Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[Jordinho]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Just skimming through a few match reports: Defoe against Palace, Defoe against Chelsea. Against Swansea we had several good chances. Szxcny makes a great save from Defoe. Marshall makes several great saves for Cardiff. Just because I don't buy into the idea that we've been nothing short of awful doesn't mean I think we've been great or there's no room for improvement.

Those rolling smileys make all the difference, like you're someone who really knows his stuff.

 

[Daisuk]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

AVB's master-plan:

Crystal Palace (A) - We huffed and puffed and fluked a win against the league's s***est club with a dodgy penalty that being kindest would be considered 50/50
Swansea (H) - Again, we huffed and puffed and at least the penalty was actually merited in this game. Did we actually create a chance apart from this? I'm not sure, but I seem to remember Paulinho blazing over so that might be 1!
Arsenal (A) - Back down to earth, we didn't look like scoring after conceding and so it's 270 minutes without a goal from open play!
Norwich (H)) - blimey, we scored! Twice! Don't get carried away with our best performance so far this season, though, as this lot got spannered 7-0 later on in the season!
Cardiff (A) - Another 90 goalless minutes…good job we had injury time to grab the winner! That Lamela chap set it up, wonder why he never plays?
Chelsea (H) - For 45 minutes we looked good, but for 45 minutes we also got our asses handed to us. Mourinho almost pulled it out the bag and AVB looked clueless as to how to change it. Good job that cheeky boy Torres wanted to get to the showers first to stop Ashley from stealing his body-wash!
West Ham (H) - Wow, 3 whole goals! Only, they weren't scored by Spurs. West Ham played without a striker. They didn't have any fit ones, it didn't matter, as we were so bad. Humiliated at home by a team as poor as them….words fail us!
Aston Villa (A) - Another boring game, we don't look like scoring until Andros decides to whip in a cross for a change rather than shooting….oh, he mis-hit his cross like he does all his shots and it went in! That was lucky!
Hull (H) - See Crystal Palace, we fluke a win against a very undeserving Hull side, who created the better chances in the match. Sucker punched by another 50/50 handball call, we again never look like scoring.
Everton (A) - neither side create anything and the Premiership's dullest ever game fizzles out into a drab draw
Saudi Sportswashing Machine (H) - Football is a Krul game, but to be honest, for all we might have been unlucky, overall you could hardly say this defeat wasn't coming.

I agree with a lot of them, but think you're a bit too pessmistic to prove your point. We created quite a lot of chances against Swansea, and we basically battered both Norwich and Cardiff throughout those games. I thought our game against Cardiff was excellent, we just couldn't find the net for whatever reason.

 

[billyiddo]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

I agree with a lot of them, but think you're a bit too pessmistic to prove your point. We created quite a lot of chances against Swansea, and we basically battered both Norwich and Cardiff throughout those games. I thought our game against Cardiff was excellent, we just couldn't find the net for whatever reason.

Agreed - as i keep saying i don't think anyone on here is saying they are happy with our general attacking play or some of the performances that we've seen so far this season so im not sure who these comments are actually aimed at - we're all aware of the problems, the dispute is whether there's any light at the end of the tunnel and what are the main contributing factors to the problems.

Debate isn't repeating the same thing over and over - getting more hypobolic with each post.

 

[tynesidespur]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Looking as far down as Emirates Marketing Project - since all those teams are likely challengers for the top positions those stats say to me...

we have the lowest percentage for shots inside the 6 yard box
we have the lowest percentage for shots inside the 18 yard box
so...if we have the most shots per game - far too many are punts from long-range - NOT clear cut chances. There is clearly a penetration problem at the top end of the pitch. We need to be upping our percentages for those 2 stats. That said - with 39% of shots inside the 18 yard box we should have scored more than 9 goals.

 

[Jordinho]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Looking as far down as Emirates Marketing Project - since all those teams are likely challengers for the top positions those stats say to me...

we have the lowest percentage for shots inside the 6 yard box
we have the lowest percentage for shots inside the 18 yard box
so...if we have the most shots per game - far too many are punts from long-range - NOT clear cut chances. There is clearly a penetration problem at the top end of the pitch. We need to be upping our percentages for those 2 stats. That said - with 39% of shots inside the 18 yard box we should have scored more than 9 goals.

4% of 18.7 is 0.748, as opposed to Man Utd with 6% of 13, which is 0.78, but they've scored twice as many goals. We do need to cut down on the long range punts and try to create chances inside the box instead. Townsend average 4.5 shots per game, most of those are probably outside the box.

 

[Kingdawson]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Just skimming through a few match reports: Defoe against Palace, Defoe against Chelsea. Against Swansea we had several good chances. Szxcny makes a great save from Defoe. Marshall makes several great saves for Cardiff. Just because I don't buy into the idea that we've been nothing short of awful doesn't mean I think we've been great or there's no room for improvement.

Those rolling smileys make all the difference, like you're someone who really knows his stuff.

I'm sorry but if you honestly think the problem is bad finishing and are justifying it with scenarios where we had a good chance and the goalie saved (as well as shot percentage) the the rolling smiley was needed. It's cute that you can defend AVB and our system in regards to absolutely everything but it starts looking utterly ridiculous when you try and convince people that it's "poor finishing" and "bad luck" that's the issue.

 

[Baleforce]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

poor finishing is definitely an issue, along with creating better chances closer to the goal, it isn't just one thing that isn't working, we need to make adjustments all over the pitch

 

[Cochise]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Crystal Palace (A) - First game of the season and Palace are up for it with many playing out their skin (Jedinak) yet we still created clear cut chances. Sig missed a great one from 18 yds out with plenty of time and Defoe when he came on also missed one or two very good chances, scuffing one past the post when a goal looked likely.
Swansea (H) - Our play was really disjointed but we pressured them high up the pitch and they made mistakes. Paulinho should've had a hatrick on the day (he missed some great chances). We got a dodgy penalty but also had a stone wall one turned down in the first half. Swansea managed few attacks of not. That's Swansea a team know for their attacking.
Arsenal (A) - They out manouvered us for all of the first half and we were lucky to come in at half time just the one goal down. Still there was great combination play down the wings with Chadli and Rose and Townsend and Walker. The second half we kept them penned in, put Paulinho into space a few times and with a better #10 would've got some more. A gooner friend of mine who was at the game said Arsenal were lucky to get away with the win.
Norwich (H) - Things clicked. We worked the ball from side to side quickly and got Sigurdson, Eriksen and Soldado into good positions resulting in goals. I remember Bassong having a good game, Soldado hitting the post and others being guilty of not taking their chances.
Cardiff (A) - We battered them and their keeper kept them in it. This is a team that beat Emirates Marketing Project, a team that will take points off many good teams and we kept them back in their half all game. Nothing more can be said other than that we got what we deserved. We made chances and put players through on goal often.
Chelsea (H) - I was less impressed with our first half than others and shocked by how poor we were in the second.

From here on I think we have got worse, but it's easy to only comment on our own game and not look at what the opposition do. Teams treat a draw vs us as a good result and have the mentality of sitting deep and waiting for a chance to come, with coaches setting out more defensive sides to stifle us. I do not disagree with the view that our play is turgid and boring and agree that and I think since the West Ham loss we have had our confidence shaken. A lot our play seems forced, almost like we are trying to force passes through that aren't on.

Regarding the playbook thing. There will always be the need for players to work out how to break down the opposition by themselves, but aside from just dribbling past the man, there must be coordination with others, even down to a simple 1-2. Some problems are easier to break down by someone looking from the outside in (AVB) and it is his input in training which helps players to see the bigger picture. The whole rehearsed movements is key in this. If i'm a full back and my winger tucks in to recieve a ball, I will move into the space. I don't do this out of instinct, I do this because I have been taught that by making this move I not only create another option but also because I will force the oppositon to break formation creating gaps and in turn other options for players to use. This is purely a single example and some will say common sense, but the whole idea of off the ball movement on a team level is entirely pre-rehearsed. The only differences are that in some teams only one or two players will make the right corresponding runs, and the space they create won't be exploited, this on a level, is like us. Some players seem confident and comfortable in their roles whilst others look hesitant and slow getting into position, almost as if their instincts tell them to do one thing and what the plan tells them to do is another. The ideal system is one that is pre rehearsed to a point (gaining a 5v4) and then letting the players figure out that last part of the puzzle themselves.

Sorry for the long post, I have the inability sometimes to get my point across and end up going off on a tangent.

 

[Jordinho]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

The West Ham game and the first half against Saudi Sportswashing Machine are the ones that were really bad. Those two and the Hull game were after EL games and IMO it shows that one side has had the whole week to prepare and work on how to frustrate us, while we're in the middle of a mammoth run of games.

 

[thfcsteff]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Agreed - as i keep saying i don't think anyone on here is saying they are happy with our general attacking play or some of the performances that we've seen so far this season so im not sure who these comments are actually aimed at - we're all aware of the problems, the dispute is whether there's any light at the end of the tunnel and what are the main contributing factors to the problems.

Debate isn't repeating the same thing over and over - getting more hypobolic with each post.

It's getting depressing...

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

i know this will get seen by some as making excuses but my opinion is that this season is a reset, last year most of the deals were in the pipeline before we hired AVB, he worked with the squad that we had and did a decent job, now he has added quite a few new faces to the squad (some of whom were on loan last season) and the bonding process has had to begin again, I think patience will pay off

Sorry but I do think it's an excuse. Just out of interest, when you say this season is a reset, what expectations do you believe we should for the season? Me personally, I think top 5 is the minimum, top 4 is not a given, but given our squad, the money we've spent and the quality of manager some believe AVB to be, I can see why some fans think top 4 is the minimum requirement. I think we'll finish 5th again.

I didn't honestly expect all of the signings to look **** hot straight away, but improving you squad to the extent we did is actually a good thing and SHOULD pay off by the end of the season.

 

[thfcsteff]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

i know this will get seen by some as making excuses but my opinion is that this season is a reset, last year most of the deals were in the pipeline before we hired AVB, he worked with the squad that we had and did a decent job, now he has added quite a few new faces to the squad (some of whom were on loan last season) and the bonding process has had to begin again, I think patience will pay off

Voice of reason. Count me in. There's not many of us so you should have room in the car...

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

The West Ham game and the first half against Saudi Sportswashing Machine are the ones that were really bad. Those two and the Hull game were after EL games and IMO it shows that one side has had the whole week to prepare and work on how to frustrate us, while we're in the middle of a mammoth run of games.

We've been playing European football for about 7 years in a row so shouldn't we be almost used to playing midweek then Saturday or in our case Sundays? Most of the players in our squad have been used to it for years. The other clubs in Europe at the top end of the table manage, and they have much harder games than we do at a higher intensity as CL football is. It doesn't help when the manager says things like "we will just prepare for West Ham on the day of the game", for a manager who is famed for his preparation, that comment shows we were not prepared.

 

[Jordinho]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

We've been playing European football for about 7 years in a row so shouldn't we be almost used to playing midweek then Saturday or in our case Sundays? Most of the players in our squad have been used to it for years. The other clubs in Europe at the top end of the table manage, and they have much harder games than we do at a higher intensity as CL football is. It doesn't help when the manager says things like "we will just prepare for West Ham on the day of the game", for a manager who is famed for his preparation, that comment shows we were not prepared.

Doesn't matter how long we've been doing it, we don't get any more time to prepare. We have a lot of young players and new players, so it's not like we can just do what we did last time. Even if he says something like that, doesn't mean he isn't prepared. We played in Russia on the Thursday, when could or should we have prepared if not the day before?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Doesn't matter how long we've been doing it, we don't get any more time to prepare. We have a lot of young players and new players, so it's not like we can just do what we did last time. Even if he says something like that, doesn't mean he isn't prepared. We played in Russia on the Thursday, when could or should we have prepared if not the day before?

Why say it then if he was prepared? It strikes me that he is thoughtful and doesn't say things off the cuff.

The Europa game was Thursday so I'm assuming we travelled on the Tuesday? Even if they had gone on Monday, I still would have expected them to have done at least a little preparation on the Monday morning or the day before the game, not on the day of the game as AVB said they did.

 

[Modric THFC]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

The West Ham game and the first half against Saudi Sportswashing Machine are the ones that were really bad. Those two and the Hull game were after EL games and IMO it shows that one side has had the whole week to prepare and work on how to frustrate us, while we're in the middle of a mammoth run of games.

Away to Villa before Townsend's fluke was the one the that stood out for me.
We had just lost to West Ham and we came out and played exactly the same way.
Passing the ball round our own half with a big hole in our midfield.

But this supposedly is us controlling the game and waiting for the right time to strike

 

[Kingdawson]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Agreed - as i keep saying i don't think anyone on here is saying they are happy with our general attacking play or some of the performances that we've seen so far this season so im not sure who these comments are actually aimed at - we're all aware of the problems, the dispute is whether there's any light at the end of the tunnel and what are the main contributing factors to the problems.

Debate isn't repeating the same thing over and over - getting more hypobolic with each post.

That's happening on both sides tbh. The ones that defend AVB always come up with the same excuses and the ones attacking him usually come up with the same points to criticise him on. Naturally the side that you're on will not annoy you as much as the points being raised by the 'other side' so people will throw statements like 'voice of reason' to the posts that go with their point to somehow insinuate that the 'other side' are not being reasonable.

Any real neutral that reads this thread will simply see it as both sides putting their arguments across...no big deal.

 

[Kingdawson]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

'Just because AVB says we're not prepared...doesn't mean we're not prepared' just because AVB says "Llloris is fine"...and after he misses the next game says "It has nothing to do with the Everton game...if the game was played tomorrow Hugo would play"....just because AVB says continuously that he likes to keep certain things private and the next minute discusses his personal dispute with Mourinho to the media.

TBH i find it funny (although not surprising) that the posters that constantly bitched about the things Arry used to say to the media keep their mouth well and truly shut at some of the nonsense AVB spouts. I constantly stated that Arry was utterly hopeless when dealing with the media but AVB isn't great either.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

That's happening on both sides tbh. The ones that defend AVB always come up with the same excuses and the ones attacking him usually come up with the same points to criticise him on. Naturally the side that you're on will not annoy you as much as the points being raised by the 'other side' so people will throw statements like 'voice of reason' to the posts that go with their point to somehow insinuate that the 'other side' are not being reasonable.

Any real neutral that reads this thread will simply see it as both sides putting their arguments across...no big deal.

It's ironic that a lot of posters who didn't like the last manager for whatever reason either personal or because of his supposed lack of managerial prowess are the same ones who are getting the hump because there's a small minority that want the manager out and the rest who are concerned and tell them to "get behind the manager". Smacks a bit of hypocrisy. I think it shows deep down that football fans like/support who they want to support, that's not a dig at Spurs fans because all football fans do it.

 

[thfcsteff]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

That's happening on both sides tbh. The ones that defend AVB always come up with the same excuses and the ones attacking him usually come up with the same points to criticise him on. Naturally the side that you're on will not annoy you as much as the points being raised by the 'other side' so people will throw statements like 'voice of reason' to the posts that go with their point to somehow insinuate that the 'other side' are not being reasonable.

Any real neutral that reads this thread will simply see it as both sides putting their arguments across...no big deal.

It would be as impossible for you to register that as anyone else mate…be fair…I think the main thrust of the initial point billy was making is that by now we're all clear on who thinks what of who, there simply isn't anything new coming forwards. It's just thicker, more concentrated chunks of the same and there is a certain inevitability with regards to the outcome.

By the way, seeing as you passively-aggressively raised me in your comment (I made the 'voice of reason' comment which should've offended no-one whatsoever as it was my opinion) you have (as you often do when reading my post) used a selective filter to polarize me to the satisfaction of your own desires. IF you'd read in detail over the last few weeks, I raised some points of dissatisfaction I have with AVB currently. I am not a happy-clapper, willing to accept everything thrown at me by the suits. I have made some very CLEAR observations of things I would like to see him do. The difference is that I personally hold the opinion that I believe AVB will learn, I believe AVB will develop the solution to our striking woes and I believe he is the right manager for us.

If, having known all that anyway, chose to interpret my 'voice of reason' comment as such, then there's not much I can say mate.