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Has AVB Improved Spurs?

zcaks15

Member
Dec 12, 2003
81
37
In the 2011-2012 season, Spurs sat in third place with 53 points after 28 games. This season, after 28 games, we currently sit in third place with 54 points. Hence from this set of statistics alone, it seems that we have slightly improved under AVB. But it is much more than just one point.

At the beginning of this season, there were permanent departures of key players in Ledley King, Luka Modric and Rafael Van de Vaart. Worse still, key players such as Benoit Asso-Ekotto, Kaboul, Scott Parker, Adebayor were either njured or absent for a large part of the season. Those were in total 7 key players who got us to 4th place in the previous season and AVB had to rely on the remainder of the squad and a few new signings. The thing I like about AVB is that he does not moan about injuries to key players or lack of funds provided by the Chairman. He simply gets on with his job.

With so many absentees in the squad and his reputation at Chelsea, I was so certain that this season is the one to simply forget and that AVB would be axed in the near future. My prediction proved to be right when we started with the defeat at St. James' Park and the draw at home to West Brom. We did not get our first win until the victory against QPR at home with the help of an own goal scored by the other side.

Further, with AVB taking the Europa League seriously, it was thought that AVB was not really aiming for a top 4 finish in the league but was trying to using a cup final as a consolation prize for not achieving Champions League qualification.

Then came a rather special moment at Old Trafford where we got all three points. Up until now, Man United had only lost one game at home in the league all season, and that was against the best team in North London.

Although we began to picking up points at home and on the road thereafter, my doubts on AVB were on the style of football where we were not as entertaining as we were under Harry. Since we were picking up points, I thought I should give him some time.

At the Everton game at Goodison Park when we were leading 1-0, I thought AVB had finally proven me wrong. At the end of that game which we ended up losing 2-1, I said to myself I should have more faith in myself just a little bit more.

The pendulum swings once again as we were unbeaten for 11 games after the Everton game with our biggest rival Arsenal being our next opponent. I said to myself before the Arsenal game that if we win this one, I really should start giving him credit for what he is doing at our club.

We all know how it went against Arsenal but I am still not entirely happy with AVB as we have yet to qualify for the Champions League for next season. Until then, my doubts remain. Please prove me wrong at the end of the season, and perhaps hit me on the head with the Europa Cup as a bonus.

So has AVB improved Spurs?

COYS!
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Yes.
In the 90th minute in one particular game when we were ahead we conceded two goals to lose and you changed your opinion?
An error that we haven't repeated incidentally.
It's like the JJ doubters used to say.
Ah yes he played a blinder today, scored three, headed two of the line
and donated his wages to Oxfam
BUT can he do it every week?
AVB has done more than enough to convince any rational person.
Perhaps that's the problem here.
 

trnk

Active Member
Jan 31, 2013
277
376
I don't know if he improved Spurs, that's hard to tell. But one thing is sure : he did a really great job despite losing key players, having a lot of injuries, and not getting the players he wanted.

At the beginning of the season, I think we all agreed that this will be a transition season and that we'll be happy with the 5th or 6th place. We are now competing for the 4th place (maybe even the 3rd or the 2nd) but we can't forget that. Next season will be even better if AVB can get the players he wants.
 

Fruendsreunited

Active Member
Jul 13, 2012
229
224
Has he improved Spurs? by a country mile !

To lose 3 of the best of last seasons performers (VDV, Modric & Kaboul), beat Man United twice, Improve Bale on this year and build one of the most formidable centre midfeild partnerships in the prem (Sandro and Dembele), and to still have some fresh legs at this time of the season.... I think he has so far done a wonderful job.

Lets not forget the influence he has had bringing in Holtby and Verts over Arsenal. The management of the GK situation and the admittence of his Dawson mistake.....

He is also media friendly and as brought so much positivity to the club its unreal.

I have been championing him since the day he joined. Althought I "liked" Arry i blame him fully for the form we had at the end of the season....
 

garryparkerschest

Well-Known Member
Apr 24, 2012
1,306
2,467
Wasn't his first win at Reading?

To be honest, I wasn't expecting too much from this season and with the games coming up I'm still holding judgement.

Playing Chelsea, Man City, Everton and Liverpool in your last 10 games will be tough, that's 12 points we could drop ( 5 more that 7) but if we get out of that unscathed or even a couple of points better off than our nearest challenger (for the Top 4) I will be happy.

But regardng AVB conduct, it's been immense something that I wasn't expecting. I was expecting a players revolt by December but surpriingly there seems to be a good atmosphere around the team and a willingness to achieve. Whether that's got anything to do with last season's heartbreak or AVB, I don't know. To be honest it's probably a mixture of both.

He's done very well in learning quickly, we have to remember despite his success and undoubted intelligence he's a young manager and will still make mistakes but so far he seems to be evolving.

His stubborness and dislike for senior players has changed, he seems to be treating players, young or old with respect. He's even learnt that his system and tactics have changed to accomodate the players he's working with.

We have some seriously tough games coming up and if we can get into the top 4 by the end of the season it would be a very special.

Getting into the later stages of the Europa cup would be great too, even if we don't win it it will give players experience in playing in the cooking end of the season, which will be important if we do get that CL place.
 

Lenn0n

Well-Known Member
Jan 9, 2011
244
342
I think he does well keeping a wider group of players happy. Instead of sticking to a rigid 11, he rotates the squad to meet specific needs. So when we play Stoke he fields the big defenders - out goes Benoit in comes Calker. Next week Benoit is back. Recently there was an interchange between Holtby and Sigurdsson. For the players who are not nailed on 'starts' he keeps them involved and they get chances. They have a role, and depending on the opposition they become the better choice. His insistence that the Europa league is just as important to Tottenham - means that the players selected for that competition continue to feel valued.

Im not sure where the choice for Freund came from? If it was AVB I suspect this was another smart move - you can see what he adds in terms of enthusiasm, team cohesion.

Its not very obvious in his interviews (which are dull compared to Harry's!) but you can see a real intelligence at work in terms of what is happening. Signs I would note: Getting more out of Bale (Coaching, positioning, tactics), fixing the late goals problem, managing injuries (Sandro big loss) without missing a beat.
 

doom

Well-Known Member
Dec 13, 2003
2,368
1,338
AVB has been immense - the positivity he has created and his intelligence has put our club in a fantastic position to qualify for CL - something nobody believed he was capable of doing with this weakened squad. DL should be extremely happy as the spurs brand has no doubt been invigorated and club value increased under AVB.
Back to the pitch - it's interesting that we nearly always seem to win by a single goal, it's as if the team have learnt to use only so much energy to win a game but it doesn't work like that. We've had to work extra hard to hold onto leads or to get that winner. On my AVB improvement wish list is to get the team to put games away early so that players can expend less energy.
 

kr1978

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
5,321
8,463
There is a spine, confidence and buzz about this squad that I don't think we have seen in the best part of 20 years. Whatever he is doing is working so far and I don't see it changing much. i also like the way he looks up the table in terms of where we can be and doesnt act like its a miracle we are were we are - 3rd is definitely there for the taking (if not 2nd!!) and for that he has done a great job in a transitional season.
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
18,013
One point better off than last season whether we beat Man Ure or lose to Wigan it's still one point. It's all to play for and at the final whistle of the season we can then really judge the man, his tactics, and worth. That's when you should judge him and not before.
 

Fruendsreunited

Active Member
Jul 13, 2012
229
224
Playing Chelsea, Man City, Everton and Liverpool in your last 10 games will be tough, that's 12 points we could drop ( 5 more that 7) but if we get out of that unscathed or even a couple of points better off than our nearest challenger (for the Top 4) I will be happy.

quote]

I can see where you are going with this but Arsenal (or Chelsea) are going to go on a 10 game winning streak. With our recent win over Arsenal and our two wins over Man U this season I think you need a little more faith...
 

garryparkerschest

Well-Known Member
Apr 24, 2012
1,306
2,467
I'm just trying to keep my feet on the ground. Nothing's won or lost with ten games to go. I've been a Tottenham fan for too long to be too positive.

If beating Utd was the benchmark of qualifying for the Champion's League I would be confident but it's not, I'd rather beat everyone bar the top four as you'd accumilate more points.

I really hope we get maximum points from our last 10 games but it's not going happen but like you said the other teams around us will also not win every game.

As a scottish drunk once said, it's going to be squeaky bum time. :)
 

CosmicHotspur

Better a wag than a WAG
Aug 14, 2006
51,069
22,383
Yes and it has to be down to team selection, training methods and motivation. There's a new and exciting buzz around our team now.

I don't expect us to always win or always play the most scintillating and entertaining football, but we are getting results with more grit and determination than we've shown for ages.
 

yiddodiddodo

Making your mums Bed Rock
Sep 9, 2004
263
411
Yeah first win was at reading and we only beaten Man U once this season not twice.

Other than that i think we are much better team now we defend better we create more chances i just think we look a much better team
 

Mister Jez

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
1,001
2,013
If there was a dumb rating, the title of this thread would get a bucketful...... has he improved Spurs??, the answer comes in another question. Would be where we are with 'Arry in charge??. Absolutely without a shadow of a doubt NO.
I'm not going to open the "should we have sacked 'Arry" debate again, sufficient to say. I, for one am extremely grateful to all the muppets at cheatski who conspired to get AVB the sack, never ever thought I would be thanking them for anything. There loss is very much our gain.
 

Misfit

President of The Niles Crane Fanclub
May 7, 2006
20,999
34,165
Nup. No improvement at all. As someone who is kind of a big deal around here said earlier in the season, he's a fraud.
 

Liquidator

Supporting Spurs since 1966
May 2, 2007
1,516
823
As a Chinese premier said when asked about the effects of the French Revolution (of 1789) "It's too early to judge".

(Athough I heard very recently that this was simply because he'd misunderstood the question as translated to him. But let's not let the truth ruin a decent story)
 

Kendall

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2007
38,502
11,933
Anyone still think we are?

We're 1 point better off than at the 30-game played mark last season. We don't seem to create any more chances and our defence has gone on holiday.
 

mk_spur

Active Member
Feb 28, 2006
628
793
People say a manager needs to prize the best out of players, but i think unless he is playing for a contract no amount of man management skills will work on Ade. Added to that we saw the back of Modric and Vdv. We have practically played with no forwards since December but still were right in there we are definitely in a better position with a some what weaker squad. We are a tougher proposition now a days with undoubtedly a better manager who can get the team to perform under pressure and despite key injuries. In my opinion could you ever see a Harry team win at Old Trafford??? A couple of key note signings next year and the golf between last seasons team and the next years would be so huge that we wouldn't even bother having this discussion.
AVB'S Blue and White army........................
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,043
6,332
To soon to judge, Rednapp didn't play first team often in Europa league last season, had a lot of good players who were never played. Went missing 2012. I think if Rednapp had nt fucked about last season we would have finished 3rd and pushed the top 2 ESP if we signed a striker infact if we had signed a top striker 2 seasons ago I think we would have made champs league 3 years running.

AVB has class and has done well I like him and I have high hopes but its to early to tell make top 4 and its a step in the right directions.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,906
81,501
I think AVB has made us a better unit. Swansea were on top of the 2nd half but we defended more calmly than we would have in the past. We created just as good chances as they did in the 2nd half.

It's a great achievement so far considering the quality of players we lost in the summer and then injuries to Kaboul, Parker, BAE and Sandro.

Hopefully AVB can sell the players he doesn't require in the summer and bring in more players who suit his needs.

I have a lot more optimism in the future for having AVB here.
 
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