We have a lot of injured players, so first of all, we need to find the most suitable system for the current personnel. This is a very special time" - coach Igor Tudor shared.
Clearly, the new Tottenham coach understands the challenge waiting for him in North London. Spurs not only face the risk of falling into relegation battle but are also sinking into a serious force crisis.
In Tudor's debut match, the North London derby against Arsenal at home, Tottenham may be missing up to 12 players. Captain Cristian Romero is suspended, while the remaining 11 are all being treated for injuries.
The biggest problem posed is how Tudor will arrange the squad in the context of such a serious personnel shortage.
The Croatian strategist prefers a 3-center-back formation, which has been clearly shown during his time working in Serie A and Ligue 1. However, at Tottenham at this time, Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin are the only true center-backs still available. This forces Tudor to consider using a firefighting plan if he wants to immediately apply his signature tactical system.
Previously, Joao Palhinha was used by Thomas Frank as an unwilling center-back in similar situations. Frank, who was just sacked after a streak of 8 winless matches in the Premier League, mainly operated Tottenham with a 4-defender formation, although he tested a 3-man defense in the late stages of his short and volatile term.
Unlike his predecessor, Tudor is considered an expert in deploying a 3-center-back formation. This could be a solution to help Tottenham strengthen their defense, especially in the context that the team has not kept a clean sheet in 7 consecutive matches in the Premier League.
However, the challenge for Tudor is not small. Arsenal has proven very effective when facing teams using a 3-man defense. Since the beginning of last season, the "Gunners" have only lost one match in the Premier League against opponents operating this formation.
A rare positive point for Tottenham is that Arsenal just dropped points against Wolves - the bottom team playing with a 3-4-2-1 formation. However, in the most recent encounter in November, Arsenal won convincingly against Spurs, when their opponent also arranged a 3-man defense.
This North London Derby is therefore not only Igor Tudor's debut, but also a harsh test for his ability to maneuver tactics in the most difficult circumstances.
I understand the importance of this match. This is a derby, a North London derby. This is a quality team, full of talented players, with strong motivation. But my goal in these first training sessions is to help us become a team, with the right way to go to battle" - Tudor added.
