Christian Eriksen needs to change positions to get Tottenham going

Tottenham need to shake things up to snap their three-match losing streak. Moving Christian Eriksen would be a great solution to Spurs’ issues.

Christian Eriksen isn’t the reason for Tottenham’s struggles as of late, but he does need to be a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s solution. Sliding the Danish star back in the formation could allow Spurs to take a massive step forward.

If Pochettino, as expected, goes with three-man midfield against the Seagulls it’s imperative for him to get the balance right. Starting a negative trio will stifle the club’s attack and bog the match down. Putting three attack-minded players in the starting midfield would leave Tottenham open to counter attacks from Brighton.

The solution is to find the correct mix of defensive and attacking players to start in the middle of the pitch. The group of players eligible for selection make this a big challenge for Pochettino. That’s why Eriksen needs to move back from the attack to the midfield.

Many Spurs fans clamour for Harry Winks to be included in the starting XI. Playing Eriksen in the midfield would be an even better tactic to achieve the same objectives. Both players can really help Spurs with their passing ability, Eriksen just happens to be a much better version of Winks. The young Englishman is a slightly better defender, but the difference there is rather slight.

Playing Eriksen in the middle would give Pochettino a lot of choices for his other two spots in the midfield. Mousa Dembele, Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama could start alongside the Danish maestro in any combination. Their chief directive would be to free Eriksen up to pull the attack’s strings without being overly concerned with the defensive end of the pitch.

Moving Eriksen back would also make life much easier for Harry Kane and Lucas Moura. In particular, Kane has been starved for service recently. Eriksen might not set him free with balls over the defence, but he can get the ball out wide to wingers who can drill unimpeded crosses into the box. That may be Tottenham’s easiest route to goal against a compact Brighton defence.

Getting Eriksen as much time and space on the ball should be a real key for Spurs moving forward. Moving him deeper in the formation will increase his influence on the match. Let’s see if Pochettino agrees with his lineup at Brighton.