Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[chancer]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

I just think it's very sad. I think everything he has in mind is right in theory, and can work. I think there is a plan there, but it just isn't working.

I'm honestly not sure I can see the plan. I'm not a tactics guy, but apart from our pretty standard back 4, I have no real idea what the other 6 outfield players are doing/meant to be doing, with the possible exception of whoever is DM in front of back 4.

 

[africanspurs]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

What do you expect him to say? Injuries were an issue today. It was difficult after the sending off.

i'd like him to show a bit of class and character and own up a bit.

edit:- looks ,like he did do that...my bad

the injury to sandro us not enough by a long shot.....and unless you are actually chasing a deficity really agressively then you should still maintain some ,kind of discipline and styructure out there

that was diabolical imo, it would be nice if people could just admit that

 

[Hootnow]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

I just think it's very sad. I think everything he has in mind is right in theory, and can work. I think there is a plan there, but it just isn't working. Other clubs are getting better results with similar new managers and new signings. They may have bumps, and I would expect bumps for us, but we haven't just seen bumps. We've seen horrific, massive crashes and this can't be right.

And I just don't know why...everything I understood his methods to be; preserving the intensity and controlling games went out the window against Anzhi where we just threw caution to the wind in a pointless game...don't understand it and we started flat today.

I don't disagree with how we play, or how we are trying to play. It works in theory. It's just not working right now and as I said, it isn't just bumps. Something is not working...and I don't really have organised thoughts at the moment to write something coherent to be honest but I don't understand it.

Basically today, we were against a side that kept their world class superstar and had a positive net spend vs a team that lost their world class superstar and ended the window in profit. Yes we spent the money but Bale was worth 86M to us so he was going to be that big of a loss. All these players from abroad haven't setted and maybe we should just judge after 6 months, and if we can stay in touch until that point then it's ok.

And I don't know exactly who we can get in that's going to get more progress out of this squad than AVB could considering the work he has already put in...Capello and Hoddle...Sherwood....there is no-one ready for us at the moment that you think would be a definite upgrade.

Tonight was a watershed. Like Emirates Marketing Project but this was bigger. We need to put down a marker and not let the uncertainty take hold. Either we back AVB and understand the new signings were all from out of England and therefore will take time and judge him at the end of the year, or we say this isn't acceptable and we move him on. But I don't think there's anyone we can get, which means we should back him. I can basically understand why people's faith would be broken after today though.

The problem is BoL, does it actually work? I agree that it sounds incredible in theory but in reality does it really work?

I can't remember a great deal about his Porto side but they didn't play like this. They didn't go in short bursts, they thrashed teams. I'm not convinced that players can learn to just switch intensity and pressure on and off like that, in a regimented manner. More importantly, it ignores the momentum that certain events in matches can bring about.

I don' think we can use Anzhi as an excuse at all, only 3 of the starters played in that game.

 

[africanspurs]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

To be fair to him though, he did say twice that he took full responsibility for this result.

he did?

 

[WhoopWhoop]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

This bloke is absolutely stealing a living. Disgusting. Yes it's hard working under a wrongun like levy as he just sells best players every year but he can't even do basic things like play wingers on their correct side.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

What do you expect him to say? Injuries were an issue today. It was difficult after the sending off.

Doesn't wash when you've just lost 5-0 at home, not had a single shot on target for the first time since OPTA began and could have conceivably lost by more. Bit like England fans moaning about the goal that wasn't given against Germany.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

he did?

Yeah he did.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

I just think it's very sad. I think everything he has in mind is right in theory, and can work. I think there is a plan there, but it just isn't working. Other clubs are getting better results with similar new managers and new signings. They may have bumps, and I would expect bumps for us, but we haven't just seen bumps. We've seen horrific, massive crashes and this can't be right.

And I just don't know why...everything I understood his methods to be; preserving the intensity and controlling games went out the window against Anzhi where we just threw caution to the wind in a pointless game...don't understand it and we started flat today.

I don't disagree with how we play, or how we are trying to play. It works in theory. It's just not working right now and as I said, it isn't just bumps. Something is not working...and I don't really have organised thoughts at the moment to write something coherent to be honest but I don't understand it.

Basically today, we were against a side that kept their world class superstar and had a positive net spend vs a team that lost their world class superstar and ended the window in profit. Yes we spent the money but Bale was worth 86M to us so he was going to be that big of a loss. All these players from abroad haven't setted and maybe we should just judge after 6 months, and if we can stay in touch until that point then it's ok.

And I don't know exactly who we can get in that's going to get more progress out of this squad than AVB could considering the work he has already put in...Capello and Hoddle...Sherwood....there is no-one ready for us at the moment that you think would be a definite upgrade.

Tonight was a watershed. Like Emirates Marketing Project but this was bigger. We need to put down a marker and not let the uncertainty take hold. Either we back AVB and understand the new signings were all from out of England and therefore will take time and judge him at the end of the year, or we say this isn't acceptable and we move him on. But I don't think there's anyone we can get, which means we should back him. I can basically understand why people's faith would be broken after today though.

There's no doubt losing Bale has hurt us, but that fee was so massively inflated, he should have gone for about £50m. So I don't really think it's on to go on about negative net spend, we've spent over £100m!

 

[Libero]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

The problem is BoL, does it actually work? I agree that it sounds incredible in theory but in reality does it really work?

I can't remember a great deal about his Porto side but they didn't play like this. They didn't go in short bursts, they thrashed teams. I'm not convinced that players can learn to just switch intensity and pressure on and off like that, in a regimented manner. More importantly, it ignores the momentum that certain events in matches can bring about.

I don' think we can use Anzhi as an excuse at all, only 3 of the starters played in that game.

It sounds incredible n theory but in practice it most certainly doesn't. One of the biggest flaws with this theory is like you have said, the events outside your control that affect the game management.

 

[africanspurs]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Yeah he did.

my bad. am not in the best of moods right now and quite frankly am taking it out on the guy. but i think hr desrrves it

 

[Whiffler]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Well, I have been open-minded yet critical when required.

Even so, my critical genes are approaching burn-out.

Simple things like passing are failing, yet they were arrived as successive record signings. Best players are those here before he arrived who still have attacking instincts.

Basically - where is he earning his money ?

 

[Baleforce]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

its an entire team. the mood , demeanor , attitude and character all looked wrong.

paulinho especially for the second goal....terrible.

i was actually relieved after i let the frustration of the red card sink in ....have thought pauli needed a rest fore a few games now. this forces avb to stop flogging that dead horse and give him a break

really starting to think kd isd right to some degree about him.

today was a complete mess....even at 10 down there needs to be a level of pride...especially as we didnt properly chase the game

i ****ing dont know the point of soldado

my issue is that I have no faith in these players to change under a different manager, under Ramos it was obvious that he was doing things wrong, i don't feel like that currently, I don't want a radical change to the way we setup and play, I just want the players to play better and stop making mistakes

 

[thfcsteff]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Hard to watch from before the KO. Wrong side. I genuinely believe he is over-thinking it all right now…but again, as I felt a few weeks ago, I think he is on borrowed time, it's just a case of how much. So sad really as I feel that with more experience he could be a fine manager. But I'm not sure if he's stubborn or what it is. Injuries didn't help him today BUT the pattern of play was non-existent after the first two minutes. Dembele is awful back there, that's where the pace of the game is dictated and I wouldn't stand behind him at a urinal as he wouldn't even pass water quickly. I have long supported Paulinho but my patience has finally given way there too; his sending off was deserved. It was a coward's petulance. I was actually ashamed of it and I hope he is too. Holtby worked his ******** off, as did Walker, as did Soldado (to no effect mind) and Lennon to an extent, but the shape was all wrong today and Naughton should not play on the left EVER.

Fair play to Liverpool, they were excellent.

Me? I'm just sort of dumbstruck really…this sort of capitulation usually only happens once every few years AT MOST. Twice in 4 weeks? Even optimists have to ask deep questions of AVB…my instinct remains to support him because I still think he needs this season to be judged. But in absolute fairnesss, if he goes I could not (and would not) complain...

 

[africanspurs]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

my issue is that I have no faith in these players to change under a different manager, under Ramos it was obvious that he was doing things wrong, i don't feel like that currently, I don't want a radical change to the way we setup and play, I just want the players to play better and stop making mistakes

these are international top class players

 

[AdamB]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

AVB's weakness as a manager is highlighted by the fact that he's trying to play tactics which don't suit the players at his disposal - and any manager who has that flaw is a cretin who doesn't deserve a top job. Its a pretty fundamental flaw! Our tactics wont work without more creativity in CM and advanced positions. What we do have are some decent wide men and pace - we should therefore be playing on the counter and attacking quickly/directly

 

[braineclipse]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Hard to watch from before the KO. Wrong side. I genuinely believe he is over-thinking it all right now…but again, as I felt a few weeks ago, I think he is on borrowed time, it's just a case of how much. So sad really as I feel that with more experience he could be a fine manager. But I'm not sure if he's stubborn or what it is. Injuries didn't help him today BUT the pattern of play was non-existent after the first two minutes. Dembele is awful back there, that's where the pace of the game is dictated and I wouldn't stand behind him at a urinal as he wouldn't even pass water quickly. I have long supported Paulinho but my patience has finally given way there too; his sending off was deserved. It was a coward's petulance. I was actually ashamed of it and I hope he is too. Holtby worked his ******** off, as did Walker, as did Soldado (to no effect mind) and Lennon to an extent, but the shape was all wrong today and Naughton should not play on the left EVER.

Fair play to Liverpool, they were excellent.

Me? I'm just sort of dumbstruck really…this sort of capitulation usually only happens once every few years AT MOST. Twice in 4 weeks? Even optimists have to ask deep questions of AVB…my instinct remains to support him because I still think he needs this season to be judged. But in absolute fairnesss, if he goes I could not (and would not) complain...

Well summed up Steff.

 

[ringo]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

AVB might have accepted reponsiblity, but he also said we have been "magnificent" in the cup competitions, it is just the league where we have problems! And when confronted with the no shots on target stat, he defended himself by saying, setting aside goals scored, we have had the most shots on target!

That doesn't sound like someone who really understands the scale of the challenge/problem facing the team, that sounds like someone who is deluded, clutching at statistical straws.

I prefer Jamie Carragher's summing up -the team look like strangers.

 

[AdamB]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

my issue is that I have no faith in these players to change under a different manager, under Ramos it was obvious that he was doing things wrong, i don't feel like that currently, I don't want a radical change to the way we setup and play, I just want the players to play better and stop making mistakes

A new manager might play tactics which suit the players. This guy is an idiot

 

[Jurgen the German]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Hard to watch from before the KO. Wrong side. I genuinely believe he is over-thinking it all right now…but again, as I felt a few weeks ago, I think he is on borrowed time, it's just a case of how much. So sad really as I feel that with more experience he could be a fine manager. But I'm not sure if he's stubborn or what it is. Injuries didn't help him today BUT the pattern of play was non-existent after the first two minutes. Dembele is awful back there, that's where the pace of the game is dictated and I wouldn't stand behind him at a urinal as he wouldn't even pass water quickly. I have long supported Paulinho but my patience has finally given way there too; his sending off was deserved. It was a coward's petulance. I was actually ashamed of it and I hope he is too. Holtby worked his ******** off, as did Walker, as did Soldado (to no effect mind) and Lennon to an extent, but the shape was all wrong today and Naughton should not play on the left EVER.

Fair play to Liverpool, they were excellent.

Me? I'm just sort of dumbstruck really…this sort of capitulation usually only happens once every few years AT MOST. Twice in 4 weeks? Even optimists have to ask deep questions of AVB…my instinct remains to support him because I still think he needs this season to be judged. But in absolute fairnesss, if he goes I could not (and would not) complain...

Great post and very balanced.

 

[Jarrell89]

Re: ***The Official AVB Discussion Thread***

Well, I have been open-minded yet critical when required.

Even so, my critical genes are approaching burn-out.

Simple things like passing are failing, yet they were arrived as successive record signings. Best players are those here before he arrived who still have attacking instincts.

Basically - where is he earning his money ?

I think it's the disconnect between the old and the new.. He wants us to become a different team to the one that our fans want/are used to. Dawson is a great example - he is our captain yet arguably the worst player in our current team. What does avb do - sell him? Tried that, got slaughtered for it. Drop him? He can't, as the people he bought to replace him are injured. There's only ever cohesion when he puts out a completely "new" team (as strange as that sounds) ;the new players play one way, others, such as Lennon, play another. That is never going to change until someone, be it avb or another manager, is given time to instill a style that everyone understands. So a centre back coming into the team knows that it's not generally advisable to ping 60 yard passes out of play.
That is where my criticism of avb DOES lie. He tries to please people too much. He plays people when they're not up to the task out of loyalty. This must lead to good relationships with the players but it's a risky game at the highest level. It also stops him telling players to stop doing things that they enjoy doing but are detrimental to our game (e.g townsend taking 40 shots a game). Rather than being tactically stubborn I think he just lacks the conviction to say "this is MY team, this is how I want you to do things"-all great managers do it. Maybe it's a legacy from the Chelsea fiasco, I dunno. I really have faith in the guy though and I hope the board and our fans show him some support.

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