Tottenham Hotspur will brace themselves for a tough challenge ahead as they face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. The Bavarians are one of the most in-form teams in Europe, having netted ten goals from their last three matches.
Spurs must come up with a definite gameplan if they are to get the better of their German counterparts. And in this article, we will talk about three important tactical changes Mauricio Pochettino needs to make to beat Bayern Munich in midweek.
Employ a three-man backline
Bayern Munich often struggle against teams who are good in possession and do not give the ball away cheaply. Employing a three-man backline, in that regard, will offer Tottenham an additional midfielder in the middle of the park.
It will not only add more stability when Spurs have the ball but will also create numerical superiority in midfield, with Bayern likely to persist with a 4-2-3-1 setup. The additional midfielder can keep tabs on Joshua Kimmich, who is the anchorman of this Bayern Munich team, devoiding him of any passing options.
Besides, having two wingbacks make it a lot easier to play the ball out from the back while transitioning from defence to attack.
Deploy Son and Kane in attack
Pochettino must not make the mistake of deploying Harry Kane as the lone centre forward this week. The England international could easily get isolated while up against two imposing Bayern centre backs in Niklas Sule and Jerome Boateng.
Instead, the Argentine mastermind should opt to play two strikers with Son Heung-Min partnering Kane up top. The South Korean international is capable of causing problems with his quick movements and clever change of pace. He will be pivotal to Spurs’ chances of winning this encounter.
Isolate Lewandowski
Following the retirement of Arjen Robben and the steady decline of Thomas Muller, Bayern Munich have lacked a proper goalscorer other than their main man Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker has netted a whopping ten goals in six matches in the Bundesliga this season and is one of the most in-form strikers in Europe at the moment.
Tottenham, therefore, should focus on isolating the ex-Borussia Dortmund star. Lewandowski’s lack of involvement will significantly impact Bayern’s chances of scoring in the English capital this week, which, in turn, would improve Spurs’ fortunes.
However, the Lilywhites should keep an eye on Philippe Coutinho as well. The Brazilian is one of Bayern’s most important player right now.
