Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[Kingdawson]

Go run around kept us comfortably behind 3 clubs and now City are settling in, behind 4. If that's where you're happy then good for you - I know you're a similar age to me so neither of us have seen a Spurs team capable of winning the league since we were very young. I'd like to see it again some time.

winning the league? do you think we're any closer to that goal this season?

 

[Harry_Perkins]

Harry is another one that can't let go.

Things weren't that bad but we fudged off baggy face so get over it.

He aint coming back EVER......he'll be at QPR soon, about his level alongside the likes of Warnock......and when he keeps them up he'll be lauded as per which will be a joke considering their squad

I can well let go. For about three years I was one of the few people on here raising any criticisms of the guy and used to get plenty of stick for it. Then we had that bad run and half this board went full circle in the space of just a couple of months! My view that he'd inherited a quality squad and hadn't really added much quality to it, suddenly became near conventional wisdom when I found few who agreed before that. Quite simply, I just didn't join the bandwagon, that is all!

I said it at the time to people, you'll be making a rod for the back of the next man if you make out Redknapp is this bad and inflate the case for sacking him. And so it has proved. Now some have the impossible task of saying that because we're lost Modric and VDV we've gone from the apparently title challenging squad that Redknapp had underachieving to one that will have to settle for 5th or lower for a while under AVB. Surprise, surprise that the vast majority, who have no particular axe to grind with Redknapp, aren't convinced!

 

[ArcspacE]

Now some have the impossible task of saying that because we're lost Modric and VDV we've gone from the apparently title challenging squad that Redknapp had underachieving to one that will have to settle for 5th or lower for a while under AVB.

Do you think if FC Barcelona lost Messi and Iniesta and replaced them with Michu and Pablo Hernandez they'd be just as strong?

 

[DHSF]

Do you think if Barcelona lost Messi and Iniesta and replaced them with Michu and Pablo Hernandez they'd be just as strong?

Nope. If you dont have the players I suppose you apply tactics and play your best players and evolve the tactics to suit your players. Play to your strengths not have your tactics constantly determined by what the opposition do. We still have good players who are effective but we are not playing to suit them theyre playing to suit the tactics which seems restrictive.

 

[ArcspacE]

How does playing to Sigurdsson's and Dempey's strengths translates tactically?

Or in other words - how haven't we played to their strengths?

 

[Harry_Perkins]

Now you've changed the story, Harry.

How so? It's equivalent suggesting based on our recent 3 results we are heading for the Championship. Please - your initial comment was incorrect, with respect

Because 12 games is a bit more reliable than looking at the last 3? How comes Redknapp's 9 games bad run was enough to extrapolate that we were now struggling to finish in the top 5 (quite correct!) but the same logic can't be applied to AVB at Chelsea and top 6? Especially when they were below us when there poor run started? Admittedly, it probably wouldn't have happened because no one from 7th down made up any ground anyway but, at the time he was sacked, 7th would have been within a couple of games of 5th, at the very least.

WBA, Everton and West Ham have only played 1 of the Top 3 teams

We have played all 3

Woe, hubris much? So they're only above us only because they've had easier games? Like maybe: Wigan at home? Norwich at home? We couldn't beat WBA themselves at home and struggled against QPR. We're lucky to be 7th on our performances, quite frankly. None of this is a basis for saying we'll make up the ground with 'easier' games!

 

[DHSF]

How does playing to Sigurdsson's and Dempey's strengths translates tactically?

Or in other words - how haven't we played to their strengths?

By playing the aforementioned two.

Look its difficult to prove as we dont really know what AVB is saying but it appears through the media that he says one thing but the team is performing in a totally different manner. For example (and im paraphrasing here) he said that he wanted us brave it out against City etc then I see us defending for 45 minutes and basically taking it up the rectum being pummeled at.

Southampton - same story in second half.

Manure - same story second half

 

[Baleforce]

it worked against scbc and united

 

[Spursalot]

By playing the aforementioned two.

Look its difficult to prove as we dont really know what AVB is saying but it appears through the media that he says one thing but the team is performing in a totally different manner. For example (and im paraphrasing here) he said that he wanted us brave it out against City etc then I see us defending for 45 minutes and basically taking it up the rectum being pummeled at.

Southampton - same story in second half.

Manure - same story second half

To be honest i don't blame the City game on AVB, our wingers woefully under performed. I highly doubt it was in his tactics to tell Lennons to pass it to the City players.

Man united are a quality side and will likely come at you for 90 minutes at old Trafford, let alone 45.


The Southampton one is extremely concerning though.

 

[ArcspacE]

Because 12 games is a bit more reliable than looking at the last 3? How comes Redknapp's 9 games bad run was enough to extrapolate that we were now struggling to finish in the top 5 (quite correct!) but the same logic can't be applied to AVB at Chelsea and 7th? Especially when they were below us when there poor run started? Admittedly, it probably wouldn't have happened because no one from 7th down made up any ground anyway but, at the time he was sacked, 7th would have been within a couple of games of 5th, at the very least.

Nope - they were 5th - where they might have been is pure guesswork - 7th or 12th, etc. Based on the above logic we were also destined for 3rd but guess what happened.

(Redknapp's run was much longer than 9)

Woe, hubris much? So they're only above us only because they've had easier games? Like maybe: Wigan at home? Norwich at home? We couldn't beat WBA themselves at home and struggled against QPR. We're lucky to be 7th on our performances, quite frankly. None of this is a basis for saying we'll make up the ground with 'easier' games!

Chelsea were lucky to win the CL - do you think any of their fans give a toss? We were lucky to finish 4th based on our post-January form last year. Opponents make a massive difference and those teams above us haven't faced the same fixtures

 

[scaramanga]

winning the league? do you think we're any closer to that goal this season?

Off the pitch? Yes, massively. We've removed the major stumbling block to long-term planning at the club and installed a manager who shares our chairman's vision of how to move the club forwards.

On the pitch? I'm neither impatient nor naive enough to believe that the kind of longer-term strategy the club is trying to employ would begin to show itself in anything like the short space of time we've had. If it begins to show by the end of this season I'd be impressed.

 

[Pirate55]

If I have a world class restaurant where a master chef previously prepared Michelin star meals using prime organic ingredients from some of the finest gourmet suppliers in the world of food, and if I then sack this chef for whatever reason, hire a new one, and tell him he will be able to use ingredients only from Tesco and Iceland Foods, would you still expect the same gourmet approach to food preparation?

Judge the man when he has a full set of tools. Everyone is disappointed, I'm right there with you, but the sooner people stop berating Clint Dempsey for not being Rafa Van der fudging Vaart, the better!

BTW mate, you talk of 'negativity' and I have to say that whilst again, it is frustrating, what's even more frustrating is to see the negative attitude of some supporters. I'm not saying we should have a party with jelly and ice-cream, but what I am saying is that IMHO, we should show a little more understanding of context, perspective and the situation currently.

Your points are taken Steff. That is why I am not rushing to judgement on AVB yet. However there are certain things that I dont like (with our without the finest ingredients) and which are causing me concern. To continue your analagy, if the chef continues to burn the meat, spoil a cooked egg or even let the veg boil over, you have to begin to question his methods.

My concerns relate to:

1. Bringing all 11 men back for corners and free kicks
2. Our continued inability to score directly from freekicks(by shooting with any accuracy) or corners, where our players dont seem to attack the ball or have any pre-arranged plan where to run or what to do
3. Negative tactics - 2DMs and 1 Striker even at home against middling sides
4. Ceding possession and our "have what we hold" attitude when in front, rather than going for more goals
5 The last 10 minutes - we have now "lost" goals and points against virtually every team we have played in that time - and not scored a single goal ourselves in that period ourselves
6. The lack of any understanding between Lennon and Walker. They continue to play like complete strangers
7. The poor substitutions (Defoe off against Wigan was a classic)
8. The fact we cant seem to adapt to a team playing three centre backs (Wigan and City)
9. Bale and Lennon are two of the best wingers in the PL, yet we dont play them as wingers and give Lennon too many defensive duties
10 Selection decisions - Ade/Defoe and Brad/Lloris

While I am prepare to give AVB time and wait till he has a fully fit squad (and hopefully some beneficial new additions), I am not liking what I am seeing so far and again, I ask the question:

What areas has AVB improved us?

 

[Harry_Perkins]

Nope - they were 5th - where they might have been is pure guesswork - 7th or 12th, etc. Based on the above logic we were also destined for 3rd but guess what happened.

(Redknapp's run was much longer than 9)

So when did it start then?

Chelsea were lucky to win the CL - do you think any of their fans give a toss? We were lucky to finish 4th based on our post-January form last year. Opponents make a massive difference and those teams above us haven't faced the same fixtures

Lucky to win the CL versus lucky to be 7th? And anyway, I'm talking about it on the basis of winning up coming 'easier' games. What 'easier' games, giving the way we're playing? It is not like we've bashed all comers apart from the top 3. We've won about 1 league game convincingly at Reading. There are no easy games for us, right now.

 

[Pirate55]

it worked against scbc and united

But it didnt against Saudi Sportswashing Machine, WBA, Norwich, Emirates Marketing Project, Chelsea,

 

[Leeds Spur]

I can well let go. For about three years I was one of the few people on here raising any criticisms of the guy and used to get plenty of stick for it. Then we had that bad run and half this board went full circle in the space of just a couple of months! My view that he'd inherited a quality squad and hadn't really added much quality to it, suddenly became near conventional wisdom when I found few who agreed before that. Quite simply, I just didn't join the bandwagon, that is all!

I said it at the time to people, you'll be making a rod for the back of the next man if you make out Redknapp is this bad and inflate the case for sacking him. And so it has proved. Now some have the impossible task of saying that because we're lost Modric and VDV we've gone from the apparently title challenging squad that Redknapp had underachieving to one that will have to settle for 5th or lower for a while under AVB. Surprise, surprise that the vast majority, who have no particular axe to grind with Redknapp, aren't convinced!

The majority of this board supported Harry being fudged off.

 

[Leeds Spur]

To be honest i don't blame the City game on AVB, our wingers woefully under performed. I highly doubt it was in his tactics to tell Lennons to pass it to the City players.

Man united are a quality side and will likely come at you for 90 minutes at old Trafford, let alone 45.


The Southampton one is extremely concerning though.

Bale and Lennon were VERY poor yesterday.......when Walker brought the ball out of defence Lennon wasn't making a fun forward to create space and try and get forward to attack.....same with Bale, Vertonghen was further forward!

 

[GGyid]

Bale and Lennon were VERY poor yesterday.......when Walker brought the ball out of defence Lennon wasn't making a fun forward to create space and try and get forward to attack.....same with Bale, Vertonghen was further forward!

Seems like they were told to play to a system, a system only the players know and certainly no-one on here knows. It's pretty futile and frustrating to theorise about the AVB's plan when we don't know what it is and can't work it out, as demonstrated yesterday.

 

[Spursalot]

Seems like they were told to play to a system, a system only the players know and certainly no-one on here knows. It's pretty futile and frustrating to theorise about the AVB's plan when we don't know what it is and can't work it out, as demonstrated yesterday.

Which makes it pretty much impossible to determine if it was the players or the manager that was to blame yesterday.

No?

 

[Rossi22]

AVB lost Modric and VDV and wanted Moutinho and Willian to replace them, he got neither. Until Levy backs him fully, then judging him on the squad he's been given(which some people forget is weaker than last season's) is hardly fair.

 

[Pirate55]

AVB lost Modric and VDV and wanted Moutinho and Willian to replace them, he got neither. Until Levy backs him fully, then judging him on the squad he's been given(which some people forget is weaker than last season's) is hardly fair.

Agree with you.

But no-one has still answered my central question, in what area has AVB improved us so far? Tactics, formation, substitutions, set plays, fitness, passing, goals scored, goals not conceded, last 10 minutes, desire, ..........Anything, anything at all - please help me to grasp at any straws of hope for the future?