Shape
Wigan are handicapped by a poor playing surface, which does not sit well with the manager Roberto Martínez's principles of a passing game. Memories of the wipeout at White Hart Lane, where they lost 9-1 earlier this season, would have been uppermost in the Spaniard's mind. As at Swansea he likes to split his frontmen, play four defenders and fill his midfield. The tough-tackling Hendry Thomas provided the shield, supported by Mohamed Diame and James McCarthy. The system can make them difficult to beat, but the lone frontrunner often finds goals difficult to come by. Wigan would have hoped Charles N'Zogbia could trouble Gareth Bale and force the Tottenham left-back to defend.
Tactics and teamwork
Did it succeed?
No. Perhaps Wigan might have adjusted earlier rather than wait until the last 30 minutes to play with two up front. When that did happen, Hugo Rodallega made a closer link with Moreno, while Victor Moses came on to hold the left side with Thomas, the midfield anchor, dispatched. This mirrored Spurs' system and guaranteed more strength when the ball was hoisted forward. Even in the last half-hour, though, Tottenham held their ground and Moses and N'Zogbia were comfortably forced across the field, where they were unable to cross the ball.
Redknapp's substitutions worked perfectly, Roman Pavlyuchenko was fresh and motivated while Luka Modric skipped over the surface as Wigan, in search of a goal of their own, opened up their midfield. Some head-scratching awaits for Martínez as he seeks to cure his side's severe lack of goal threat. He must surely adjust his system to reflect a pitch that suits more direct play.
