View: This is how West Brom can spring Spurs shock in crunch Sunday clash
Tottenham Hotspur have a wealth of experience and top-class talent but there are weaknesses that West Brom can take advantage of on Sunday afternoon.
Albion will go into the game on the back of a four-game winless run that includes a defeat to bottom-side Sheffield United.
Meanwhile Spurs have lost their last two, against Brighton and Liverpool, and are suffering a crisis in confidence of their own.
Sam Allardyce must target victory on Sunday to give the Baggies any chance of staying up with the side currently 10 points off safety with 16 Premier League games left.
Spurs made a great start to the season with a 6-1 humiliation of Manchester United a real highlight but they have stuttered somewhat and are without the services of star striker Harry Kane due to injury.
He is not the only player on the sidelines and it is the absence of a key defender that we at West Brom News believe could aid Albion on Sunday…
Davies deficiencies
Ben Davies is an established Premier League left back having made over 200 appearances in the competition for Spurs and Swansea City but he has endured a rather torrid time of late and is certainly no match for Sergio Reguilon who has lit up the left hand side of Spurs’ defence this season.
His lack of attacking output bodes well for Albion right back Darnell Furlong who should not be concerned with any raids down from Davies down his side.
The Welsh full-back has completed just two dribbles in his 15 league outings this season with a success rate of just 33.3% [Wyscout] and makes 1.21 progressive runs per 90.
He has the same accuracy for crosses this season, with his eight completed coming across just three games.
Davies has won 55.8% of his defensive duels and intercepts the ball 4.84 times per 90.
Reguilion, on the other hand, has won 66.3% of his defensive duels and makes 5.45 interceptions.
As expected the 24-year-old trumps Davies going forwards as well with three dribbles per 90 at a 47.4% success rate, while he makes 1.58 progressive runs.
If Albion can get the likes of Callum Robinson and Matheus Pereira running at Davies they could find some joy down the right flank against a defender who struggles against trickery and pace.
Set-piece problem
Despite shipping four in their last three games Spurs actually have one of the best defences in the Premier League, at least according to the goals conceded column anyway.
Only Manchester City (13) have conceded less goals than Spurs’ 21 yet six of these have been from set-pieces [WhoScored], ranking among the poorest in this regard.
That means nearly a third of the goals they have given away come from set pieces and this is an area Albion could take advantage of.
In Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley they have physical presences who can create havoc in the opposition box, with both scoring in January (Ajayi v Wolves on January 16 and Bartley v Fulham on January 30).
With new signing Mbaye Diagne now spearheading the Albion attack they have a genuine focal point who is handy in the air, with his 1.93m height proving a tall order for defences to deal with.
It will be no mean feat if Albion can pull of a result at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday but the two examples above show there are issues in the Spurs side that can be exploited.
To do this the Baggies must be brave and Big Sam must lift his players off the floor after their dispiriting defeat on Tuesday and rouse them for a monumental game.
In other West Brom news, club ready offer for £40k p/w Albion outcast.
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