Mauricio Pochettino outsmarted Fulham with his tactics

There was a time during the second half where Fulham looked capable of defeating Tottenham. Then Mauricio Pochettino asserted his tactical prowess.

At various times during his tenure at Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino has been criticized for his inability to make changes during a match. His moves during the second half of his club’s 3-1 win over Fulham should silence those sorts of statements moving forward.

Tottenham were in real trouble when Fulham scored to tie the match at one early in the second half. The advantage in the midfield that Spurs experienced during the opening 45 minutes disappeared quickly. The Whites had gained the advantage in the middle of the pitch and were using it to put great strain on the Spurs defence.

Pochettino’s decision to start the match with three central defenders on the pitch had worked beautifully for his club in the opening half. Lucas Moura’s late first half goal but his team in front, but Spurs had squandered numerous scoring opportunities before that. Tottenham easily could have enjoyed a three goal cushion with quality finishing.

Fulham turned the tables on Pochettino’s men at the half. Suddenly, the presence of Eric Dier in the central midfield wasn’t enough to keep the Whites at bay. Pochettino obviously saw this. That’s when he made the big switch that completely changed the match.

The Argentine gaffer isn’t fond of taking central defenders off the pitch, but he made the bold move to sit Davinson Sanchez down. The Colombian wasn’t enjoying a great match, but the change was more about supporting the midfield than taking off a struggling player. Removing Sanchez in favour of midfielder Mousa Dembele changed Tottenham’s shape from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1.

Suddenly, Dembele began to dominate the midfield for Spurs again. He lacks the ability to play well as a starter for Pochettino at this stage of his career, but he’s a terrific change of pace as a substitute. Upon his introduction, Tottenham took back control of the midfield. That allowed Spurs to establish a real base for repeated attacks during the game’s closing minutes.

The deciding goal didn’t come immediately upon Dembele’s arrival, but the entire tenor of the match changed. If Pochettino had stuck with his original formation, it’s very possible Spurs would have dropped points in their “home” opener. Instead, their manager made an important shift and his club on the match comfortably.

The important thing to remember is that just like players, young managers can still improve as time goes on. That’s just what Pochettino is doing now. His improvement may not be as obvious as a young player breaking into the first team, but it could be even more important.