I've mentioned this elsewhere but I'll reiterate it here for further consideration, as this seems to be the de facto tactics thread.
I think the high line is a great tactic now that we've got it nailed - opposition attackers are continually trying to get beyond us and they're either caught offside or can't get past the defence. On the occasions they get past our defensive midfielders AND a centre back, they tend to be between a full back and the other centre back. So in terms of squeezing the attackers, we've succeeded well in that.
Our problems in penetration (lolz) actually start with the five man midfield in the 2-3 staggered formation we tend to run as part of a 4-2-3-1. The full backs bomb on to provide width and to double up with the inverted wingers to deliver crosses or cut in as appropriate. The central midfielders provide a screen for the centre backs while also trying to play the ball through the middle or out wide to our advanced creative players to create chances or score for themselves.
Except that none of that is happening. The reason is why is not entirely clear, but below are some factors:
- the vast majority of our players have their backs to the opposition goal. You expect the players who are meant to hold the ball up will have to do this (Soldado and Sandro). But there were numerous occasions yesterday when Holtby did the same, as did Townsend.
- the team is coming up against a block of at least five opposition players congesting the 18-yard-line when we attack. Not finding a way through that is acceptable, to me. That's their tactic. However, not switching it out wide or having players making runs through it makes absolutely no sense to me. If you can't do either of those things, then just take potshots at goal from 30 yards (which, to be fair, a few of our players are capable of). You see this tactic used in basketball - a team defends the area so well that the attackers just kick it out to the long-range shooter and attempt to collect possession should he miss.
- the width is being underutilised. As mentioned above - if we can't get through the centre then we have to go wide. But a big problem is that our wingers and full backs aren't making runs past their man to get a through ball. So many times yesterday, the left side was crying out for either Lennon or Townsend or Vertonghen (who all had opportunities when ideally placed) to run for it and a lofted through ball would see them into the corner where they could cross. No runs made, no chances created - and a limited amount of alarm for Hull.
- the midfield three isn't switching properly. We glimpsed what AVB wants for this area of the team earlier in the year, when Eriksen would pop up on the right and suddenly Townsend would burst through the middle: a fluid advanced midfield three that could seamlessly interchange. However, yesterday we saw what happens when it misfires. Neither Holtby nor Eriksen could get out of Townsend and Lennon's way on the flanks and when either winger drifted inwards, it seemed like there were a lot of crossed wires and nobody knew exactly what anyone else intended. Movement was limited and when it did happen, the players seemed to be getting in each others' way rather than providing a passing option. I suspect that this is a teething problem and will be sorted as the team gels and evolves together. With a surfeit of midfield options, many players who can play in multiple positions...numerous understandings need to develop. This will take time. I can live with that.
- players aren't attacking the space. This is something I can't live with. I don't know if it was the atmosphere but it seemed increasingly like, later in the game, there was space to be exploited (even if it meant that players would be put under pressure when in that space) but the players would pass sideways or backwards rather than either running into the space and receiving the ball or running there with the ball themselves. If this is nerves...it's understandable. If it's the crowd affecting the players, it's understandable. If AVB has instructed them not to go forwards because he feels like we might be too light at the back, it's not. IF that is the case, it meant AVB doesn't have faith in his defensive players and that we're actually playing the kind of defensive football we accuse Hull et al of playing - just higher up the pitch.
TL;DR - we need to use the space we've got and AVB needs to prove himself as a Spurs manager by accepting that we may concede a few by going forwards but with our attacking talent, it'd be a travesty not to attack with more guile and verve than we're showing at present.
Cripps14
's comment its all about keeping it fresh. Against the better sides (or even sides playing an odd formation... Like, um, 4-6-0 
) we cant be too predictable. We have some of the best wingers in Europe (certainly at least some of the fastest) and their game would benefit a bit more from having space.
