1. Spurs may need to drop their high pressing approach in big games until they have the personnel to perfect Pochettino’s philosophy
Tottenham lost 0-3 to Liverpool at White Hart Lane when they started the game with this high pressing game because the Reds got in behind their high defensive line. The system may have been a work in progress then but they were vulnerable from that threat again in this game.
Jan Vertonghen and Federico Fazio are not the most mobile central defenders and they clearly struggled in the first-half when United’s midfielders floated long balls in-behind Spurs’ high line for Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao.
At Arsenal, Mauricio Pochettino ditched the high pressing to defend deep then play on the break and that worked well defensively as they drew 1-1. They could have even gone on to win that north London derby if they had the quality and efficiency on the break.
Now as Spurs prepare to welcome Chelsea they need to realise that if they play with a high line again then they could be punished by Cesc Fabregas’ quality through-balls. Players like Diego Costa and Eden Hazard may not be as forgiving as Manchester United’s strikers were on Sunday.
2. Poor play in the final-third robbed neutrals of a goalkeeping spectacle
Along with Thibaut Courtois, David De Gea and Hugo Lloris are clearly the best goalkeepers in the league this season. This game therefore promised an exciting contest with De Gea against Spurs’ front four players, who all have goals in them, and Lloris against United’s expensively assembled strikeforce.
The reality was that both De Gea and Lloris had fairly comfortable outings as the two sides failed muster 10 attempts on target between them.
3. Andros Townsend deserves a lot of credit for Tottenham’s clean sheet
One of the biggest success stories for Manchester United recently has been Ashley Young as a left wing-back. Young has played a crucial role in providing United’s strikers and attacking midfielders with quality service from the left flank.
That trend was supposed to be more pronounced in this game as he faced Vlad Chiriches, who is not really comfortable pulling out wide from right-back to defend one-on-ones. Wary of that threat, Townsend was incredibly quick to drop back to double up with Chiriches and Young’s influence in the game.
4. Angel Di Maria will have to earn his way into United’s starting XI
Even in this goalless draw, United’s central midfield trio of Michael Carrick, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney emerged with credit, especially in the opening half before they ran out of steam like the rest of their team-mates.
Carrick’s passing range and calming influence as a holding midfielder makes him irreplaceable in the side, while Rooney is in-form and is the captain, which according to Louis Van Gaal means he should always play. That leaves Mata as the likely fall guy when Di Maria is fit because the Argentine will have to return to the starting XI.
Mata has been excellent recently and even though he struggled at Aston Villa, he was integral to United’s total dominance against Newcastle. The Spaniard produced a decent performance in this 0-0 draw against Spurs as well so Di Maria will have to work as little harder for his place.
5. United could have just edged the contest if they rotated a bit
Van Gaal’s move to name an unchanged starting XI was understandable given Manchester United’s imperious performance against Newcastle in their 3-1 win on Boxing Day. The same players started very well in this game but they were clearly clinging on in the second-half.
After United were unlucky not to score in the opening half, they would have surely won the game if they kept creating chances like they did in the first-half. Starting players like Rafael Da Silva, James Wilson and Chris Smalling would not have affected the side’s performance but that would have allowed United to dominate for longer and ultimately increase their chances of winning.
