The first thing to remember about this game is that it's a friendly. It doesn't count in anybody's standings and it doesn't definitively prove one thing or the other.
The second thing to remember about Wednesday night's AT&T MLS All-Star Game (9 pm ET; FOX Sports 1 | UniMas | TSN | RDS) is that even if it doesn't mean a lot, it still means something. Spurs are two weeks away from kicking off their EPL season, and they're here for more than just rest & recreation. There are spots to be won, fitness to be gained and tactics to polish.
The guys on the All-Star team, meanwhile, really do care. Just watch this Drew Moor video to see what I mean.
So don't expect the level of intensity you'd see in a regular season game. But don't be surprised if there are a few moments when the knives come out, because both teams will pretty badly want to win.
Here's what we'll see:
1. Survive the Press
One thing that any real team – even one in preseason – will have as an advantage over an All-Star team is cohesion. Usually we think of that as an asset that shows itself most in possession and attack, but under Mauricio Pochettino it's on the defensive side of the ball where chemistry is the big difference-maker.
That's because Spurs are a pressing team. Their best performances last year were all based upon what they were able to do in terms of turning opponents over far up the field, and they're deadly against teams that play short out of the back. If your defensive midfielder is receiving the ball with his back to the goal, expect hard pressure incoming from all angles.
Tottenham's pressure is especially deadly when Mousa Dembele is used at the No. 10 spot. Dembele is not a classic No. 10 in that he's not a chance creator, but is more of a suffoco – an advanced destroyer – who closes angles and wins balls high up the field before cycling it to the danger men.
Whoever starts at d-mid for MLS will need to have eyes in the back of his head, and the ability to receive the ball under pressure then turn away from it and make a play:
Yeah, a lot like that.
2. Exploit the Space
Spurs were most vulnerable this past season when that first line of pressure was broken. Obviously quick, precise passing is ideal since even Dembele can't outrun the ball. But you could also punish them with long balls to the forward, since the way Spurs commit their midfield tended to leave a gap between the central midfield and back line. Knockdown headers into that spot were disproportionately successful, even from teams that didn't really want to play that way.
In fact, swarming the central midfield to win 50/50 balls was probably the best way to go at Spurs all year, regardless of what's causing the 50/50 in the first place.
The key, however, is that after you win the 50/50, you have to be aggressive and drive forward at what will be a back-pedaling defense, and your wingers have to have the speed and ruthlessness to hit the gaps at pace:
That's a beautiful team goal from Columbus Crew SC, and it happened because there are clear, understandable directives for how Gregg Berhalter wants his team to play. In attack, they act as a unit.
I don't expect that kind of coordination from the All-Star team, but we're all comfortable with the idea of Kaka sending Ethan Finlay through like that, right? And look at the back-post run of Federico Higuain... I think we can all be pretty confident that there are a few MLS All-Stars who can find themselves in that spot should the situation call for it.
3. Watch the Early Cross
When Spurs are in possession they play more like a Spanish team than an English one, trying to cycle everything into the center of the pitch and then unlocking the central defense with quick 1-2s. Think of how the New England Revolution play: They rarely win the possession battle, but lead the league by miles in passes attempted and completed in the final third. Once they have you there, they try to use their superior technique to make chances.
That's Tottenham, too.
But they remain very much English when on the run. Both fullbacks – and yeah, that will probably include DeAndre Yedlin – are asked to put the ball in early, and in Harry Kane, Tottenham have a No. 9 who is devastating attacking those crosses:
Most of those crosses came from the left side. It'll be interesting to see if Yedlin, who will presumably line up on the right, is as aggressive at crossing on the run.
From a USMNT perspective, it'd be nice to see. From the perspective of the MLS All-Stars, it's something they'd best be aware of.
One more thing:
Preseason means lower fitness for Spurs. Altitude? They have nothing like 5280 feet in England. It will take a toll, and the last 25 minutes of this game will be sloppy as legs get wobbly:
Enjoy the festivities, everybody.