Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[scaramanga]

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

So is the logical conclusion from that, that, on average, there is no point in changing managers to improve performance?

Of course if that were the case, every club would think that they were the exception, even though that's not possible.

Sort of, yes.

Obviously if a manager takes over a club and only has poor results then there's clearly an issue with the manager. But if a manager (such as AVB) has previously had good results and then begins to have bad ones, the overwhelming evidence is that our team will return to form pretty quickly.

There are other reasons for sacking a manager but they are mostly internal and invisible to your average fan - sacking on a performance basis alone would be pointless without the other data.

 

[Pirate55]

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

Surely customer satisfaction is a relevant consideration in any business. If the paying customers aren't happy with what is being delivered, how long can the board continue to ignore them? Especially if results and performances do not improve?

The question is not so much an abstract concept like " regression to the mean" but the likelihood of delivering a satisfactory product that will satisfy your customers. This is the balance the board need to take into account and decide just how much time you can afford to give your manager, when he isn't delivering. Same in any walk of life.

 

[ringo]

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

Surely customer satisfaction is a relevant consideration in any business. If the paying customers aren't happy with what is being delivered, how long can the board continue to ignore them? Especially if results do not improve?

The question is not so much an abstract concept like " regression to the mean" but the likelihood of delivering a satisfactory product that will satisfy your customers. This is the balance the board need to take into account and decide just how much time you can afford to give your manager, when he isn't delivering. Same in any walk of life.

This would be true if the paying customers actually bothered to do anything about their dissatisfaction that materially affected the business (or the owners). However, as in most cases they just continue to buy the product regardless, it has less impact than it should.

 

[ringo]

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

The easiest way to guess what will happen is to imagine you are significant shareholders in the club. At what point do you feel it is neccessary to take action to protection your investment? The investor twitchometer. Right now the investors are probably feeling a bit twitchy, but not enough to sack the manager.

Obviously there are a lot of factors that can affect the twitchometer. One might be that you are very rich, and don't mind having your money invested in the club, so long as the team plays attractive football (coupled with reasonable performance), for example.

 

[ringo]

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

looks like 4-2-3-1 is for keeps..
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...enham-unless-he-performs-tonight-8969239.html


This theory was put to Villas-Boas last night but he was not for turning. “We have stuck most of this season with the same formation,” said the former Chelsea manager.

“We will continue to push with that formation. Sporadically we will play a 4-3-3 and other formations which is more or less the same formation as last year when we played Clint Dempsey off Bale or a striker. It has not really changed for Tottenham in the last couple of years.

“We [must] create attacking solutions. The only reality is that we are not scoring enough.

“To get the ball in the back of the net we need to provide more options for Soldado and the other strikers to get into good goalscoring positions.

“That is something we have to work on. That is something we have to worry about and hopefully we can see some of that happening in the near future.”

 

[ringo]

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

From same piece:

“With the career and experience Soldado has, he does not need to receive lessons from anybody,” said Villas-Boas. “That is my understanding. The reality is it is a complete change from La Liga to the Premier League.

“What we have to do is work on his movement and the amount of passes he receives.

“We have to make sure we are creating enough situations for him to benefit from so he can be deadly. I think his movement and positional sense should not be in question for a player of his curricular.”

 

[Jordinho]

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

One year ago, 26 November 2012:

“I’ve been looking at videos with the manager and just trying to figure out a way to make an impact and help the team,” said Dempsey, who suffered the bruise below his eye when jumping with Dawson in an exercise designed to subdue West Ham’s direct tactics.

“Every team is different and there’s a period of adjustment. I didn’t have a pre-season at all, so I’m trying to play catch-up a little bit.

“I’ve been frustrated at not really getting on the ball or affecting games. I’m better when I can go on the half-turn and face my opponents, rather than playing with my back to goal. Against West Ham, I did a better job in that respect and I thought I did well.

“I’m traditionally used to playing in a 4-4-2 where I’m the guy on the left, but I’m not an out-and-out winger. I’m more like an attacking inside-left, so playing just off a central forward in the Spurs system is good but I need to get on the ball and make the right movements.

“We have two very direct wingers (Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon), and it’s about knowing when to get close to them, or give them space to take on their man and try to get on the end of the cross. I hit the bar against West Ham and, hopefully, I can chip in with more goals.”

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/clint-dempseys-taken-some-hard-knocks-at-spurs-but-dont-count-him-out-8352335.html

 

[Jurgen the German]

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

Surely customer satisfaction is a relevant consideration in any business. If the paying customers aren't happy with what is being delivered, how long can the board continue to ignore them? Especially if results and performances do not improve?

The question is not so much an abstract concept like " regression to the mean" but the likelihood of delivering a satisfactory product that will satisfy your customers. This is the balance the board need to take into account and decide just how much time you can afford to give your manager, when he isn't delivering. Same in any walk of life.

That is a good point. It's quite often discontent from the fans that leads to managers getting sacked i.e. the attendance starts to dwindle or the fans organise protests.

I don't think in our case that it's anywhere near that stage yet. I was at the Emirates Marketing Project game and I didn't hear any rumbles of discontent of dissatisfaction with the manager. In fact, the fans were brilliant on Sunday, still singing at 5-0 down.

 

[Kingdawson]

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

looks like 4-2-3-1 is for keeps..
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...enham-unless-he-performs-tonight-8969239.html


This theory was put to Villas-Boas last night but he was not for turning. “We have stuck most of this season with the same formation,” said the former Chelsea manager.

“We will continue to push with that formation. Sporadically we will play a 4-3-3 and other formations which is more or less the same formation as last year when we played Clint Dempsey off Bale or a striker. It has not really changed for Tottenham in the last couple of years.

“We [must] create attacking solutions. The only reality is that we are not scoring enough.

“To get the ball in the back of the net we need to provide more options for Soldado and the other strikers to get into good goalscoring positions.

“That is something we have to work on. That is something we have to worry about and hopefully we can see some of that happening in the near future.”

Didn't he say we played 4-4-2 last season about a week ago? now it's 4-3-3 that we played last season? btw when did we play Clint Dempsey off Gareth Bale?

 

[ringo]

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

Didn't he say we played 4-4-2 last season about a week ago? now it's 4-3-3 that we played last season? btw when did we play Clint Dempsey off Gareth Bale?

Good question..maybe he misread his notes.

 

[Kingdawson]

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

Good question..maybe he misread his notes.

Tbh i think he makes a lot of **** up when talking to the media and hopes nobody checks him on it.

 

[Kingdawson]

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

So we create attacking 'solutions' but the ONLY problem is we're not scoring..only to say in the next sentence that we need to provide 'more options' for Soldado and the other strikers to 'get in good goalscoring positions'.


translated =

We create meaningless chances but we need to start actually providing our strikers with clear cut chances so we can actually look threatening and score goals.

 

[glorygloryeze]

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

Didn't he say we played 4-4-2 last season about a week ago? now it's 4-3-3 that we played last season? btw when did we play Clint Dempsey off Gareth Bale?

I think he did that when Ade was away and Defoe was injured; mainly around mid to late January; I'm thinking the games against Leeds, West Brom. possibly some of Norwich away as well

 

[billyiddo]

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

So we create attacking 'solutions' but the ONLY problem is we're not scoring..only to say in the next sentence that we need to provide 'more options' for Soldado and the other strikers to 'get in good goalscoring positions'.


translated =

We create meaningless chances but we need to start actually providing our strikers with clear cut chances so we can actually look threatening and score goals.

did you miss the [must] ?

 

[thfcsteff]

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

I think that (without wishing to state the obvious) the only factor which really counts, is how much the players believe in the manager. And if they don't believe in the manager and stop playing for him, they alone will render the science of stats redundant. I mean, I suppose everyone knows that, but frankly, it's one of the only two factors which really count here (the other being whether the bosses have had enough).

Personally, as I've said a few times recently, he absolutely gets the rest of the season to see where he's taking us before evaluation is concluded. But if he has lost the players, if he has lost the dressing room, then sadly he will have to go. Man Utd will be such a vital game in so many ways, but perhaps the most is we will see who really wants to fight and prove some stuff. As a player, if I don't want this manager around anymore, I know I will escape virtually scot-free with a 3-0 or 3-1 defeat to the the champions AND perhaps push my nemesis towards the door. It is a bit conspiratorial I acknowledge, but not beyond the realms of modern footballer thought. I hope upon hope we don't have that in our dressing room...

 

[Kingdawson]

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

I think he did that when Ade was away and Defoe was injured; mainly around mid to late January; I'm thinking the games against Leeds, West Brom. possibly some of Norwich away as well

I don't rememebr us playing Bale up top and Dempsey just behind.

 

[Kingdawson]

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

did you miss the [must] ?

The guy is a walking contradiction tbh Billy. Please have a look at his comments pre Emirates Marketing Project where he says "we're very very efficient in attack" and how he brought up the 'chances created' stat to justify we're creating a lot. A week later it's suddenly we're not creating enough and need to create more? every interview it's something different.

1 week it's we create loads and next week it's not creating much. 1 week he says we played 4-4-2 for a lot of last season and now he says we played 4-3-3 last season...he's making it up as he goes along.

 

[Jurgen the German]

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

The guy is a walking contradiction tbh Billy. Please have a look at his comments pre Emirates Marketing Project where he says "we're very very efficient in attack" and how he brought up the 'chances created' stat to justify we're creating a lot. A week later it's suddenly we're not creating enough and need to create more? every interview it's something different.

1 week it's we create loads and next week it's not creating much. 1 week he says we played 4-4-2 for a lot of last season and now he says we played 4-3-3 last season...he's making it up as he goes along.

I'd not noticed that until you pointed it out. Doesn't really bother me too much as long as we're winning.

 

[Pirate55]

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

The guy is a walking contradiction tbh Billy. Please have a look at his comments pre Emirates Marketing Project where he says "we're very very efficient in attack" and how he brought up the 'chances created' stat to justify we're creating a lot. A week later it's suddenly we're not creating enough and need to create more? every interview it's something different.

1 week it's we create loads and next week it's not creating much. 1 week he says we played 4-4-2 for a lot of last season and now he says we played 4-3-3 last season...he's making it up as he goes along.

I get the feeling that the players are now as confused as him! Information overload maybe?

 

[Baleforce]

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

would be ironic if we thought our problems were due to a stupid manager and we find out its actually stupid players