Tottenham Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Tottenham focuses on a high press and verticality using a 3-5-2 formation. This lineup looks to win the ball high up the pitch and move toward the goal with speed. The goal is to use heavy pressure to force mistakes and quickly exploit the spaces left behind an opposition line.

Vicario starts in goal to sweep behind a high line. The back three consists of Romero, Danso, and van de Ven. Romero uses his physical strength and aggression to defend. van de Ven provides pace to cover the space behind the defense when the team steps up. Danso acts as a wide centre-back to help manage the width. The defensive unit moves as a single block to squeeze the space and catch opponents offside.

The midfield relies on a three-man midfield with a carrier to link play. Bentancur acts as a deep-lying playmaker to recycle possession and find teammates. Sarr works to press aggressively and drive the ball forward through the middle. Maddison plays as an attacking ten behind the strikers to create chances. Udogie and Porro act as wing backs to provide width. Udogie pushes up to overlap the winger while Porro carries the ball forward from the right side to stretch the defense.

Tottenham uses two forwards in a partnership to lead the attack. Solanke plays as a pressing centre-forward to disrupt the opposition build up. Kulusevski operates as a second striker who can drop into the half-spaces to link play. They combine in tight spaces to create runs in behind the defenders. The wing backs provide the width necessary to isolate wide players in one on one situations. This allows Solanke to find the feet of the striker when the ball is played through the lines.

A major advantage for Tottenham is the ability to press high in coordinated waves. The presence of van de Ven allows the back line to hold a high position without fear of being caught by long balls. The team also finds success by creating wide overloads through the movement of Udogie and Porro. These wing backs force the opposition to defend large areas of the pitch.

This 3-5-2 formation is built for a high intensity game that relies on quick transitions. It is best suited for facing teams that struggle to play out from the back under heavy pressure.