AVB - Fourth a must for Spurs

[Mullers]

Andre Villas-Boas has admitted that the minimum requirement from his debut season at Tottenham is a fourth-placed finish.

The north London club finished in the top four last season under Harry Redknapp but missed out on Champions League football due to Chelsea's victory against Bayern Munich in May's final.

The Portuguese boss has implemented new training structures at White Hart Lane since his arrival in the summer as well as altering the team's formation.

But despite these changes Spurs began the new Premier League season with defeat at Newcastle last weekend.

However, Villas-Boas is confident that his changes will make his side harder to beat in time and admitted that only another top-four spot would be good enough for chairman Daniel Levy.
He said: "Top four is what was proposed to me and that's what I accepted."
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11675/8016621
If this is true then I think the board is being extremely unfair and unrealistic, he starts the new season with one hand tied behind is back and he's expected to get top four. We're just going to go through manager after manager with that kind of target.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

But from his quote it would appear that he agreed to those expectations. If he did not feel it was possible to finish in the top four, then he should not have signed the contract.

Anyway, unrealistic? We have finished fourth twice in the last 3 seasons, so I don't really see how it is "unrealistic" for fourth to be the requirement this season.

 

[beats1]

To be fair he came here hated by the press because John Terry didnt like him and we got rid of good old harry. Now daniel levy hasnt done him any favours by not making signings early and etc.

 

[NEVILLEB]

He should at least do as well as Redknapp. There's no point changing things if we're gonna go backwards.

 

[AnotherSpursFan]

At least everyone's clear of the club's direction with AVB.
With Harry, it changes every week.

 

[StockSpur]

Good luck, at least we have a point after two games this season..

 

[Mullers]

But from his quote it would appear that he agreed to those expectations. If he did not feel it was possible to finish in the top four, then he should not have signed the contract.

Anyway, unrealistic? We have finished fourth twice in the last 3 seasons, so I don't really see how it is "unrealistic" for fourth to be the requirement this season.

Arsenal have qualified for the CL past 15 years, Man Utd and City are certs for CL and Chelsea are the current FA cup and Champion league holders and have spent heavily during the summer. Their league form last season was bad by their standards, I wouldn't expect them to repeat that this season. Top four is not impossible but to make that a requirement for keeping his job is crazy.

 

[kazzah9]

This isn't a knee-jerk after 2 games but, is anyone here expecting 4th or higher?

 

[Mullers]

This isn't a knee-jerk after 2 games but, is anyone here expecting 4th or higher?

Not me.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Arsenal have qualified for the CL past 15 years, Man Utd and City are certs for CL and Chelsea are the current FA cup and Champion league holders and have spent heavily during the summer. Their league form last season was bad by their standards, I wouldn't expect them to repeat that this season. Top four is not impossible but to make that a requirement for keeping his job is crazy.

I would personally say that if you were not expecting a change in personnel to at least ensure parity of results with the predecessor, then why the hell are you making the change in the first place?

I have never started a job and been told that it is ok to do worse than the bloke who had the job before me.

 

[yido4life]

Personally I dont think this is realistic.

With the squad that Man City already have, Utd strengthening slightly and Arsenal and Chelsea improving I cant see a place for us. this is not me being negative but being realistic at what we have to compete with. Really this echoes what Mullers said.

The loss of Modric will/has been big and we will get the same sort of quality in a replacement? im not sure.

My current prediction for the end of season table looks like:

Man City
Chelsea
Man Utd
Arsenal
Everton
Spurs
Liverpool

This is based on our current squad so we will have to wait on what will happen, but I think it is unfair on AVB to place these targets on him, yes it is more a less the same squad as last year which achieved but the strengthening of the other sides is hard to compete with. Really hope we do get fourth though!!

 

[Damian99]

This isn't a knee-jerk after 2 games but, is anyone here expecting 4th or higher?

To be honest if we stop this fucking about in the transfer market i am hoping 4th is "doable" . We have looked assured for large parts of these first two games.

 

[amathews3416]

I would personally say that if you were not expecting a change in personnel to at least ensure parity of results with the predecessor, then why the hell are you making the change in the first place?

I have never started a job and been told that it is ok to do worse than the bloke who had the job before me.

If your not given the same resources as your predecessor (Modric in AVB's case) its fair not to expect equal or better results

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

If your not given the same resources as your predecessor (Modric in AVB's case) its fair not to expect equal or better results

May not have modric, but he is most likely going to be given a much larger war chest than Harry, which is a resource too.

 

[Mullers]

May not have modric, but he is most likely going to be given a much larger war chest than Harry, which is a resource too.

A week left to get in a modric replacement, not going to happen.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

A week left to get in a modric replacement, not going to happen.

You believe it's not going to happen.

And whether or not a modric replacement is indeed what we are after is open to debate. Many systems work without deep lying playmakers.

 

[TheGreenLily]

May not have modric, but he is most likely going to be given a much larger war chest than Harry, which is a resource too.

Only if he can get the players he wants and needs. No point having a war chest if the only thing it is good for is resting a cuppa tea on it.

 

[ohh_when_the_spurs]

WE ARE DOOOOMED!!!!!!!!!!! lets sack AVB and ask harry to come back!!!!!

IF ONLY WE HAD NELSEN & SAHA

 

[Mullers]

You believe it's not going to happen.

And whether or not a modric replacement is indeed what we are after is open to debate. Many systems work without deep lying playmakers.

True but at the moment we don't have these players and even if we do get them AVB needs a chance to work with them.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Not me.

Why not? We came 4th last year