Jose Mourinho is set to hold a tactics masterclass when his Spurs players return from their winter breaks, per The London Evening Standard.
What’s the word?
The Portuguese travelled to Germany over the weekend to scout RB Leipzig, Spurs’ opponents in the Champions League.
He had returned to London by Monday, however, and the report states that he is now preparing to focus on tactics across the next week prior to Spurs’ clash with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Tottenham's winter break, of course, has not really affected fixture congestion, with the club set to face Villa on Sunday, then Leipzig on Wednesday, and, finally, Chelsea on Saturday.
All three are huge games with potential ramifications on the club’s quest to finish in the top four.
About time
Spurs have looked a little ragged at times.
Prior to their break, they beat Manchester City in the Premier League and Southampton in the FA Cup but in both games, they were outplayed.
Per WhoScored, City had 19 shots to Spurs’ three, while having 66.9% possession. In the clash with Southampton, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men had 57% of the ball, and had 15 shots to Spurs’ nine, per BBC Sport.
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With important games coming up against heavyweight opponents, Mourinho needs to get his tactical message across and ensure that his players are absorbing it correctly.
Otherwise, they risk having to muddle forward without a cogent playing style; that cannot be allowed to happen.