Tottenham Hotspur

Jan Vertonghen: 'Tottenham Hotspur must find ways to counter defensive opponents'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 02 December 2017

Vertonghen: 'Teams more defensive against us'

Jan Vertonghen wants Tottenham Hotspur to adapt their game to beat teams that play the North Londoners more defensively than would have been the case previously.

Jan Vertonghen has stressed that Tottenham Hotspur must adapt their game to see off opponents that have learned how to face the North Londoners.

Tottenham were runners-up to Chelsea in the Premier League last season and also pushed Leicester City all the way in 2015-16 before ultimately finishing third.

As a result, teams are now playing a more defensive game against Spurs, which has seen Mauricio Pochettino's side come unstuck this season, slipping to seventh in the table.

"We have been challenging for the league the last couple of years and the result of that is teams approach you in a different way," Vertonghen told Sky Sports News.

"They sit back more, whereas before they would try to go for the win at home. Now they just sit and wait for you to come and that is a different way of approaching a game and we should adapt to that.

"Teams tried to press you a bit more before compared to now and that is something you have to cope with. You will probably get better with it during the year and we have to find a solution to that style of play."

Up next for Spurs is Saturday's Premier League game away at Watford.