Tactical Analysis: Tottenham Hotspur vs FK Bodø/Glimt (First Leg Preview)

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Spurs vs Bodo Glimt tactical preview

FK Bodø/Glimt – Playing Style and Tactical Setup

FK Bodø/Glimt, under coach Kjetil Knutsen, play a dynamic, high-intensity 4-3-3 system.

They are known for expansive, attacking football – even dubbed the “Scandinavian Atalanta” for their fearless, almost kamikaze approach (the18.com).

At home on their artificial pitch, Glimt often push the tempo and play with even more aggressive pressing and quick passing than they do away.

The artificial turf – necessary in Arctic Norway’s climate – speeds up the ball and rewards quick exchanges, giving Bodø/Glimt an edge in tempo and ball movement on their own ground.

Visiting teams often remark that the ball rolls faster and the surface is harder, which can affect ball control and increase the physical strain on players in the cold conditions (reddit.com).

Pressing and Defensive Shape

Out of possession, Bodø/Glimt typically maintain a 4-3-3 shape in a mid-block, staying compact centrally and forcing opponents to the flanks.

However, they are not a passive team – far from it. Knutsen’s side will frequently deploy a high press, often forming a 4-1-3-2 pressing structure when they press upfield.

In this high press, the front players press aggressively at angles to lock play to one side.

For example, the near-side winger jumps onto the opposing full-back while teammates shut off inside passing lanes.

This coordinated pressing aims to win the ball high or at least funnel opponents into difficult long passes.

If the opponent breaks through, Bodø can drop back into their 4-3-3 mid-block, but their intent is clearly to disrupt early.

Importantly, the artificial turf aids this style – the home players’ familiarity with the bounce and pace of the surface lets them press and tackle with confidence, whereas opponents might misjudge touches.

As Lazio’s coach noted after a loss in Bodø:

“They had speed in their exchanges because of the artificial pitch.”

This highlights how Glimt’s home surface amplifies their quick pressing and passing game.

Formation and Personnel

In possession, Bodø/Glimt stick to a 4-3-3 base that the club has used for years .

They build with a back four, a single holding midfielder (#6), two more advanced central midfielders (#8s), and a fluid front three.

This consistency breeds strong positional understanding.

The holding midfielder (usually captain Patrick Berg) often drops between or beside the centre-backs to start moves, while full-backs may push high or sometimes one inverts to form a temporary back three.

This provides flexibility to play out from the back.

Press resistance is a notable quality: Bodø are adept at using rotations to evade pressure, such as sliding a full-back into midfield to create more passing angles out from defence.

They will patiently recycle the ball among defence and midfield, waiting for the right moment to break lines.

If opponents mark the deep-lying Berg out of the play, a centre-back will carry the ball forward to exploit the 3v2 advantage in build-up.

This means Bodø/Glimt always seek a free man in the first phase – either the #6 receiving in space or a defender stepping past the press – to initiate attacks.

FK Bodø/Glimt – Attacking Patterns and Key Players

Bodø/Glimt’s attack is fast-paced, fluid, and heavily focused on wide combinations.

The team often creates wide overloads by sending multiple players to combine on one flank.

For instance, a winger, the nearby central midfielder and the full-back will triangulate on the wing to outnumber the opposing full-back and wing.

This overload draws defenders toward the sideline and can open gaps in the opponent’s defensive shape.

Quick, incisive short passes and one-twos are used to break through the crowded side, often leading to a cut-back or cross once they reach the byline.

At home, the slick artificial astroturf makes these combinations even faster and harder to defend, as passes zip quickly between the yellow shirts.

FK Bodø/Glimt – Attacking Patterns

Bodø/Glimt create wide overloads by pushing numbers to one flank. The graphic shows several Bodø players (yellow) flooding the right wing, outnumbering the defenders. This strategy draws the opposition over and opens space for cut-backs or switches.

A hallmark of Bodø/Glimt’s play is the use of overlapping and underlapping runs.

Their full-backs constantly overlap the wingers to provide width and an extra passing option on the flank.

If the opposing full-back follows the overlapping run, the Bodø winger will cut inside into the vacated space; if the defender holds the centre, the full-back can receive a pass wide and deliver a cross.

They also execute well-timed underlaps: when a winger stays wide and occupies the opposing full-back, it opens a channel between that full-back and the cenBodø’s roaming #8 (or sometimes the full-back) will sprint into this gap off the ball as an underlapping run.

A through-ball can find this runner in behind the defence, leading to a dangerous cut-back or a shot.

Even if the underlapping player isn’t played in, his run drags a defender, which in turn creates space for the winger to drive inside or for another attacker to become free.

This multi-layered attack means Bodø/Glimt are adept at exploiting the half-spaces between defenders.

They often commit four or five players into the box when attacking, ensuring multiple targets for crosses and rebounds.

This can overwhelm defences, especially once Bodø builds momentum.

In terms of key personnel, Patrick Berg is the fulcrum of Bodø/Glimt’s midfield.

Operating as the holding midfielder (wearing #7 but playing as the #6), Berg dictates the tempo and is pivotal in build-up play.

He positions himself intelligently, staying just in front of the centre-backs to either receive the ball in space or draw an opposition forward toward him.

His awareness and passing range allow Bodø to play through him; in the first leg against Lazio, Bodø enjoyed 58% possession and 2.25 xG largely thanks to Berg’s creativity and the way others could move off his distribution.

Berg either finds the free man between the lines with line-breaking passes, or he lures opponents out of position to free up a teammate.

Just as crucial is Ulrik Saltnes, a veteran central midfielder who provides vertical runs from deep and goalscoring threat.

Saltnes is a classic box-arriving midfielder – he times late runs into the penalty area to latch onto cut-backs or rebounds.

In fact, he scored both goals in the recent 2-0 win over Lazio with second-half runs into the box.

Tottenham Hotspur will need to track his movement, as he excels at exploiting any space left by defenders' ball-watching.

On the flanks, Bodø/Glimt’s wingers (such as Amahl Pellegrino, a long-time danger man for Glimt) often cut inside to combine or shoot.

Pellegrino, a left-sided forward, has been a top scorer in Norway and thrives on running in behind – he scored in the famous 6-1 rout of Roma in 2021.

Whether it’s Pellegrino or another winger, Spurs must respect the pace and directness Bodø’s wide attackers bring.

Overall, Bodø/Glimt’s attacking patterns revolve around rapid ball circulation, intelligent movement off the ball and flooding key zones with numbers to overwhelm defences.

The artificial pitch further enhances their style by enabling very crisp passing and quick changes of direction, but away from home on natural grass, Glimt’s attacks can lose a bit of that edge and tempo.

Tottenham Hotspur – Tactical Approach under Ange Postecoglou

Under our current manager, Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur have undergone a tactical transformation towards proactive, possession-based football.

Postecoglou sets Spurs up in an attack-minded 4-3-3 (often 4-2-3-1) but with notable positional rotations.

He emphasises building from the back, fluid attacking rotations and aggressive pressing when the ball is lost.

Break down Spurs’ style in key phases:

Build-Up Play and Press-Resistance

Tottenham Hotspur’s build-up under Postecoglou is structured to invite pressure and then bypass it with superior numbers and positioning.

In deep build-up, Spurs often form a temporary back 3 where the goalkeeper splits the centre-backs (acting almost like a third centre-back) and the full-backs invert into midfield.

This creates a 3-2 shape (3 defenders + 2 midfielders) in the first phase, or effectively a 3-3-5 if you include the deeper dropping attackers.

By bringing many players close to the ball, Tottenham Hotspur achieve numerical superiority against the opponent’s front line.

For example, centre-backs spread wide, the holding midfielder drops in and both full-backs tuck into the midfield line – this can give Spurs a 4v2 or 3v2 advantage against most teams’ forwards when playing out.

The inverted full-backs provide extra central passing options and shrink the distances between players.

Shorter passing distances mean the ball can move in one-touch combinations, making it difficult for an opposing press to trap them.

Postecoglou prioritises playing through the middle whenever possible, so overloading the centre in build-up is a deliberate tactic.

If an opponent presses man-to-man, Spurs players will drop even deeper into their own half to drag markers with them.

This can open huge space behind the opposing midfield line, which Spurs exploit by quickly passing forward once a gap appears.

In essence, Tottenham Hotspur are very press-resistant: they are coached to stay calm under pressure, use the extra man to play out of a press and then accelerate the attack into the vacated spaces when the press is bypassed.

We saw this philosophy when Spurs often had 60-70% possession in league games, confidently circulating the ball in defence until the moment to break forward.

It’s a double-edged sword, however – it requires technical precision in dangerous areas and a mistake can be costly if pressed.

But so far, Postecoglou’s approach has made Spurs comfortable playing through even high-pressure opponents with clever movement and short passing combinations.

Defensive Structure and Pressing

Out of possession, Tottenham’s defensive structure under Postecoglou is proactive and front-footed.

They typically defend in a 4-3-3 shape, with the wingers tucking in a bit and midfielders staying fairly high to compress space.

Spurs will press high up the pitch when possible, aiming to win the ball back quickly (this aligns with Ange’s philosophy seen at his previous clubs).

Because many players are committed forward during attacks, Tottenham Hotspur place great importance on the counter-press, immediately pressing the ball carrier in the moment possession is lost.

Thanks to their tactical setup, often several Spurs players are already around the ball when they lose it, due to the central overload in attack.

This makes the counter-press effective, as multiple players swarm to stifle the opponent before a counterattack can start.

The compact spacing (with players positioned close to each other in midfield) also means opponents have little time or room to breathe if Spurs lose possession.

The intent is to regain the ball within seconds, or at least force the opponent into a rushed pass.

However, Tottenham Hotspur’s aggressive positioning does leave some vulnerabilities if the press is broken.

With full-backs often stationed infield, the flanks can be exposed in transition if Spurs lose the ball and the opponent can quickly switch play wide.

In Postecoglou’s system, the space outside the two centre-backs is sometimes left open when the full-backs have pushed into midfield.

If the counter-press fails and a long ball finds an opposing winger in those wide areas, Spurs can be caught out with only the centre-backs backpedalling.

The high defensive line that Tottenham Hotspur employ to compress space also carries risk – balls played in behind that line can lead to footraces toward Tottenham Hotspur’s goal.

In the early months of this system, there were instances where Spurs got hit by quick counterattacks into the vacated wide area.

The current Spurs side is still improving the balance between committing numbers forward and maintaining defensive cover.

That said, when the press works, Tottenham Hotspur can pin teams back effectively.

They tend to defend by attacking – staying on the front foot – rather than sitting deep in a low block.

Their defensive style will be a fascinating matchup against Bodø/Glimt, who similarly like to press and attack in waves.

Attacking Movements and Transitions

In attack, Tottenham Hotspur under Postecoglou are free-flowing and positional, with an emphasis on creating overloads and attacking the half-spaces (the channels between an opponent’s full-back and centre-back).

Spurs typically commit five players into advanced attacking positions: the front three (two wingers and a striker) plus two of the midfielders pushing up to join them (often the #8s).

These form a “front five” that stretches across the pitch.

One signature move is the use of underlapping runs from midfielders to penetrate defences.

For example, an attacking midfielder (or inverted full-back) will suddenly surge beyond his winger into the half-space if he sees the opposing backline has been pulled open.

Tottenham Hotspur love to exploit the gap between a centre-back and full-back – much like Bodø/Glimt do – by having a runner drive into that channel.

The winger on that side can either feed a through pass to the underlapping runner or, if the defence collapses inward to track it, the winger himself will cut inside or overlap outside.

This yields a multi-pronged threat that is hard to defend.

Spurs frequently attack the half-spaces between a full-back and a centre-back

Tottenham frequently attack the half-spaces between a full-back and centre-back. In this sequence, a Spurs player makes an underlapping run (dashed arrow) inside the Everton left-back, exploiting the gap highlighted in the defensive line. Such runs in the channel are a hallmark of Postecoglou’s attacking patterns.

Additionally, Spurs utilise quick interchanges in wide areas.

One wide player often stays high and wide to stretch the defence laterally, while another player (an overlapping full-back or a second forward) attacks the vacated interior channel.

We have seen Spurs score by slipping a pass inside the full-back for a winger making a diagonal run to the byline, followed by a cut-back across goal.

Brennan Johnson scores many a goal like this, being on the end of these cut-backs.

Spurs are adept at one-touch passing combinations around the box, enabled by the close support from their midfielders (owing to the inverted full-back and advanced #8s positioning).

In transition, Tottenham Hotspur can be devastating.

If they win the ball in midfield, they will quickly look for a forward pass to one of the front three making a run.

With so many players already in advanced areas, Spurs can flood forward with a numeric advantage on the break.

For instance, if Son Heung-min (assuming the typical Spurs winger) or another forward peels off his marker, Tottenham Hotspur won’t hesitate to play an early ball in behind.

The team’s athletic attackers thrive in open space and can finish transitions clinically.

Crucially, Postecoglou’s Spurs focus on verticality after breaking the press – once they play through an opponent’s pressure, they accelerate the attack quickly.

An example is how Spurs drop players deep to draw the opposition midfield up, then suddenly punch the ball through into the space behind that midfield for a forward to run at the last line.

This can lead to 1v1 situations for Spurs’ attackers against isolated defenders – scenarios Spurs’ talented forwards relish.

On the whole, Tottenham Hotspur’s attacking style is about controlled build-up followed by sudden quick strikes, underpinned by a lot of positional rotation and support around the ball.

📍 First Leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Why It Matters

The fact that the first leg is in London, not Norway, is a significant strategic advantage for Tottenham Hotspur — and it dramatically alters the tactical setup for both teams.

🧠 Tottenham Hotspur’s Ideal Setup to Seize Control

Spurs will be playing on their preferred natural grass, in familiar surroundings and with the backing of their home crowd (hopefully!).

This gives us the chance to dictate the tempo from the outset — something Bodø/Glimt often thrive on doing at home.

On a slower, more traditional surface than their lightning-fast artificial turf, Bodø’s tempo-heavy, slick-passing style might not have quite the same punch.

Here’s what Spurs must look to do:

Pin Bodø/Glimt Back Early: Spurs should start with intensity. If they press high and circulate the ball quickly, it can pin Bodø in their half, disrupting their usual rhythm and confidence. Home advantage means Spurs can push their full-backs up early, knowing there’s less risk than in Norway.
Impose Physicality: Tottenham’s Premier League-standard athleticism, power and duel-winning ability should count for more on a natural pitch. Spurs can be more assertive in challenges and should use their strength to dominate second balls in midfield. Bodø/Glimt might be more vulnerable when not in control of the tempo and Spurs should make it a more physical contest in duels and transitions.
Test Their Defensive Discipline Early: With Spurs likely to control possession, they can probe Bodø/Glimt’s compact mid-block structure and test how disciplined they are positionally — especially away from the familiarity of home turf. If Tottenham Hotspur’s rotations are sharp (with inverted full-backs and roaming #8s), they can start to disorganize Bodø's shape and create passing lanes through the middle.
Create a Two-Goal Buffer: With the second leg on an artificial pitch, this first leg becomes Tottenham Hotspur’s best opportunity to build a cushion. A narrow 1–0 win may not be enough in Norway. But a 2–0 or 3–1 gives Spurs breathing space when conditions will favour the opposition. The mindset should be: treat the home leg like a cup final.

⚠️ What Spurs Must Guard Against in the First Leg

Even though it’s at home, Tottenham Hotspur can’t afford complacency.

Here's why:

Bodø/Glimt’s Confidence Travelling to Big Clubs: This is not a side that shrinks on big stages. They won 2–1 away at Celtic, 2–1 at AZ Alkmaar, and drew 2–2 away at Roma in previous European campaigns. They press hard even away from home and will not sit in a low block for 90 minutes.
Danger on the Counter: With Tottenham Hotspur likely to dominate the ball, they must remain alert to counterattacks. Bodø/Glimt will look to exploit the spaces vacated by Spurs’ inverted full-backs — especially with Pellegrino or Grønbæk making wide-to-central runs. If Spurs lose the ball while committing numbers forward, Bodø will launch vertical counters, especially down the flanks.
Psychological Trap: With all eyes on the second leg being a “trap game” up north, Spurs must not subconsciously ease into the idea that the home leg is safe. The real danger is underestimating the importance of taking control now. One away goal conceded could change the whole complexion of the tie.

✅ What This Means for Spurs' Mentality

The London first leg is not just about winning — it’s about building a lead, protecting a clean sheet and controlling the tie mentally before heading into the more volatile second leg in Norway.

Expect Ange Postecoglou to:

Emphasise fast ball movement to disrupt Bodø’s press early
Warn players against risky horizontal passes in midfield
Drill awareness of counter-pressing traps Bodø might spring
Use squad rotation smartly (to keep intensity high and legs fresh)

A controlled but ambitious performance — ideally with a multiple-goal margin — would give Spurs the breathing room they need for what will be a tougher, more chaotic return leg in Arctic conditions.

Sources:
Bodø/Glimt tactical analysis and style the-footballanalyst.com
Artificial pitch impact and home/away differences football-italia.netreddit.com
Key players and patterns (Patrick Berg, Saltnes) uefa.comfootball-italia.net

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