Even now, when I look at that line-up, the first thing that comes to mind is WTF?! When it was announced, I sat there looking at it as 11 names and trying to see how it all fit together. Simple answer? It didn't.
'Arry... what a legend. What I'd give to have access to his inner monologue after the England rumors. That'd make a pretty good youtube series, actually.
A key turning point was the January window, we needed a striker and a CB. We got Saha and Nelsen. I was happy enough with that, but for some reason Harry decided that an unfit King was preferable to Nelsen, terrible decision by Harry. Now either Harry didn't want Nelsen, or Harry's judgment was totally gone. That 90 mins where Norwich made King look like an amateur was absolutely embarrassing, and not fair on King let alone us suffering fans. Note the difference, Chelsea needed a CB, went out and bought a current England international, Cahill. Won the FA Cup, European champions, and ****ed us over for CL qualification. We went bargain hunting and lost what £30/40m? Not to mention the humiliation of Chelsea laughing at us all summer long, love it NOT!!!!
If we bit the bullet in January and brought in Verts then, rather than deciding to come back in the summer, we might have had a few more points on the board - hell, if we drew 0-0 with Everton or QPR we would've squeezed into third on the basis of a solitary goal.
I seem to recall I was one of the few who was just 'ing constantly when we got Saha and Nelsen. I then had to backtrack when he played so well against Newcastle - but he was a 1 match wonder and that was it. Dreadful signings - although none of us should be surprised at our dire transfer windows anymore. I've said it before a few weeks ago (after Sigs and Vert) - we will not sign another player this window.
I suspect one of the reasons Levy dispensed with Harry was that he was not getting any decent advice on the value of players. I'm perfectly happy with Levy's negotiation skills but he shouldn't be deciding how much players are worth. Harry is incapable of doing that though. I hope AVB has been given a budget and asked to value players both for sale and to buy. If Levy can buy then for less or sell then for more then that will effectively increase the budget. This is the way to success.
Whilst I agree - it's all well and good AVB saying 'I think X is worth Y', but if Levy then goes 'Nope I think he's worth Y + Z' then it's the same situation.
Maybe he'd rather go back to taking Comolli's valuations? Seriously, I suspect that a certain amount of money has been provided for buying new players ( probably, plus the proceeds of any sales) and it is up to Levy to stay inside that budget.
I haven't got a clue what the deal is between Levy and AVB. Like many, I assumed when AVB came in ENIC were going to back him big-time. The early signs were great JV and GS in nice and early, and then it was supposed to be Ade, and ever since the wheels seem to have fallen off the money bus. We haven't spent much (net) this window, there should be plenty of cash still available if that's what was promised. If it wasn't, I think AVB must have been fairly desperate/highly optimistic for the job/challenge to take it on those terms. I hope he's got thick skin because Harry's mates will be sharpening their pencils at this very minute.
Its been argued by DL that our start to last season, after the Mancky start of course, had no other teams of note. He was reminded of beating Arsenal. As I recall, we were at home and got overran playing 4411. This was recognised and after an hour, VdV off Sandro on. We came out winners 2-1, but I have to say, luckily. The reverse fixture was instrumental in our end of season slump imo. Having got away with 442 at home, our management decide it wise to try that again at the Emirates...a much wider pitch. The 2 teams were not too dissimilar, Niko and Saha starting the 2nd game instead of VdV and JD in the first (rotationally acceptable). My point here is I feel we should have gone into that 2nd game more 451, if you're up against a 5 man mid on a wide pitch, you don't go in with 4. Take the wide men out and its 3v2 in the middle...not good. The Goon games were a classic example of this, one we got away with, one we didn't. Reverse fixtures should also take into account bigger pitches, our 442/11 gets exposed to a lesser extent at WHL.
He's got Bale on the left there so that was actually one of the better formations he chose during that run
arry did start to act odd over formations, i remember his interviews were he said "people keep telling me we should play 4-4-2" it was like he abandoned the 4-5-1 to prove a point, only he knows why he started to make odd decisions regarding formations. I know he gets slated for not being tactically astute enough but he was no idiot when it came to picking a team, i think he just surrounded himself with the wrong type of coaches and that was his downfall as he had no one to challenge him or say "hold on arry lets think about this".
Do you want a goalscorer or something with all-round ability like Adebayor? Will Defoe not be given a proper chance (I think he scores goals)? With Bale and Lennon stretching teams, the key for you this season will be how quickly Huddlestone/Sigurdsson/Parker/Sandro manage to spray the ball to them, surely? Anyone could score goals with those two creating chances surely.
Harry doesn't do thinking. When did he ever change a game with an astute tactical change ala mourinho. He made so many rookie mistakes, that there was no point having a 60+ year old and might as well plump for a rookie. AVB won more trophies in 12months than Harry ever has.
Football is a simple game, which is why a simple man like arry can do well as a manager and yes he may well not have won trophies yet that doesn't take away from his achievements as spurs was his big club, before that he had shown his qualities in managing lower level teams and getting them to punch above their weight. Also, lets not forget how important team spirit is, you can have all the tactical knowledge in the world, be this tactical genius but if you can't relate to the players and get them relaxed and on your side, then your screwed. And AVB, he won his trophies with the biggest club in Portugal, playing in a fairly sub standard league with little competition, until he repeats that success in a top league then you can't really claim he is a great manager.
I agree that AVB isn't a great manager yet,but winning the Europa, and in style was a tremendous achievement. To me that's what marks out his trophy haul and record overall as better than Harry's already. However, it seems he's been sold a pup by ENIC, or has made a mistake in joining us, as I fear his reputation is about to take a big kicking this season. It's unbelievable to think that, even before the season has started, he's been sold up the river with such a flawed squad at this late stage in pre-season. We needed two strikers and a GK, IMHO. We've got none of them so far, we're in the land of loaves and fishes now not Football Manager for AVB to do anything decent with this squad.
