Will Eriksen take Matic out the game again

There are many theories floating around about the poor start to the season by Chelsea this season, some suggest it is fatigue, some suggest there is discontent with Jose Mourinho while others simply say Chelsea have been found out.

The Premier League is a cutthroat business, every side has an analyst who can call on all the data they need to study future opposition and find weaknesses. Each player is analysed, as well as the team. People revert to default when under pressure thus a team can predict what a player might do in given situations. 

By ensuring all players are aware of the weaknesses of players they are likely to encounter, they can predict what a player may do and be ready for it. When a weakness is found it goes around the league. Each team studies how other sides played against each team, successful tactics are then duplicated.

Swansea changed their tactics against Chelsea using an attacking formation and a high-press. They wanted to stop Chelsea creating from deep. It worked a treat, the Chelsea midfield simply didn't get enough time on the ball. The result was the he pressing allied to swift counter-attacks gave Swansea an advantage Chelsea struggled to cope with. 

Swansea simply used Gylfi Sigurdsson to run off the ball and pull Matic out of position which exposed Cahill and Terry to a ball through the middle. They also focussed on Ivanovic. Winger Montero, who gave us problems attacked him and Willian had to spend an increasing amount of time defending instead of attacking.

In our game against them last season at White Hart Lane we used Christian Eriksen to do the same thing and he pulled Matic all over the pitch. The organised Chelsea defence no longer had it's shield in front of it and were continually exposed.

We should not be frightened of going to Stamford Bridge. Adopting off the ball running and pulling Matic out of position will be key to the result. An analysis of the chances Chelsea are conceding sees that compared to last season they are conceding more chances centrally and from the right. The chances they are conceding are in more dangerous areas which is resulting in conceding more goals.

Dele Alli would have been an ideal player against Chelsea because he runs at the defence and Cesc Fabregas is a defensive weakness alongside Matic, he often is not as focussed on his defensive duties as he should be. 

I expect to see us attack their right flank, pull Matic out of the centre and attack the right channel area (our left). Remember last season, Kane scored running from the right, he also turned Terry in that channel.

COYS


Further Tottenham Reading
Premier League more important than Champions League - link to an excellent article discussing the clear indications
Shots leading the league - a look at shooting, Spurs are the most accurate team in the league and Harry Kane the most accurate striker
Lloris: A punching analysis - link to an excellent article that reveals Lloris punches more than any other keeper in the top 5 European leagues
Spurs continue to scout Townsend replacements - we are casting our net far and wide in search of a new inverted winger

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