How De Zerbi Has Completely Reinvented Tottenham

Tottenham are stepping into a new era under Roberto De Zerbe, building a midfield for ball progression

truly adopting the Italian philosophy and fixing some of their longest standing and biggest issues

But how exactly are they doing it? Well, I'm Jacob Oldsville, 4-4-2's resident tactician

and this is how Roberto De Zerbe is revolutionising Tottenham Hotspur. He's been the outstanding attacking threat tonight

To understand how Spurs' new signings come in and play into De Zerbi's plan

we've first got to understand what his actual plan is. In pre-season, we've seen a 2-4 build-up

with all six players having plenty of discourse to pull the opposition in

and then play into new space found by the opposition stepping out

which is classic Roberto De Zerbi. Press baiting is arguably what he's most known for

but he's only just being able to properly implement it on this Spurs team

Once they've beaten the press, you'll then see more of a settled 3-1 backline shape

Then there's two very important players just ahead of that build-up. It's two more advanced players in the pockets

allowing them to have access into the opposition's block once the opposition have been pulled out

Again, another De Zerbi classic, but not one that we saw too much of

or at least not at the level that De Zerbi would have wanted last season. Here against Everton, it's more of a 2-3 build-up on the halfway line

with notably João Pelinha, one of the midfielders, pulling wide out of the centre and into more open space

Now, it's pre-season, so we can't use an overly tactical lens. There's so many things that are based on player fitness

things that may change before the season starts. But there are some small suggestions

that the new signings that have arrived this summer are moulding De Zerbi's in-possession, stable, controlled possession

However, it's not all beautiful sunshine and rainbows. There's still a problem, and it comes with these two number 10s

who are getting themselves in great positions in the pockets, but once the ball comes into them

they're struggling to then take it to the next level, going into the final third

which may well be addressed by James Madison coming back from injury, or Destiny a doggy coming in

and being able to get on the underlap through the centre. But right now, there is a slight problem

which is leading to this Lots of counter by Tottenham and that not a bad thing because I been really really impressed with the way Tottenham have operated without the ball in this pre

They are man-to-man in this situation but keep an eye on this Auckland midfielder because as Tottenham force the ball wide, this midfielder is cut off entirely

there is no access into him which means that the top number of the other who's marking him can

eventually drop off and then look to cut the passing lines to any other central players that

Orkwam are trying to play into so as much as there's maybe some teething issues in possession

which is to be expected with De Zerbe getting his first pre-season he's a very meticulous manager he

wants things to go in a certain way but there's been a lot of positives out of possession the press

being good people starting to grow into it obviously getting fitness up it's pre-season

but there is a few questions that still need answering. What do the summer signings have to do with it all

Mateus Fernandes, that is an extraordinary effort. Last season, Tottenham's midfield was their weak point for me

If we look at their most used midfielders based on minutes, it's Jao Pelinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Xavi Simons

And with them three, there's a serious trend. All three have their own strengths

but none of them strengths are progressive passing. As a result, Spurs would really struggle to penetrate teams

with the ball on the floor so would end up cutting the ball back, sending it long and relying on variables and unreliable patterns

especially under, do I dare say his name? Thomas Frank. This sequence that I'm about to show you is such a small little piece of quality

but it changes everything for Tottenham. As Sandro Tonali is about to receive the ball here

there's four Chelsea players around him, all within distance, to cut off his passing lanes, press him, take the ball off him

But instead of Tonali being safe, maybe bouncing the ball backwards or taking a touch sideways to then play sideways

he does the most simple option. He takes a first-time pass that goes straight through

three of the Chelsea players that are coming to press him and gets Tottenham in beyond Chelsea's midfield block

and run into all goal, which for me is just something I wouldn't have expected to see

from any Tottenham midfielder last season. And it's bizarre because there's so many benefits

to having midfielders who can break the lines, even if it's the most simple of pass

And Tonali and even Matias Fernandes as well, They bring that to this Tottenham team

Because last season against teams who did look to press this Tottenham team high Romero was almost picked on He was their best ball progressor someone who could fire balls through the lines willy But teams clocked onto that fairly quickly

They would cut off any of his access into the forward line, and that meant that the ball would go to other of the defenders or the midfielders

who then couldn't play through the lines the same way as Romero. So teams could just turn over the ball from poor passes

Which is why I think as much as Tottenham spending £100 million on Sonali, 80 odd million on Matias Fernandes is a lot of money

It is like essential. It was something that had to happen this summer

and it changes Spurs entirely. The new Portuguese Londoner Matias Fernandes has the ability to open up his body

flat-footing surrounding defenders before reversing a ball straight through the opposition, taking out a whole line of their defensive block

As a result, so many of the teams Fernandes has been in have been able to trust him with being calm

being secure with possession, being able to be that real progressive passer and make the right decision which isn't just about

passing decision making is also heavily about ball security last season when the spurs pivot

received the ball with their back to goal it only resulted in one thing then being hounded and the

ball probably going back the way it came from or a high turnover for the opposition sandro tonali

instead looks to receive and then use his frame to burst across the defender and protect the ball

For Tottenham, that gives them more security in possession, which means they can then play with a little bit more risk when they have the ball

In pre-season, Fernandes has already shown his ability to ghost on his marker's blindside, then burst into a little bit of space, receiving under new pressure, and then finding a way to play forward into an attacker in a dangerous position

However, it's all well and good having these midfielders who are press resistant, who are line breakers, who can progress the ball from any position

but you've got to get them on the ball and to do that you need defenders who can also pass a football

Christian Romero sat 12th in the squad for passes into the final third he was vital to Tottenham

having any hope or dream of progressing the ball and he's left so they had to replace him

which they have done Van Heek played the fifth most passes per 90 in the entirety of the Premier

during De Zerbe's last season at Brighton. Already the Dutchman calmness in possession has influenced Tottenham football which really shouldn come as a surprise because with Van Heek and when it comes to calmness when it comes to reliability on the ball it doesn get much

better in England than Van Heck but this position here is what I imagine gets Roberto De Zerbi

absolutely buzzing for the season to start because when the opposition have shut down all of the

midfield options of Van Heck's side he has the ability to then identify space in beyond or into

the front line and then play a perfectly weighted ball onto those runners up top so when we see

Deserby's side sitting in the mid third passing the ball about baiting the opposition out to make

them step i imagine we're going to see van Hegg play some beautiful balls into one of those forwards

who are isolated 1v1 and then goals happen yes ladies and gentlemen goals in pre-season we've

seen Tottenham's attacking line create these 1v1s against the back line of the opposition and the

wingers have absolutely taken to it especially Matisse Tell he's someone who can get the ball

drive himself into the box and then commit a defender before bursting passing and giving you

a little bit of final product without really taking much out of him which is exciting not

only Vanheck's passing range and his ability to break lines but how does Irby's system can be

raised a level with it with the likes of Matisse Tell, Wilson Odebert, Destinio Doggy reap the

rewards of that football now i know odbert's not going to be back for a long while but any of those

wingers any of those players who want to burst in beyond or get the ball out wide they will thrive

with a player who can find them from anywhere on the pitch now it is only pre-season and we have a

long long way to go yet but there's early signs that roberto zirbi has finally been able to properly

make his mark on this tottenham team last season wouldn't have gone the way he wanted to in terms

of implementing his tactical style because it was do or die and obviously tottenham did they got

away with it they managed to stay up and this summer has been arguably one of the best summers

in Tottenham's last 20 arguably history but will it all work some of the standings are smart some

of them are good but it all comes down to the Premier League Auckland are playing against Arsenal

it's not quite the same but if you have enjoyed today's video please leave a like and subscribe

we're back again next week for more ysis the Premier League is round the corner ladies and

gentlemen and uh yeah I'll see you all next week it's in a bit