There have been a lot of conversations going around Tottenham Hotspur and the lack of offensive output in open play of late. This comes owing to the struggles that Thomas Frank & Co. have had when going on the front foot, where possession is not complemented by persistence in that final third. And many have started to suggest how this Lilywhites side are quite reliant on set-piece situations to get by games.
Kevin Danso pushes back against recent set piece scrutiny
Now the North Londoners’ centre-back Kevin Danso has pushed back against the recent media scrutiny which frames the Dane head coach’s tactics as overly reliant on restarts and short on identity in open play. The Austrian international has denied such a take, as he insists that the Lilywhites have shown a variety of manners in how they win.
Speaking in an interview with The Standard, the 27-year-old Voitsberg-born CB highlighted how the Lilywhites are putting in a lot of work into routines from dead ball situations, but he stressed enough how these set piece situations are only part of a wider framework at Hotspur Way.
He said (via. The Standard):
“Under the new manager with attention to details, we’ve shown we’re really strong in set pieces this season compared to other seasons maybe.
“But we showed on Tuesday we’re not just a set-piece team. We can score goals in different ways. We want to be good at all aspects of the game. That’s the goal. You never know on the day what you might need to win the game.
“I mean, it’s not us that creates the narrative. We just want to go out and win the game. Sometimes it is through a set piece that you edge the game or open the scoring. Sometimes free-flowing football will win you the game. Our goal with the manager is to be as effective as we can on all fronts.”
TTLB Opinion
While wins like these with set-piece goals would have gone seamlessly at Gtech Community Stadium, given how Tottenham are always under the spotlight around things, it would not take long for the media to start questioning those wins. And that is exactly what has happened.
The Lilywhites have struggled a lot with creative aspects of the game in the past weeks. We can go back to that 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where it looked like the two clubs were wide apart in their attacking intent. And that is where these criticisms are also fair, given that it is frustrating to watch such a display, especially in your own stadium.
While James Maddison is injured and many argue about his absence being the key to not having enough creativity, Tottenham still have marquee signing Xavi Simons, who has taken his place in the side. And Frank chose to sub the Dutchman off when the Lilywhites were trailing Man United last weekend.
Given that set-piece goals and potency are something that is another arrow in the Lilywhites’ armoury, Tottenham fans have always craved an attractive brand of football, and the recent displays are far from it despite moments of madness here and there in the ninety.
Do you think Tottenham are overreliant on set pieces? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.