Tottenham earned an impressive draw against Man City.
Tottenham secured a notable 2-2 draw at home against Manchester City. After trailing by two goals in the second half, Dominic Solanke’s two goals helped Spurs come back and earn a point in a match where they showed resilience against Pep Guardiola’s team.
Here are some observations from the game.
Attacking changes impacted Tottenham’s build-up against Man City
Tottenham employed different formations while pressing and possessing the ball based on who had control.
When out of possession, Spurs pressed with a front two of Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons, aiming to block passes to Rodri and push City wide. However, when Guglielmo Vicario had the ball, the approach shifted to a long pass, altering the front-line structure. Solanke paired with Randal Kolo Muani, while Simons either dropped back or pursued second balls.
This inconsistency was an issue. City was comfortable letting Tottenham play long balls, as Spurs lacked the compactness to recover those balls. This allowed City to frequently win loose balls and attack a stretched midfield.
Additionally, spacing issues contributed. The former Atletico Madrid midfielder often occupied the same vertical areas as the forwards when Spurs had the ball, sometimes even crowding Cristian Romero during build-up. This restricted passing options and exposed Bissouma upon losing possession. For example, Spurs’ second goal came from Gallagher driving forward from midfield and delivering a cross. More plays like that were needed from Tottenham.
Haaland’s presence highlighted issues for Dragusin
Although Erling Haaland didn’t dominate the match, his presence influenced defenders’ behavior, revealing a key contrast between the center-backs.
Radu Dragușin often allowed Haaland space to receive the ball and stepped out aggressively, which opened up space behind him, requiring Cristian Romero to cover. This created complications for an already destabilized defense during transitions.
However, when Romero directly marked Haaland before his substitution, the dynamic shifted. Romero positioned himself early to deny Haaland clear touches, forcing him to play backward or make quick decisions, making City less comfortable in those situations.
The differences between the two were significant. Dragușin’s decision-making affected Tottenham negatively, as highlighted during City’s second goal. His long clearance went straight to Rodri, allowing City to regain possession and quickly score. This performance raised questions about Dragușin’s suitability for the Premier League, especially if Tottenham considers selling him this winter.
Defensive compactness but poor ball control?
Tottenham displayed a commendable defensive structure. Without the ball, they were compact, switching between a back three, four, and five based on City’s movements. This organization forced City to take long-range shots more often than they preferred.
However, Spurs’ midfield intensity fell short compared to Thomas Frank’s Brentford days. While City found open players in wide areas, Spurs’ midfield failed to close passing lanes effectively.
When in possession, Tottenham faced problems. They started attacks in a back three, led by Romero, but decision-making in the final third was too slow. Excessive touches allowed City to press and regain possession before any chance developed.
Bissouma was particularly slow to distribute the ball when in advantageous positions. This led to turnovers and ultimately contributed to Tottenham conceding their first goal.
From an attacking perspective, Xavi Simons stood out by consistently trying to create risks and force City to respond. Wilson Odobert showed similar intent after coming on, but lacked the same impact as Simons.