Gamezone: How Tottenham Hotspur can stop Manchester United in Carling Cup final

28 February 2009 16:44
Manchester United v Tottenham HotspurKick-off: Sun Feb 28, 3.00pm; Wembley Stadium, LondonTV: Sky Sports 1 (14:30-17:30), Sky Sports HD1 (14:30-17:30)Radio: BBC Radio 5 Live Spurs go into the Carling Cup final, under Harry Redknapp, without such an obvious strategy. He has continually changed the players, system and style in his short reign. However, against Manchester United today with Robbie Keane, Carlo Cudicini, Pascal Chimbonda and Wilson Palacios all Cup-tied, experimentation might be the best way to disrupt a team that Arsene Wenger has described as untouchable. Spurs do not have a recognisable pattern to their play, so one more change will not disrupt them. So Redknapp must do three things to win today: match United in central midfield; make United's attacks more predictable by forcing them wide; counter attack with pace and width. Pavlyuchenko and Bent Manchester United's back four, no matter who has played, have looked impregnable and I cannot envisage how Roman Pavlyuchenko or Darren Bent would unsettle them if they played in orthodox positions. Therefore, I would ask them to play as far apart as possible, forcing United's full-backs to mark them. From there, they can make diagonal runs inside the full-back and behind the centre-halves, especially when Luka Modric has the ball. Modric the maestro Key to this system is Modric. I would give him the licence to find space anywhere between United's midfield and their defenders. From there he has the ability to run with the ball and pick out the diagonal runs of Pavlyuchenko and Bent, particularly if either one of United's centre-backs come out of their defensive line to confront him. Midfield energy Spurs must match the industry of United in central midfield. Jermaine Jenas and Didier Zokora have had disappointing seasons but they are mobile and energetic. Apart from the need for dynamism when pressurising United's midfield, they must also drift across to support Vedran Corluka and Benoit Assou-Ekotto whenever United get into wide areas. Their main task, though, will be to ensure that Spurs are not easily penetrated through the middle. Holding midfielder In behind Jenas and Zokora, I would deploy Tom Huddlestone as the holding midfielder. His job would be to deny space for Carlos Tevez to drop into, while also being alert to the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo – if he plays a part today – coming infield. His extra height could prove invaluable if he drops between his centre-halves when United cross the ball. The Back Four I would stick with the same back four which played against Hull. Corluka may look casual at times but he is an intelligent defender, while the combined attributes of Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King are more beneficial against United than the courageous determination of Michael Dawson. Assou-Ekotto will need to be careful with his tackling. Too many times he commits himself to challenges that he cannot win, which could prove disastrous against Ronaldo and Nani.

Source: Telegraph