The 11/12 season for Tottenham Hotspur was one of the best, finishing 4th in the table and only missing out on the Champions League due to Chelsea winning it themselves, a team which Spurs finished above that season. One of the main men for Spurs that season was Luka Modric, his style of play was one of the reasons that they performed so well that season. Luka’s ability to control the tempo of the game by dropping deep in the midfield to collect the ball and then pass it off was vital to Tottenham. Although he only had 6 assists that season he created so many chances and was involved in many goals. His role that season was as a deep playmaker, he would pass in all areas of the pitch with a high passing accuracy and managed to create over 2 chances a game. He managed to create a good partnership with Scott Parker who would help in the slowing down of opponents counter attacks. Adebayor that season was awesome, he managed to get himself 17 Premier League goals and this was a result of Modric’s style of play.
The end of that season he was sold to Real Madrid for a reported fee of £33 million and a change of management at the same time meant a void was left in Tottenham’s midfield, this has been shown this season with Tottenham’s inability to constantly break teams down, only 9 goals scored this season and the style of away teams to come and soak up the pressure and take them on the counter attack has left some Tottenham very frustrated. Luka was excellent of controlling the tempo and slowing down counter attacking play, this is something Tottenham are missing this season.
I’m not saying that Tottenham’s current style of play isn’t going to work, it’s just a case of it clicking for them this season. It will work for Tottenham, it’s something that isn’t going to happen overnight but in the long run I believe that it will for them. Having that consistency in games is what is going to bring success and having that man such as Eriksen or Holtby who can create chances like Modric did is the way that Spurs can achieve that success.
Source: DSG
