Tottenham's big change has them looking like Premier League title contenders
Spurs beat Chelsea 2-0 thanks to a Dele Alli brace, but they didn't just snap the Blues' win streak and vault into 3rd place: they proved they're legitimate title contenders again.
The seventh of Chelsea's 13 wins in a row came in their first run-in with Tottenham back in November. The 2-1 win sent them to the top of the Premier League, where they've been since then. The return fixture saw Spurs snap their win streak, and Mauricio Pochettino's formation change could be the blueprint that makes them into real contenders.
Mauricio Pochettino stuck with the formation Spurs used to smash Watford the match before, matching Antonio Conte's back three with a three-back of his own, and it was the platform for a statement victory against a top-notch Blues squad. Tottenham were better in every single facet, and a big factor was Pochettino's 3-4-2-1 lineup that completely counteracted his opponents and perfectly played to their strengths to push them to the win.
Antonio Conte mentioned Tottenham's balance in his post-match comments, and that balance was the key to Spurs' success. With their back three, Tottenham had cover across the board, allowing more freedom for all of their players. Pochettino didn't have Toby Alderweireld available for the first match against Chelsea, but with him back in the team, he lined him up in between Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier, creating a flexible, athletic and technical trio whose strengths are perfectly suited to that system. Further forward, wingbacks Danny Rose and Kyle Walker bombed up and down the flanks, while Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama controlled the midfield behind Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen in support of Harry Kane.
The perfect mix of all of Spurs' best qualities, the formation plays on their incredible athleticism across the board, pace out wide, and allows for cover all over the field. With Alderweireld as the anchor, breaking up attacks, sweeping up danger, and spring counters with his excellent range of passing, Vertonghen and Dier can step into midfield with the ball at their feet, protected by Wanyama or Dembele dropping in as they push forward into the attack. The same goes for Rose and Walker, with cover from Vertonghen and Dier, and even further forward, the solidity in midfield allows Alli and Eriksen to roam free off Harry Kane who's the attacking counterpoint to Alderweireld.
One of the biggest keys to Spurs' success is Dembele and his ability to dominate center of the park. Averaging 91.1% passing accuracy on the ball, and among the league leaders in tackles per game, he's a comprehensive force in the middle, and his versatility and skill is key to the overall balance. His partnership with Wanyama was perhaps the only one in the league that's physically overpowered Nemanja Matic and N'Golo Kante in Chelsea's midfield all season, and his dribbling ability caused problems for the Blues' defense over and over until Pochettino decided Conte's men had had enough and withdrew him to a standing ovation.
Dembele thrived in Pochettino's 3-4-2-1 against Chelsea, completing 97% of his passes and making three tackles in the heart of Spurs' midfield. He overshadowed his opposite number Kante, outclassing him so comprehensively Conte even moved to substitute the little Frenchman for the first time this year after a poor overall performance.
Dembele wasn't the only one to shine against Chelsea though, and Tottenham's comfort level with the switch to a back three they've used before may prompt the coach to stick with it moving forward. With West Brom and then Manchester City on the horizon, there's no telling what sort of tactical surprises Pochettino will spring, but with the success they found against Chelsea, rolling with what works will be a strong temptation for the Argentine.
Tottenham looked like challengers before the switch, but they don't just look good in a back three, they look like real contenders for the title. It was Conte's formation change that at Chelsea that jump-started their incredible run to sit atop the Premier League table, and Pochettino's move to do the same could just have the same results. Spurs didn't just get a win on Tuesday; they may have laid the groundwork for a real run at the title.
