AVB Doubters

[bigpalacios]

The result yesterday was massive for AVB as the players will really believe in his ethos. Players will feel like they can beat anyone team anywhere after winning at Old Trafford and that bodes well for the rest of the season. We have had a couple of crap performances but confidence will booming now so we can forget about them and kick on. If AVB can then go get Moutinho in january we can do something really special this season under him.

Have to say I really enjoy watching his celebrations. He celebrates like a fan which just shows the passion he has which is refreshing.

Hope this victory can get some of the media pricks off his case, yeah he is abit prickly at times but that is no reason for over sensitive journalists to form an agenda against him is it? No. It just shows how crap they are at real reporting.

Really looking forward to the Chelsea game now. Cant imagine how he will celebrate if we win that

 

[Mr Pink]

God the Chelsea game - that will be interesting.

WHL has to be rocking, I know its an early kick off, but its about time the roof was lifted off, properly.

We've seen a win at OT for the first time in 23 years, we need to give AVB one hell of an atmosphere when Chelsea come to town.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

It's still very early to judge the guy, but my biggest worry was that we wouldn't give him time to prove himself. Yesterday must have bought him some with most critics. We'll have some bad days this season, but as players get used to AVB's style and system and as he gets more experience, we should get stronger. We had a great first half, and in the second half we didn't capitulate against perhaps the most potent attacking force in the league. Lots of work to do, but hopefully now they can do it without so much of the negative press and pathetic boos.

I think this is a very salient point. Even yesterday in the ratings thread I said that result shouldn't be over valued on it's own, I don't think it means much in the grand scheme of things, we are just as likely based on performances to lose next week as win, the best thing about any results at the moment are they will buy AVB time, and I think this is vital for a manager in the circumstances AVB finds himself. He needs at least two windows to put into that team things that are missing and a good year to get those parts singing to his tune.

 

[Berglad]

God the Chelsea game - that will be interesting.

WHL has to be rocking, I know its an early kick off, but its about time the roof was lifted off, properly.

We've seen a win at OT for the first time in 23 years, we need to give AVB one hell of an atmosphere when Chelsea come to town.

The "Let it Be" AVB song needs to take off - imagine that rolling out at WHL against Chelsea?

 

[ShelfSide18]

The "Let it Be" AVB song needs to take off - imagine that rolling out at WHL against Chelsea?

Did we sing that What are the words?

That sounds amazing.

 

[Berglad]

Did we sing that What are the words?

That sounds amazing.

not sure if anyone's got it going yet, but king_pair on COYS suggested it originally to a good reception:

"Don't overthink this people.

When we found ourselves in times of trouble Father Andre came to me,
Speaking words of wisdom - AVB
And in our hour of darkness he was standing right in front of me,
Speaking words of wisdom - AVB

AVB, AVB, AVB, AVB
Whispering words of wisdom - AVB

...
Doesn't even need the verse. If we can't get that chorus going round the lane we've missed out."

 

[Mr Pink]

The "Let it Be" AVB song needs to take off - imagine that rolling out at WHL against Chelsea?

Pretty awesome!!! made me chuckle!!!

 

[NEVILLEB]

Too early to make a judgement either way

 

[sim0n]

I'm still doubtful but supportive

Superb result yesterday. Whatever happens, AVB deserves a full season, and as long as we finish top 10, a second season too.

well, at least some here should give him until the January window now with the manUre victory...

 

[NEVILLEB]

He needs to develop a formation for playing at home and also away to the bottom teams.

 

[Flashspur]

For me it was a case of can AVB communicate his obvious wealth of knowledge about the game to the players. It's one thing having the theory, the badges, the 70 page dossiers - it's another thing communicating it well and putting it into practice. It's the hardest thing in coaching, if you can't get your ideas across, there's no point having the ideas in the first place.

I think some people are sceptical of coaches like AVB because they think they are over complicating a simple game, but I disagree. All the dossiers and stats and so on are just there to provide a wealth of information in order to gain small margins across the game, it may be couched in maybe a more 'intellectual' sounding language sometimes, but in reality it's often conveying very simple principles.

Redknapp wasn't quite the tactical numpty people tried to portray him as at all, but he was very much a man who got his group of players, made them believe in themselves and gave them simple instructions and let them express themselves. This has a lot to say for itself, it took us to the Bernabeu and the San Siro, but I think it also led to us turning up at Wembley and looking utterly lost losing 5-1 to Chelsea for example. He didn't strike me as a guy who was as meticulous as others in his preparation, his distrust of the analytical side of the game meant we were sometimes 'driving without a dashboard'. Intuitively, he understood the game, he sometimes made excellent decisions because he just felt the game of football, I just think the very best don't leave what HR did to chance. Y'know, as a young coach myself It seems a little odd saying this, but coaches rarely make the difference that they think they probably should be - HR was right when he said the most important thing is how good your players are, but the best coaches just get those extra bits out of their players and the team collective that others can't. For me, the best in the EPL at the moment in bringing those small margins together are Fergie, Wenger and Moyes (and very much like Rodgers and Lambert too) - I sincerely hope that AVB is the guy who do this with us.

I like AVBs meticulous nature, and the signs so far seem to suggest that he's getting his message across - there's no guarantee he's going to succeed but ultimatelly I support Levy's decision, it was a risk and very brave, but after yesterdays result I think we can be looking at the future with optimism.

Agree with everything you have said. I have coached and managed as well and its with the 1 per centers where coaches make their marks. AVB seems to be achieving that and the work with the players such as Defoe's improvement is a sight to behold.

 

[Riandor]

I like AVB and always have done, but i will not be getting massively carried away after OT.
Celebrated at the time and it's a great achievement in it's own right and critical for morale to keep it going in the up direction since the first few games.

But One result does not a season make.

The seasons under HR should teach us that we can beat the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal one minute and then lose to Norwich the next.

It's a great step and if it pushes us on it's wonderful and it really is good to have that monkey off our back, it felt a bit like the last shackle. But like AVB said in his press conference, it's about enjoying the 3points but at the end of the day that is all it is.

Time will tell if it yields more than that.

So well done AVB and the team for a great result, but that means the season starts here... want to make that result actually count? Then we need to push on and on that will AVB be judged.

I am glad the media have to shut up for a bit though with the negatives, that make a pleasant change.

 

[DanNolan]

The main thing that I see happening regardless of results is that the players are improving. Defoe has been identified already, but in addition I think the youngsters especially Townsend are becoming better players and the team tactically actually seem to be learning in training and improving on mistakes from previous games. New training ground etc wasted on Harry. I love the football Harry played but IMO players who had limitations never improved under his watch. The policy levy wants is us to develop some young talent make stars and from what I have seen AVB is the right appointment for that. Young talent will want to come to spurs now which can only be good

 

[Singaspursofsixspence]

AVB to me is about the collective , synergy personified. The team plays well, or badly as a whole unit. The 'team before self' mentality is slowly getting phased in as the remnants of Harry's legacy is being unravelled, never thought I'd see the day Defoe being fired up before a game and giving a team talk like a leader. And boy do we have some leaders in this team (Gallas, Vertonghen, Sandro etc) who would be pushing the team through...Looking across our team, i cant believe how many options our players will fit into any permutation of formations..we can play 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-1-3-2 ...something we were never able to.

For Harry it was more about the brilliance of individual 'star' players, when they played well they were world-beaters, when they didnt perform we were utter shite. Or when injuries restricted or teams marked the star-players out, we seldom had any alternative to counter these tactics, just the plain 4-4-2 and passing it to VDV->Modric->Bale->Lennon .

 

[robbiedee]

Never really doubted AVB, but was worried when he didn't get his 'Modric replacement' in the tranfer window, that his system might not be as effective. We seem to be managing ok. We still sit back too much and invite pressure onto ourselves in the last part of the game...my heart really can't take that shit!

Knowing we've got Ade, Parker Kaboul and Benny to come back adds the strength in depth that we needed last season. I fully trust AVB to rotate giving us a much better chance in the latter 2/3 months of the season.

Beating Manure at OT will give the lads confidence that they can beat anyone and it will also help them trust their managers decisions.

Things are looking very rosey right now. Long may it continue.

Also loving the AVB/let it be song...

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

Initially I had back ground doubts but, being a fair person, I thought it best to give him a chance and stay nuetral. I'm slowly, slowly warming and as some one eluded to, hold Levy responsible for our less than spectacular start.

What is DEFINITELY warming me to him is this sort of thing.

 

[myhartlane]

Always thought he was the guy for the job and haven't changed my mind. He is lucky to have inherited the squad that he has and Harry deserves some credit but if anything I though he had a weakened squad at the season start but now I think he has a more flexible squad. Bearing in mind our best Keeper isn't established yet and one of the best strikers at the club in years isn't fully fit yet, he is doing a great job.

Way too early to judge for some but already from what we have seen he seems to have winner written all over him.

Totally agree, I genuinely can't think of a better man for this particular job. I think AVB and THFC in 2012 and beyond are the perfect fit.

 

[lillywhites61]

I wanted this appointment, I didn't expect miracles, and we are not getti g them yet, he is finding his feet and slowly building team confidence with a sprinkling of luck along the way (maybe he deserves that after his Chelsea days).

I do feel he will get us playing more attractive football as well as he still builds his team and we get back to full strength. I still think 4th will be a major achievement after so much change this season. So 5th to 6th will do me fine with some good cup runs and hopefully some silverware at the end.

 

[KingKay]

I wanted this appointment, I didn't expect miracles, and we are not getting them yet, he is finding his feet and slowly building team confidence with a sprinkling of luck along the way (maybe he deserves that after his Chelsea days).

... are you suggesting that Spurs winning at Old Trafford is not a miracle?

 

[lillywhites61]

... are you suggesting that Spurs winning at Old Trafford is not a miracle?

Ha well it's not far short I admit the only miraculous thing is that somehow we didn't concede but that was more down to their poor finishing than anything else