UEFA Europa League Performance Insights: How Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat AZ Alkmaar and the variations used in the wide areas
Monday, March 17, 2025
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UEFA Technical Observer Justin Cochrane and Jan Peder Jalland look at Spurs' 3-1 success against AZ and explain how they caused the Dutch side problems down the flanks.
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UEFA Technical Observers Justin Cochrane and Jan Peder Jalland analyse the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg and, following on from Friday's article, the pair give useful advice for any coach or player.
The choice to overlap or underlap
In the first video we see Spurs break the AZ press, in part using a body feint in a move which leads to Heung-Min Son driving at a defender with Djed Spence making an overlapping run that leads to the cross and final goal of the night.
"Spurs use the overlap with the inverted full-back going on the outside," explains Cochrane. "There's a good build-up phase where Tottenham get out of the pressure from AZ. The No8s drop low and the full-backs run forward. With Son being in the 1v1, Spence must recognise where the space is. There's no space to run on the inside and underlap in the half space, so he chooses an overlap which creates a 2v1.
"Spence sees that Son shifts down which is an invite to a run," adds Jalland. "If Son was wider, the angle would be different, but he's enough inside so it's an overlap. Then there are the small touches from Son so he can find the right timing of the pass.
"The detail here is in the timing of the run but also in how he accelerates," states Cochrane. "Spence picks up speed once Son moves slightly inside to almost lure the defender into the box, knowing there's space on the outside. Tottenham have three players in the box and Pedro Porro arriving as the fourth player.
"In these situations, the full-back must recognise what type of 1v1 to create, an underlap or an overlap, the timing of the run and where the space is and the acceleration. Then, when you're in the positions, being able to use either foot to cross as Tottenham did here."
The importance of a width holder
In the second video, we see an underlapping run to find James Maddison in the pocket for a shot. "Again in this clip, is the principle of one width holder," adds Jalland. "Son is wider, Spence inside. Teams have freedom between winger and outside back to mix up who is wide. Spence moves in for a combination, but sees the space in behind. The angle and space is what makes his decision.
"A lot of teams attack in this space and some call it 'end zone'. The challenge for the defending team is 'do we shift the back four or do midfielders follow the run?' This is an important reason why a few teams play with five at the back, to control this space. We see two players together, reading each other's movement, finding the space to attack and then the timing of the pass and run."
Creating overloads out wide
The third video shows a compilation of runs in behind defenders from Midtjylland, Ajax, PAOK and Spurs as teams build superiority in the game
"When analysing these video clips, there are key cues to help understand offensive strategies to break down opponents in the wide areas," explains Cochrane. "With Tottenham, they score this way a lot, breaking quickly on transitions when the ball has just been won. The players get used to the regular patterns, the high sprint outputs and lots of players who run the half space – wingers and full-backs. They do well with players running in wide areas well to create overloads. The inverted full-back on the other side is often in the box as well.
"This comes from repetition, training and doing it over and again. Tottenham often have the striker in the box, the opposite winger, No8 and the full-backs. The risk here is the counterattack with teams attacking a back two. Tottenham are offensive and at times risky in their attacking play. Young players need to understand the importance of having balance behind the ball and maybe being more pragmatic."
COACHING IMPLEMENTATION
"To implement moves like this in your own training environment, you can do overload situations: 2v1 training where you try to create a cross from a wide area, 3v2 drills," explains Cochrane. "You could do standalone practice where you play the ball wide and the winger attacks the man and the overlapping full-back delivers the cross.
"Within training you can progress from individual focus (1v1) to working on a connection between two or three players by having game scenarios – 5v5 or 6v6 when the ball goes wide and players create overlaps. You can do this in small side games, positioning training, attack versus defence. You do it with the ball starting in the middle then going out wide, but at the basic level it's 2v1 with the wide player committing a player or man and then getting the timing right to release the overlapper or underlapper. Once you have the timing right it really helps.
"There are key aspects of developing players for this level of play. Running with the ball is an under-coached element – dribbling and manoeuvring the ball at speed over long distances – 40 or 50 metres. Passing and receiving the ball – either in the air or on the floor - while running at speed are also important. They are vital when attacking spaces behind defences that are in transition. Tottenham attack open spaces.
"The runs here are difficult to pick up and show good team play and good timing," concludes Jalland. "Good movement can take away pressure, causing dilemmas for central defenders. In the final part of the compilation, Spurs have one width holder and the run outside opens space for combination inside. Dejan Kulusevski also looks over his shoulder, seeing that the central defender is pressing him with Roma's midfield out of position. A space opens for Spurs, with a runner, a player facing for a combination and a runner coming from behind."
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