hopefully help me better analyze all areas of play.
An EFL Cup scrap versus Newcastle this Wednesday is a perfect kick-off to this hopefully regular contribution to the Hotspur Hovel. So, let’s jump to it.
Attacking Third
Nick Pope and his quartet of defenders will be a tough unit for the Spurs to break down on Wednesday, especially considering their overly discussed, recent struggles in attack. Pope’s last outing against Fulham might have been his best of the season, as he conceded just one goal on five shots, with a PSxG of 2.1. But, just getting shots off on him will be a chore.
Despite the absence of the highly coveted fullback Valentino Livramento, the scrappy combination of Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Malick Thiaw, and Kieran Trippier trotted out by Eddie Howe the last five matches has been working well . Fatian Schar has also been quite effective off the bench, and this could be the perfect spot for him to start. Either way, the defense should give the Spurs trouble, especially since, in EPL play, the Magpies currently rank second in xGA (7.0), only behind Arsenal.
Thomas Frank has yet to identify a consistent attack grouping he feels confident in naming game in and game out. I fully expect (and hope for) the unexpected in this short-rest match. However, with Frank already experimenting with many different combinations, it’s becoming hard to picture who can really inject some life into this sluggish offense. The one silver lining is that although Tottenham’s overall league 9.9 xG ranks a fairly fitting 13th at the moment, their away xG “sky rockets” to 8th, which doesn’t exactly give you that warm fuzzy feeling, but when you are grasping at straws to find something positive about this Spurs offense, this will have to do.
Middle Third
Newcastle captain Bruno Guimarães will require the most attention for the Spurs when navigating the middle third of the pitch, who is averaging a 7.26 Sofascore rating in Premier League play. Although Lewis Miley was selected to the Starting XI by Howe in the last two matches, Sandro Tonali is performing at a much higher rate (7.03 v. 6.62 in average EPL Sofascore ratings) and will likely see the majority of the playing time in this one
Rodrigo Bentancur and João Palhinha have been Frank’s midfield workhorse the past several weeks, with Bentancur starting five straight and Palhinha the last 4. It’s a bit hard to imagine Frank starting this duo again in the defensive midfield, but it is also hard for me to see the Spurs coming away with a win without at least one of them spending the majority of this Wednesday on the pitch. Bentancur is probably the most likely to get the day off, leaving some combination of Lucas Bergvall, Palhinha, Pape Sarr, or possibly Archie Gray.
If Frank opts for a 4-3-3, a midfield of Grey, Bergvall, and Palhinha could be intriguing and may provide a creative spark. The Youth Revolution is happening at the Lane, and this trio could very well be anchoring the Spurs midfield for the next several years.
Defending Third
With Cristian Romero’s return given a “no time frame” by Frank last week, it would be quite surprising to see his name on the Starting XI this Wednesday. Danso’s excellent performance against Everton on Sunday may ease some fans with Cuti’s current absence. However, asking Micky Van de Ven to carry the rest of the load might be too much. While Micky could certainly use a rest, finding a suitable replacement will be difficult, especially considering the lengthy injury list and the level of this cup opponent.
Djed Spence and Pedro Porro will probably need to suit up again, as it doesn’t seem like Destiny Udogie will be ready for this one. With few options to rotate in defense, Frank will likely be tempted to stick with the same back four and hope for the best. At the very least, he can hope that some of the cavalry will be back for Chelsea this weekend.
But, while they wait, Newcastle’s formidable front of Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade, and either Anthony Elanga or Jacob Murphy will be testing their stamina and resolve. Murphy is currently leading the Premier League with 4.33 shots per 90 minutes, edging out Erling Haaland by .02 points. Woltemade is also a consistent threat, ranking 12th with 3.0 xG in EPL play.
If the Spurs lose the possession battle like they did against Everton, Newcastle’s threatening attack could potentially create more havoc and cause much more damage. Whether Tottenham’s defense and the unbelievable Guglielmo Vicario can withstand this barrage this time around will determine the longevity of this year’s EFL Cup campaign.
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