AVB - I want him out now!

[sc25]

I do not like the football we play under avb, but odly i really like him as a man. I like him as person and for me liking someone is a big thing.

Its not a big thing for me. I really could care less if I like him or not. I don't know him, never will, and he'll never know me. He won't be here all that long anyway. He'll be off.

Still, its too early from our perspective to get rid. We went down a path and we've made a bed and we'll need to sleep in it for a while. Problem is, when you bring in so many new and young players, its always a case of 'they need time' which can hide and mask problems and deficiencies. And some of these players, even with time, won't pan out. Meanwhile, as a club we'll likely be outside the Top 4 figuring out who or what.

Will AVB and these imports be together at Spurs very long? Not likely. Thing is, we seem to be expecting special treatment or excuses cos we've brought all these players in. Whereas, all clubs have turnover, they buy and sell, bring in new players, develop youngsters, etc, and they (hopefully) take in stride. Its not like some evil spell that has been cast on us that has never befallen anyone else. (Cue the jokes )

 

[scaramanga]

Since when did another clubs failings justify our own? Couldn't give a toss about City if you think that them struggling makes our crap displays acceptable then fine.

What I will say is at least they're watchable and scoring a tonne of goals at home!

It doesn't. But if we continue as we are (one point behind Chelsea and one ahead of City) then we'll finish 2nd.

It also gives some perspective to some of our results. This season, everyone is getting beaten by everyone - even the mighty arsenal who everyone's getting so scared of.

 

[scaramanga]

I'm certainly not of the 'get him out' opinion, but I'd say that the position we're currently in is down to a fair bit of luck and fortune, rather than playing well. Sooner or later that luck and fortune will turn.

9 goals all season, 3 of them being penalties isn't good enough no matter which way you look at it.

Luck doesn't exist in a continuous sense.

I used the term luck to refer to West Ham's win merely as a layman's term - in reality it was a collection of incredibly unlikely, semi-random events that all happened towards a ridiculous outcome. That doesn't happen over this number of events over this stretch of time.

You don't get luck for this much of a season. Whilst we may not be much fun to watch, I'd say we're incredibly efficient at keeping the other team out of the game. Our passing isn't gelling yet but all the time we're controlling games the way we do, our chances of winning are very high.

 

[chicken_badge]

You don't buy Eriksen, Lamela, Soldado for £70m if you want to play dull and negative football. (And if player purchases are not your decision, then you don't hang about to play the game of having to field players you don't want while PSG come knocking).

I think it's pretty clear that AVB wants us to be a well organise unit, all about ball possession and closing down the opposition. Tight defensive game, lots of passing, quick counter attack. Throw in a couple of electric players who can run at the opposition and you have some variety.

But it's not working quite right yet. So we give it time. All very well that Eriksen and Lamela show glimpses but often quality players take a time to come through. And who knows what the story is? All I know is that Europa league against a Moldovan side is a different match altogether than a run of the mill Premiership clash. Not necessarily harder or easier, just different.

One thing that was evident to me even just watching the games at home this week was the difference in the crowd. No goals for 60 mins against sherif and the fans were still rocking and kept going till the end . On Sunday yes we were a goal down earlier but the principle of patience remains. We threw everything at Saudi Sportswashing Machine (bar Lamela ) so whose to say a bit of 1882 would have made a difference? But the negativity in the first half from the stands didn't help.

I did feel the signs were there last year that AVB will learn from his experiences. We got burnt with a manager who, for all his success with us, blatantly never had a plan B. But I think we do have a boss who is a bit of a tinker man and would happily give him longer.

A bigger problem than AVB is WHL, season ticket holders (not all but a lot) and Sunday matches . AVB got this out there a few weeks ago but the fans themselves need to keep this on the agenda.

Support the team, support the manager. COYS!

 

[Stenno]

:ross:

This thread.. Oh my days.

 

[milo]

1. When was the last time we came back from going behind?
- Can't remember - we don't go behind very often any more

2. Dembele, what has happened to this guy? Looked like a great buy last season but now looks half the player, he doesnt want the ball anymore and when he does get it he goes back or sideways. Where has his confidence gone? Has AVB over coached him?
- Always thought he was a flash in the pan at Fulham. Levy should have backed AVB with the man he really wanted instead (Moutinho).

3. Paulinho - How much time are we prepared to give this guy, 16 mill? Why didnt we buy a proper replacement for Modric, someone CREATIVE. Paulinho is a box to box player and he's not even getting any goals. He also cant spot a pass, for a Brazilian i'm so shocked at his skill set he constantly looks like he's treading water. Oscar over at Chelsea is ten times better than Paulinho
- He's bossing midfield, the reason we're getting 65% odd possession in every game now.

4. Sandro - this guy has to play EVERY game. He sets the tone and give us presence in midfield. Dembele and Paulinho arent the answer and should never play together again.
- He's coming back from the worst injury a footballer can get and recover from. Better carefully ease him back than risk the graft snapping and losing him for another year

5. The system, I think only yesterday when we started to chase the game and actually get the full backs forward i really enjoyed the game, why doesnt he impress on playing this way from the off at WHL?
- We probably would if we had a left back

6. Also, the inverted wingers isnt working! Is Townsend instructed to come inside every bloody time or cant he use his own nouse and get round the defender and get to the by line and cross to actually give Soldado so service!
- Byline wingers would be even worse. We needed inside forwards, but Eriksen and Lamela aren't ready yet.

7. What players have improved under AVB? Who have gone back, Dembele springs to mind?
- Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Verts and Defoe are a few that spring to mind. Most of the rest haven't been here long enough

8. Why does he always swap players like for like? Why doesnt he try and play Holtby (creative player) and Eriksen (creative player) in the same team
- Because we have a system now, we don't have rely on individuals exceptional days to get results now. Barcelona don't go all Tony Pulis if a game isn't going well for them

9. Lamlea - What does this guy have to do to get a start in the premiership? He can only get confidence from playing more. I think he just needs more games and along with Holtby, Eriksen and Lemala we can create more for Soldado
- Look at the different experience of Lloris and Gomes and see why introducing a new player at the right time and in the right circumstances is so important.

10. Defoe - I think its time to sell him and bring in a new 'type' of striker. We need a different alternative. Someone like Vucanic from Juve would be ideal
- I've never rated Defoe, but I'd prefer someone more similar to/interchangable with Soldado like Pato or Hernandez.

I agree with GB

 

[milo]

Isn't it the Gooners who normally call for the manager's head in November when they are a few points off fourth?

 

[thfcsteff]

This thread needs to be revisited at the end of the season…

I think it's absolutely laughable. Anyone who sees a shred of common sense in the thread starter's suggestion should seek help.

 

[NWND]

I was being sarcastic ffs

This are just some of the bollox trotted out on here.

I don't avb out, I want him to start taking a risk and get us playing football. Not this rubbish we have had to endure.

I don't want to hear about how young he is and how he is still learning, if this is the case we should never had gone for him.

He knows what he needs to do, maybe after our 4 game with only a penalty to show for, he will start to make us attack teams more. Yesterday we looked better in defence in that 2nd half because we had Saudi Sportswashing Machine on the backfoot.

Sorry fella, I'm just getting wound up by this season and the 'untouchableness' of AVB while he ruins what is a very promising squad.

 

[thfcsteff]

Sorry fella, I'm just getting wound up by this season and the 'untouchableness' of AVB while he ruins what is a very promising squad.

What, the one with SEVEN new faces in that he's had less than 6 months?

You're not especially patient are you!

 

[Kingdawson]

I'm not much of a AVB fan but there's no way we can get rid of him now.

 

[NWND]

What, the one with SEVEN new faces in that he's had less than 6 months?

You're not especially patient are you!

I have been patient.

He's been in the job for an entire season. The football but turgid last season, but Bale's flashes of brilliance kept us ticking over. We were a machine, grinding teams down, not conceeding then Bale pops up with a long-range shot. We didn't create chances, we relied on long-range shots and flashes of brilliance. We didn't concede many either, so that was alright.

Ok, first season, record points total, but still a failure to get fourth. I can accept that. I thought we'd see an improvement in performances into the new season.

After the investment in the summer to replace Bale, I was excited. The type of players being brought in I thought pointed to a switch to a more-attacking 4-3-3 (rather than 4-5-1 we played last season) and that we'd at least play good football and attack teams. I thought we had a lot of potential on board.

Unfortunately, if anything we've regressed from last season. Not only that, baffling decisions are being made, such as freezing out Ade, not playing Sandro and Dembele together when they were so successful last season, playing Lennon on the left. The football is so soul-destroyingly boring and pedestrian. We struggle against the poorest teams, especially at home. We don't look like scoring, ever. A lot of our matches have passed this season without a goal from open play by either side, or even without a clear goalscoring chance!

Seven new faces? Ok, so how many are playing regularly and disrupting the team? Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Capoue have not featured much at all in the league and Chiriches has only been given a run in the side recently. Paulinho and Soldado are the only two who have been first team regulars. That's 2 players. TWO PLAYERS FFS! It's a rubbish excuse, it's not even relevant! Arsenal have the same number of first team newbies in Ozil and Flamini!

 

[scaramanga]

I have been patient.

No, you haven't.

 

[The Fatman]

If I am not mistaked we are 3 point better of than we were last season, at this stage.

 

[indianspur]

1. When was the last time we came back from going behind?
- Can't remember - we don't go behind very often any more

this season in the PL we havent won after going behind, or even when we have conceded

Arsanal, West Spam, Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Chels

if we concede a goal we do struggle it seems

 

[thfcsteff]

I have been patient.

He's been in the job for an entire season. The football but turgid last season, but Bale's flashes of brilliance kept us ticking over. We were a machine, grinding teams down, not conceeding then Bale pops up with a long-range shot. We didn't create chances, we relied on long-range shots and flashes of brilliance. We didn't concede many either, so that was alright.

Ok, first season, record points total, but still a failure to get fourth. I can accept that. I thought we'd see an improvement in performances into the new season.

After the investment in the summer to replace Bale, I was excited. The type of players being brought in I thought pointed to a switch to a more-attacking 4-3-3 (rather than 4-5-1 we played last season) and that we'd at least play good football and attack teams. I thought we had a lot of potential on board.

Unfortunately, if anything we've regressed from last season. Not only that, baffling decisions are being made, such as freezing out Ade, not playing Sandro and Dembele together when they were so successful last season, playing Lennon on the left. The football is so soul-destroyingly boring and pedestrian. We struggle against the poorest teams, especially at home. We don't look like scoring, ever. A lot of our matches have passed this season without a goal from open play by either side, or even without a clear goalscoring chance!

Seven new faces? Ok, so how many are playing regularly and disrupting the team? Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Capoue have not featured much at all in the league and Chiriches has only been given a run in the side recently. Paulinho and Soldado are the only two who have been first team regulars. That's 2 players. TWO PLAYERS FFS! It's a rubbish excuse, it's not even relevant! Arsenal have the same number of first team newbies in Ozil and Flamini!

Each week, you are seeing any number of

Soldado, Paulinho, Chriches, Eriksen…Chadli (when fully fit) always features somehow, ditto Capoue and then consider the integration of Townsend (a new face in relative terms - don't even try to argue that one), and Rose when fit, and it's pretty clear to see that there are a lot of players still integrating in all MANNER of ways.

I have my criticisms of some of AVB's recent activities, but in the big picture I think he's doing well and am consistently flabbergasted and amused when joke threads like this pop up where people want him out. Come on then, you've been that patient you must've had time to think about who you'd want to come in. Who?

 

[Kingdawson]

What criticisms do you have Steff?

 

[thfcsteff]

What criticisms do you have Steff?

My main criticism is re-posted below (I put it in the AVB thread)

<<And I think that sometimes he is perhaps guilty of trying a little too hard to get things working, trying a little too hard to make things perfect and to plan, and is maybe trying a little too hard right now as opposed to 'feeling' the 'moment' so-to-speak. I believe that will come fairly quickly with him…>>


I actually think he's been a little too 'edgy' and 'defensive' generally of late. It seems like he's feeling pressure, and I hope this pressure isn't finding it's way too much onto the pitch. I think his starting line-ups/subs recently have been a little too 'thought' and 'forced' (i.e. I personally would have played Lamela against the Toon as he'd scored and played really well Thursday thus would've been a great time to take advantage of the confidence factor) and I would've brought him on Sunday instead of JD. I also wish he could find a way to make-up with Ade!

But I do think, as you and others have said, he should start letting the leash off at home a bit more...

 

[indianspur]

im dont think he should be sacked

however its not just some Spurs fans questioning his tactics and how we play. Other teams fans, journalists, ex players are wondering why we play so poorly in attack and what AVB could do differently

I think its fine to question and debate whats going on. There does seem to be a problem and its not just isolated to this season. We had problems last season too

 

[vkn17]

Jesus Mary and Joseph. This is exactly why Arsenal are laughing at us.