Many people have voiced concerns about the fact that even though we won...had we been playing a far better team we would not have looked so convincing. I agree with that to some extent....I also know we step it up 20% when we play a top team...apart from when we lost to City at home last year.
With the quality we have in the squad/team, if the players are in form and relaxed then we can destroy teams like Reading......not that I need to remind anyone of this.........but coming to the main point, for us to know just how good we are, we need to witness this team being able to have the confidence (when in form) to play slick attacking football even against the top teams. Also, was pleased for Defoe, as he has been getting a lot of stick on here, but with the dropping of two dm's and using Dembele deeper, you can see Defoe can actually work up top, if there is enough creativity in the side, so thankfully avb wasn't as cautious as before and there are positive signs.
HBIC - I forgot about that conveniantly. TMT/Boss - You are right most teams do step it up, but we seem very charitable by default to the poor teams that when we step up it's noticeable to an extreme. Some of the flowing football we played such as the Liverpool demolition, the 2nd half against City the drubbing we handed to the Toon was absolutely breathtaking...when our heads are focused, we do things like we did against Inter in both matches.
I thought the difference yesterday was the way we started. We just went straight at them - put them unde pressure from the first minute. We didn't give them time to get into their stride, or to get settled and grow in confidence. It was nice to see.
Let people say"It was only Reading" in a few matches time when we can compare results more clearly. They might start to play well now who knows. I suppose we want an Everton win today but that will put them out of reach for at least a couple of weeks and a Toon win will take us down a bit. Bit of a no win situation for us today unless they draw. I still say that we've started alright. Albion often start the season in good form and fall back and Norwich had a draw against dare I say it a fairly good hammers outfit at the mo. Fulham are up and down with their results and are impossible to predict,Berb though could prove a shrewd buy. Rangers had a good draw which might signify that Chelsea are running out of luck. Stoke should have lost because Crouch admitted it was hand ball and the goooooooons result was I think a one off.Two games with zero followed by two goals against a poor Pool and now six.,seems out of sync to me. Well,will this win start our season? Let's see. AVB seems confident and he's certainly not as loud mouthed as he was. I see more than a glimmer now but Defoe's form does pose a bit of a problem with Ade on the bench. Well,for me it's what's best for the team that matters and not individual egos. Let's get behind AVB.
I have to admit though that I wasn't confident of his team selection for this match. I thought why not play the new signings,why persist with Defoe? Again it seems that the middle priced players prove better value than those which break the bank ie Dembele. He's proving a good buy. I think we all feel a lot better this morning.
Wasn't concerned at Defoe starting, surprised but not concerned, I was disappointed Gallas was though. We miss the height of Kaboul and as he's out, Dawson is our next best in the aerial department and while he or Kaboul aren't playing, I'm always nervous about corners and crosses at the moment. That said, Vertonghen was more than comfortable today dealing with it all. Thought Dempsey may have started over Lennon but I suppose like Lloris, he's only had 3 training sessions with the team so having him start from the bench is understandable.
Ok Sexy,I'll take that on board,I enjoy picking up the finer points of the game on this site....thanks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2012/09/contented_villas-boas_finally.html BBC giving him some breathing space.
Also a piece from Lloris which is not strictly on AVB, but his comments do sound like he has spoken to AVB, has been told he will get chances and needs more training sessions to get familiar with his defence. Good player management if that is the case. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8086119/Lloris-expects-Spurs-starts
The crowd backing AVB and the performance have forced the media to ease off. I'm sure they're all still holding a knife behind their back waiting for another stumble but it's given them enough food for thought to give him some praise, stop writing him off and making up negative stories.
The Grauniad made mention of rumours that he was given three games to save his job. Methinks it won't be long before Levy unleashes the litigation hounds on that one...
Giving him three games to save his job would be or have been bloody stupid. Who would replace him in whom the board would have more confidence? I think that things will start to improve now and all talk of AVB being sacked should now be stopped. I doubt that we'll beat Man U but he cannot be sacked if we lose that one. Let's just take this quietly and a step at a time,walking before running etc.
Place your bets who started those rumours. The runners are... * The Daily Mail * The Sun * Talksport * Tribal Football * Friends and/or associates of Henry James Redknapp
He was never under any real threat of being fired. After playing 3 and losing 1 game to last year's 5th? Do me a favour. Paper bull crap.
More encouraging news.... http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8086544/Bale-never-considered-Tottenham-exit
Perhaps,maybe AVB shouldn't have been blamed for Chelsea's lacklustre performances and I cannot really substantiate why I post this. I'm wondering what will happen when Chelsea's undoubted luck runs out. They've started like an express train again but only drew against QPR. Their performances weren't that hot under Ancelotti. Maybe he was judged too quickly at Chelsea and I certainly cannot see RDM repeating last season. I'm looking forward to the next few games now for us and Chelsea's performances.
