Well Power that will be the how Avb answers his critics, as if he proves you and others right in the view that the squad is balanced and once players settle, the decisions viewed as baffling will actually turn out to be smart, then Avb and you can have the last laugh. Personally I'm not hugely against Avb staying until the end of the season as I have calmed down slightly now I have seen the alternatives and most of them aren't a great improvement, the best managers are in jobs and there won't be big changes until the end of the season. None of my views on Avb and his tactics, managerial style have changed but unless he really screws up we should wait until we can bring in a much better manager instead of ending up with another expensive mistake.
Things that AVB needs to do to at least cling to the possibility of being employed by Spurs this time next year: * Win games * Finish in the Top 4 * Have a settled first team, rather than constant chopping and changing * Show more attacking intent * Install more creativity in the team * Have Soldado scoring goals * Have Lamela show what he can do * Remember how he spoke of using the youngsters when he arrived? How about living up to that? Some of those he can likely do, some of those he can possibly do...but all of them? I doubt it.
Gotta be honest and say I loved AVB's press interview after the game, he really did verbally **** the **** out of Neil Ashton. While AVB's criticism from media outlets has been fairly justified in my opinon, Ashton and Samuels do seem to have an agenda against him even if what he does is positive, they'll find something to bring him down on, so it was good to see him stick it to them. That said, it does seem as though the fans are starting to question AVB down the Lane now. I'll admit to not really liking the guy but I'll never boo a manager/ player when I'm the Lane as tempting as it is at times! But - as I mentioned in another thread - he got quite a bad boo when subbing Lennon off and I think with recent results and performances, fans are getting impatient with him.
All of them is a big ask. I'd settle just for the 2nd one! I don't even want a settled team - the only way to be a permanent fixture in the top 4 is to have a good rotatable squad
To be fair to Villas-Boas on the creativity issue, it is something which he clearly wanted to address. His primary target was Moutinho and we don't seem to have gone after anyone similar, having missed out. How much of that is down to him and how much responsibility lies in the laps of Baldini and Levy? He hasn't helped with his choice of tactics at times, but bedding in a number of clearly talented players with no Premier League experience can't have made it easy. Plenty of blame to go around, I think.
Come to think of it, I should've added one more: * Fix out our new-found inability to defend At the start of the season we found it hard to break down teams, but were even harder to break down ourselves. Now we find it hard to break down teams, yet we are nowhere near as solid. That will help us win games just as much as Soldado justifying a percentage of what we paid for him. This does beg the question as to whether AVB's system can be both solid defensively and carve open opposition. If it can't, that's an added reason to look elsewhere.
When we reach the end of the season, regardless of how we do, we mustn't sell anyone, except for those who become dead wood. - Jokes aside re Chadli, soldado etc, none of our new players should fall into that category. The players we signed were bought for a reason. I know we've got our concerns, but they've all shown to be either young talent, proven talent or much needed strength. Arsenal look so good this year because they all know each other. For the first half of last season they looked slow in their build up and short of ideas. I remember watching the Norwich Vs Arsenal game last year (1-0 Norwich) with my Arsenal mates who were screaming at the screen in frustration. sound familiar?! - the fans were hashtagging #WengerOut on a regular basis on twitter. However, after christmas, they looked much more comfortable and ended up managing to put together that 28 points out of 30 run at the end of the season. They've only added a couple of players over the summer which has obviously meant that there isn't tonnes of new faces having to get to know one another. Hopefully AVB is spotting the issues which we speak of on a regular basis, and will try something slightly different. He's got the talent at his disposal, but we've got to use it in the correct way in order to gain confidence and a sense of togetherness. Once we've done this, we should be able to push on and be more adventurous. - Providing the new signings to end up living up to their expectations But if this happens and we do turn things around, we have to keep what we have. Another transfer window of losing our best players, and it's just going to be groundhog day.
Best start asking around if any team wants an English full back who can't back pass without leading to a goalscoring opportunity now, then...
We have had over a decade of groundhog days. (every 2 years on average) . Our learned benefactors will bite your hand off if the cash is right. Unlike the resolve of the Liverpool board who did not buckle to the demands of Suarez tantrums. At the moment we are lucky as most of our players are't worth much on this seasons form.
Not sure why Naughton is still here, maybe he's happy with his squad role, I know he's meant to be one of the jokers of the team so perhaps he's just happy to be here so to speak but anyone with actual ambitions of furthering their career shouldn't really be wanting to play second fiddle at RB when their 24/25. In fairness I've got no problem with Naughton, I actually think that when he's at RB he's not a bad player and so if he's happy being back up to Walker then I'd rather keep a player like him around rather than someone that wants out and won't have their head in the right place when selected for the lesser games. I'd want Benny back though regardless, love that dude. AVB really messed up with him and the whole LB scenario.
Wouldn't say he's better yet. A good season for a poor Sunderland side is all he's had in the Prem bar about 10 league appearances spread over 4 or 5 years with us. Benny has/ had been one of the best and most consistent in the League for about 5-6 seasons. Rose probably will become better judging by his start to the season for us but I won't get my hopes up just yet, give him a season at least before saying he's better than Benny.
If they would have been offered £85 mil they would have sold. They sold Torres( who was good then) for £50 mil and wasted the cash (or handed it over to West Ham)
When we were in the process of employing AVB, I suggested on other threads on here that we look at Rudi Garcia who was then a Lille. Where is Garcia now? Managing Roma, top of Serie A and so far this season invincible. Too late now, next stop RM or Barca I guess.
I stand corrected but although it might not have been a no brainer, he gets average teams playing stylish football way above their level. Surely we must have looked at him.
