I’ve just arrived back in Colchester after witnessing another 90 minutes devoid of entertainment to hear that the tactical genius who is our Head Coach has criticised the White Hart Lane crowd for making it like an away fixture. To be fair the atmosphere was more than a little muted today but this is the first home game since the Club sent out its questionnaire asking for our views on the Y word argument so maybe there had been some reflection.
We are accused of creating “much anxiety” on the pitch which provided “negative energy” to the players on the field. My own view, for what its worth, is that the tactics we have been employing have created much anxiety in the stands to the point where we are nervous about any game. For at least three years teams have been employing the same “good strategy” to combat our play and in all of that time we have learnt nothing at all about how to overcome it.
It cost Harry his job for had he worked it out we would have made the Champions League and it threatens our current management squad who despite a reputation for strong preparation appeared totally surprised and without another option to use when teams don’t roll over and accept a beating.
Andre suggests the Hull employed a “great work rate” so why didn’t we? I hear every week positive things about Paulinho but for me he slows us down every time he takes possession and appears to be trying to fulfil a role he is unfamiliar with. Like Sandro when he joined he looks a bit overawed by the English game and needs time to get up to the pace but should it be in the public eye all of the time.
All of our midfield appears to like to take the ball deep. Whoever plays up front is totally isolated and for most of the games the centre forward has not received any service whatsoever. We focus on the high line and most of the time lack width so we reduce the pitch to such a small box that it becomes easy to defend against and hard to break down.
This afternoon in the first half we focused on trying a myriad of intricate flicks in an effort to break through and lo and behold none of them came off. Those of you who go to White Hat Lane will know about the warm up game that the 10 onfield players undertake during the warm up. Our games are becoming like that.
Our tempo is slow and each game starts to look like a pre season friendly. We end up playing the ball across the back to the midfield and then return it to the back four. It’s comfortable but ineffective. In my book the centre backs are asked to participate too much. I appreciate that the game is changing but the midfield has to take responsibility for moving the ball not the other way round. This was always my beef against Jenas and Huddlestone when they played together but it seems to me that our current crop is drifting that way.
The exception is Townsend who has taken his chance and run at defences creating havoc in earlier games. Today wasn’t his best performance but he is still young and won’t play brilliantly every week particularly as he gets used to more attention. Last year we got used to the brilliance of Bale but in truth it wasn’t great for the team. But I couldn’t work out who was in charge. Bale or AVB?
Bale started the season on the left, beat men crossed for no one to get on the end of it and then started to play more through the middle hitting shots and converting free kicks. He clearly had no faith in the forward man. At the end of the season he played on the right cutting inside for moments of brilliance. By the last game we were waiting for it as much as he was – no one else was going to.
This year the influx of new players provides us with a greater platform for a team effort and I accept that will take time to do. But so far we have seen a repeat of last year with Townsend replacing Bale and with Lennon injured Sigurdsson playing out left. Only he doesn’t do that creeping inside at every opportunity. Granted he has scored goals and wants to play a more central role but isn’t he in to provide chances for Soldado?
Today Lennon was back and started on the left. He has played there before but it is not his best position. When it wasn’t working should they not have swapped to allow him to get out wide right and work with Walker who he knows well? It did happen but only in the second half.
We complain like mad about Steve Harper wasting time or players going down injured but we waste half the game before we put players on the correct wings to create crosses for a centre forward that I would like to work out is better than Defoe or not. We will never know if we carry on playing as we have been.
But this isn’t the only crime committed. Playing Naughton at left back was nonsense as he appears to have never kicked a ball with his left foot. It just can’t work effectively and he has now dropped to the bench. But the worse bit for me is actually sending Naughton out to his death in the first place. How does that help his confidence in the long run? My Father always told me a one legged man would be no good at an arse kicking contest but I fancy that Andre might try it a few times before accepting it!
Sandro also started today and wasn’t at his best giving the ball away a few times. He was replaced at half time and whilst it called for a half time substitution should Dembele not have come on for Paulinho to reunite their successful partnership of last year or Eriksen come on to play further up the field allowing Holtby to come deeper alongside Sandro who needs playing time. What we miss is a number 10 and we had a good one of them before allowing him to leave last season for a former club.
In conclusion I think that this squad has the ability to be something quite special but I fear that the tactics being employed are preventing them from fulfilling their potential. To quote Andre we need what Hull had today, “good strategy” and “great work rate” so that the team get the crowd onside by reducing their anxiety. In Hoddle’s reign I thought the players became confused by the tactics employed and began to look anxious and unhappy. Looking at Vertonghen today that seems to be returning.
Us fans get paid wages for the jobs we do and have ordinary mundane lives. We come to The Lane to be entertained by the team and support those we believe in and those who try – as demonstrated by Townsend’s reappearance on the field – so Andre if you do your part of the bargain then we will do ours without reservation.
It’s your job to get the tactics right to give us something to cheer and clap. Spurs have become boring to watch and it is your job to fix it. If you don’t goal difference will be your undoing come the season’s end!
McNamara’s Band 
Football fans have high expectations – but this often leads to them being spoilt and actually becoming “Frustrated” spectators who actually forget to enjoy themselves – WHATEVER!!!
Hartlepool? – Jeff Stelling? – Selhurst?
I feel good – der der der der der der der – I knew that I would!
Get real WHL people!
There is a valid point here but it is also a two way street with the team having their role to perform
From liking the guy, I’m seriously beginning to fucking hate AVB!
His tactics are ridiculous sometimes,his substitutions bizarre, and frankly, for £109m he has bought a lot of average players!
Today, we were shit! Like we were against West Ham, like we were against Sherrif, like we were at Villa.
He’s now managed three 1-0 wins with dubious penalties, and lets not forget the injury time winner v Cardiff. That’s 12 highly debatable and probably undeserved points. He’s getting away with it, just. But he’s got no RIGHT to criticize the fans with the shit he’s serving up recently. And the money he’s spent cannot keep him as manager if he fails to get into the top 4 as a bare minimum, although for me, that kind of money should challenge for titles. Only Man city & Chelsea have spent that much in one summer – and they both won the title doing so.
Average players?! We were shit at Villa?!! Are you for real. This is the best squad of players we’ve EVER had (I’ve supported Spurs since the 60s) but quite frankly they won’t want to stay with awful fans like ours.
I’m afraid I didn’t want to court such controversy over the points won but I cannot disagree. Spurs fans I know who don’t go to games cannot accept these facts from me but then they don’t spend fortunes and have the time on the way home to debate it either!
What the fuck difference does it make if you go or not? Judging by your comments I think we’d all prefer it if you didn’t bother. I suppose you’d rather we lost those games so your miserable outlook could be justified, but we didn’t, so one man’s ‘luck’ is another man’s good tactics.
I think you mean “you” would prefer it if I didn’t attend. I have no desire to see us lose games at all and I look forward to seeing the team gelling as time passes. However, I don’t think victories as a result of dubious penalties is a basis for building a team new stadium or brand. Can they be considered good tactics either? We won’t agree on these things.
Bore off you idiot…..
Take your shirt off and wear the red of Arsenal, We have never had it so good. We are grinding out results playing bad football, Under Harry we would lose, Draw at best.
We have just finished a season with our highest points tally, Started this season with our biggest points haul so far and you’re moaning. Why?
Shut up, Support or fuck off. Simple.
Great article. After just getting back from the game as well, i totally agree with this post.
You are SO wrong! It’s OUR job to get behind the team irrespective of the way we play. AVB is 100% right. We had great support once but where it’s gone I don’t know. I had a go at some of the moronic moaners round me today. It started after 20 minutes with a misplaced pass. People think we should be 5-0 up at half time or something. Pathetic.
The sad thing is many spurs fans actually think we have good support! We sing our usual ‘marching in’ song a couple of times a game, the rest of the time it’s the usual ‘we’ll sing what we want’ crap. Even the Park Lane were an embarrassment today. They had a chance to push the team on in the second half with us kicking to that end for a change but nothing happened til we scored. If you want to see great fans try Serie A or the Bundesligue, where every game is treated like a cup final.
I’m so fed up of the morons around me I’m going to move season tickets next seasons but where can I go? Chances are I’ll still be sitting near a ‘I pay my money I’ve got a right to moan’ type of idiot. NO YOU DON’T! You have a DUTY to support the team! Do it or p**s o
You hear the “bring on Defoe” chants all the time yet the service to the striker has not been in evidence. It is disappointing.
I was told that the Dortmund fans had chant leaders who didnt see a single kick of the game at The Emirates on Wednesday. I wont be volunteering for that job!
Well F•••••G said!!!!!!!!!!!
You make a good point about the lack of atmosphere maybe being connected to the farrago that is David Baddiel’s campaign concerning the usage of the term ‘Yid’*.
In regard to the football, however, lets not forget that this ‘work in progress’ with the ‘tactical genius’ has had to cope with the same tried and trusted tactics that contributed to ‘Arry’s downfall, has finished with a record number of points last season and a record start to this season.
*In regard to Baddiel, I am disgusted that a support of a rival club, whose drastic action to his own club’s support was to take the drastic action of moving to another stand, has been taken at such face value by so many.
I made similar comments in my club questionnaire
Spot on!
Hoddles reign was quite successful if i recall
Are you sure about that? I think Glenn has a lot to offer but it didn’t work for him at Spurs
clearly nowadays we are just average fans.we only sing when were winning.the atmosphere is an embarrassment,what avb is asking for is that we drive the team on by creating an inspirational atmosphere for the players,not because its down to us but because it can affect performances. since weve been more successful many have forgotten what atmosphere is because they sit like spoilt dignitaries demanding to be entertained.it never used to be like that at the lane,we were always up for it years back.we don’t stand out as a club with better fans than anyone else anymore.embarrassing.
I’m not sure about this either. We tend to forget about jeering the Ginger Pele when his name was called out before the kick off or games when the only song was stand up if you hate Arsenal because the game was boring. For a while the ground was very quiet which then perked up massively when Martin Jol was around building until near the end of Harry’s reign.
It can be good when we play really well but we haven’t yet done that for more than 45 minutes this season.
Absolutely right. ‘Fan’ is short for ‘fanatical’. ‘Supporter’ is, well, obvious. Unfortunately there’s precious little of either of them at the Lane this season.
This is so depressing, but so very true. I’ve only go half a dozen times a year, but I have noticed it going downhill.
And people want us to build a ‘kop’!
T*sser sitting next to us, starts bleating and moaning after thirty seconds and didn’t stop until he f’d off a good 8 minutes before the game ended.
Tell him to p**s off to the Emirates next time.
What a brilliant article. Sums up perfectly how I feel and how we are playing. Thank you.
The sardine fishing season in Portugal will soon be upon us.I suggest AVB goes there instead of staying here as a coach as he is clearly out of his depth.
Best ever start to a prem season…yeah really really awful, bring back the good old days. First win against hull at home in the last four tries… Once again it’s clearly really awful this season… Get a grip.
Yep we are being served the same drivel as last season. We constantly see 60-70% of the ball but create nothing for our strikers to feed off. Another very lucky one nil lucky win, 3 points yes but it’s not good enough.
The more they practice, the luckier they seem to get.
What a coincidence.
…This is a great article. Sums it all up perfectly.
Thanks Ron
Tell him to f**k off to the Emirates next time
What this article and those of you supporting it are missing is that IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE HOW WE’RE STRUGGLING TO WIN THESE GAMES OR WHAT YOU THINK OF AVB – WE ARE THE FANS AND WE NEED TO ACT LIKE FANS AND GET BEHIND THE TEAM. The point he’s making is that it’s getting to the players. That’s why we play better away. You can have whatever view you like but during the 90 minutes we all need to support the team! That’s what AVB is saying.
He may also be employing the Jose tactics of slagging of Jan so that he didnt get asked questions about bringing Mata on to get out of jail.
We were poor today and he managed to make that the crowds fault rather than anything to do with him. I only wrote this because of his comments and the sentiment with which he delivered them. As a member if I didn’t support the team I wouldn’t give up so much time trying to get tickets.
As a fellow fan I have no objection to you leading the singing Mike and if you sing certain songs I might even join in. We have no argument I like you just want to see our team give someone a good hiding at the moment I can’t see how it will happen.
Having been at the match today, I totally agree with this well written post, we have only scored 6 goals from open play (the same as Crystal Palace) and 1 of those was a cross !
Fully agree with the comments about our support. Where we sit in the shelf side it’s a disgrace – a bunch or armchair supporters who complain if anyone sings too loudly around them. I say to you (and you know who you are) Why not stay at home, watch it on TV and give up your season tickets to some of the tens of thousands on the waiting list who may still appreciate that one of the great joys of supporting your team live is that you actually have the chance to influence the outcome of the game – IF you’re prepared to open your mouth and sing your heart out for the boys on the pitch! There are times that I’m ashamed of my fellow fans – you are killing the atmosphere at the Lane which we used to be so proud of and is now almost non existent. So for the sake of our beloved Spurs get a grip and get behind the team – come rain or shine – and make the players feel that they’re playing for something more than the money!
I thought it was only us in The Paxton who go stick for being quiet. What Block are you in?
Well said James. 4th place, 3 points behind top going into November – above both Manchester clubs…could be worse! And Capoue, Kaboul and Rose (especially Rose!) missing, Lamela can’t get a game… Mac, I can see where you’re coming from but all teams scrape results – actually the Gooners did yesterday before they got a 2nd on the break.
I stand by what I said – I’m convinced the complaint about the atmosphere came from the players, not AVB acting alone.
I’m sure you are right Mike about the players complaints.
Lamela hasn’t looked ready yet but like others in the squad he is still a young player.
Great comment James I went yesterday was lucky enough to be invited yesterday I’ve followed spurs for 45yrs and couldn’t believe how quiet it was I remember when spurs fans sang all game were 4th so get behind the boys and let’s finally get one over the scum coys!
Dear Lord I will take an ugly boring 1-0 win in every game from until the end of the season. Get some perspective. I applaud AVB for his bravery. This is an articulate intelligent manager, one of Europe’s finest. He’s building something really special at WHL and is simply asking the supporters to well, support. If he is saying it surely that means it’s affecting the players who are after all human beings.
Anyone dissenters be careful what you wish for. We have genuinely never had it so good and God knows how long it will last. Get behind the team or f#ck off to the Emirates, they seem to be winning every week and scoring lots of goals.
Let’s hope this unifies the club not divide it.
I think we all might take a 1 0 win till the end of the season but on performances like this we won’t achieve it. That was what you could see from Block 53 maybe it looks different elsewhere?
What qualifies AVB as articulate or one of Europe’s finest? Have you heard about “the emperor’s clothes”? I judge what I see not what the press write about our manager. AVB is a dull man employing dull tactics, evidently boring the fans into silence and just 9 games into the season has to plead for us to pretend to be excited. Where is the tempo, the creativity, the fun gone?
Get behind the team no matter what. Whether you do that or you don’t, you know who you are!
Im with AVB on this. I turned down tickets today as the moaners used to be drowned out by the positive supporters, but they actually ruin the experience at the Lane for the moment as that’s all I hear now. Moaning! We are 4th in the league for goodness sake. The premier league is not a frickin cake walk.
Have to say even though just watching on internet I did wonder how long it would take for the crowd to get tense and I couldn’t hear a lot of noise to fire us up. I agree with AVB that the crowd are often the inspiration when things are not going to plan. If we had scored early with one of our chances the crowd would have been completely different and Hull would have had to change their park the bus game. For me was more frustration of playing another defensive team and the crowd could have done more to charge things up and create an intimidating atmosphere. Sure we do need to find a way through these type of teams more easily but look we are still grinding out the results with a completely new look team and a couple years ago would defo have lost today. Record points, fourth and still waiting to really click is hardly 2 points from 8 games is it.
Yes grinding out these points has us in a good position but tell me this when you watched on the Internet did you watch in silence or were you complaining about some of the poor passes like those “moaners” were in the ground. I find it easier to watch the games live than I do on TV or the Net and complain less.
You can feel that some fans have played 300 games for the Club with the criticisms that they make and high up in the stand you can see openings that on the field I don’t think you would. Maybe I am wrong to think that these lesser teams buckle under the weight of high tempo play and being stretched to created opportnities to pass through a defence. They often therefore lose at Chelsea, Man Utd, city and Arsenal and often by a number of goals. We won today but i fancy some of the named teams would beat them more handsomely and that may have an effect on the last day. Call me Doctor Doom if you like but I think that’s my point.
Yea like the scumwent to palace and played them off the park and scored plent of goals get behind the boys were fourth and I make avb right it was embarrassing being there yesterday and being out sung by handful of hull supporters coys!
Crowd very quiet this afternoon. Tough for Spurs today against a Hull side that parked the bus. AVB probably as frustrated as we in the crowd were with Hull’s tactics. He did try and change it. Dembele on at half time, then Erickson on and finally Defoe. Bloke behind us in the Shelf upper left with 15 mins to go having spent most of the match venting his spleen at our lads. Unbelievable. If I had my way I would lock the gates until game ended. That way you would have to stay and support the Team. Come on get behind the Team. COYS. In AVB we trust.
Very good article, totally agree, we have to learn how to break down teams who just sit back with 10 men. And we have to get more service to our front men (man) JD suffered last year and Soldado Is suffering now. Need more width and creativity really missing Modric and VDV
Is VDV the no 10 we need now – even if for only 60 mins a week?
Not happy with AVB’s comments he’s lucky were not boooing. if i remember rightly the start of last season we switched to 4-4-2 afer a shocking first few games and some boooing !
i’d go 4-3-3 we needed chadli out there today on left lennon on right sandro, andros i will garrentee he’l score more goals and hotlby because his supply is instant and reminds of VDV playing midfield, vad and vergongen friers and walker soliders boy up front sweeping up loose balls !
paulino needs to adjust with sandro even dembele it’s a bit slow coming though middle andros would be great releasing balls to wings, or just running and shooting at goal? Job Done !
and a fucking amazing subs bench !!
COYS !
“He’s lucky we’re not booing”
This completely sums up the entire problem. We work hard to BEAT a very resilient, defensive team who worked their bollocks off just on the off chance they might get a draw – and AVB is LUCKY you didn’t boo him?
Unbelievable.
Wot a load of tripe “we come to the lane to be entertained” you say well I’d say most hopefully fans go to support the team regardless it’s not there job to “entertain” you like a fuking circus act or going to the cinema maybe you should spend your weekends at the cinema instead and give up your ticket because the players don’t need fans like you and neither do the good fans just another wasted seat
To be honest, I fear for AVB sometimes. Because like most of the younger managers not only tactics, ,fitness, playing staff to deal with he has got the issue of proving his authority , a self created problem that caused him enormous troubles to deal with which he failed to do so.
Just when I thought he looks like he picked up a thing or two from previous bad old days to better himself , he seems like falling into the same trap that actually set by himself.
In my opinion this team is crying out for an old fashioned marksman playing behind soldado , not only to create opportunities for the Spaniard but to draw the midfield into the game while pressing opposition center halves back forcing their midfiekd to take a back step and defend rather than create.
Adebayor should now be deployed, I dont care what people might think of him but in my opinion he is a Spurs player and has to be utilised to better the teams performance.
But AVB just like once upon a time Hoddle did, prefers fighting his own personal battles which will eventually piss our players off. Defoe was the first one voiced his opinion only a little while ago.
I think AVB should stop making remarks about probably the most fickle crowd of English football but show what he can do with his current squad of players.
I appreciate the fact of spurs probably having the stingiest of defences but we also need some goals at the other end too.
No time for whining, 4th place with a young, newly assembled team. We should be tickled with the results even while acknowledging the bedding-in is taking some time. Incidentally, many respected pundits predicted a rough start based on the player turnover, with the team not hitting stride until the second half.
Stand behind the team, including AVB, or go support someone else. I hear Bale could use a few cheers.
I am a Spurs fan from Perth, Western Australia. I would give anything to be able to attend matches at WHL season in and out. I have previously only made it to one game v Gooners in April 2011 and have to say the atmosphere was electric (as you would expect). Watching the game last night I wasn’t sure if there was even a crowd there. Apart from “oh when the spurs” rang out about 3 times all I heard was the hull away fans…… This is ridiculous!! Went to my local Perth Glory game yesterday with attendance of 13000 and the atmosphere was brilliant, acting as the 12th man to get our side across the line 1-0. We couldn’t be happier! Negativity from the crowd does get passed into the players, they need support and a lift from the people they play for. Forget about the apparant need to win 4-0, just support the players give them a lift and the results will follow. COYS!!
I got 2 lines into this tripe before I lost it. I’m a season ticket holder in the Paxton lower and AVB got it spot on. There was no enthusiasm from the supporters around me and we bottled it when it came to backing out team today. I don’t give that bullcrap that we fancy pay the wages. sky pay god our players’ wages. And if you want to be entertained and win nothing then go and watch ONE direction. We have played shit all seafob yet we are 1 win off top. Grow the fuck up because this team is starting to.
every mistake is given a gasp.
no encouragement when we have the ball, players feel like they cant take a risk because they get no encouragement, so they pawn it off sideways or backwards for someone else to try something risky….or even pass it forward.
Remember they are all kids, 21-23 yrs old, they need support, they are MORE AFRAID of making mistakes then ENCOURAGED to take a team on.
all I want to do is sing and get behind the team but everyone around me is sitting gossiping about posh spice or something
COOOMMMMMMMMMEEEE OONNNNNNNNNN YYOOUUUUUUU SSPPPPUUURRRRRRRRSSSSSSS
Spot on mate! Too much pointless passing around especially by backfour. No service to striker. Dawson’s distribution pathetic. AVB read Sir Alex bio. Goal difference counts big at the end of the season. We may have more possession in midfield but our opponents get to our penalty area faster with more threat.
I think you are missing the point. Yeah his tactics might not be great etc etc but having a tense crowd makes it worse. I stay in south Africa and listened on radio, and the commentator said he felt he was at a snooker game. Maybe a more supportive ground would lead to more energy from the players. Remember the crowd present is the 12th man.
The problem as i see it is this.
At home playing one striker up front is to negative. We have far to many midfield players and non are of the quality of VDV or Mod. We do pass ariund the back four to much team press and often the result is dawson hitiing a long ball and giving away possion.
With two up front we look much better. I have enjoyed many games at the lane but the last real fast paced exciting game i rember is beating newcastle at home the same time harry was linked to the england job.
We are now a european looking side. Slow paced and patient build up.
Nothing wrong away from home playing the system but at home against weaker teams i like 442 wingers playing on the correct wing supplying crosses for strikers.
Also with the arse looking like they cancbeat anyone this plays on our minds and this results in why arent we 3-0 nil up aginst this rubbish arsenal would be.
And that all feeds into peoples outlook duringthe game. Score an early goal evertjhing is fine. But with one upfront and as time ticks on we all suffer player and fans. Players try to hard and make silly mistakes and then the crowd groan making matters worse.
But i dont think avb has the right to have a go.
I dont earn 70k a week if i have a bad day at work my manager doesent say well its there fault for not wanting our product. He kicks me in the arse so i then react.
Football players and managers live in a differnt world. Im up at 5 and get home around 7 all that to pay for my ticket. So i think when i see a player making a rubbish pass or a ball a 13 year old could play but they mess it up, is it right to just shout out hardluck. Or do you feel come in wake up that pass was 3 yards.
But we are winning. Just like more attacking and a left back for xmas
Have to disagree about Sandro, he had to go at halftime, was letting their attackers drift past him at every oppurtunity, causing the booking and I think there was every chance he might have got a second one. Hull definitely looked less dangerous in the second half as well so it must have been the right decision.
Are you a goonie in disguise. The facts are best premier league points total last season, best premier points start ever this season, best squad you or I have ever seen and we are 4th in the league and the team has yet to Bell yet. Your problem seems to be based on wanting to be entertainment! Well this is football and its a game of two teams, no team is gonna turn up and make it easy for us at home, so if its entertainment you want i suggest FIFA on the xbox, and leave the support to those of us who love this club thru thicj and this. COYS
“The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning.
It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory,
it is about doing things in style and with a flourish,
about going out and beating the other lot,
not waiting for them to die of boredom.”
Danny Blanchflower.
That was then this is now. Now it is all about CL the income it brings leads to being able to acquire the top players and pay the salaries they demand. So that we can have the level of player that can enable us to beat the other lot. I have had a season ticket since 99 the atmosphere was better during the reign of the “man in the raincoat” when the style of play was much worse than now and 1-0 was standard fare. Lots of the real fans have been priced out and their replacements are consumers who used to go to the theatre for their “entertainment”
There is no confidence in the team. It looks like players like Lennon, Walker and Siigurdsson are afraid to take players on. That’s coaches’ fault
I think the article was spot on, two players who really shone for me was claritches he is turning in to a class defender, soldado reallt tried to make things work, but with very little service, I liked andros townsends attitude
Unfortunately, the crowd feeds off whats happening on the pitch. So, if we are watching un-inspired drivel, guess what, we are gonna be un-inspired. I promise you any fan wants to be at the Lane to support and shout like crazy. But it has to be in response to some good football being played. Yesterday was a totally under-whelming performance and I cant blame the crowd for reflecting that. AVB needs to take responsibility for that in making the right subs or getting some serious pep-talk on. Do not come out and criticize a crowd that is expecting better from a super high quality team.
It is a two way street supporters aren’t supposed to be 100% reactive. The clue is in the word support! Sometimes the team needs lifting that is when the current atmosphere has the opposite effect!
Selection and consistency. Vertonghen + Kaboul / Chiriches should be the permanent CB pairing but because of limited left back options and injuries, Dawson ( who can’t play high line ) looks like a very slow but reasonable alternative. The holding 2 are fine. At every opportunity the 3 behind Soldado should be 3 of Chadli / Holtby – Eriksen – Lamela. The rest should be Capitol One / Europa fodder. Townsend is Lennon 2 seasons ago. There are 2 11’s at the club now but the optimum 11 is the one containing the 6 / 7 bought in the Summer, with Walker Vertonghen, Kaboul, Sandro and Lloris tagged on.
Total rubbish. This what Harry did and all it leads to is division within the squad and second half of the season collapses in addition to no silverware. The whole point of modern football is to utilise the whole squad. Firstly so players do not become jaded and then get injured. Secondly genuine competition for places inspires better performances. Thirdly being seen as 2nd rate, Europa and cup fodder de motivates players that you might need in the run in and who then are ineffective and out of form when needed most. There is no 1st team and 2nd team within a well run club. Ferguson didn’t pick the same 11 for consecutive games for about his last 8 seasons, so there is obviously a reason for it. This 1st 11 bollocks is 1980’s thinking we are in 2013.
Don’t ALL fans think the atmosphere at their ground is crap these days? Unless perhaps you’re Swansea, for example, enjoying unprecedented success.
He is right, lets all be big enough to take some criticism, we love dishing it out eh ? and you must admit the atmosphere at WHL these days is terrible, its our own fault, the away fans constantly take the p*** out of how quiet it is, we the fans need to be more vocal and get some new songs too, im bored to death oh when the spurs ….
He has now had nearly 18 months to bed in. He has been given free reign with the squad and has been backed to the tune of 110 million. Yet we are being served up utterly clueless negative performances. We have now had three dodgy penalties: Palace, Hull and Swansea. If life was fair we would be six points worse off. We were utterly outplayed against FC Sheriff midweek with a nearly first choice team and benefitted from a tremendous deflection in our favour. We have a striker with the best chance conversion rate in Europe last season (Soldado), we have England’s Messiah (Townsend), we have Erikson (coveted by clubs worldwide) and Holtby (Ex German U-21 captain) battling for the ‘playmaker’ position, we have a 30 million pound winger on the bench and even have Chadli who is favoured by the Belgian coach over Hazard. Our midfield consists of Dembele (first choice for Belgium) and Paulinho (first choice for Brazil), even our wing backs of Rose and Walker are famous for getting forward and having pace to burn. The squad is absolutely rife with creativity, speed and flair yet we are watching 80 minutes a game of possession football being passed ad infinitum across our back line. With the exception of the first half against you we have been appalling, possibly the most boring I have ever watched. His tactics work exclusively when against a far superior team who are focused on pouring forward to attack us (thus condensing the field and hassling high up occasionally allows for the counter). I cannot see the logic, when playing at home against a team that parks the bus, of playing with a high line, with two defensive midfielders, with one striker and with inverted wingers on their wrong feet who have to cut in. Absolutely no width and you are doing the other teams job for them. We are compressing our own team into a tiny space so every single attack breaks down. It is honestly distressing watching our centre backs carry the ball forward to see a wall of bodies with no movement only to then pass it back to the keeper, to the other centre half or to hoof it up field to our 5 foot nothing attack. The body language of the players is frustrated and depressive, lots of waving of arms and slumped shoulders. That transmits to the fans, not the other way round. When Lennon chased a ball from our half all the way to the Hull goal line the crowd were on their feet yelling themselves hoarse but we are being given nothing to cheer, nothing to get behind. The way West Ham beat us was an utter humiliation but it was also not a surprise and will happen again. The only reason we haven’t seen it happen more times is because we appear to be playing with a horse shoe up our arse. If I was AVB I would be buying a Euromillions ticket.
For someone who prides himself on being a ‘PR’ man AVB has shot himself in the foot. He mentioned that the players have been complaining, thus putting the blame on them when it is his job to protect them and act as a conduit. I think, in all truth, they are angry and frustrated and have started making their feelings known to him, so he is deflecting the attention. Maybe I am wrong but I think we are about to be found out in catastrophic fashion. Everton away up next. When the luck runs out and we are 12th by xmas I wonder who he will have left to blame.
Not sure about being found out, but ostensibly, I agree with much you have written.
I looked at our signings pre-season, and have not been as excited by our squad since the mid-80’s; I still am, but we are not playing to our strengths; as you pointed out, the lack of width, coupled with no play-maker, one lone striker, is tactically naive, and clearly not working.
The starting line-up v WHU was astonishing, and even though 33,000 fans could see it was an error by half time, no changes were made till 60th minute, by which time the inept Defoe had missed his latest one-on-one chance of the season…Soldado WOULD have scored that.
I really like AVB, and have defended him to all nae-sayers since his appointment; it is getting harder and harder to do as the weeks progress.
Keeping Holtby jogging along the line for about 30 minutes really annoyed me. Putting Soldado on with Defoe when a lack of service had been an issue seemed utterly mental to me but there you go.
Holtby may prove to be no better than Eriksen but we won’t know if he is kept off the pitch.
I hope you are wrong but I can see and agree with many of your points.
“He has now had nearly 18 months to bed in” I nearly fell off my chair reading this. On his arrival King (the best defender Spurs have had in 30 yrs) retired, Modric (the fulcrum of the side) was sold, VDV left and we had a 40yr old in goal. The whole spine of the side needed to be replaced. Yet despite this and other player movement he achieved the highest points tally in the premiere league era with a weaker squad than Harry had mismanaged for previous years.
Paulinho clearly isn’t a holding midfielder. He is a box to box player bought to bring goals from midfield something that we have lacked from central midfield for years..As he has played in nearly every premiere league game your basic failure to understand the system makes me question everything else you have written.
A few points…
1. I just dont understand fans that boo at half time, when its 0-0 for gods sake!!, I bet when we play Man U in a couple of weeks time and its the same half time score there will not be any booing.
2. There are some obvious issues for AVB to wrestle with, I genuinely dont think he knows his best starting 11 yet and while hes sorting that out and we continue to win whilst playing lets say fairly averagely, we should all be delighted.
3. If we were mid table and leaking goals then it is absolutely our right to show our displeasure with the team and the management, however this is not the case, 19 points at this stage of the season gives us a fantastic platform from which to build on which we will would all do well to recognise.
To end with….please lets not forget that we have been on the up now for the past 5 or 6 seasons, this league is the toughest in Europe and so difficult to succeed in given the resources of the teams we are in competition with, we have probably punched above our weight in recent seasons, with the help of a one truly world class player. Hes gone and we now have a fantastic squad managed by one of the brightest coaches around and importantly one whom the squad totally believe in, So lets give him and the boys the support they deserve and make WHL a place visiting teams hate coming to…
COYS
Just to be clear here the team were not booed off at half time
I’m also not sure that it is the best league in Europe. That’s Sky talking but they don’t have the German League – yet! Thanks for your comment.
How much does AVB earn a week? How much do the players earn a week? How much do I spend on Tottenham every year? When THFC or AVB start paying me then I will give it my all and certainly shout and sing my heart out no matter what crap is being served up in front of me.
So let’s get this right…you want the club to PAY you to sing?
Mate, if you think this is crap you’ve either just started ‘supporting’ Spurs or you’ve got serious amnesia. We have the best squad we’ve EVER had and the best manager for 25 years at least (who turned down PSG and Real Madrid this summer + 20m quid)
Please, do us a favour, go ‘support’ the Orient or something.
Come on mate! I don’t want the club to pay me to sing. But also I don’t want some mercenary fool who’s been with the club for one year – and will probably be here for a couple more at best – to tell me how I should support a club I’ve been consistently watching (and paying for the privilege) for almost 40 years. Yesterday’s performance was abject and Spurs were lucky to get the result. Fault lies with the players and manager NOT the fans. I’m not going to stand on my feet and scream for a bunch of mercenaries if they can’t be bothered to make the effort. The only exception yesterday was Andros. He didn’t play particularly well but his attempts to get back into the game after a nasty collision with a photographer and the hoardings was inspiring. I want to see that attitude from all the players who pull on the shirt. That inspires me to stand and scream for the club. I’m certainly not going to accept criticism from any combination of overpaid players, managers or pundits. They are not the club. We are. THE FANS. And we will still be here when the rest of them have all fked off!!!
Taxi to Arsenal for VC either an imbecile or an itinerant troll. You will not be fed here.
So Jim, if the fans are not the club then who is? Are you new to this “football stuff” by any chance?
We all want Spurs to play well, and win. At the moment we’re doing OK, but the new players really do need time to settle. I remember stutters with new players in 1966 and 1980, but at the end of those seasons Spurs were playing well and won the FA Cup both times.
Let’s hope for a three-peat of that!
With practically 2 games a week at the moment the juggling and bedding in of new players is going to take time.
I’m sure AVB would admit that at time he has made the odd selection error but would we want to see us going back to games under Gross, Francis or many others ?? With some good and some down right terrible game.
Time is needed and AVB is right to ask crowd to get behind team. We’re still in top 4 whilst taking time to gel. How often have we seen big player leave, lost opening games and been cursing those points come May. Seems that teams have decided that parking the bus is best way to stifle team & crowd. Whilst not over the moon it’s a compliment from teams coming straight for us seeing weakness in our team, even Utd are now struggling with teams sensing weakness and attacking them.
Stop moaning we are winning and one storming performance and all could click but whilst we are strong at back we’ll be up near top four.
Up near rather than in then Trevor. I agree with you on that. City are behind us with good goal difference so we can see what will happen….
Gross and Francis did not have the all round quality available to them that the current Head coach has. You are right teams can see our weaknesses but the question to ask is can we see the weaknesses that they have? I don’t think we can and that’s why we seem happy to have all the possession on the half way line.
I’m not sure that I am moaning I’m responding to a criticism with a criticism. I agree that a storming performance will make all the difference but shouldn’t it be against teams like Hull City?
I have mixed views on this; the article is a sensible one, and I agree that the football we have been playing is shockingly ordinary.
What concerns me, is that we have spent the money we have, but started just 3 of the new signings yestereday, and that AVB is not giving Lamella (our record signing) a start.
By playing Paulinho and Sandro (both of whom I love), with no play-maker in the middle, and only playing 1 striker at home against what must be considered, lesser opposition, we are setting out our stall…would be delighted with that formation against Arse, Man C/U, Chels, Liv etc, but at home to Hull??
His refusal to give Ade another chance (taking him to Eastern Europe and not even bringing him on 2 up with 10 mins to go), and persisting with Defoe, who in my opinion, has been a drag on the club for now 3 seasons, is becoming increasingly puzzling.
As season ticket holders, we all make financial sacrifices to see our team; from the ticket prices, to travel, its not cheap; and when we have to sit thru the performances of both WHU and Hull, plus watch the Villa and Sheriff games, it’s little wonder the atmosphere is subdued; the fact there has been no booing, is more the surprise.
The players are paid in a week more than most of us make a year, and when you see the lack of passion, then the frustration becomes more obvious; one thing I do know,the atmosphere, was fine at kick-off, and became quieter as the game progressed; when the team did start working harder, chasing down etc, the crowd responded; my question to Andre therefore is; Is it up to the crowd to motivate the players, or the other way round?
I’ll await his answer with interest.
great comment.
Here here! It’s clear you’re a proper football fan with a sensible perspective. These mercenaries do not have the right to attack those who provide the lifeblood for football. Yesterday’s response from the fans was adequate for what we had served to us at the Lane. The team’s lack of imagination created anxiety and the fans responded. And when the team shows fire and passion the fans will respond. We pay. They are paid. It is their job to entertain us.
I always fail to see what any of this has to do with what people pay or get paid. Are you saying that if capitalism collapses tomorrow and admittance to WHL is free, and the players play for free that you’d then feel less entitled to your self-righteous demand to be entertained?
And, on a point of order, it is NOT their job to entertain you, it is actually their job to win football matches.
I think you miss the point Bale. The fact that cash changes hands is everything in this case. Football has become a product led by super brands. We pay to be entertained. Why else? I don’t mind Spurs playing negative, boring football and getting results. The result is the entertainment. But it isn’t inspiring, so it’s hard to get excited. My problem isn’t paying to go to the circus or the circus being boring at times. My problem is being criticised by the ring master for not applauding loudly enough!
Please Mr Levy, Bring in someone like Klopp. Personality, flair, tactically brilliant. Loveable.
AVB isn’t ready. Chelski were right.
Ive never seen a Spurs manager criticise us for voicing our opinions. There was no booing just shouting of the obvious. Wise up or get out. If you don’t like home then go away.
You obviously forget ‘Arry’s quote.
‘They shouldn’t be complaining. They’ve never had it so good’
Frankly it’s embarrassing that the fans will only support the team if they are being entertained. That isn’t the point.
It isn’t the player’s job to entertain you at all. You buy a ticket for entry to a football match, not a guarantee for entertainment. Their job is now to win football matches. Your entertainment is merely a product of this, not a requirement.
Round of applause for this man. Stating the obvious that these new consumers don’t understand. I really wish they would decamp to Arsenal where they could be entertained and real Spurs supporters who recognise the role could replace them.
Spurs have some shit songs. Come on you spurs, or yids. FFS it’s upto the fans to create an atmosphere and we are shit at it.
We are still a club in transition so let’s not forget that and yes we as supporters should be supporting good or bad not just when its all going well . I would love for us to play outstanding football every game but sometimes it just doesn’t happen sometimes you have to grind out results look at man utd under fergie and chelski to win the champions league .even look at the gooners they won thing’s hoofing the ball now they are playing some very good football but what have they won f all . So let’s get behind the team and help them play good football and grind out results…… COYS
Spurs are a much different team this year. They certainly aren’t as entertaining in their football. Not as quick or dynamic. However (apart from West Ham) they appear to be very difficult to beat. Don’t like mentioning Arsenal, but the invicibles wern’t often that entertaining but were very hard to beat. I must admit I prefer a more expansive, entertaining style of play, but points do make prizes. It’s a juggling act and us supporters should be behind the team – home atmosphere is essential.
Absolutely spot on with this article!!
AVB needs to look at his own perdormance before having a go at the fans, yes there are times when the Lane is not jumping butcmy god we have a superb atmosphere when we play some decent football but at the moment it is dreadfull and awful on the eye!
Sort this mess out and lets get back to where we belong!
The Dods
I cant afford to watch us play, kids have eaten up my disposable cash over the past few years but I remember watching games over the years and the roaring from the crowd and the deafening support in big games more than once left me watching the TV covered in goose pimples. The support is there but I think personally the impatience aimed at certain players doesn’t help. If we were more helping of players lacking that natural self esteem it could help but at the same time the tactics do infuriate. I sit in my living room pulling my hair out with Walker when he loses it mentally, curse Dembele for dwelling on the ball instead of picking the pass and our wingers for cutting inside into dead-end alleys, I’m no saint but I get emotional. Only thing sometimes I see especially with Walker the criticism hurts him as I see he wants to do well as this is his home and it fills me with a bit of guilt.
We’ve gone from a manager who had no tactical idea to one with at times questionable tactics. I like AVB and I’m desperate for him to succeed but it would be nice to analyse your tactics rather than stubbornly persevere with attacking formulae that aren’t resulting in chances created.
I’ve often had my say on the forums about my ideal tactics so wont bore you guys with them but in a nutshell everything is there, we need quicker build up and more movement. Do we need to buy players??? Maybe a left back but other than that no strengthening is needed in other areas.
I think its more fear than frustration though. We’ve been on the cusp of something great for years only for it to be snatched away from us in various ways but in a season so seemingly open in a “who wants it most” way, finishing fifth behind the scum again with the players we have at our disposal is something we fear were getting used to. This feels the closest we have been to achieving something so we have to grab it, you never know the difference might be that these overpaid playboys really do need us badly to drag them to the finish line but in order for that they have to show how badly they want it.
As a Spurs fan this I hope situation at the moment doesn’t result in self-destruction of our present potential. It’s a cliché but we all have to pull together to somehow make this work.
Your brother might be a bit tight with his money or your aunt might swear too loudly at the dinner table at Christmas but at the end of it all you’re all family.
I was dead against AVB before he came but I believe in sticking by your guy until he proves himself a lost cause. When he came it wasn’t us against the world, it was AVB against the world and somehow he slowly won us over in ways. the media still want us to fail, our rivals want us to fail harder and harder each year. AVB is a young boss who seems to be scrutinised more than many, who I’ll say has had me raise the doubting eyebrow with some of his decisions but I believe he’s trying. Not sitting there motionless looking like he doesn’t give have a care in the world like when Harry was when he thought he had the England job in his back pocket.
I think our problems on the pitch are easily tweakable, if he shows he’s willing to change up the approach to give us a bit more urgency on the field and the players put more of a shift in creatively we have to back the guy wholeheartedly. He’s a bit of an oddball at the best of times but his heart is in the right place. He seems a bit awkward with his words at the most sensitive of times. He’s trying to learn from his mistakes and in he’s growing with our players but in my heart I think he can come good. Good managers are very hard to find when you lose one.
I just want to have that feeling of my heart thumping with pride, not just from the players but the energy from the stands. I pray it doesn’t take too much to bring everything together fighting the same cause.
The problem with some is that they want the side to play all out attacking football with 442 in the Harry mould.happen and what did we achieve when playing that way? It is not going to happen.How many teams let alone top teams still play 442?
The possession game is the way we are going to play. It limits the chances the opposition have to hurt us, hence our greatly improved defensive record. It has given us a platform on which to build. Once all of the new players have adjusted properly and the ones previously here all form a cohesive unit we will be better offensively.
Patience is required and during this time of transition we are still getting better results than we had with the previous incumbent. If we really get behind the team now the process might actually be faster.
Shocking treatment of AVB. The man has been brilliant since he came to us. Any other season other than last would that points tally would have put us in the CL. 12 wins from 15 games this season, all of which were clean sheets. Anybody complaining about AVB should be ashamed of themselves.