Tottenham Hotspur: Andre Villas-Boas Would Be Smart to Play 4-4-1-1 Formation

Up until a week ago, you'd be forgiven for thinking Tottenham was headed for a mid-table finish by season's end.

By mid-June, Chairman Daniel Levy had fired Harry Redknapp as manager, Luka Modric handed in his transfer request and Gareth Bale looked to follow suit.

But Levy acted quickly and re-signed Bale to a four-year extension and moved along negotiations on several other prospects—all without an acting manager in place.

Then came the biggest gamble of them all: Andre Villas-Boas.

Levy replaced Redknapp, a man many thought was going to be coaching England's national team come Euro 2012, with a manager who hasn't even been at the helm of a Premier League team for a full season. Not only that, but from the looks of things, Levy has given Villas-Boas a hefty war chest.

In his first four days on the job, Villas-Boas has gotten Tottenham linked with transfer rumors about Ezekiel Fryers, Oscar, Theo Walcott and Daniel Sturridge. But it was Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea City who was the Portuguese manager's first signing at White Hart Lane.

And if Villas-Boas is flexible with his tactics, it could prove to be his best of the summer.

I know, I know, Sigurdsson came to Tottenham for the middle-class price of £8 million. I also know that whatever striker Villas-Boas signs in the next six weeks will be the front-page signing of this summer's transfer class. But the Icelander's move to Spurs makes it possible for Villas-Boas to make a few slight tweaks to his coveted 4-3-3.

How's that going to happen? Playing four midfielders, putting Sigurdsson in his natural attacking midfielder role and finding the right striker.

First, Levy's re-signing of Bale before signing Villas-Boas as manager tells me, you and everyone's mother that the Welsh winger's presence at White Hart Lane was of the utmost priority. Lucky for the incoming manager, Bale's a world-class talent and Villas-Boas doesn't have to bow to public pressure to build some tactics around the 22-year-old—he can do it because Bale's just that good.

Bale's best position is on the left flank, dribbling up the sideline at a faster speed than most players could sprint without the ball. Whether it's left-back or left wing, Bale's strengths increase the closer he plays to the sideline. Bale loves to cut inside when opponents least expect it and that skill is greatly diminished the farther inward he plays.

Villas-Boas isn't stupid—he knows putting Bale at his strongest (and most exciting) position will only yield good results and trust from fans. Factor in that Aaron Lennon's only experience last season was on the opposite flank along the right sideline (19 appearances—all at right wing) and you've got four midfielders.

So, a 4-4-? isn't just the best idea for results but for fans. Now we have the question of what to do about the remaining two spots.

As I said before, Villas-Boas inherited a team with a veteran attacking midfielder in Rafael van der Vaart. The signing of Sigurdsson gives Villas-Boas not one, but two relatively pricey players who are at their best between the midfield and forwards.

Rafael van der Vaart made 22 of his 29 appearances behind the main striker last season and Sigurdsson did the same in 18 of 24 appearances. Having at least one of those players regularly pushing forward is the wisest move for Villas-Boas.

But why the 4-4-1-1? Why not a 4-3-2-1?

I predict Villas-Boas will experiment with the 4-3-2-1 what with two solid players ready to fill in there and a lack of forwards on the roster (Jermain Defoe is Spurs' lone forward as of this writing). I don't, however, think that's his wisest move.

Rafael van der Vaart will start to complain and at only 29 years old, Villas-Boas will be in a perfect situation to recoup some of the €11 million contract he signed back in 2010.

The 4-4-1-1 is the best formation for Tottenham—hands down. With a little tweaking, Villas-Boas could be in the driver's seat for a spot in next year's Champions League. Will the Portuguese manager pull the trigger? We'll find out come August.