Manchester City vs. Tottenham: Adebayor Vital to the Sparking of Counter-Attacks
UEFA's "Week of Football" is over, and the Premier League returns with a tasty early kick-off in the form of Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs fans will remember a certain Peter Crouch goal locking up UEFA Champions League football at the Etihad Stadium not too long ago but since that moment the sides' fortunes have changed ever so slightly.
How will this one play out from a tactical perspective?
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Manchester City Setup
We don't expect Manuel Pellegrini to stray from his usual 4-4-2—at least not from the start—despite there being some rather compelling arguments in favour of playing David Silva as a No. 10.
Mark Ogden of The Telegraph reported Fernandinho is 50-50 for the game and could be saved for the Champions League tie with CSKA Moscow. If so, Fernando is finally ready and fit to step back in.
Otherwise, the individual duels reign supreme once again in this squad: Eliaquim Mangala vs. Martin Demichelis at centre-back, Gael Clichy vs. Aleksandar Kolarov at left-back, Pablo Zabaleta vs. Bacary Sagna at right-back and James Milner vs. Jesus Navas on the right flank.
Based on the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa before the international break and Pellegrini's "trends" in big games, it could well be Mangala, Clichy, Zabaleta and Milner.
Tottenham Hotspur Setup
As per Sky Sports, Kyle Naughton suffered ankle ligament damage against Southampton after a rash tackle from Ryan Bertrand left him in a heap. That means both Kyles—Naughton and the usual incumbent Walker—are out with long-term injuries.
Mauricio Pochettino must turn to Eric Dier to carry the load at right-back, and the worst-case scenario would be Younes Kaboul switching over. Nacer Chadli complained of a hip problem on international duty and Hugo Lloris ducked out with a knock but both should be fine to play.
The non-injury-related selection dilemmas for Tottenham reside in midfield, where Pochettino must decide whether he wants to continue with a) the same personnel that beat the Saints and b) the 4-2-3-1 formation.
A 4-3-3 could look far more solid and could be the move if Chadli doesn't make it. Ryan Mason should hold onto his spot and the Erik Lamela-Christian Eriksen combination is a must-start.
Key Point 1: The Return of Fernando
As WhoScored.com's Martin Laurence aptly outlined, Fernandinho has been a shadow of his former self this season after proving his worth in 2013-14.
Fernando, as many Liga Sagres aficionados expected, has instead dominated the defensive midfield areas and become key to Pellegrini's two-man effort in midfield. The former FC Porto man's injury, laying him up for around a month, has severely impacted Manchester City's start.
Welcoming him back at the expense of Fernandinho is huge here; as far as situational switches go, this is an enforced masterstroke from Pellegrini.
Spurs press and harry under Pochettino, and they've been getting steadily better as the season has worn on. Not only is Fernandinho a liability in tackling—he's been dribbled past 78 times this season, the most in the league—but his passing has been less assured, too.
Fernando is the calm presence needed—particularly in a three vs. two mismatch. He patrols the defensive zones like a bloodhound, snapping up any loose balls and keeping things simple and straight.
Key Point 2: The Away Striker's Role
Pochettino has to choose, once again, between a still slightly below par (although improving) Emmanuel Adebayor or a wasteful Roberto Soldado upfront. Harry Kane scores when he plays, but he's not in with a shout here.
Spurs analysts believe Adebayor is still the pick due to his ability to drop deep, hold the ball and spread it wide under pressure. If Tottenham play this match in the same fashion they did against Arsenal, he'll be important in building attacks.
It places a strain on the lone striker that Soldado, admittedly, can't handle. When he's fluffing his lines in front of goal—the one thing he is genuinely supposed to be good at—he has little use in a game where Spurs will have to be clinical if they want a result.
Adebayor will be leaned upon and, in many ways, the offensive buck will stop with him. If he can protect the ball and feed Lamela/Eriksen, Tottenham are in business on the counter; if not, expect a similar pattern to the Aston Villa game—and the eventual goals, too.
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