A conflict of interest.

[dimexi]

I think this might have been one of those games that Bale wouldn't have really gotten into. I don't think he would have had any space to make those runs he's so good at in open games. Perhaps when they started going forward more, but I suppose it's speculation either way. They might have been even defended more were he in the team.

I know what you're saying, though. I get the feeling that something is missing with how we play in games like today. There wasn't much urgency or fluidity going forward. I don't know if that's because they don't know where to expect forward runs to come from or because we're lacking a playmaker to glue everything together.

This was a tricky game though. Swansea have made lots of teams look bad.

I agree, it is a tricky one, hence my conflict. I think that we desperately need a player who can unlock a defence, do something different. We miss a Modric  in these sorts of games and I hope that we actually sign someone of real quality for a change in Jan. If we do that I think that we could push for 3rd spot, without we will be in the fight for 4th.

[RSS61]

Dimexi

Harsh and extremely innacurate report. You must nave been watching another game!

Some of you will only be happy until  AVB win the EPL by 10 points and "Reserve your judgment" until the last game, and if we did win (which we won't), I am sure that some will still say that we played zhit football and we were lucky.

So far we have been playing with a few new faces and without a number of key players and still we are in 4th place.  Bearing all this in mind, you have to ask yourself: Would harry have done better?

Nope!         

I agree with your synopsis. And no Harry wouldn’t have done better.

I was at the game today and I thought we did well. Swansea tried to close us down and we had to play the way we did to combat them. We finally got the goal we deserved. Another win and 4th place. We are going into Christmas in a strong position. Next week Stoke at home and probably some new players in the New Year. Plus a lot of our injured coming back.

Agreed. Teams like Swansea, with little ambition other than prem survival will all come to the Lane, park the bus because they know we aren't good at breaking sides down, then try and nick the game on the break, as they know we are wobbly under pressure. Not yesterday though !! I thought we turned the corner on that one hopefully. As stated, the fact we are in 4th with so many key players missing is an achievement.
IMO AVB will be able to play his style of football better when and if he gets the creative central midfielder that we need, coupled with a top striker. Personally I dont think he will continue with 442 forever, as Defoe and Ade dont really gel.

[Glenn R]

Dimexi

Harsh and extremely innacurate report. You must nave been watching another game!

Some of you will only be happy until  AVB win the EPL by 10 points and "Reserve your judgment" until the last game, and if we did win (which we won't), I am sure that some will still say that we played zhit football and we were lucky.

So far we have been playing with a few new faces and without a number of key players and still we are in 4th place.  Bearing all this in mind, you have to ask yourself: Would harry have done better?

Nope!         

I agree with your synopsis. And no Harry wouldn’t have done better.

I was at the game today and I thought we did well. Swansea tried to close us down and we had to play the way we did to combat them. We finally got the goal we deserved. Another win and 4th place. We are going into Christmas in a strong position. Next week Stoke at home and probably some new players in the New Year. Plus a lot of our injured coming back.

Agreed. Teams like Swansea, with little ambition other than prem survival will all come to the Lane, park the bus because they know we aren't good at breaking sides down, then try and nick the game on the break, as they know we are wobbly under pressure. Not yesterday though !! I thought we turned the corner on that one hopefully. As stated, the fact we are in 4th with so many key players missing is an achievement.
IMO AVB will be able to play his style of football better when and if he gets the creative central midfielder that we need, coupled with a top striker. Personally I dont think he will continue with 442 forever, as Defoe and Ade dont really gel.

Yes. With Defoe up front alone they were winning some good matches. All new systems need is time and the right players.

[Glenn R]

I base my opinion on Harry's past record with Spurs. I don't need evidence in the same way as you do not have any to prove that he would have done better than he did.

I have always given my full support to AVB and  I will carry on doing so until proven otherwise, Not the other way round.

Winning is the key. Playing well and losing is just not an option

I agree with your points. All new managers needs time to get it right (if they can) but we should support the manager. So far I think AVB is doing fine.

[a12 warrior]

Having read this thread, I cant understand what some people are expecting.
 
True Spurs dont attack like Man U , City, Chelsea to name 3 and I do agree at times the pace is slow with keeping possesion the main aim, but I dont think much has changed from the Redknapp days in terms of style.
 
For me its about the calibre of player, getting to the Champions league on a regular basis should attract players that can give you that little bit more Spurs need a quality striker and have done for a while, also a couple of other positions need better players, so for me AVB is doing ok can he take Spurs th the next level? well we will see!!!

[RSS61]

Having read this thread, I cant understand what some people are expecting.
 
True Spurs dont attack like Man U , City, Chelsea to name 3 and I do agree at times the pace is slow with keeping possesion the main aim, but I dont think much has changed from the Redknapp days in terms of style.
 
For me its about the calibre of player, getting to the Champions league on a regular basis should attract players that can give you that little bit more Spurs need a quality striker and have done for a while, also a couple of other positions need better players, so for me AVB is doing ok can he take Spurs th the next level? well we will see!!!

Precisely. We need a creative central midfielder and striker, probable cost 60 mill + wages. Will Joe Lewis sanction it ? I think AVB will be the right manager if he does.
Without those 2 additions then top 4 IMO will be a big struggle.

[spursjoolz]

As I mentioned before and as we all know too well, the club will never fork out £60m on ONE player, particularly in a Jan transfer window.  (Lets hope I have to eat my hat  )

I can see players coming in in Jan but only if others are sold. Goodness knows, we still have a lot of dead wood to shift!! We know who they are!!

In fear of repeating myself, a striker, a playmaker and a defender is what is required.  As usual a few new names have been linked to us, but nothing that would add up to that amount. In any event, we have to keep Parker and Dawson. 

Apart from a couple of blunders, AVB is doing a reasonably good job! Man U, City, Chelsea, Ars*nal, Liverpool,  name it, etc, have all had bad results against weaker opposition this season.

So far, so good as far as I am concerned and to those who want their cake and eat it: you'll have to wait a bit longer!

[Glenn R]

As I mentioned before and as we all know too well, the club will never fork out £60m on ONE player, particularly in a Jan transfer window.  (Lets hope I have to eat my hat  )

I can see players coming in in Jan but only if others are sold. Goodness knows, we still have a lot of dead wood to shift!! We know who they are!!

In fear of repeating myself, a striker, a playmaker and a defender is what is required.  As usual a few new names have been linked to us, but nothing that would add up to that amount. In any event, we have to keep Parker and Dawson. 

Apart from a couple of blunders, AVB is doing a reasonably good job! Man U, City, Chelsea, Ars*nal, Liverpool,  name it, etc, have all had bad results against weaker opposition this season.

So far, so good as far as I am concerned and to those who want their cake and eat it: you'll have to wait a bit longer!

All new managers need to  find their feet, on top of that he has got to mould the new players into a team working force. I think AVB is getting there. The earlier criticism was unfair. All new managers should be given a chance and then judged at the end of the season (unless the team is struggling at the bottom of the table, which Spurs are not).

[Metalanimal]

But voice...... we are struggling......... at the top end of the table, just where I like to be.

I think so far AVB has done a good job!!!

[Glenn R]

But voice...... we are struggling......... at the top end of the table, just where I like to be.

I think so far AVB has done a good job!!!

I suppose that depends on how you look at it. Because we've got new players we are trying to fit them into an existing team, at the same time we are in a comfortable position. How about adapting?

[Metalanimal]

Personally I think we are in a very good position considering the amount of changes since last season, so far it has gone about as good as it could have being realistic. (my we are struggling at the top end of the table was sarcasm)

We still have the same old issues of conceding late goals and this issue has been around for years.

We have just been linked with Erikson of Ajax now he would be a great signing for us in midfield if we can pull it off

[Glenn R]

Personally I think we are in a very good position considering the amount of changes since last season, so far it has gone about as good as it could have being realistic. (my we are struggling at the top end of the table was sarcasm)

I actually think we can go further. A couple of reasons for this; we are improving all the time; the team is knitting well together. At the same time there are no outstanding teams in the League. United and City aren’t that special. Chelsea and Ars*nal are having problems. While Liverpool, Newcastle are floating about mid table. Play our cards right and we can do better than we did the last couple of seasons.

We still have the same old issues of conceding late goals and this issue has been around for years.

True; but is that because of injuries in the back four? We’ve got our injured – from the back four – coming back soon. I am sure that AVB is addressing the situation of goals being leaked in in the last 10 minutes.

We have just been linked with Erikson of Ajax now he would be a great signing for us in midfield if we can pull it off

I wouldn’t listen to anything you read in the papers. I was reading today that Spurs won’t give any money to their manager because of Austerity. You then read another paper and we’ve got £60 million to spend. It is all speculation. The good thing that Spurs does is give out false reports so that confusions rains down and then sneaks in and buys a player on the cheap.

[RSS61]

Personally I think we are in a very good position considering the amount of changes since last season, so far it has gone about as good as it could have being realistic. (my we are struggling at the top end of the table was sarcasm)

I actually think we can go further. A couple of reasons for this; we are improving all the time; the team is knitting well together. At the same time there are no outstanding teams in the League. United and City aren’t that special. Chelsea and Ars*nal are having problems. While Liverpool, Newcastle are floating about mid table. Play our cards right and we can do better than we did the last couple of seasons.

We still have the same old issues of conceding late goals and this issue has been around for years.

True; but is that because of injuries in the back four? We’ve got our injured – from the back four – coming back soon. I am sure that AVB is addressing the situation of goals being leaked in in the last 10 minutes.

We have just been linked with Erikson of Ajax now he would be a great signing for us in midfield if we can pull it off

I wouldn’t listen to anything you read in the papers. I was reading today that Spurs won’t give any money to their manager because of Austerity. You then read another paper and we’ve got £60 million to spend. It is all speculation. The good thing that Spurs does is give out false reports so that confusions rains down and then sneaks in and buys a player on the cheap.

I am in agreement with most of these comments. Firstly, I think AVB is doing quite well, far better than he did at Chelsea. I believe he has the support and respect of the players, vital if he is to succeed. I also think, and hope, that he has the full backing of the chairman and board, in his project for the club, otherwise why sack Redknap and appoint him ?
Jan Verthonghen has come out and sung the praises of Christian Eriksen, which surely must signal something is happening on on this front. I personally believe AVB knows exactly what our shortcomings are, and how to go about fixing them.
I am starting to feel more confident with the way things are going, the next month will either bear that optimism out, or squash it once again.

[Paul Finch]

  I have probably been one of the most critical of AVB, I am still not convinced, and as I have previously said he will probably never completely win me over, but I have started to see an improvement in our style of play, slowly but surely we are starting to play with a little flair, against Swansea we did, and I will say again, and please don't accuse me of living in the past, I want too see us play attractive and entertaining football, I have been brought up on that from Spurs. No we haven't been that successful of late(winning things), but, I want us not only to win things, but play entertaining football while doing it. The one thing that Man U can never be accused of, is being a boring side, and that really galls me to say. I do not expect all of you to agree with me, but surely the majority of you don't want us to become boring and successful, do you? or is it win at any cost?
    I have said it before and I will say it again, our immediate and long term success lies in the hands of Mr Levy and how much money he makes available to AVB in January and the future.
  We shall indeed see will we not.


 

[spursjoolz]

Paul Finch. Very good points.

Being critical of AVB is understandable as long as he has your support and you don't belong to the "AVB out and take Levy with you" brigade. 

We are doing Ok without playing well, if that makes sense. I, like all of us,  woul prefer to see us pay attractive football like we used to do, but at this point in the season, winning is the key for AVB and he would no doubt be sacked if we palyed well to the expense of losing games.

Should the board decide to buy well in Jan, I believe that with the addition of our injured key players, the entertaining football will come and we can remain in the top 4 for the rest of the season.

This all depends on how much Levy is prepared to spend and on Whom!!

Would any of you agree that, had AVB played at some professional level and had not been sacked by Chelsea you would feel more confident?