Analysis: Tottenham

Tottenham began the game in a 3-1-4-2 formation, with Eric Dier sitting in front of a back three of Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen. Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies provided the width, while Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli made use of the central areas and half-spaces. Lucas Moura and Harry Kane started up top, although Moura had more licence to roam and pick up different positions, making him harder for Fulham to track.

With Fulham operating in a mid to low block for the majority of the game, Spurs had to display patience in possession. Setting up with three central defenders meant there was often a passing lane available to Dier and wing-backs Trippier or Davies, but they initially had trouble breaking their opponents down. The hosts were forced to circulate the ball, with their attacking players dropping and rotating in an attempt to create space for an attacking runner. To get around this, Spurs looked to play forward quickly in transition, taking advantage of the spaces before Fulham had a chance to reorganise within their units. This strategy had potential, but never bore any real fruit.

It was the introduction of Mousa Dembele shortly after Fulham had equalised that provided the real swing in the game, with Tottenham reverting to a back four. The presence of Dembele alongside Dier increased their central control but, more importantly, allowed Alli and Eriksen to take up more advanced positions between the lines. From here, they regained control and penetrated Fulham on a more regular basis.

Before the substitution, Spurs generally operated in a 5-3-2 formation out of possession. Trippier and Davies would join the back three to create a back five, covering the width of the pitch. Dier would protect the central areas along with Eriksen and Alli – this trio stayed compact, essentially trying to prevent an easy pass into Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic’s feet.

With three central defenders, one could follow Mitrovic if he dropped or get tight to him if he received the ball with his back to goal. The other two could maintain compactness and prevent penetrative passes in behind for wide attackers Ryan Sessegnon or Aboubakar Kamara from Mitrovic’s sets.

Kane and Moura led the line out of possession. If the ball was in the middle third, Trippier or Davies would have licence to join the midfield three, depending which side the ball was on. Dier would drop slightly to cover the space, while the remaining back four would slide across.

This was far from a comfortable victory for Tottenham, despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise. Mauricio Pochettino’s response to his side conceding at the beginning of the second half was pivotal, with the change in formation to a 4-2-3-1 successfully getting his team on the front foot again.