Spurs v Everton Preview: five areas to analyse

Spurs have been so inconsistent in recent games which is bizarre for a Conte side

1. Spurs have been playing snakes and ladders recently

While Evertonians have been scratching there heads in regards to the teams away form, Spurs fans have been just scratching there heads every other game.

Conte is usually a master at not losing many games close together, a recent run of two defeats in a row had him looking at three defeats in a row for the first time in his managerial career. With Manchester City next it looked highly likely this would happen. Then Spurs produced one of the best away performances for sometime to go ahead three times against the champions.

Since then Spurs have played snakes and ladders, win one, lose one. Unfortunately for them the last defeat meant it would be no trophy once again for the North London side after a poor and disjointed display up at Middlesbrough.

This run of form has halted the top four charge that was going so well in December and January. The frustrations for Conte showed after a narrow one-nil defeat at Burnley, three days after the win at Manchester City, and he suggested Spurs may not be the type of ambitious club he is used to.

He had calmed down before the next game at Leeds and had turned it around again by hammering them 4-0.

Tactically Spurs play similar every week so that makes this form even more surprising as Conte likes his teams to be consistent and does not change his style at the start of games, of course during the game Conte will alter and tinker his side.

Since Conte came in Spurs have played 5-2-3 every Premier League game, he likes the wing back system and being a typical Italian wants security at the back. The consistency issue is quite clearly with the players and perhaps who they are playing.

It has been noticeable in recent games Spurs have struggled against teams who play a rigid 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. Southampton and Burnley have beaten them in recent weeks and particularly exercised the extra option they have out wide playing a full back and a wide midfielder. Although Wolves also picked them off with a wing back system, but they had more fluidity with their midfield.

It is noticeable that in most of Spurs’ defeats this season they usually don’t score a goal, and with Harry Kane, Hueng-Min Son and others playing week in and week out this is very surprising. It is because these teams do not allow too much space in behind them and also actually let Spurs have most of the ball.

City and Leeds both do allow space in different ways, hence why Spurs did score seven goals against both these teams in recent matches.

Kane dropping off and playing excellent through balls for Son and now Kulusevski really works when they have space to do so. This is something Everton negated very well back in November also and probably will plan to do on Monday.

Conte will not change too much for Everton, the three centre backs and two wing backs may change in personnel but the system will not. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will sit in front of the backline with Harry Winks likely alongside him due to injuries.

Up top we should see Kane, Son and Kulusevski once again as they have formed a useful connection with each other.

Spurs do have other attacking options with Lucas Moura and Stephen Bergwijn always offering good pace and ability also.

It will be interesting to see how Lampard prepares to counter what Spurs offer and whether he will match up with a wing back system.