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Tottenham v Juventus: 5 harsh lessons learned by Spurs

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 07: A dejected looking Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at Wembley Stadium on March 7, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 07: A dejected looking Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at Wembley Stadium on March 7, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur tangles with Blaise Matuidi of Juventus during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at Wembley Stadium on March 7, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur tangles with Blaise Matuidi of Juventus during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at Wembley Stadium on March 7, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /

3. Tottenham must tackle

One of the most jarring statistics coming out of the Juventus match was the lack of aggression from Pochettino’s side. Amazingly, the Old Lady completed 22 tackles versus only 11 for the home side.

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Sometimes that statistic doesn’t accurately reflect the tenor of a match, but in this case it was spot on. Especially in the second stanza, Juventus were clearly the more aggressive side. That aggression was a big reason they are continuing on into the next stage of Champions League football.

Finding a solution for the lack of tackling is a problem Pochettino must address. It’s possible he’ll elect to start a more balanced midfield in future matches. Starting Heung-Min Son, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen together is terrific in attack, but it’s pretty light on the other end of the pitch.

Dropping one of those talented attackers might be difficult, but it could have gotten Pochettino a crucial victory against Juventus. It’s also very possible that Tottenham will look to find a more dynamic defensive midfielder this summer too. Either solution could be perfect for Spurs.

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