Tactics: Preview – Tottenham v Norwich City

White Hart Lane

Tottenham go into today’s game against Norwich still reeling from the defeat to North London rivals Arsenal and having failed to score from open play so far this season.

André Villas-Boas will be hoping that the inclusion of new signings Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen will bring the creativity in the final third his side have lacked in their opening fixtures.

While not quite on the same scale, Chris Hughton had a busy summer too, with over £20 million worth of talent strolling through the gates at Carrow Road.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Despite their pretty abysmal away record since returning to the Premier League, Norwich have done surprisingly well in their past two visits to White Hart Lane, picking up four points.

Gareth Bale salvaged a point for AVB’s men last season with the kind of 80th minute wonder-goal Spurs will surely miss with his departure.

FORMATIONS

Tottenham will line-up in AVB’S favoured, high-line pressing, 4-2-3-1, with new signing Eriksen providing the creativity from a classic number ten position.

Both wide forwards will have licence to cut inside on to their favoured feet to attack the opposition goal, with width coming from the two full-backs, who are both more comfortable in the opposition half than their own.

Norwich will line up in a similar 4-2-3-1 formation, but set-up in a much less fluid fashion, with Robert Snodgrass and the talented Nathan Redmond providing the width to supply the ammunition for striker Ricky van Wolfswinkle and his deeper lying support, Johan Elmander.

Last season, much was made of the improvement Chris Hughton managed to get, out of a previously shaky defence, after drilling his side during the international break.

Given the lack of full internationals in Norwich’s back line, it seems fair to assume that we can expect a repeat of last season’s, post-internationals solidity and that Spurs may yet again struggle to break their open-play duck.

Roberto Soldado

The Spaniard may be the north London club’s top scorer, but both goals have come from penalties. If Spurs are to realise this season’s goal of a Champions League place at the end of the season, AVB must find a way to get the best out of Soldado. If Christian Eriksen can get off to a flying start to his Tottenham career, Soldado has all the tools to capitalise and fuel that top four push.

KEY BATTLES

Kyle Walker v Nathan Redmond

Anyone who managed to remain awake during Tuesday’s qualifying tie between Ukraine and England will probably have noted the absolutely abject performance by the Tottenham fullback.

Walker was constantly caught out ball-watching every time the excellent Yevhen Konoplyanka had the ball at his feet, with the England player being dragged out of position towards the centre of the pitch and allowing space and time for the ever willing, overlapping Ukrainian left back to exploit.

Though still raw at this level, Norwich’s Redmond possesses the pace, close control and willingness to cut inside that caused Walker so much trouble against Konoplyanka. Walker needs to find a way of preventing this, or could see Redmond adding to the excellent strike in his last game out against Southampton.

Paulinho v Leroy Fer

This game sees a match-up of two excellent looking box-to-box midfielders. Paulinho impressed in Spurs’ opening two fixtures, but was unable to stamp his authority on the North London derby, which Tottenham lost.

Fer was at the heart of everything the Canaries did well against Southampton, dominating his midfield opposition and the outcome of this midfield match-up could go a long way to deciding whose side come out on top.