AVB is over achieving

[The Apprentice]

As many have said already in the thread, we are walking a tight rope at the moment, with such dependence on not conceding. I still believe AVB will get it right and the goals will come, however some of his selections and tactical substituions have definitely left him open to scrutiny.

Every time he picks Lennon and Townsend together, a small piece of my footballing soul dies.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Does it matter, lets be honest this season is abit crazy at the moment and we will only know after 20 games who was in a false position

Plus both Arsenal and us have a hard run in yet

Of course it matters for fuck sake.

We're fucking 4th.

We're not equal shit.

Jesus.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

Of course it matters for fuck sake.

We're fucking 4th.

We're not equal shit.

Jesus.

Fight, fight, fight

 

[beats1]

Of course it matters for fuck sake.

We're fucking 4th.

We're not equal shit.

Jesus.

I understand that but no one can say we are over achieving yet imo as the whole league is crazy, there was a article today about everybody beating every one else and they did a flow chart starting from Arsenal and slowly went through every team in the league of the one team they beat and so on and so on until it finished back on Arsenal losing to Villa. Reminded me of when I was a kid and saying ohh my team beat team X who beat team Y, so therefore my team is much better than Team Y.

We will know in 10 games time whether we are truly over achieving, I wouldnt say we are overachieving when we haven't played City, United, Southampton(not a top 4 team but in form team), Liverpool, WBA and Newcastle(who the last two can take points of the big boys).

I just think people need calm down when they say we are fourth especially when City and United are below us and gathering momentum

 

[Riandor]

Maybe its just me and Im crap at wishful thinking. But Im just seeing toothless performances with no sign on refuge on the horizon.

I dont see why we need to wait for the 'click' before the players can make runs or try to create some space.

See, i dont agree... I see plenty of runs, good ones. But what i see is hesitance of players to attempt the pass. Possession is retained and recycled and stats wise jts great, but we miss the chance if a direct attack on goal.

Im not asking for a 'hail mary' every time, but i think the players in midfield need to balance possession with risk. There is too little risk at times and thus precious reward.

Against Everton there were a number of times i saw a player run into good space with a good chance of pulling away from any tracking player, only for Paulinho, Sandro or Dembele to wait, wait, waaaiiiit and then pick a safe pass.

I love that we keep possession, but its ultimately pointless if we don't score.

My other pet peeve is playing the ball to Soldado when he has 2 or 3 defenders near or marking him. Use that fact and burst towards box, preferably someone else has done that too so we have someone else to pass to, but no. We either still try to play him in, or have to wait for more options. If Holtby is on the ball for example he has no one to pass to other than soldado, out wide or back to the CM's. Too easy to defend against.

 

[M.I.B.]

Dress it up as you want big nuts.

We're 4th.

You been peeking at me?

 

[DiscoD1882]

It is still wishful thinking though isnt it. Its what you hope will happen but there is no evidence of it in our play.

The issue is all coaching and team selection. The wrong team is picked and the team interaction in the final third looks non existent.

what is eating you so much about our results? is it the amount of goals? why can we not get a few results in the bag in the coming few games where we score three or four goals and then go on a run of scoring goals in games? We arent losing. we are controlling most games. We arent conceeding. confidence breeds confidence.It really is a funny old game. I just dont understand your reluctance to get behind the manager and the team and your belief that we will fail. ok. I do understand the last bit as we have an almost unexhaustable supply of failure over the years. But hey i have been supporting spurs for 30 years and i am still posisitive and although not totally happy with how we are playing, i can see the long term view with this team. We arent short of a few players for a title push. we have all we need. We need patience. lots of patience. the goals will come.

 

[SteveH]

AVB is over achieving ?

No, no he is not.

To be honest AVB is doing well because he has a very iffy forward line.

 

[dudu]

To be honest AVB is doing well because he has a very iffy forward line.

Our defensive record speaks for itself this year, same players for the most part - west ham aside we look more solid that i have ever seen a spurs team look.

Our offensive record also speaks for itself - different players for the most part - least thretening spurs side in the last 4/5 games than i have seen in a long time.

AVB has proved a few times he is a capable of seeing issues and fixing them - and he still has plenty of time to do so -He is achieving exactly what he should be

 

[bubble07]

AVB is achieving NOT over achieving. We took a massive gamble with our summer signings as none had any premier league experience. However it is still too early to say whether a particular signing has failed

We obviously all hoped, rightly or wrongly that our summer signings in particular Soldado and Lamela would have hit the ground running straight away but they haven't

AVB/Baldini/Levy seemed to have a choice between Benteke or Soldado and went for a proven experienced goalscorer over a striker with premier league experience. Jury is out on whether that will turn out to be correct

Something is just not clicking. I think our problem is moving the ball quicker from our 2 central midfielders to our 3 advanced midfielders.

I believe our strongest postion in terms of depth is central midfield but we do no have one central midfielder in the modric mould who in one quick pass ca cut out 3 opposition players which would give space to our attacking players

That is the problem people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LeSoupeKitchen]

I don't really get this "just wait until we gel" line. Doesn't this only apply when there are some signs of attacking threat like a slightly mis-timed through ball, backheel that goes to noone or a cross with noone on the end etc? The players in the matches so far haven't been making mistakes but seem to be executing a game plan as instructed by AVB.

Although I'd like it to be less boring, I'm more than satisfied with the start we've made and love how solid we are. I don't see our style changing anytime soon as a result of this mythical "gelling".

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

I don't really get this "just wait until we gel" line. Doesn't this only apply when there are some signs of attacking threat like a slightly mis-timed through ball, backheel that goes to noone or a cross with noone on the end etc? The players in the matches so far haven't been making mistakes but seem to be executing a game plan as instructed by AVB.

Although I'd like it to be less boring, I'm more than satisfied with the start we've made and love how solid we are. I don't see our style changing anytime soon as a result of this mythical "gelling".

I've seen loads of misplaced passes and flicks. After a certain amount of failed attempts you're less likely to keep trying.

 

[Marcus_spur]

If we start scoring goals, with our defensive record, then things look great.

Sorry to quote so far back, but this popped into my head the moment I read it:
If we start scoring goals, with our defensive record, we´ll pass 100 points next season.

 

[whitechina]

I don't get why Lennon has has a shoe in straight after a return from injury. Another member has said he has no brain and for what he is supposed to do (score and assist) he isn't doing it and hasn't really for a long time. I really want to see more of the new signings so they can start forming relationships on the pitch. Everybody knows that it's different in a match to the training ground. Give Lamela a run (I know the language barrier but others manage!). Get Townsend on the left (I would prefer Erikson but Townsend is making the most of a chance) and more crosses into Soldado. We need more goals and a front three to work as a unit. COYS

 

[MarkyP]

Would imagine that if after 10 games and the same number of points (20)... but our goal diff read +10 or +11 instead of +4.. some peoples opinions would be wildly different to what they are now...

 

[jezz]

Would imagine that if after 10 games and the same number of points (20)... but our goal diff read +10 or +11 instead of +4.. some peoples opinions would be wildly different to what they are now...

Err of course they would. it would mean were scoring goals, but we are not scoring.
and my particular beef is that we have the talent, why not use it.
Sunday against everton i thought yes open kind of game we should get a couple.
But no we dominate and they werent exactly parking the bus and we still couldnt carve out chances.
I think the fear is we will do the same and should the oppo score we could be in trouble.
The back line and DM is fine, get some attacking intent in there, we have the players use them.
Stop letting them rot on the bench.
it compounds the matter when lennon jumps the queue and does nothing of note.

 

[MarkyP]

Err of course they would. it would mean were scoring goals, but we are not scoring.
and my particular beef is that we have the talent, why not use it.
Sunday against everton i thought yes open kind of game we should get a couple.
But no we dominate and they werent exactly parking the bus and we still couldnt carve out chances.
I think the fear is we will do the same and should the oppo score we could be in trouble.
The back line and DM is fine, get some attacking intent in there, we have the players use them.
Stop letting them rot on the bench.
it compounds the matter when lennon jumps the queue and does nothing of note.

Agree - frustrating to see those players we think can make a difference sitting on the bench, but they are obviously there for a reason... they will get their chance as and when AVB see's fit to play them.. but my point was, points wise, we are still pleased with where we are.... the goals will come.. and those players like Lamela will start to be introduced and will deliver the goods.

frustrating when 0-0 away at Everton and we have players that could make a difference, but AVB probably didnt want to lose what we had at that point.. throwing on a player to try and knick a 1-0... or take the point.. ? considering we lost 2 goals in stoppage time up there last season.. I can see why he didn't..

 

[dynamoSpurs]

He isn't. He needs to address the problems. The guy is so stubborn in his formation and tactics it's very annoying.

 

[jezz]

Agree - frustrating to see those players we think can make a difference sitting on the bench, but they are obviously there for a reason... they will get their chance as and when AVB see's fit to play them.. but my point was, points wise, we are still pleased with where we are.... the goals will come.. and those players like Lamela will start to be introduced and will deliver the goods.

frustrating when 0-0 away at Everton and we have players that could make a difference, but AVB probably didnt want to lose what we had at that point.. throwing on a player to try and knick a 1-0... or take the point.. ? considering we lost 2 goals in stoppage time up there last season.. I can see why he didn't..

im extremely happy points wise.
if anybody has said 10 games in 20pts and 4th i would have snatched there hand off.
If lennon and townsend get the nod again next week i will be disappointed.