Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[metalgear]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

hoddle hand england passing the ball instead of hoofing it.
during that era, it was already a kind of achievement

 

[Crawley]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Glenn Hoddle? the king of alienating his players and possibly the most stubborn human being in the world?

Apparently he was a great player (i'm 27 so he was before my day) but as a manager i didn't rate him.

As manager of Chelsea, he set their ball rolling. Given the tools, he produced.

Same with England, best football we had played for years.

And Swindon, same thing.

Came to Spurs, and had to work with some dross, and was not given the funds. Nuff said.

 

[Kingdawson]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

As manager of Chelsea, he set their ball rolling. Given the tools, he produced.

Same with England, best football we had played for years.

And Swindon, same thing.

Came to Spurs, and had to work with some dross, and was not given the funds. Nuff said.

Nuff said?

At Chelsea he guided them to 11th placed finishes at best and didn't win anything in 3 years. The season after he left they won the FA cup and finished 6th. How Hoddle gets the credit for setting their "ball rolling" I don't know.

We played better football under Venables imo. Hoddle guided England to the 2nd round of the World cup? I mean that's not something to shout about.

For us, he did at times get us playing some good football but he guided us to mid-table finishes. He was also guilty of being over confident with some of his interviews prior to the league cup final game with Blackburn and look what happened there. I actually remember I was in Nike Town in Oxford Street watching 'final scores' after we had just got jzzed on by Southampton (at home)...that season I was sure he would have taken us down had Levy not acted quick (luckily he did).

 

[parklane1]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Nuff said?

At Chelsea he guided them to 11th placed finishes at best and didn't win anything in 3 years. The season after he left they won the FA cup and finished 6th. How Hoddle gets the credit for setting their "ball rolling" I don't know.

We played better football under Venables imo. Hoddle guided England to the 2nd round of the World cup? I mean that's not something to shout about.

For us, he did at times get us playing some good football but he guided us to mid-table finishes. He was also guilty of being over confident with some of his interviews prior to the league cup final game with Blackburn and look what happened there. I actually remember I was in Nike Town in Oxford Street watching 'final scores' after we had just got jzzed on by Southampton (at home)...that season I was sure he would have taken us down had Levy not acted quick (luckily he did).

He took them to FA Cup Final, the semi final of the Cup winners cup losing to a single goal to the team who went on and won it, he also took them to another semi in the FA Cup.

So although he did not win anything he lifted the profile of the club, and as said earlier he has the second best win % of any England manager.

 

[Kingdawson]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

He took them to FA Cup Final, the semi final of the Cup winners cup losing to a single goal to the team who went on and won it, he also took them to another semi in the FA Cup.

So although he did not win anything he lifted the profile of the club, and as said earlier he has the second best win % of any England manager.

3rd best % isn't it?

Cappello has a better win % and not many people rated his stint as manager.

 

[Mumorn]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul believes Andre Villas-Boas was just what the club needed in order to improve.

"He has been a big change for the club. We never used to work with a lot of tactics before. This is something Andre has brought to the club - a lot of tactics and also a lot of discipline. That is something we needed years before. It was not easy for Andre to come in because we had a good season last year. But we didn't qualify for the Champions League and that was our main target. He came with some very good ideas in July and is working to win football matches - simple as that.

"His main thing is to have discipline in the game and have everybody doing their job. From that, we can win matches. We have to work a lot tactically during the week and that is what we have been doing since July. We know what we need to do. He brings something different to us, makes us concentrate more. He likes to be even more focused. He gives us the best chance to succeed with his training and his talking and he is very close to us. We exchange a lot with him, which is very important for the team."

 

[Crawley]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Nuff said?

At Chelsea he guided them to 11th placed finishes at best and didn't win anything in 3 years. The season after he left they won the FA cup and finished 6th. How Hoddle gets the credit for setting their "ball rolling" I don't know.

We played better football under Venables imo. Hoddle guided England to the 2nd round of the World cup? I mean that's not something to shout about.

For us, he did at times get us playing some good football but he guided us to mid-table finishes. He was also guilty of being over confident with some of his interviews prior to the league cup final game with Blackburn and look what happened there. I actually remember I was in Nike Town in Oxford Street watching 'final scores' after we had just got jzzed on by Southampton (at home)...that season I was sure he would have taken us down had Levy not acted quick (luckily he did).

Did you see how bad Chelsea were before he went there?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

He had England playing the best I've seen since 1990 - had it not been for the press fudging him over Beckham and his weirdo beliefs he'd probably have done quite well.

England played the best football in my lifetime under Venables. Hoddle's reign was par for the course when it comes to England managers, a penalty shootout defeat and a disappointing exit in the group stage of the Euros. Bit before my time so can't comment on his playing days, but his managerial career seems a bit so so to be honest. Lots of other managers on this board get coated for having not won anything during their career.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul believes Andre Villas-Boas was just what the club needed in order to improve.

"He has been a big change for the club. We never used to work with a lot of tactics before. This is something Andre has brought to the club - a lot of tactics and also a lot of discipline. That is something we needed years before. It was not easy for Andre to come in because we had a good season last year. But we didn't qualify for the Champions League and that was our main target. He came with some very good ideas in July and is working to win football matches - simple as that.

"His main thing is to have discipline in the game and have everybody doing their job. From that, we can win matches. We have to work a lot tactically during the week and that is what we have been doing since July. We know what we need to do. He brings something different to us, makes us concentrate more. He likes to be even more focused. He gives us the best chance to succeed with his training and his talking and he is very close to us. We exchange a lot with him, which is very important for the team."

Didn't know Kaboul was still alive. Any chance he'll play football again?

 

[Lost Mango]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

England played the best football in my lifetime under Venables. Hoddle's reign was par for the course when it comes to England managers, a penalty shootout defeat and a disappointing exit in the group stage of the Euros. Bit before my time so can't comment on his playing days, but his managerial career seems a bit so so to be honest. Lots of other managers on this board get coated for having not won anything during their career.

England played one decent game in the home tournament of '96 Euros when they dismantled Holland. Apart from that there was very little to rank Venables' reign.

Personally agree with t'others that some of the stuff played under Hoddle was the best for a long while. Actually looked like we wanted the ball and knew what to do with it when we had it.

Failed in major competition but so has everyone else since Alf in '66 (obviously). Robson's away semi has some merit but the home semi is a 50-50 on anything better than an away quarter at best.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

England played one decent game in the home tournament of '96 Euros when they dismantled Holland. Apart from that there was very little to rank Venables' reign.

Personally agree with t'others that some of the stuff played under Hoddle was the best for a long while. Actually looked like we wanted the ball and knew what to do with it when we had it.

Failed in major competition but so has everyone else since Alf in '66 (obviously). Robson's away semi has some merit but the home semi is a 50-50 on anything better than an away quarter at best.

The Scotland game was a great watch. Also very unlucky against Germany in the semi final.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Have to say, I was unconvinced at the beginning, but I like the man I like what he's doing at the club.

Just needs better backing and he will do a very good job for us.

One thing we need to sort out is some of the inept performances at home this season. Yes our team is weaker than last season's, but we shouldn't be getting outplayed by Fulham, Southampton, Norwich and Wigan to name a few.

 

[Spursalot]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Have to say, I was unconvinced at the beginning, but I like the man I like what he's doing at the club.

Just needs better backing and he will do a very good job for us.

One thing we need to sort out is some of the inept performances at home this season. Yes our team is weaker than last season's, but we shouldn't be getting outplayed by Fulham, Southampton, Norwich and Wigan to name a few.

That's nothing new though.


Think we need a creative to pull everything together. Either a CM (in a 4-3-3) or an AM (in a 4-2-3-1). Plus a striker or two, and then we'd be almost good to go. Maybe a bit of wing cover.

 

[Armchair Expert]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I think something I've neglected to acknowledge this season is how hard we have become to beat.

The 5:0 slappings appear to be a thing of the past; we haven't smashed anyone this year, but we certainly haven't got rolled over either. Not bad. Progress I'd say.

Plus this year we're the ones who come back into games late, not the ones on the receiving end (as much).

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

That's nothing new though.


Think we need a creative to pull everything together. Either a CM (in a 4-3-3) or an AM (in a 4-2-3-1). Plus a striker or two, and then we'd be almost good to go. Maybe a bit of wing cover.

Well, the one difference I see is the last few years, we would huff and puff but ultimately couldn't break teams down even with Modric and VDV. We didn't often get outplayed, it was just a case of Stoke getting one goal from one attack. I mean Norwich played us off the park last season at WHL, but I don't remember us being outplayed too often by teams like that. This season we've been lucky to get a point in some of those home games.

 

[braineclipse]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Creating chances against well organized, hard working smaller teams when you're expected to control the game is one of the hardest things to do.

Doing so after losing Luka Modric is even harder, we've seen in the past what losing key players can do to a side.

I feel quite confident that AVB will be able to start adding better performances against these teams next season after a couple of good signings in the summer window to keep building the squad that he feels we need.

 

[billyiddo]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

That's nothing new though.


Think we need a creative to pull everything together. Either a CM (in a 4-3-3) or an AM (in a 4-2-3-1). Plus a striker or two, and then we'd be almost good to go. Maybe a bit of wing cover.

i do think it looks worse than it actually is (our general play/style)

as you say - one or two players will make a world of a difference, we don't need an overhaul, just a couple of vital components which brings everything else together.

 

[Spursalot]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Well, the one difference I see is the last few years, we would huff and puff but ultimately couldn't break teams down even with Modric and VDV. We didn't often get outplayed, it was just a case of Stoke getting one goal from one attack. I mean Norwich played us off the park last season at WHL, but I don't remember us being outplayed too often by teams like that. This season we've been lucky to get a point in some of those home games.

What you seem to call luck, i would call being hard working, fighting to the end and having the ability to finish chances.

If Bale smashes a shot home from outside the area is it luck? No. It's because he's world class.


We've been defensively lax this season. I reckon our defensive issues have been more to blame than our attacking ones for issues we've late on in the season.


Chelsea, Wigan, Liverpool, Basel home and away, Everton.

In the past two months we have scored twice in all of those fixtures and failed to win any of them.

 

[Hootnow]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I think something I've neglected to acknowledge this season is how hard we have become to beat.

The 5:0 slappings appear to be a thing of the past; we haven't smashed anyone this year, but we certainly haven't got rolled over either. Not bad. Progress I'd say.

Plus this year we're the ones who come back into games late, not the ones on the receiving end (as much).

Other than when we got smashed by Arsenal.

Nah, he's done well. He's still got a lot to learn (he's 35 after all!) but I'm looking forward to seeing what he does this summer.

I hope he has his 'a list' of targets and his 'b list' for when we fanny around offering half the asking price for the a list players.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

What you seem to call luck, i would call being hard working, fighting to the end and having the ability to finish chances.

If Bale smashes a shot home from outside the area is it luck? No. It's because he's world class.


We've been defensively lax this season. I reckon our defensive issues have been more to blame than our attacking ones for issues we've late on in the season.


Chelsea, Wigan, Liverpool, Basel home and away, Everton.

In the past two months we have scored twice in all of those fixtures and failed to win any of them.

I agree defensively we haven't been good enough. Arsenal have grounded out a lot of 1-0 wins. But I'm not convinced that Kaboul is going to be the magic formula to solve some of our defensive problems.