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Alright so this week I got really obsessed with figuring out how Liverpool could shut down Tottenham, especially after last season’s mess. Their main setup this year is pretty aggressive, right? I needed to see exactly how to poke holes in it. Felt like cracking a code.
Starting Point: Staring at the Screen
First thing I did was grab last year’s Spurs footage, especially the games where they looked shaky. Watched them way too many times late at night. Paused, rewound, paused again. Kept asking myself: “Where do they REALLY get hurt when teams come at them?” Not the fancy stats, just the obvious weak spots any fan could see.
The Sketchbook Phase
Pulled out my battered notebook – coffee stains and all. Started scribbling their basic shape:
- That attacking line pushing high up.
- Two midfielders trying to cover everything.
- Their wing-backs practically playing as wingers most of the time.
Then it hit me. The space behind those wing-backs is HUGE. Like, invitation-only territory. That’s where teams kept getting joy. Seemed so simple once I saw it.
Messing Around with Liverpool’s Pieces
Okay, seeing the gap was one thing. How do we USE it? Grabbed my tablet, pulled up a blank tactics board app. Started dragging Salah and that left-sided attacker (whoever’s fit!) super wide early in attacks. Forced Spurs’ wing-backs to make a choice: stick with them way out there, or tuck inside? Either way, someone gets left wide open in that channel. Exploit the isolation.
Then the midfield battle. Spurs try to dominate the middle? Fine. Had Liverpool’s main midfield destroyer (the one who looks like he eats rocks) shadow just behind their main playmaker. Stick to him like glue. Let the other Liverpool midfielders clog the passing lanes elsewhere. Make Spurs play backwards, slow them down.
The Big Weak Spot: Transition Chaos
Kept noticing it. Spurs throw so many forward. When Liverpool wins it back quickly? That’s when they’re totally naked at the back. Practically wrote it in big letters: “WIN BALL, GO FAST TO FORWARDS”. Don’t mess about passing sideways. The forwards need to be sprinting into those wide gaps instantly. One killer pass, and the Spurs defenders panic. Seen it happen loads.
Final Notes & Reality Check
Sketched a rough final plan:
- Wingers start wide, pin Spurs wing-backs.
- Midfield disrupts centrally. No easy passes.
- Win ball high or mid? IMMEDIATELY launch Salah/Jota/Nunez into space behind Spurs’ advanced positions. Hit them while they’re still turned around.
Does it look perfect? Nah. Football isn’t FIFA. Players get tired, passes go astray, refs make bad calls. But this plan? It targets the biggest, most obvious weak spots Spurs have shown this season. And honestly? It felt pretty satisfying figuring it out piece by piece, like solving a puzzle. Now to see if it actually works.