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Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I think the number of new players we've signed has been blown slightly out of proportion.

If Ekotto returns we can still line up like this:

--------------Lloris---------------
Walker--Dawson-Vertonghen-BAE
----------Sandro-Paulinho--------
Lennon-------Lamela----------Sig
-------------Soldado-------------

I know that we can put out a side with only players from last season, but realistically at least Lamela and Soldado will start when fit and I included Paulinho too as they are our 3 new club record players and it makes sense that they will be on the pitch.

Even Rose in for BAE only means 4 new players. Quite a few players that will bring continuity for us this season and some of those players are top class players that will be able to do just that I think.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I think the number of new players we've signed has been blown slightly out of proportion.

If Ekotto returns we can still line up like this:

--------------Lloris---------------
Walker--Dawson-Vertonghen-BAE
----------Sandro-Paulinho--------
Lennon-------Lamela----------Sig
-------------Soldado-------------

I know that we can put out a side with only players from last season, but realistically at least Lamela and Soldado will start when fit and I included Paulinho too as they are our 3 new club record players and it makes sense that they will be on the pitch.

Even Rose in for BAE only means 4 new players. Quite a few players that will bring continuity for us this season and some of those players are top class players that will be able to do just that I think.

We can but we won't. Seem like a bit bending backwards to make a point... Not really realistic though.

Rose will be first choice since AVB needs overlapping fullbacks for his system of play. Capoue will be first choice and there is no way Siggy will start before either Chadli or Eriksen. Does Townsend count as a new player?
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I think the number of new players we've signed has been blown slightly out of proportion.

If Ekotto returns we can still line up like this:

--------------Lloris---------------
Walker--Dawson-Vertonghen-BAE
----------Sandro-Paulinho--------
Lennon-------Lamela----------Sig
-------------Soldado-------------

I know that we can put out a side with only players from last season, but realistically at least Lamela and Soldado will start when fit and I included Paulinho too as they are our 3 new club record players and it makes sense that they will be on the pitch.

Even Rose in for BAE only means 4 new players. Quite a few players that will bring continuity for us this season and some of those players are top class players that will be able to do just that I think.

Lennon and Sig will be on the bench.

Capoue, Dembele and Sandro will fight for the two positions in front of the defense.

Lamela and townsend on the wings and Paulinho in front of the two CM.

As for Bae, I would put Rose over him. Bae needs a new challenge.


-----------------Lloris

Walker----Dawson----Vertonghen-------Rose

----------Sandro-----Dembele-----------

---------------Paulinho----------------

Townsend-----------------------Lamela

---------------Soldado--------------

Please remember that you win games with quality. Siggy and Lennon havent got much of that.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

We can but we won't. Seem like a bit bending backwards to make a point... Not really realistic though.

Rose will be first choice since AVB needs overlapping fullbacks for his system of play. Capoue will be first choice and there is no way Siggy will start before either Chadli or Eriksen. Does Townsend count as a new player?

Well I did include Rose.

I'm not convinced there will be a first choice between Capoue, Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele personally. Until someone makes a place their own all 4 of them will get plenty of time on the pitch.

Yes you can put Eriksen and Capoue in there, but you can also but Dembele into the midfield.

I'm just saying that we have ways to counteract the problems that have been highlighted about integrating a lot of new players at the same time.

Remember Friedel/Lloris last season? Did you expect Friedel to get that many games early on? How can you be so sure that Capoue will be first choice and that Siggy won't get a start ahead of Chadli or Eriksen?
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Lennon and Sig will be on the bench.

Capoue, Dembele and Sandro will fight for the two positions in front of the defense.

Lamela and townsend on the wings and Paulinho in front of the two CM.

As for Bae, I would put Rose over him. Bae needs a new challenge.


-----------------Lloris

Walker----Dawson----Vertonghen-------Rose

----------Sandro-----Dembele-----------

---------------Paulinho----------------

Townsend-----------------------Lamela

---------------Soldado--------------

Please remember that you win games with quality. Siggy and Lennon havent got much of that.

You're only one change (say Lennon for Townsend) away from 4 new starting players, the same as I had in my example.

There will be rotations and there will be changes. We'll play midweek-weekend a lot and then there are internationals and injuries. Some smart rotating from AVB and we can still field a considerable amount of players from last season in our team most of the games. That's the point I'm making.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

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Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

-----------------Lloris

Walker----Kaboul----Vertonghen-------Rose

----------Sandro-----Paulinho-----------

---------------Eriksen----------------

Townsend-----------------------Lamela

---------------Soldado--------------
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I agree with all of you! (I think).

For tough away games (or games against really strong teams) we can line up with 3 beasts in the middle and 433:

---------lloris
walker--kaboul--vert--rose
---------sandro
-----dembele--paulinho
--lamela---soldado---chadli

For games against weaker opposition, that call for more creativity, we can go:

---------lloris
walker--kaboul--vert--rose
-------sandro---paulinho
--lamela---eriksen---chadli
----------soldado

And now, see both lineups with players (in brackets) who can potentially rotate in:
Lineup 1:

---------------------------------lloris(friedel)
walker(naughton)--kaboul(dawson)--vert(chiriches)--rose(fryers)
-------------------------------sandro(capoue)
------------------dembele(holtby)--paulinho(eriksen)
------lamela(townsend)---soldado(defoe)---chadli(lennon)

Lineup 2:
---------------------------------lloris(friedel)
walker(naughton)--kaboul(dawson)--vert(chiriches)--rose(fryers)
-------------------------sandro(capoue)---paulinho(dembele)
---lamela(townsend)-----------eriksen(holtby)----------chadli(lennon)
-------------------------------------soldado(defoe)

I think we will play 'lineup 2' most of the time.

I also think we need a left-back, so that we don't have to rely on Fryers this season. Not that I have anything against the lad, but we don't want any weak links undoing us. We could challenge for the title this season if we ensure that we don't have weak links in the squad. Left-back and better backup for Soldado are the only weaknesses I see (but left-back is much more of a weak spot imo).
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

My head is spinning with all the possibilities.

I should amend that.

My head is spinning with all the possibilities without a loss in quality.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

-----------------Lloris

Walker----Kaboul----Vertonghen-------Rose

----------Sandro-----Paulinho-----------

---------------Eriksen----------------

Townsend-----------------------Lamela

---------------Soldado--------------

I don't think that Lamela is joining us to play on the left
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Am I the only one who thinks Lamela has been bought to play in the middle/as a No. 10?

That's where he played for River Plate, only switching to his current position at Roma to allow both himself and Totti to play at the same time. And there's this:

Roma captain Francesco Totti’s declarations are still taken as gospel by the giallorosso side of the capital. “I hope [Erik] Lamela will be my heir,” confessed the legendary playmaker during the Argentine youngster’s debut season in Italy.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...o-totti--nears-move-to-tottenham-8787797.html

Totti's heir would be a natural No.10, not a No. 8 or No. 11. Very much sounds like that's how the Roma brass saw him developing.

On top of which, it makes a lot more sense to have your marquee €30m signing in the middle as part of a spine of Lloris/Verts/Pauly/Lamela/Bobby, than it is to have Holtby or Eriksen in the middle and Lamela on the outside.

"Cultured young South American turning himself into a Galactico No. 10" is how I would imagine the Lamela script will go over the next few years.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

On top of which, it makes a lot more sense to have your marquee €30m signing in the middle as part of a spine of Lloris/Verts/Pauly/Lamela/Bobby, than it is to have Holtby or Eriksen in the middle and Lamela on the outside.

I'm not sure that's important. Madrid bought Ronaldo for £80m and played him on the left, cutting in on his right foot.

Though I am sure it's possible that Lamela ends up as a number 10, I don't think his price-tag dictates that it must happen.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Am I the only one who thinks Lamela has been bought to play in the middle/as a No. 10?

That's where he played for River Plate, only switching to his current position at Roma to allow both himself and Totti to play at the same time. And there's this:



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...o-totti--nears-move-to-tottenham-8787797.html

Totti's heir would be a natural No.10, not a No. 8 or No. 11. Very much sounds like that's how the Roma brass saw him developing.

On top of which, it makes a lot more sense to have your marquee €30m signing in the middle as part of a spine of Lloris/Verts/Pauly/Lamela/Bobby, than it is to have Holtby or Eriksen in the middle and Lamela on the outside.

"Cultured young South American turning himself into a Galactico No. 10" is how I would imagine the Lamela script will go over the next few years.

Possibly. We're obviously going to see a lot of movement between the three behind Soldado. My guess is that Erikson and Lamela will be fighting it out for the central spot but even when picked there they'll still be elsewhere often.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I'm not sure that's important. Madrid bought Ronaldo for £80m and played him on the left, cutting in on his right foot..


The thing is though that "The Spine" is one of those modern Moneyball-type concepts that soccerball coaches love nowadays. It has been shown on the chalkboards (i.e. computer programmes) that the spine isn't an imaginary thing, but rather really does effect the efficiency of a team. It improves results over time to fill those spots with your best players, and Erik should be one of those. I think this kind of rationale would be very much in line with AVB's style of modern, technical coaching and I'm not sure he'd want Holtby or Eriksen in that spine and not Lamela.

Ronaldo is a bit different I think. First, because the wing is and always has been his natural No. 1 position...that's not really the case with Erik. Second, RM could afford to put Ronaldo on the wing because their spine was already excellent...that is not really the case with us, we need someone really good in there. And third, Ronaldo is so exceptional that he could murder you if he played in goal...Erik may be good, but he's not at that level yet and so best put him in the percentage position to have the most impact, which would be in the middle.

Anyway, I could be totally wrong, but to me there are strong signs and reasons to believe No. 10 is the plan.

.....

@ Milo: Aye, probably true.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

------------------------------------------Lloris (Friedel)
Walker (Naughton)---- Kaboul (Dawson)--------Vertonghen (Chiriches) ---- Rose (????)
--------------Paulinho (Sandro)--------------------- Capoue (Dembele)---------
Townsend (Lennon)--------------- Lamela (Erikson)--------------- Chadli (Siggy)
------------------------------------Soldado (Ade/Defoe)


Leaving.. Holtby and Carroll as cover for injuries.. Which upsets me as I think they both have quite a lot of potential..


The two 'DM' spots would be dependant on who we were playing against at the time, probably the hardest two decisions to make writing down the team sheet.

(I may have forgotten someone)

Lots of Versatility though, which is good during games and for injury strewn periods of the season.

Also currently obvious where we need either clarification on Bae or a new left back. After that i reckon we'd be finished spending.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

The best thing about such a quality squad is that hopefully we no longer have to rush players back from injury or play players out of position. Should make us much stronger as the season goes on.
 
Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Eriksen and Lamela will go straight into our first team:

----------------Lloris----------------
Walker----Kaboul--Vertonghen--Rose
--------Paulinho------Sandro--------
Lamela---------Eriksen---------Chadli
--------------Soldado--------------

---------------Friedel----------------
Naughton--Dawson--Chiriches--Ekotto
--------Dembele-----Capoue---------
Lennon--------Holtby-------Townsend
--------------Defoe

That leaves Gomes, Fryers, Sigurdsson, Carroll, Adebayor.
 
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