How new-look Spurs are shaping up under De Zerbi

Roberto de Zerbi took charge of Tottenham in March with the primary goal of averting relegation. Once this objective was met, he was afforded the resources to reshape the club in the summer. When de Zerbi made his debut as a Premier League manager at Brighton in September 2022, he introduced innovative tactics that garnered praise from top-tier coaches like Pep Guardiola.

His influence was predominantly centered around the build-up play, particularly the positioning of center-backs. These players would stand tall, awaiting the opposition's forwards to tire before swiftly closing them down. This strategy enabled ball-playing center-backs to synchronize with holding midfielders, executing swift one-touch passing combinations before executing daring passes to their attackers.

The fluidity with which De Zerbi's teams could transition from methodical possession in their own half to one-on-one situations for the forwards has become a trademark of his approach.

However, the game dynamics have evolved, prompting De Zerbi to adapt his tactics accordingly. In the preseason, a recurrent scenario for Spurs involved their center-backs holding possession in the middle of the pitch. To counter this, opposing teams have been employing narrow defensive formations, obstructing Spurs' usual vertical progression through the center.

In response, de Zerbi has devised new strategies, such as shifting center-backs out of position or progressing the ball down the flanks. This was evident during Tottenham's 3-0 victory against Hoffenheim in preseason. Hoffenheim's defensive block was so narrow that their strikers stood in front of Spurs' midfield duo, transforming Spurs' typical 4-2-4 setup into a 4-2-3-1.

By passing between the central defenders, Spurs managed to alter Hoffenheim's alignment from left to right, despite the limited distance covered. The wide positioning of Spurs' full-backs poses a challenge to the opposition's wide midfielders, who, while free and unmarked, often act as decoys, diverting their central positioning and creating space for center-backs to pass directly into the deep-lying forwards.

Upon finding these forwards, they execute first-time passes to wide players in space, often resulting in one-on-one situations for the attackers, where directness, pace, and shooting or cutting the ball back for the centre-forwards to finish are encouraged. This pattern of play is a notable trend to watch this season.