Tottenham Hotspur are set to visit Anfield Stadium tomorrow, but Ange Postecoglou will have a keen eye on the midweek given the Lilywhites Europa League semi-final clash against Bodo. But that doesn’t mean he will set this game up to lose; the Australian head coach is known to have a tactical elegance that keeps the North Londoners in the best position to get all three points, and it should be nothing different tomorrow.
3 Things Ange Postecoglou should Do vs Liverpool
Set up a compact mid-block
Ange Postecoglou likes to place his offensive players in a way where they press high; the Australian head coach must resist the temptation to go full high-press when the Reds are building up. We have seen this Slot side carry a bit of Jurgen Klopp in them in how they bait the press and end up exploiting space behind, especially (out wide) through Salah and Diaz. Instead, the North Londoners should be looking to set up a compact mid-block, trying to invite the hosts to overcommit numbers before pouncing on turnovers.
This will end up forcing them to play through Tottenham’s midfield and not around them.
Look for the Space in behind Liverpool’s full-backs
In a way, the Lilywhites best chances could come from our wide players given how both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson (or his replacement) like to push high and in turn leave a lot of space behind in the stretched zones. This is where quick diagonal switches into the likes of Mathys Tel or Brennan Johnson running in behind those channels could tear Liverpool apart. Ange could end up asking his ball players to look for these runs early.
Play a weakened side
Now this is not a tactical DO, but this is one of the things that many Lilywhites supporters wouldn’t mind. Given that Tottenham are set to face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday, the former Celtic coach can end up giving some rest to his key players and, in turn, avoid injuries. While it would be good to win the game tomorrow, Tottenham need to throw the kitchen sink at UEFA’s second-tier competition.
3 Things Ange Postecoglou should Not Do vs Liverpool
Do not leave full-backs exposed in 1v1s
All of us know that both Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie love to barge forward at every opportunity, but then if both of them end up flying forward at the same time without protecting the back, the Reds are capable of brutally punishing by taking advantage of those spaces behind flanks. The Australian head coach should be looking to ensure that at least one of the full-backs is positioned deeper every time or ensure that midfielders (Bentancur/Sarr) drop out wide to cover these spaces immediately in case of turnovers.
Do not play slow
While we know that Tottenham love to catch opponents by surprise, there is an element of play rotation to invite pressure before releasing the ball into vertical spaces, but tomorrow the visitors cannot afford to play slow; if there are sideways possession patterns, then Liverpool can end up setting pressing traps, so each pass must either break a line or be used to pull Liverpool’s shape out.
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Do not overcommit too early
If Ange Postecoglou’s side end up conceding early (very possible at Anfield), the Australian must stay measured. Trying to chase the game in the first half can only have a domino effect to open wider gaps for Liverpool. Keeping the structure tight can benefit Tottenham, and Ange should look to open the game up in the final 25–30 minutes if needed.