Times Article on Townsend

[mattyspurs]

Disagree, I think it's just got harder as teams sit deeper and he gets double teamed. Clearly he's told to vary it, as he does get outside as well as inside (our best chance against Newcastle for example came from hi going outside).

Walker really should be providing more than he is, as should our left sided fb (whoever it is) and that is the problem, not the system per se.

And the coaches aren't telling Townsend not to create stuff for others or shoot constantly when there is a better pass on.

Ok, so by that logic, either AVB is being a bit daft by keeping on playing a player who is going against instructions week after week, or AVB and the coaches are telling him to do these things. It has to be one of them surely?

 

[Spursidol]

Disagree, I think it's just got harder as teams sit deeper and he gets double teamed. Clearly he's told to vary it, as he does get outside as well as inside (our best chance against Newcastle for example came from hi going outside).

Walker really should be providing more than he is, as should our left sided fb (whoever it is) and that is the problem, not the system per se.

And the coaches aren't telling Townsend not to create stuff for others or shoot constantly when there is a better pass on.

Going outside and crossing as well as cutting back from the bye line have virtually disappeared from his game, far less frequent than cutting in and shooting or passing - only against West Ham when it was obvious to all that the inverted winger system plus Allardyce 460 system meant that going outside was the only viable option.. That's a coaching effect.

I'd like to think that Townsend changing wings with Lennon (which he hadn't done with previous left wingers) plus the odd example of him goiung outside is making AVB reform (perhaps learning from Woy's instructions for Townsend in an England shirt) - but I'd like to see all the things from my original post happen consistently before I'd be happier.

By the way, if we do not have the players (and with Rose injured we do not have a fast overlapping left full back), the good manager changes his system to deal with that issue.

The fact AVB has not compensated for the lack of a fast left back is the problem - and puts pressuree on the riight side as the opposition know that by stopping Walker/Townsend means Spurs are pretty impotent.

Rigidly sticking to a system without the players - as you suggest - just doesn't work. Might I suggest you are just showing your dislike of Walker ?

 

[Spursidol]

0.0 assists per game, 0.09 goals per game.

So just reming me how many PL goals we have scored this season ?

I'd suggest that virtually all players have similarly poor stats.

My post was made to explain how changes to the inverted wingers system can contribure to increasing goals scored. Something we all want ? Yes or No ?

 

[mill]

Going outside and crossing as well as cutting back from the bye line have virtually disappeared from his game, far less frequent than cutting in and shooting or passing - only against West Ham when it was obvious to all that the inverted winger system plus Allardyce 460 system meant that going outside was the only viable option.. That's a coaching effect.

I'd like to think that Townsend changing wings with Lennon (which he hadn't done with previous left wingers) plus the odd example of him goiung outside is making AVB reform (perhaps learning from Woy's instructions for Townsend in an England shirt) - but I'd like to see all the things from my original post happen consistently before I'd be happier.

By the way, if we do not have the players (and with Rose injured we do not have a fast overlapping left full back), the good manager changes his system to deal with that issue.

The fact AVB has not compensated for the lack of a fast left back is the problem - and puts pressuree on the riight side as the opposition know that by stopping Walker/Townsend means Spurs are pretty impotent.

Rigidly sticking to a system without the players - as you suggest - just doesn't work. Might I suggest you are just showing your dislike of Walker ?

Your last paragraph is reminiscent of his time at chelsea, trying to play a high line with a slow Terry in defence which failed miserably

 

[Spursidol]

That's quite a bold statement.

Yeh, sorry about that. The last system means I cannot change bold so if I copy BC's stement in bold, my entire post is bold.

Boring explanation I know. Your comment was better !

 

[Spursidol]

Your last paragraph is reminiscent of his time at chelsea, trying to play a high line with a slow Terry in defence which failed miserably

Yeah - and AVB has admitted he tried to change thngs too quickly there. By which I think he meant he needed to find faster CBs than the slow Terry to make his high line system work.

Unfortunately he's not learnt enough as his sysyem is inflexible at Spurs as my first oost explained. Hopefully he will adapt - I hope that's part of Baldini's remit to counsel AVB on that kind of stuf.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Going outside and crossing as well as cutting back from the bye line have virtually disappeared from his game, far less frequent than cutting in and shooting or passing - only against West Ham when it was obvious to all that the inverted winger system plus Allardyce 460 system meant that going outside was the only viable option.. That's a coaching effect.

I'd like to think that Townsend changing wings with Lennon (which he hadn't done with previous left wingers) plus the odd example of him goiung outside is making AVB reform (perhaps learning from Woy's instructions for Townsend in an England shirt) - but I'd like to see all the things from my original post happen consistently before I'd be happier.

By the way, if we do not have the players (and with Rose injured we do not have a fast overlapping left full back), the good manager changes his system to deal with that issue.

The fact AVB has not compensated for the lack of a fast left back is the problem - and puts pressuree on the riight side as the opposition know that by stopping Walker/Townsend means Spurs are pretty impotent.

Rigidly sticking to a system without the players - as you suggest - just doesn't work. Might I suggest you are just showing your dislike of Walker ?

I haven't noticed any tactical difference with how he's been played by Hodgson for England.

But an inverted winger and an attacking FB is a good tactical combination. Do you think Walker has been contributing enough in a creative sense ?

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Ok, so by that logic, either AVB is being a bit daft by keeping on playing a player who is going against instructions week after week, or AVB and the coaches are telling him to do these things. It has to be one of them surely?

When you other option is Lennon, no. I think now Lamela is starting to show something the answer may be; yes.

 

[OmarsComing]

The thing is, his best performance has been for England when he was putting crosses for Sturridge and Rooney. He is pretty much the reason why England qualified, thats why there is hype.

For Tottenham he has been poor and other than the match against Chelski he has been poor and I would say tactically Woy has dealt better with him than AVB has(which makes me a little bit sick).

He's been voted MOTM on here 4 times this season

 

[beats1]

He's been voted MOTM on here 4 times this season

Indeed he has but often he has been the best of a bad lot and the only one that looks like he is close to doing something but thats more to do we have been that poor but his performance for England was better than for us followed closely by the Villa and Chelsea performances

 

[Spursidol]

I haven't noticed any tactical difference with how he's been played by Hodgson for England.

But an inverted winger and an attacking FB is a good tactical combination. Do you think Walker has been contributing enough in a creative sense ?

Agreed the inverted winger and attacking FB is a good combination - but to be unpredictable (which means its mnotre difficult for the defence to deal with) the inverted winger needs to have instructions to attack in 3 different ways - cutting inside and shooting/crossing, going outside and crossing plus cutting back from the byline as well as ideally swopping from right to left.

Having no width on the one side means that the opposition can more easily stop the right side - as we have seen.

Walker is not doing too badly - but could do more.. AVB/coaches could do infinitely more to make Townsenfd/Walker more effective by making the changes I've explained.

I'm staggered you didn't see Townsend going outside far more for England than he does for Spurs

 

[Nocando]

Remember when people said Bale should stick to the left?

It's great having so many world class coaches on one forum. I feel truly honoured.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Agreed the inverted winger and attacking FB is a good combination - but to be unpredictable (which means its mnotre difficult for the defence to deal with) the inverted winger needs to have instructions to attack in 3 different ways - cutting inside and shooting/crossing, going outside and crossing plus cutting back from the byline as well as ideally swopping from right to left.

Having no width on the one side means that the opposition can more easily stop the right side - as we have seen.

Walker is not doing too badly - but could do more.. AVB/coaches could do infinitely more to make Townsenfd/Walker more effective by making the changes I've explained.

I'm staggered you didn't see Townsend going outside far more for England than he does for Spurs

I think that is exactly what they have been doing, and surely Townsend in that article says as much. Maybe it's just that Townsend and Walker aren't as good/bright as you think. Could that be a viable possibility ?

 

[SteveH]

AVB has told him to play as an inverted winger and cut in at all times, which invariably leads to him shooting as pften a pass is not on.

Andros cuts in for England and did for QPR................he thinks he's better than he is.


Andros needs rewiring back to a proper winger. Andros is a good soul but he won't go to World Cup, Walnut will.

 

[only1waddle]

I haven't noticed any tactical difference with how he's been played by Hodgson for England.

But an inverted winger and an attacking FB is a good tactical combination. Do you think Walker has been contributing enough in a creative sense ?

Tactically i don't think he has, but certainly more team orientated play for England, i have said elsewhere playing with Rooney, Gerrard etc and constantly shooting won't go down well, Andros is smart enough to know this.

 

[Spursidol]

When you other option is Lennon, no. I think now Lamela is starting to show something the answer may be; yes.

If Townsend was not doing as AVB wanted. We'd have seen Townsend dropped for other players before now. Fact is thyat players such as Eriksen and Holtby have not played as much as they could, not ideal as right wingers I know, plus Lamela would have been given more minutes just to ease him in.

No all the evidence is that AVB is happy withTownsend - probably AVB recognises Townsend needs developing (as most of us do) but there is no evidence that AVB is unhappy with Townsend

 

[Spursidol]

I think that is exactly what they have been doing, and surely Townsend in that article says as much. Maybe it's just that Townsend and Walker aren't as good/bright as you think. Could that be a viable possibility ?

Both Walker and Townsend are relatively inexperienced - both will hopefully get better with experience and coaching.

I notice you keep avoiding any criticism of AVB's inflexibility (despite his history at Chelsea on this subject). Is there a reason for this ?

 

[ItsBoris]

Plenty on here have come to this conclusion now, i think on the left he will be used much better, i just like the balance of one conventional and one inverted winger, it offers us far more options, especially as Townsend has an ok shot with his right too.
I don't think we will see it though sadly, too much "it works in theory" and not enough flexibility.

Also makes more sense when we don't have a proper left back like Rose providing extra width on the left.

 

[mattdefoe]

Very wasteful and has enough talent to create rather than just shoot on sight like he has been.

All of these years england call for a good left footed player and now we have inverted wingers .... For god sake

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Thats cleared that up for me then. Cheers for that BC

For the record:

Per 90 min

Sigurdson Assists 0.0 Goals 0.47

Eriksen A 0.21 G 0.0

Soldado A 0.20 G 0.4

Paulinho A 0.18 G 0.09

Townsend A 0.0 G 0.09



It's incredibly slim pickings, but of all our regular attacking starters (although Eriksen has the least minutes - half of townsend and Paulinho's) Townsend technically has the worst goal/assist stats and his goal was actually a cross.