We're using different words to say the same thing. Can't understand why so many people get off on rubbishing other Teams and Managers. Perhaps it's the only chance of association with success they have in life ?? JM, this time round, seems even more agitated and spiky than usual, I suspect he is seriously feeling pressure because he and the Club are touting this term as the one to finally stop the spend and bust of the past and build something worthwhile. We all know RA has vowed to give him 3 years to do so. I think Joses ego/ pride make it difficult for him to accept it might need a step or 2 backwards before we move ever forward, because he and the fans crave instant success. Hard to win things and rebuild at the same time. AVB is without doubt one of the brighter managerial talents around. His mistake was to trust Buck et al to back him when they claimed they wanted change. Call him naive, but no one should call him a dud.
This. Paulinho, Dembele, Sandro, Lennon, Soldado, Kaboul, Lamela, Eriksen, Capoue. Some quality players in there, most of whom are internationals. If Laudrup were in charge of that side, throw in a world class player and they'd be title contenders playing excellent football IMO.
Ivanovic, Luiz, Azpicueleta, Cole, Ramires, De Bruyne, Mata, Hazard, Schurlle, Oscar, Torres, Eto'o, Willian. Some quality players in there, all of whom are internationals. If Laudrup was in charge of the side, with some world class players already in there, would they be more than one point ahead of Spurs and playing excellent football? For the record I don't think they would but I don't understand how you can say so with such conviction especially when managers like Laudrup, Martinez, Pochettino etc. have completely different situations. From watching us play, we struggle to break down teams when away clubs come and park the bus not giving us any space around their box. The manangers I mentioned hardly ever experience this problem so how can you say with certainty they would solve this.
We've played City and United though, you haven't. Teams are far more defensive when they go away to the top 4 yet Chelsea, Arsenal and City have scored in all of their home games. AVB's intent is to not lose, he admitted as much. Your problem isn't (IMO) anything to do with the oppositions approach and more to do with your own. Your manager relies on inverted wingers and distance shooting so all the opposition need to do is get men on the edge of the area or show them outside then Bob's your uncle. Cardiff and Newcastle's GK had the match of their lives against you admittedly but you struggle to create because your manager doesn't like playing players in their best position. Dembele and Paulinho in the midfield is beyond parody, both do the same job like Lampard and Gerrard for England. Anybody that watches football can see you are a better side with Sandro in the XI and that Sigurdsson isn't a winger and if used, should be used in the middle, he's a Lampard type player not a Pires. Talent is being criminally wasted at Spurs IMO. Over the break your manager has to find a balance and redress the issues because if this continues you're in danger of not making top half. Chelsea's problems are at the other end which can be more easily solved than problems at the front.
Fair enough I can agree with some of those points. Especially the comment about Sandro and Dembele/Paulinho. But Sandro missed most of last season through injury and he's still having injury problems when he plays this season so it's hard to rely on him for 90m. A few games he's started he's had to be taken off early as half time with niggles. It looked like Capoue was starting in the Sandro role at the start of the season but after his injury for most of the games we have not had much choice apart from Dembele and Paulinho. I guess it would be similar to how you guys use Lampard and Ramires in some games as for whatever reason choices can be limited. Obviously my opinion on not making the top half at the end of the season is the opposite to yours but if that's what you believe I guess we'll find out.
If you look at the players Spurs have you certainly wouldn't expect them to be boring! They have Lamela who i'm sure will be class.. I just don't know why he hasn't been starting at all!? Eriksen who is a fantastic player and he proved it at Ajax. Yet he doesn't always start! Soldado is a brilliant proven goalscorer but why isn't he getting the goals? It's because AVB hasn't got it right yet. He is a class manager... Just look at what he did with Porto... We jumped the gun on him but he is a manager i'd happily see back at the Bridge after Mourinho (who will be with us for a long time imo). Why play Holtby, Townsend and Sigurdsson when you have Lamela, Eriksen, Dembele and Lennon who cal all add something extra? Granted Townsend had a good start to the season but the other two aren't as good as the ones i've mentioned. Spurs have the potential to do really well this season but their team selection and tactics have been poor. A top 6 of Paulinho, Sandro, Lamela, Eriksen, Townsend and Soldado should cut open teams...
Yep. Give AVB til March and if it is not working by then, Spuds should be worried. Let's mock them in the mean time though
I never felt at any time that he was a great manager, yes he did well at Porto but rapidly looking like a one off. No plan B
Reports are that Dembele wants out of Spurs. Probably wants to save himself before he dies of boredom playing in that team
Attacking players won't thrive in that team but AVB will get the best out of Sandro/Vertonghen/Kaboul and even the less talented players like Walker and Dawson. I still think Dembele's best position is CM/CAM. Pointless as a DM or out wide.
