Gazza Dazzla
Chris Perry
Willian, Mountinho and Llorente should do it! 60m,.. bosh!
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Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach
- Thread starter Bale
- Start date
Willian, Mountinho and Llorente should do it! 60m,.. bosh!
parklane1
Vic Buckingham
Indeed.
Last summer window pretty much dug his won hole - I think this January will finally seal his fate
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
Interesting discussion here...I think Levy is a combination of very very shrewd but also suffers from a near-cardiac-addiction to the jump-thrill of the deal. I genuinely believe that him and Harry were never ever congruent when it came to transfers. Harry likes quicker, faster, more instant solutions, and often these come with a hefty salary and not many years on the back-end of their careers. Levy prefers a younger, more dynamic squad made up of potential and promise with a smattering of star quality. I think if Harry could've pulled the trigger on a couple of big-name younger prime-time players, they'd have found happy ground. But it never happened.
One thing I do believe is that AVB is about as close as we'll get to seeing a manager with whom Levy can work/get on. I was personally disappointed by the failure to secure Moutinho in the August window, but have to say that the benefits have been AVB seeing EXACTLY what he's got and what he needs in the next TWO windows.
I have vigorously defended Levy over the years as I think some of his work has been extraordinary, just outstanding actually. But I have to say that the next two windows will tell me personally an awful lot. He has not, until now, had one of his 'dream appts' IMHO. In AVB, he has a man who he's wanted for a long time. Now we shall see what he's prepared to do.
I will sound cray for saying this and perhaps some will accuse me (not unfairly maybe) of heaping pressure on AVB and having swallowed a happy pill too many...but if we sign a Moutinho and if we could get another striker/attacking midfielder in, I believe we 'could' (providing we keep on the boil over the Xmas holidays) take a tilt at the top 3.
I feel we are finding stride and confidence in abundance, I feel his squad management has largely been excellent and I detect a spirit amongst the squad which is something else; when Azza came off the pitch yesterday, the smile on AVB's face was deep. I think the man care passionately about this club and his players.
My glass remains half-full...
Steff
p.s. for me, Levy had his first crack at all this with Glennda, which didn't work out regretfully. When he got Arnesen in, I genuinely believe he felt he had 'the answer' to everything, and of all the losses we've had, I would wager it remains his personal biggest one at Spurs. Chelscum's theft of him at that time was a disgrace, especially as he had reportedly (and I use that phrase vigorously!) assured Jol that if HE resisted certain overtures, Arnesen himself would be there for years.
Hashegotthesackyet?
Alan Hutton
jetset is probably the same skidmark that was agent_itk... just another alias, a sleeper cell, if you will. I will never take anymore info, from these skidmarks on society. Anybody that passes it on, even in good faith, should have the birch.
But back to topic, agreed, happy with AVB big time. Agree with steff, back him big time Levy.
But back to topic, agreed, happy with AVB big time. Agree with steff, back him big time Levy.
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Jurgen the German
Tommy Harmer
Interesting. One of my big criticisms of Levy is he hasn't backed our managers enough in the windows, that applies to Harry and also to AVB in the last window. All very well saying we were interested in Moutinho and we "nearly got him", but the fact is we didn't. Also amuses me when people slated Redknapp because he apparently wanted Phil Neville and Joe Cole for example, even though we never actually signed them. A manager gets slated for players he never signed, incredible!
We'll see how AVB does without Bale on Saturday, it's been suggested that we relied too much on individuals during the previous manager's reign and AVB is trying to mould us into a team where we don't rely on individual brilliance. I don't see too much difference so far to be honest. We don't often win when Bale has a bad game.
The next window is vital for us. I hope AVB is bluffing about not needing/wanting new players. It's clear we are lacking some creativity in central midfield, plus we will only have Defoe when it comes to strikers when Adebayor goes to the ACN.
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
Agreed on both counts, you have most certainly been consistent on that count mate...
Agreed in most part with you and thfcsteff. But will Ade goes to ANC 2013? He has stated that he will "suspend" his international career.
I do respect Levy for the work he has done so far, and as a chairman if he delivered the new stadium it would have been at least a passing mark. Just that for too often, I would imagine a really shrewd businessman will not just look at the future and actually price a larger investment now could offer a bigger opportunity more than mere promise of future potential. Had 'Arry got one or two 10m+ key signings, he might have brought us up another level already, and this could open the door for more opportunity.
Even Manure, who has all those "home-grown" talents from the '90s, Fergie didn't stop and think, with these young players it's enough as we would be in a position to challange for titles, but Fergie went out to bring in some big-money signings (some worked, some didn't) and to actually win titles.
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DHSF
Les Ferdinand
Where we are come 1st January, after the holiday period of games, will determine whether we spend.
I am hoping that following these run of games we are in the same or higher position than we are at at present. If we are I am fudgein hoping Levy shows us that he learnt his lesson from the fiasco that was the January 2012 window.
If we are in a position we MUST get one or two in which will be the catalyst for second half of the season. We have done well so far but I'm not going to let that mask the weaknesses we have.
The twunt made a good point - what happens if the opposition score first? Do we have the creativity to break teams down? I'm not so sure. We have had good results and its always been because we have scored at just the right times.
Have we come from behind this season? Don't remember. Anyways its a good thing we haven't because it means we haven't gone behind much.
I am hoping that following these run of games we are in the same or higher position than we are at at present. If we are I am fudgein hoping Levy shows us that he learnt his lesson from the fiasco that was the January 2012 window.
If we are in a position we MUST get one or two in which will be the catalyst for second half of the season. We have done well so far but I'm not going to let that mask the weaknesses we have.
The twunt made a good point - what happens if the opposition score first? Do we have the creativity to break teams down? I'm not so sure. We have had good results and its always been because we have scored at just the right times.
Have we come from behind this season? Don't remember. Anyways its a good thing we haven't because it means we haven't gone behind much.
http://www.football365.com/faves/8308014/Goals-Available-For-Fair-Price-In-January
btw, we only came back from a losing position once this season, QPR...partially because we scored first most of the times...on the other end of the spectrum, we have thrown away 13 points from a winning/drawing position.
DHSF
Les Ferdinand
Interesting - Well it is a great thing we have been scoring first but you wont score first every game and its how we battle back. We did ok against chelscum but their class showed towards the end.
Modric THFC
Jimmy McCormick
AVB will recognise anyone he signs in January will take quite a while to get up to speed to his tactical plan.
I've no doubt he, like Ferguson, is the type of manager that likes to get his business done early and then prepare for the season with his squad complete.
I can't see him being that eager to sign anyone in January and if he does it will possibly be with a view to next season plans.
He is not gonna spend to bring someone in for cover for 3 games for Adebayor for instance.
I also think the next time we lose to another team people feel we should be beating (swansea or stoke at home for instance), people will be up in arms against him again.
I've no doubt he, like Ferguson, is the type of manager that likes to get his business done early and then prepare for the season with his squad complete.
I can't see him being that eager to sign anyone in January and if he does it will possibly be with a view to next season plans.
He is not gonna spend to bring someone in for cover for 3 games for Adebayor for instance.
I also think the next time we lose to another team people feel we should be beating (swansea or stoke at home for instance), people will be up in arms against him again.
Pirate55
The Last Man Standing 17/18
H did sign Saha, Chimbona, Piennar and Nelsen though! Plus today I read he is raving about Keano and Bentley. With that insightfulness lets hope he buys those last two for Big Money!!!
Maybe Levy was right not to back him with our big money...,
paxtonwolf
John White
Defintely agree with needing another creative CM. the LB may not be essential with Benny due for return anytime now, if money is tight that could possibly wait until summer, but I do feel we need a back-up striker option.
I was hoping maybe one of youth/U21 strikers may have been starting to make the bench,but alas nobody seems to be making the jump just yet, so we may need to bring a 3rd choice, possibly one that could cover RW to give Lennon a break very so often
NaijaSpurs
Rafael Van Der Vaart
Andre Villas-Boas is a gifted linguist who is not only capable of holding press conferences in a number of different languages but also, from time to time, coining new English words that perhaps ought to exist but do not. Yet although the Tottenham Hotspur manager is, therefore, almost certainly acquainted with the German term schadenfreude, he does not seem to indulge in the delight in the troubles of others that it signifies.
Invited to express his satisfaction at hearing his name chanted by supporters at White Hart Lane while the boos ring out for Rafael Benitez at Chelsea, who sacked him last season, and Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, Spurs' greatest rivals, Villas-Boas declined the offer.
"There is empathy [between fans and manager] but the empathy is created by the fact that the team has changed fortunes recently and we have got the results," he said. "Really the fans are the best critic of your performances. At the moment the criticism is positive because we are on a good run.
"But everything can change. In this business you go from being the best to being donkeys very, very quickly. That is the nature of the game and that is the nature of football management. We just hope that at the end of the season we are able to sing each other's names. [Now] I prefer them to sing the players' names and push the team on."
The run of good form that has taken Spurs up to fourth place going into this weekend faces a severe examination today at Goodison Park, a ground that Villas-Boas says has been made into one of the toughest to visit in the Premier League by David Moyes, Everton's manager.
It is likely to represent a truer test of Tottenham's and Villas-Boas's credentials than four successive victories in the relatively friendly confines of the capital – Premier League wins against West Ham and Liverpool at White Hart Lane and Fulham at Craven Cottage, followed by a 3-1 home success against Panathinaikos in the Europa League.
Tottenham must replace Gareth Bale, who injured a hamstring against Fulham. Villas-Boas used Clint Dempsey on the left against Panathinaikos on Thursday and was rewarded with an assist and a goal, but he hinted that the American may return to a more central role today even though Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe successfully reprised their forward partnership of last season against the Greeks in an effective, if old-fashioned, 4-4-2 system.
"It's not a question of fashion, it's what is effective for your team," he said. "Tottenham were so, so successful last year with this system. Adebayor and Defoe are different from each other but they seem to create for each other and they know each other very well.
"[Dempsey] had very successful years at Fulham coming in from the left. We tried him [on Thursday] and it was good for him because he is very responsible defensively and offensively he is very creative. He comes inside on the back of the opponents' midfield players and he just links up the game for us."
So, even though Dempsey lacks Bale's pace, if it ain't broke...? "I understand you don't consider Dempsey a striker. He has developed into playing in different positions, but for me he is a pure striker. And we have different alternatives [on the left]. We tried Gylfi Sigurdsson there, and I think you know we have quality players for us to choose between for that position, although with different characteristics."
An entertaining subplot in today's game could be a battle of Belgium midfielders, between the eye- catching Everton man Marouane Fellaini and Moussa Dembélé of Tottenham. "I think Fellaini is more of a goalscorer, he arrives in the box, scores more goals, makes use of his physical presence," Villas-Boas said. "Moussa has tremendous defensive qualities too, he recovers lots of balls and he has an amazing ability to hold on to the ball and drive the ball forward. So, different types of players but both extremely good."
Villas-Boas hopes Dembélé's name will be sung at Goodison today rather than Fellaini's – or even his own.
Invited to express his satisfaction at hearing his name chanted by supporters at White Hart Lane while the boos ring out for Rafael Benitez at Chelsea, who sacked him last season, and Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, Spurs' greatest rivals, Villas-Boas declined the offer.
"There is empathy [between fans and manager] but the empathy is created by the fact that the team has changed fortunes recently and we have got the results," he said. "Really the fans are the best critic of your performances. At the moment the criticism is positive because we are on a good run.
"But everything can change. In this business you go from being the best to being donkeys very, very quickly. That is the nature of the game and that is the nature of football management. We just hope that at the end of the season we are able to sing each other's names. [Now] I prefer them to sing the players' names and push the team on."
The run of good form that has taken Spurs up to fourth place going into this weekend faces a severe examination today at Goodison Park, a ground that Villas-Boas says has been made into one of the toughest to visit in the Premier League by David Moyes, Everton's manager.
It is likely to represent a truer test of Tottenham's and Villas-Boas's credentials than four successive victories in the relatively friendly confines of the capital – Premier League wins against West Ham and Liverpool at White Hart Lane and Fulham at Craven Cottage, followed by a 3-1 home success against Panathinaikos in the Europa League.
Tottenham must replace Gareth Bale, who injured a hamstring against Fulham. Villas-Boas used Clint Dempsey on the left against Panathinaikos on Thursday and was rewarded with an assist and a goal, but he hinted that the American may return to a more central role today even though Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe successfully reprised their forward partnership of last season against the Greeks in an effective, if old-fashioned, 4-4-2 system.
"It's not a question of fashion, it's what is effective for your team," he said. "Tottenham were so, so successful last year with this system. Adebayor and Defoe are different from each other but they seem to create for each other and they know each other very well.
"[Dempsey] had very successful years at Fulham coming in from the left. We tried him [on Thursday] and it was good for him because he is very responsible defensively and offensively he is very creative. He comes inside on the back of the opponents' midfield players and he just links up the game for us."
So, even though Dempsey lacks Bale's pace, if it ain't broke...? "I understand you don't consider Dempsey a striker. He has developed into playing in different positions, but for me he is a pure striker. And we have different alternatives [on the left]. We tried Gylfi Sigurdsson there, and I think you know we have quality players for us to choose between for that position, although with different characteristics."
An entertaining subplot in today's game could be a battle of Belgium midfielders, between the eye- catching Everton man Marouane Fellaini and Moussa Dembélé of Tottenham. "I think Fellaini is more of a goalscorer, he arrives in the box, scores more goals, makes use of his physical presence," Villas-Boas said. "Moussa has tremendous defensive qualities too, he recovers lots of balls and he has an amazing ability to hold on to the ball and drive the ball forward. So, different types of players but both extremely good."
Villas-Boas hopes Dembélé's name will be sung at Goodison today rather than Fellaini's – or even his own.