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Will Tottenham’s entertaining approach lead to their European downfall against Milan?
Tottenham’s second trip of the season to the San Siro sees them face Serie A pacesetters AC Milan, with the tie having all the makings of a classic encounter, largely due to the style of play the north London club approaches each game with. Spurs can be as beautiful as they can be naïve, oozing quality going forward, but leaving a lot to be desired at the other end. Harry Redknapp’s men will be confident of hurting their opponents in both legs, but will the refreshing attacking approach they enter games with be their undoing against European giants Milan?
If anyone was to doubt the labelling of the north London club as the Champions League entertainers this season, the figures speak for themselves. In Spurs’ six group games there were a grand total of 29 goals scored - the largest sum of any team in the group stages.
That’s almost an incredible five goals a game - a stat that has seen many neutrals jump on the Spurs bandwagon, enjoying their naïve, offensive approach to games that is so often missing in games in the Champions League. Such is the windfall from succeeding in Europe’s premier competition - affairs can often be tight and cagey, especially from an away side. However, in Spurs’ three away games in their group, they scored three twice, and two on the other occasion. Impressive - yet despite such an outstanding scoring ratio, they acquired just two points from their trio of away matches, as they leaked a hefty nine goals in the process. It’s a price they have had to pay for their almost gun-ho approach, but is it an approach that can work against such a wily Milan side?
The Italians have won the competition on seven occasions, and have reached the final twice in the last five years - winning once. Their team is packed with experience in this competition while Spurs can call on very few with genuine know-how at this level. Spurs’ defensive weakness has already been put to the sword by Inter Milan at the San Siro this season, and Milan’s frontline of Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexandre Pato promises to be an even sterner test. It’s a front three that can destroy better defences than Tottenham’s, so giving their backline some protection will be invaluable. But Spurs’ midfield has so often included two out-and-out wingers, a playmaker and just the one defensive-minded player. With injury doubts over both Luka Modric and Gareth Bale, it’ll be interesting to see what Redknapp feels is the best way to approach the game. With two of his most creative players possibly out, the onus may be towards nullifying their opponent’s threat - which may prove to be a blessing in disguise. They do have the advantage of playing their away leg first, and with the side boasting a 100% record at home in the competition - including the demolition of Inter - they’ll know that staying the tie would be a decent return from the San Siro.
It’s still difficult to see Tottenham playing any other way than with the attacking intent we have all grown so accustomed to over the past 18 months or so. The side under Redknapp undoubtedly has more grit about it than in previous seasons but there is still a soft centre that a team like Milan are capable of exploiting. Spurs’ away record against the Premier League big boys has been poor for years now, which suggests that their open style of play, which can be so exhilarating at White Hart Lane, just leaves too many gaps when facing quality opposition on the road. The more compact styles of Milan, Inter, Liverpool and Chelsea have all proved efficient in this competition in recent years, something which Sir Alex Ferguson has adapted to when his side travel in the Champions League. Sides such as Real Madrid and Arsenal, who represent a far more open approach, over more methodical tactics, have largely fallen by the wayside over the last five of so years, due to a style that is arguably unsuitable in European competition. A category Spurs look unfortunately like falling into.
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