POCH: THE MAN WITH THE PLANS
MAURICIO POCHETTINO is no longer the man with just a plan – he has loads of them.
And Tottenham’s players now being used to his philosophy and different set-ups allows him to be flexible with his tactics.
The Argentinian stuck with a 4-2-3-1 formation when he first took charge but these days has many more options up his sleeve.
Spurs were among the clubs who last year joined the Premier League’s three-at-the-back revolution and this season, following the £42million signing of centre-back Davinson Sanchez from Ajax, that has become Pochettino’s preferred formation.
But the fluidity of his current side was shown when he used both a back three and then a back four in Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League win at Apoel Nicosia.
‘‘I hear many things, Plan B, Plan C,” said Pochettino.
“The most important thing is to have a plan. To have many plans.
“It’s important to have different ways to play because you have sometimes a different player available to play and pick.
“Then always it’s to be flexible and to try to change in different games, to play in different ways, always it’s important.
“When you arrive it’s normal that you want to settle the philosophy, all the players need to understand how you think, how you work.
“You can’t change one day five at the back, four, three, two strikers, three strikers, one striker, without a striker.
“It’s important to provide a good balance and solidity, be clear with them in all the concepts. That was what happened from the beginning.
“Today many of the players have worked with us for two or three seasons and you have more time to give the team different ways to play.”
Pochettino will make some changes to personnel today, with Christian Eriksen back after being ruled out of the Nicosia clash through illness and Serge Aurier suspended following his red card at West Ham last week.