Jose Mourinho has Tottenham enjoying pragmatically – however the Spurs followers will need their gifted workforce to open up and assault struggling Arsenal on Sunday, Jamie Redknapp has instructed the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.
Spurs go into this weekend’s north London derby prime of the Premier League desk, after backing up a counter-attacking masterclass towards Manchester Metropolis with a defensive stalemate at Chelsea final weekend.
Mourinho’s aspect presently have the very best defensive document within the Premier League and, talking on this week’s Pitch to Post Preview Podcast, Redknapp credited the supervisor for a way strong he has made his workforce and the way he satisfied his gamers to purchase into the model of play.
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“I used to be at their first recreation of the season after they performed Everton and there have been much more questions than solutions, they did not begin very nicely,” mentioned Redknapp. “They regarded wanting any high quality, guile. They stunning a lot regarded an strange workforce that day.
“However Jose has received them working very laborious for one another defensively. It isn’t fairly, you may’t flip round and say it is actually pleasant to look at. It isn’t expansive soccer. Nevertheless it’s a successful kind of soccer proper now.
“They’re sitting ever so deep, they’re organised. I watched the sport towards Chelsea, when he was enjoying Moussa Sissoko and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has performed a very good job, and he mentioned to them ‘defensively, you’ve got received actual jobs to do’.
“That in itself is an artwork kind as a result of quite a lot of midfielders now wish to play after they’ve received the ball. There aren’t many gamers that might hand over themselves like, say, Moussa Sissoko is true now, and try this job of man-marking folks, operating again into his personal field.
“Jose is getting his gamers to do a job for them. It isn’t thrilling it isn’t expansive however proper now it is working.”
Fan strain to assault
There might be 2,000 socially-distanced Tottenham followers on the recreation with 14th-placed Arsenal – nonetheless, Redknapp reckons Mourinho can be unable to play in such a conservative model if the stadium was full, given the membership’s historical past of attacking soccer.
Redknapp additionally rejected the suggestion from Mourinho that Tottenham have been only a “little pony” fairly than a horse within the title race and mentioned Spurs the truth is have a high-quality line-up.
“They’re definitely not the little pony that he suggests,” mentioned Redknapp. “I do know what he is making an attempt to do as a result of he is excellent at it – they don’t seem to be the little pony, that squad is filled with high quality and likewise depth that you just want if you are going to win a title.
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Spurs are via to the last-32 of the Europa League however boss Jose Mourinho questioned their motivation following a 3-3 draw at LASK.
“I do know there might be 2,000 followers in there but when it was a full home they’d demand them to go ahead, the Spurs followers. They wish to see good soccer, they have been used to it over time, not solely that you just’re in kind and it is laborious to tug the reins once you’re enjoying nicely and the whole lot feels nice by way of the soccer and the best way you are successful matches or getting factors.
“You’d prefer to assume they’d have a go however I do know the supervisor. I used to be sat proper by the bench at Chelsea and there was a time the place Joe Rodon picked the ball up and had a bit dribble via midfield. Gary Neville and Martin Tyler have been like, ‘that is good to see, look how they are going ahead’ and Jose…he was fuming that the defender had vacated that area!
“We give a lot credit score to Jose however at occasions, there’s nothing you are able to do. If Harry Kane and Heung-min Son wish to play and have a go, it does not matter what the supervisor says. Though I have been a bit bit damaging, there have been moments in that Man Metropolis recreation on the counter-attack the place they have been improbable. I feel they’ll have a go at this Arsenal workforce due to how they’re struggling themselves.”
Kane, Son key to creating Mourinho’s techniques work
On Deadline Day, Redknapp appeared on Sky Sports activities Information alongside Harry Redknapp, and scoffed at his dad’s suggestion Spurs may win the title. Redknapp stands by his scepticism however believes circumstances have performed in Mourinho’s favour.
“I laughed at him,” mentioned Redknapp about his dad’s prediction. “At the moment there was Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez match for Liverpool and I did not see [Spurs] as contenders. I nonetheless stand by that – if Liverpool had Van Dijk and Gomez match for the season, Liverpool I feel would win the league.
“However proper now, with the best way issues have gone, I feel it performs into [Spurs’] palms a bit bit that there is not any crowd there. As a result of Tottenham followers are used to a kind of soccer, good soccer. I keep in mind going there with Mauricio Pochettino and it was thrilling and that is what the gang need, however as a result of there is not any crowd there it permits Jose to play the best way he’s and to take a seat again and get males behind the ball.
That workforce is extraordinarily harmful so long as these two – Kane and Son – are match and capable of play.
“I do not assume quite a lot of Tottenham followers would get pleasure from that kind of soccer, though proper now they only wish to win. They are going to demand the workforce goes ahead and presses and performs thrilling soccer. This workforce proper now is not however it’s successful. I am not making an attempt to undermine what they’re doing however it’s pragmatic to say the least.
“In the event that they have been to lose considered one of Kane or Son it could be extremely troublesome for them to win the title. But when they keep their health and Kane retains the shape up, that workforce is extraordinarily harmful so long as these two are match and capable of play.
“In any other case, enjoying that means with out having these two would turn into extremely troublesome. They’re the icing on the cake.”
Pitch to Post Preview: Redknapp assesses Tottenham and Arsenal; Plus the return of fans, Chelsea’s striker dilemma, and more!
This week on the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast, Jamie Redknapp joins Peter Smith and Adam Bate to sit up for the north London derby and assess Tottenham and Arsenal’s contrasting kind.
Sky Sports activities Information reporter Rob Dorsett additionally has the newest from Leicester and the way forward for Jonny Evans, whereas we talk about whether or not Olivier Giroud must be Chelsea’s first-choice striker and Man Utd’s difficult journey to West Ham.
Plus we hear from a Charlton supporter concerning the expertise of returning to look at reside soccer. Adam additionally makes his daring Pitch for what he thinks will occur on this weekend’s Premier League motion – and it is excellent news for the groups within the relegation zone…
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