Ryan Mason has discussed the possibility of switching to a back four ahead of tomorrow’s match against Crystal Palace but insisted the desire of the players is the key to keeping clean sheets.
Under Antonio Conte’s reign, Tottenham adapted to a 3-4-3 formation, which utilised wing-backs to be flexible between a back five or back three when needed.
The system has proved inconsistent, with Spurs struggling to find adequate wing-backs to make the most of the formation.
Conte’s former assistant, Cristian Stellini, stuck with the Italian’s system by and large in his four games in charge. Mason however, seems more inclined to make changes and try something different to get results.
There have been calls for Spurs to revert to a more traditional back four (90min) for the remaining games of the season, in an attempt to resolve the defensive frailties that have been on show all year.
When asked about whether he will make this call, Mason admitted he wasn’t sure which way to go yet, but placed the onus on the players rather than the system when it comes to improving the defence.
He told Football.London: “I am not sure. We are training this afternoon so we have got some decisions to make. Ultimately for us it is a collective to try to keep clean sheets and win games of football.
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“Systems and formations, yeah they can help and can change some things but the desire of the 11 players on the pitch to have a common goal and work together is probably the most important thing.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Mason is absolutely right here. We’ve seen these players in various different formations and it never seems to work defensively, which tells you all you need to know about where the problem lies. We need better defenders, it’s as simple as that.
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