As our next objective is to break into the top 8, can we learn anything from the recent plight of Spurs. Spurs are pretty much nailed on to finish top 8 every year but it seems to be going all wrong for them at the moment. How do we avoid making the same mistakes like selling thier best players like Modric and Bale, spending huge amounts on alot of players that do not seem to gel. The manager playing a system which the fans do not like. Spurs have generally had alot of British players yet all the new signings are foreign. not bringing through youth.A chairman that many seem as a complete control freak and not easy to work with. We seem not to making these mistakes but it shows things can go from good to bad very quickly
The fact is, that they are still above us in the League, would suggest that it isn't all bad, have they got a batch of injuries in vital positions or is it that AVB is getting his selection wrong, 2 down at half time today and not bringing Defoe on seemed odd, but I am no expert at Management so not qualified to say.
I think they've got a lot of injuries in defensive positions. But he just bought too many in the summer in the same position and doesn't seem to know his best team or formation from what I have seen anyway, which isn't a lot I admit.
AVB has tried to change too much too soon. When he took over from Redknapp he had a great squad but started to make wholesale changes and it was only Bale's form last season that got them to where they were. This season they have brought even more players in and so many changes have meant that they have failed to gel as a team. Thankfully our transfer policy appears to supplement our team/squad rather than overhaul it completely. 2-3 signings in the summer and 1-2 in January enable the squad to evolve and strengthen without changing the whole fabric of it and changing the team ethic.
One thing I learned is that a quick visit to their Forum will reveal far more negativity than you ever see on ours!
Similar to ours and to be fair to Levy he hasn't done too much wrong so far. A change of manager will be his next move, to organise a talented squad he was instrumental in assembling. Like our chairman he will be ruthless in his goal of taking his team to the next level, just pisses me off they got mega funds from a player we nurtured. Just hope we can put another nail in AVB's coffin next week if he's still around.
The only lesson to learn from Spurs is that when you sell players you need to invest that money wisely. Until this season they'd generally sold their best players for big money (Carrick, Berbatov, Modric) and invested it fairly well. This season they haven't invested as well and have regressed. It's a bit early to judge some of the individual signings but they've definitely left themselves short at the back.
I think it is far too early to say they haven't invested well. Most people were saying that the majority of players they bought during the summer were great signings and its only been 16 games for them to adapt to the PL. The biggest problem Spurs have imo is the manager. They have Baldini there who seemingly is in charge of player recruitment and AVB is there to pick the team/tactics. From what I have seen he is generally a pretty negative minded manager so has not found a way to utilise the vast array of attacking talent they have. Whether he will be able to find a way is what will decide whether or not he keeps his job.
Well I said it's too early to judge the individual signings. I say they haven't invested well because they should have improved their defence and didn't.
I wasn't responding to you specifically was just saying what I felt the general feel was. Agree they could have strengthened defence but if you look at their squad they have Walker/Naughton/Rose and Verthongen at FB with Kaboul/Dawson/Verthongen/Chireches at CB. I'm probably forgetting someone aswell, but you could see why they thought they had enough depth there. Although that didn't seem to stop them stock piling midfielders
Ah, fair enough. They've certainly been unlucky at CB but I don't really think Rose is good enough for a top 4 side, which is what they're meant to be aiming for. Walker's better but probably isn't top 4 either for me.
Having just watched the highlights on MOTD I think the main lesson to be learned is, don't let Suarez anywhere near the the ball.
i've been impressed with Rose, mainly from his loan spell at Sunderland last year. I don't know why they let BAE go out on loan as he is definitely a better option than Naughton. I think this Spurs squad could achieve great things but it will be under a different manager.