Alex Keble's Talking Tactics: Six tactical questions ahead of the English clubs’ European matches
Alex Keble looks at the Premier League teams' opening European encounters this week with six key tactical questions.
1) Will Tottenham’s new focus on crossing surprise Dortmund?
This match could either be a frantic end-to-end contest between two teams who press high and attack beautifully, or, more likely, it will be a fractious and claustrophobic battle in midfield as two of Europe’s best defences try not to lose their opening Champions League match. Either way, it might be Ben Davies and Kieran Trippier who make the difference.
All three of Spurs’ goals against Everton came from crosses, to make it six out of their seven goals overall, as Mauricio Pochettino looks to add variety to an attack that was too predictable at times last season. Trippier and Davies provide much better deliveries than Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, which explains why they are averaging 5.8 accurate crosses per match this season, per WhoScored.com, the third most in the division and a 50% increase from 2016/17.
That Harry Kane even attempted a cross – one that skewed straight into the goal - from deep at Goodison Park shows Pochettino is giving Spurs specific instructions to put the ball in the air.
Dortmund are yet to concede a goal this season and, like Everton, are very strong in central midfield; those whipped crosses from Davies and Trippier are Spurs' best chance of success at Wembley.
2) Can wing-backs see Manchester City succeed where United failed last season?
The Dutch champions Feyenoord may be embarking on their first Champions League campaign for 14 years, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side are bold, aggressive, and attack-minded on home soil – as Man Utd fans will know. They lost 1-0 in the Netherlands in last season's Europa League, when United were frequently pinned back – and showed no desire to counter-attack with speed.
Well organised and on the back of four straight league wins, City will not successfully break Feyenoord down if they, too, play sluggishly through the centre of the pitch; the excellent partnership of Jan-Arie van der Heijden and Eric Botteghin (who made nine tackles against United last season) coupled with Karim El Ahmadi’s destroying in defensive midfield make the centre a fruitless route to goal.
Fortunately for Pep Guardiola, his side’s biggest strength is his wing-backs, after Benjamin Mendy tore Liverpool apart on Saturday. If they can move the ball quickly from central midfield into Mendy or Kyle Walker, then Feyenoord might find themselves pinned back as the throw-ins and corners pile up. If they cannot, then expect that shaky City defence to come under significant pressure.
3) Can backs-to-the-wall Celtic intimidate Neymar and Mbappe?
Celtic Park is a magnificent place to be on nights like these, when Celtic fans create a fierce atmosphere for the visitors, this time Paris Saint-Germain, in the hope of contributing to another heroic performance in Europe. It is vital they don’t concede an early goal, which would silence the crowd and soothe PSG's nerves, and that depends upon some sturdy defending in the penalty area.
Brendan Rodgers will line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation that happily concedes possession and territory. The aim will be to stay compact, using essentially a flat back six to limit PSG’s ability to pass into the box and utilising three central midfielders who refuse to be dragged out wide by Neymar or Kylian Mbappe.
It is a simple tactic in theory, but the movement of these two players should prove too much for the likes of Scott Brown and Nir Bitton.
Mbappe played centrally on his debut as a shadow striker, but made late diagonal runs into the left channel to cross over as Neymar cut inside.
This move will feature heavily as PSG try to work some space in a congested final third, making the tireless work of right-back Kieran Tierney particularly important.
4) Will Sevilla’s Nolito make it another day to forget for Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold?
The young Liverpool right-back is a very talented prospect and it is not his fault that Benjamin Mendy so consistently got the better of him in the second half of Saturday’s game, but nevertheless Sevilla will surely target this area of the pitch when they visit Anfield. Former Manchester City winger Nolito has been in excellent form on the left; his head-to-head with the 18-year-old is likely to be the key battle.
Statistically, Sevilla attack down the flanks more frequently than any other side in Europe’s top five leagues (83%, per WhoScored.com), and after a frustrating first two weeks a goal and an assist for Nolito at the weekend should see him settle into Eduardo Berizzo’s tactics.
Alexander-Arnold is clearly vulnerable; it is vitally important that Jurgen Klopp protects his young full-back, perhaps by fielding James Milner in front of the teenager.
5) Will the new FC Basel manager’s 3-5-2 hurt a sluggish Manchester United side?
The promotion of under-21s coach Raphael Wicky to the role of manager has seen Basel deploy a 3-5-2 formation and use their academy more frequently than under Urs Fischer. This will almost certainly look more like a 5-3-1-1 as the Swiss champions absorb pressure at Old Trafford, but like Stoke City last weekend this doesn’t mean United will find it easy.
Stoke’s determined display on Saturday proved that United’s new-found speed was, in part, merely the result of facing inferior opposition.
Romelu Lukaku’s poor movement and hold-up play was exposed against a well-organised three-man defence (that allowed Stoke to double up on him) while Paul Pogba was largely ineffective with four central midfielders boxing him out.
Basel’s system will look somewhat similar, potentially leading to another frustrating day for Jose Mourinho.
6) Will Koeman put faith in Dominic Calvert-Lewin to inject pace into the side?
It speaks volumes about the formation’s declining popularity in England that Everton are yet to face a back four this season, a record that will continue when they travel to Italy to face Atalanta on Thursday.
On each occasion, the mirroring of systems has not helped Ronald Koeman’s team, largely because they are a slow side who rely on technical ability rather than movement.
When two similar formations face each other, fluid, pace-driven football is needed to break free of your opposite numbers.
Calvert-Lewin is the only speedy player currently fit, but on an awkward European night it is likely that Koeman will play more experienced players such as Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson in attacking midfield. Consequently, this might be another weary and lacklustre display from the Toffees.
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