Copoue is a good player but I still maintain he wasn't needed and instead of signing him we should have invested in an attacking left back. Whats your views on this from AVB Andre Villas-Boas says Spurs criticism 'agenda driven' http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25177164 He clearly feels everyone is out to get him and the team, which will create a siege type mentality if him and the players are close, but I haven't seen enough signs to show there is a great team spirit.
Sandro is a stand out player no doubt about that I think most Spurs fans acknowledge that. I'm hoping we have one or two more in the recent 7 signings. It would be nice at the end of this season if we could say thanks to our magnificent seven. please log in to view this image
"but I still maintain he wasn't needed" Nice to have 2 decent DMs in the squad. With Sandro being injured for so long, even more so. But the LB situation has definitely been a comedy of errors (Coentrao, Rose, BAE etc) . "Whats your views on this from AVB" He is feeling the pressure. But team "unity" won't save him in the end.
Vlad is on his way to becoming a fixture in the team, but out of Eriksen, Lamela & Soldado, our three main attacking buys, it doesn't look too bright for their future under Avb and on current form its fair to say they aren't Avb players and Levy will no doubt be feeling a tad worried over potential flops and wasted purchases.
I thinks it's way too early to make such judgements Boss and you yourself have pointed that out on a number of occasions.
"but out of Eriksen, Lamela & Soldado, our three main attacking buys, it doesn't look too bright for their future under Avb and on current form its fair to say they aren't Avb players and Levy will no doubt be feeling a tad worried over potential flops and wasted purchases." But AVB has said he is "happy" with the Baldini role and the setup. IMHO Levy (with Baldini) may be looking at the manager as the expendible resource now. Specifically the squad is of sufficient depth/breadth that any half-decent manager should be able to get them to perform as top 4 contenders. Not too disimilar to Chelsky, bar trigger-finger Oligarsky and ***t players withn the squad.
I seem to remember it was against Sunderland in about January when he finally looked settled in English football, all the more reason to give this new batch some time.
"I seem to remember it was against Sunderland in about January when he finally looked settled in English football, all the more reason to give this new batch some time." The Sunderland game in 2011 was IMHO when most of us finally got what Sandro is "all about" (twas so for me) . And of course the game against AC Milan at the San Siro a few days later made it totally clear.
. Its no fun being sensible all the time!! Thats one of the reasons I said the signings which flop will get Avb the sack, as Levy won't sack both the DOF & Manager, again, I expect it would be Avb to go, Baldini would then play a big part in hiring a manager and then if that fails he would be given the boot. I will always be fair and give the players time to settle, so its settle by the new year or they are flops Lol
"Thats one of the reasons I said the signings which flop will get Avb the sack" But none of the poor PL performances this season have really been about players who "flop" . AVB will get the boot because of his management (either the way he is forcing the squad to play, or dealing with players displaying that dirge when he has requested different) .
But isn't that the point, our poor performances have been due to a lack of attacking cohesion and the main spending was on attacking players, so if Levy sees us struggling in an attacking sense after having invested money in attacking players then he won't just say "they need time to settle", he would expect the manager to at least show signs they are being integrated into the team.
Also The RDBD, think about Holtby, Lamela, Soldado, Eriksen, Chadli, plus we have Adebayor, thats six attacking players who aren't performing for the team, how much worth of attacking talent is that? I don't believe its a coincidence or just "players needing time to settle" or other issues, there is a problem with Avb and attacking players (other then Bale who was already fully settled as a player)
"But isn't that the point" Precisely the point. Are the team playing that way because AVB is telling them to do so (poor tactics) , or is he telling them something else that they are effectively refusing to do (unprofessional players +/- unable to exert his authority) ??
Villas-Boas went after a couple of journalists in one of the post-match interviews: [video=youtube;XFmFFElRLRM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFmFFElRLRM[/video] Care to guess which paper both of them work for?
Sure, its Avbs poor management and his poor management having a direct impact on players settling. Avb knows he has to get Soldado scoring goals, or at least help Lamela & Eriksen show their potential, To have all three fail is a direct reflection on Avb.
"To have all three fail is a direct reflection on Avb." I have seen patches of good things in all the games played this season. What I cannot understand is why a starting XI these past few weeks has been unable to put them all altogether for 90 mins, but can deliver the slow/sideways/sloppy passing game after game. Whoever is responsible : sort it. You're paid good money by Levy to do so.
I wish they would give politicians half as hard a time as they give to some football managers. They being the press.
