Sunderland v Tottenham

[Metalanimal]

Spot on Mr Finch, I think your post sums up how we are all thinking.

AVB has to shine through and show his worth as a manager and prove to the doubters he is the man to take us to the next level.

I am sure the board are asking the same questions that we are and are no doubt a bit twitchy after our biggest transfer window ever that things have not yet fallen into place as hoped.

[Paul Finch]

        The TV commentator of the coverage that I was watching, who I think was David Pleat commented on the fact that AVB never seems to play the same team in consecutive games, for some reason, he likes to constantly change the side, so it is little wonder that there is no consistency to the style that we play.

 

I agree that we need to pick the same team. However, wasn't one of the problems injuries?

      Yes we have had a few injuries, I'll agree with that, but we haven't picked up injuries EVERY week, I find it amazing that we have now played 15 PL games, yet we haven't managed to field the same side in consecutive weeks, just amazing.

 

[Paul Finch]

Spot on Mr Finch, I think your post sums up how we are all thinking.

AVB has to shine through and show his worth as a manager and prove to the doubters he is the man to take us to the next level.

I am sure the board are asking the same questions that we are and are no doubt a bit twitchy after our biggest transfer window ever that things have not yet fallen into place as hoped.

       Yet can bet your sweet arse the board are getting twitchy and why wouldn't they be, they have parted with 100 million+, the 30 mil striker isn't scoring because of no service, and is now sitting on the bench. On Sat we had our 2-  30 mill signings sitting on the subs bench, and guess what neither of them took any part in the game, can you blame them?

 

[RSS61]

How we do against Liverpool will be an indicator of our top 4 aspirations. Having watched Everton yesterday, we will need to up our game I think if we are to finish above them, let alone all the usual suspects. I fear for us if its left to Dawson to take care of Suarez.

[Glenn R]

Spot on Mr Finch, I think your post sums up how we are all thinking.

AVB has to shine through and show his worth as a manager and prove to the doubters he is the man to take us to the next level.

I am sure the board are asking the same questions that we are and are no doubt a bit twitchy after our biggest transfer window ever that things have not yet fallen into place as hoped.

       Yet can bet your sweet arse the board are getting twitchy and why wouldn't they be, they have parted with 100 million+, the 30 mil striker isn't scoring because of no service, and is now sitting on the bench. On Sat we had our 2-  30 mill signings sitting on the subs bench, and guess what neither of them took any part in the game, can you blame them?

 

Yes, we do need a settled side. We will be able to judge things a lot better after the United game at Old Trafford.

[Metalanimal]

Sod setting certain games as bench marks, we should be judging the team performance game by game as things currently stand.

There are without any doubt questions arising regarding AVB's abilities and I for one am hoping he will answer them by way of the results we get in coming weeks.

[Glenn R]

Sod setting certain games as bench marks, we should be judging the team performance game by game as things currently stand.

There are without any doubt questions arising regarding AVB's abilities and I for one am hoping he will answer them by way of the results we get in coming weeks.

Why? The end result should be top 4th place and some trophies on the way. That is how I will judge Spurs.

[Metalanimal]

But its game by game that will get us top 4, and right now we have ridden our luck hugely.  Yes we have a point more than after 15 games last season but as a team are we far less convincing.

I am not looking as far ahead as where we will be come the seasons end as its a long way off, impossible to predict and our recent displays are poor at this point we could quite easily end up the wrong side of mid table or in the top 4.

I am pretty sure that supporters of Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea wont even be entertaining the thought that they could end up the wrong side of mid table due to their team displays this season but the harsh reality for us is we easily could along with Man Utd of course.

[Glenn R]

But its game by game that will get us top 4, and right now we have ridden our luck hugely.  Yes we have a point more than after 15 games last season but as a team are we far less convincing.

I am not looking as far ahead as where we will be come the seasons end as its a long way off, impossible to predict and our recent displays are poor at this point we could quite easily end up the wrong side of mid table or in the top 4.

I am pretty sure that supporters of Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea wont even be entertaining the thought that they could end up the wrong side of mid table due to their team displays this season but the harsh reality for us is we easily could along with Man Utd of course.

I think there is more chance of United than us.

[Metalanimal]

I would actually disagree, Utd have a team that has been gelled for some time and won the title just last season.  If Moyes gets them playing properly again they will challenge for the title without question and even now are a threat when playing any team.

We on the other hand have a practically new team that hasn't gelled, first choice 11 is unknown and tactics employed and stuck by don't work.

It wont take many 1 nil defeats to put us the wrong side of mid table, these are worrying times in my opinion our league position and points is a sugar coating.

I hope AVB gets its right and quickly as I dont know how much time he will be afforded, but for me changing the manager isnt the answer

[Paul Finch]

        I am getting the impression that there are some amongst us that are prepared to accept whatever is served up and will still be prepared to make excuses for it, unfortunately for them they do not fund the payroll, the board DO and I am sure that they WILL NOT continue to accept it, which will mean ONE thing, and at this point in the season that is something that I do not want to see, I want to see AVB make some changes to his game plan, if it fails so be it, but at least he tried, the style that he is playing at the moment clearly isn't working, if it was both Soldado and Defoe would be scoring goals and they are not and that is the worrying thing.

 

[RSS61]

        I am getting the impression that there are some amongst us that are prepared to accept whatever is served up and will still be prepared to make excuses for it, unfortunately for them they do not fund the payroll, the board DO and I am sure that they WILL NOT continue to accept it, which will mean ONE thing, and at this point in the season that is something that I do not want to see, I want to see AVB make some changes to his game plan, if it fails so be it, but at least he tried, the style that he is playing at the moment clearly isn't working, if it was both Soldado and Defoe would be scoring goals and they are not and that is the worrying thing.

 

I agree to a point, but Defoe has been failing to score enough goals for years now, whoever the manager has been, and even when he has played alongside Adebayor. We have needed a proven goalscorer, and so far Soldado has not been that. Admittedly service, and the system have not helped him. But a big CF alongside him is a must.

[ugs]

At the end of the day the buck stops with AVB and until he accepts his tactics are not working and won't until he settles on a first 11 then we will continue to stumble along. AVB needs to take a look at the likes of Everton, Liverpool and dare I say the Woolwich Wanderers who pretty much play the same 11 each week barring injuries, and the real sad thing about it is on paper we have a stronger first 11 than all of these teams.
I'm afraid AVB thinks he's another Mourinho but unfortunately won't accept the fact that he dosen't have the same charisma or ability as the Chelski manager.
 
At this moment in time I wouldn't care one bit if he was sacked and we bought someone else in his place, I really don't think he is capable of accepting his limitations and that is a dangerous thing better he goes now before he does anymore damage !!
 
 

[RiffHard]

At this moment in time I wouldn't care one bit if he was sacked and we bought someone else in his place, I really don't think he is capable of accepting his limitations and that is a dangerous thing better he goes now before he does anymore damage !!
 

I agree. I've heard Graeme Souness is available and so are John Barnes, Tony Mowbray and Neil Warnock. Another option would be to bring in Dimitar Berbatov as player/manager.

[Glenn R]

        I am getting the impression that there are some amongst us that are prepared to accept whatever is served up and will still be prepared to make excuses for it, unfortunately for them they do not fund the payroll, the board DO and I am sure that they WILL NOT continue to accept it, which will mean ONE thing, and at this point in the season that is something that I do not want to see, I want to see AVB make some changes to his game plan, if it fails so be it, but at least he tried, the style that he is playing at the moment clearly isn't working, if it was both Soldado and Defoe would be scoring goals and they are not and that is the worrying thing.

 

I don't know what 'some' expect or accept; but I am looking at the end result. Top 4th spot and hopefully a trophy along the way. How we get there I am not too bothered. We've played fantastic football in the past and had nothing to show for it.