Opinion: Ange Postecoglou still has a tactical ace up his sleeve in the absence of his Tottenham tens

Ange Postecoglou could spring a tactical surprise in the Europa League final, with the Australian manager potentially reverting to a system that defined his early days at Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur are very much aware of what is expected of them come 21 May at San Mames Stadium against Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final.

Given their abysmal league display this campaign, currently sitting in 17th place, winning the Europa League remains their only route to silverware and the only way they can salvage a poor domestic season.

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last six against Manchester United and are currently unbeaten against the Red Devils this season, winning three out of three.

That record in itself should inspire confidence, but it would be no easy task to secure a win against a Manchester United side who are also hungry for success.

Ange Postecoglou is without a creative 10 for Europa League final

If Ange Postecoglou is to deliver on his second season trophy claims, the Tottenham boss would have to do so without a few of his key creative players.

As it stands, James Maddison, who grabbed the only goal against Manchester United in the reverse fixture in the league, is now out and is set to miss the remainder of the season.

Dejan Kulusevski, who has scored twice in his last three appearances against Manchester United, is also unavailable following surgery to his patella.

Lucas Bergvall, one of Tottenham’s brightest sparks this campaign, is currently injured and is also set to miss the Europa League final. Although rumours have done the rounds suggesting Bergvall could still feature, Ange Postecoglou has since poured cold water on the Bergvall rumours.

Inverted wing-backs could fill creative void for Tottenham

There is a clear gaping hole in the attacking midfield of this Tottenham team, one that needs filling.

Tottenham fans have been quick to name several players they feel would be ideal for the number ten role, with names like Heung-min Son, Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert and even Mikey Moore thrown into the mix.

We have also identified four players who could come into the side in place of Dejan Kulusevski, highlighting the pros and cons of each option.

However, while it would be great to see Postecoglou try to get creative with his forward players, putting them in the ten role, there is another tactical approach that could also be on the cards.

This approach would see Postecoglou revert to his inverted wing-back system, where his two full-backs operate as tens when in possession, to mitigate the absence of his recognised creative players.

This is not a far-fetched approach, as it was one of Postecoglou’s trademark tactical ideas in his first few games in England.

In recent months and weeks though, the manager has moved away from that setup and has instead made use of his full-backs in a more traditional manner, overlapping their wingers.

As it stands, Pedro Porro and Heung-min Son are currently the most creative players available for Tottenham, with the full-back returning nine assists, while the winger has eleven.

Of course, Porro has done a lot of damage with his crossing from deep in that right half-space, and one could imagine if the Tottenham boss would be tempted to push him a little further up the pitch in the Europa League final.

If that is the strategy deployed, then we expect to see a midfield with loads of energy, with Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in the engine room, to cover for the full-backs when they pick up spaces in the ten position.

• READ MORE: David Ornstein reveals what he has heard about Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham

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