Re: AVB Sacked page 224
That's your view, that winning football only comes from going to score first and thinking about holding onto it later...but it doesn't mean it is winning football. We played a quick tempo, we didn't score enough, we conceded late goals. So all the time people said to me 'AVB's plan is flawed, it doesn't take into account what happens if the opposition scores first', the West Ham game was a perfect opportunity for me to say 'This shows why the Sherwood plan is flawed, it doesn't take into account what happens if we fail to score in our dominant stage and they hit us late on when we're knackered'.
No strategy is perfect, but we clearly obviously saw the downside against West Ham. I don't have a problem with how Sherwood wants to play, the only problem is playing a system that he knows the squad hasn't been prepared for fitness wise all season long. We are out of a cup for another season because of that decision.
I agree that no strategy is perfect, but given the choice, I would much rather go with Sherwoods higher tempo start than AVB's highly dangerous strategy of starting slowly, conserving energy and hope it all comes right late on. This maybe ok with a world class talent like Bale to win you games late on, but generally in my view is very contingent on a number of things happening:
1. The opposition don't score first. At home we didn't win or even draw this season if the opponent took the lead.
2. The opponents don't score more than once. As soon as this happened we were opened up at will and succumbed to some heavy drubbings.
3. The opposition tire themselves out against our high possession game. This only works if they are chasing down the ball. In many games, most opponents just let us have the ball and pass sideways in our own half. It didn't tire them out at all.
4. It relied us scoring late on in games and then hoping we could hang on. If we accomplished the first, then we were living on a knife edge that teams couldn't/wouldn't score. Hull, Crystal Palace and Swansea probably should all have got something out of those games. We were lucky with Penalty decisions both for and against us.
Regarding AVB's supposed talents as a coach, a simple balance sheet analysis will demonstrate that most players regressed under AVB than improved.
Improved
Bale - although it could be argued that this was as much down to the man himself than anything AVB did
Townsend - improved this season, but could equally have been down to his time at QPR
Walker - maintained his early promise but still has brain frat moments and still can't cross for toffee.
Regressed
Lloris - became increasingly unreliable after AVB's frankly idiotic decision to ignore medical advice and leave him on at Everton
Verts - he took a top quality CB and made him play left back against his will and destroyed his confidence.
Dawson - a lion of a player in a blood and guts team, but AVB wanted to play a high line, but all his CB's apart from Kaboul lack the pace to play this and are therefore regularly exposed.
Naughton - he took a competent RB and played him out of position at LB in a role he wasnt suited to
Ade - apart from Chelsea away, AVB couldn't get a decent performance out of him last season, and completely mismanaged the situation this season
Lennon - took one of the most exciting wingers in England and effectively neutered him to such an extent he was more known for his defensive duties than his attacking flair
BAE - one of the best left backs in the PL under Redknapp AVB made him into pale impersonation of his former self
Dembele - has all the tools to be a quality player, but looks much worse for us than he did at Fulham
Sig- a much better player than his performances under AVB showed
New Signings (x7) - not one has played anything like they did for their previous clubs or indeed countries
Corners and free kicks - don't get me started........
Conclusion - a massive negative balance under AVB.
