Two Gylfi Sigurdsson goals gave Tottenham Hotspur a comfortable and deserved win over Norwich on Saturday. Chris Hughton's return to White Hart Lane was not a happy one, while Andre Villas-Bpas used last season's results against the Canaries as motivation for his side, to great effect. While the game will not go down as one of the classics, it was an intriguing battle nonetheless, and shows what to do and what not to do when a side with Champions League aspirations plays host to a side more concerned with goings on down the other end of the table. Here are five areas where the game was won and lost...
5. Norwich Had The Wrong Game Plan
Let's start at the beginning. Christ Hughton set up his Norwich team in a 4-4-1-1 formation. Ricky van Wolfswinkel was up top on his own, with Johan Elmander looking to join him but, as it turned out, primarily trying to help his midfield out defensively. The Tottenham threat in previous games had come almost exclusively from the wings, specifically the right wing where Andros Townsend was enjoying a fine start to the season, with the marauding Kyle Walker providing another attacking overlap. As a result, Norwich looked to strengthen the wings by having both Nathan Redmond and Robert Snodgrass sit deep and double up with the visitors full backs. This plan was lacking in two aspects 1. It did not address the threat of Christian Eriksen, and 2. It meant Norwich had no attacking game plan, which in turn meant they spent the entire ninety minutes on the back foot. Even against a Spurs team that had not scored in open play in the Premiership, that was always going to end in defeat. Redmond and Snodgrass are two of Norwich's most creative and dangerous players, and their own tactics negated their effect.
Let's start at the beginning. Christ Hughton set up his Norwich team in a 4-4-1-1 formation. Ricky van Wolfswinkel was up top on his own, with Johan Elmander looking to join him but, as it turned out, primarily trying to help his midfield out defensively. The Tottenham threat in previous games had come almost exclusively from the wings, specifically the right wing where Andros Townsend was enjoying a fine start to the season, with the marauding Kyle Walker providing another attacking overlap. As a result, Norwich looked to strengthen the wings by having both Nathan Redmond and Robert Snodgrass sit deep and double up with the visitors full backs. This plan was lacking in two aspects 1. It did not address the threat of Christian Eriksen, and 2. It meant Norwich had no attacking game plan, which in turn meant they spent the entire ninety minutes on the back foot. Even against a Spurs team that had not scored in open play in the Premiership, that was always going to end in defeat. Redmond and Snodgrass are two of Norwich's most creative and dangerous players, and their own tactics negated their effect.