2) Mauricio Pochettino isn’t afraid to change it up
Some managers are very good at adapting to in-game situations, whilst some are extremely stubborn, refusing to abandon the original game plan laid out at the start of the game. Mauricio Pochettino adapted to the conditions of this game, realised that the back three wasn’t working, switching to a more conventional back four midway through the first half.
Having the players to do so was a bonus for the Argentine as Eric Dier was able to step up and match City 3 v 3 in the middle of the park. The wing-backs pushed back and played in a full-back role, and Toby Alderweireld partnered Kevin Wimmer in the heart of the Spurs defence.
This flexibility is something that you like to see from a manager. He realised the problem with his game plan, and rather than waiting until half-time to make changes to the formation when Spurs could have found themselves two, three or maybe even four goals down after the first period.
As the game went on, and injuries started to play a part, Spurs started to play in a 4-2-3-1, a formation that brought Spurs a lot of success, and eventually a 4-1-4-1, as Spurs searched for all three points. The fact that there is an effective plan B in place if plan A doesn’t work gives you a lot of confidence going into these big games.
