Tottenham Vs Benfica: Match Thread

[Shadydan]

True but he never tried to get players like Holtby or Eriksen involved in the game deeper. He got rid of Hudd. He never looked like a man who desperately wanted a Modric/Xavi type player, other than his wonder boy from Porto that is.

If I recall Holtby was actually playing deeper in his first few games but then kept being placed in different positions.

Maybe he didn't trust them to play deeper...I remember reading something about wanting to turn Holtby into a no6 but that never came to frutition

 

[CrazyHeart]

But ultimately both failed at Spurs, that should be the issue here not what they've done at previous clubs.

AVB did NOT fail at Spurs! He was building something and got snuffed out before he could finish out the season. His track record from last season and the start of this season more than warranted him the chance to finish out what he started. Firing him was insane.

BTW... you did it again.. putting AVB and Sherwood in the same sentence!

 

[idontgetit]

Really? Did you not see the Manchester City game last year where we were out gunned in the first half, and goal down and AVB switched things up, re-calibrated his midfield and overcame City's full strength team with a 3-1 victory? What about taking out Madchester United in their prime with Fergie in charge at Old Trafford? AVB's switched up his 4-3-3 to morph into a 4-5-1 and a 5-4-1 depending on the opposition. Sure, his high-backline was a a touch annoying at times, but at least it was a system. Under Sherwood... I see none.

The City game is EXACTLY what I'm talking about. He moved Bale wide, got passing players in the middle and we carved up City! And NEVER set up like it again. It was a one off forced by a game situation. I thought it was the turning point but by the next game we were back to workhorse 4-2-3-1. I don't know when he played 4-3-3 after that, it was always 4-2-3-1. Old Trafford we outclassed them in the first half and then sat deep and were lucky to hold on, amazing win though

 

[Shadydan]

AVB did NOT fail at Spurs! He was building something and got snuffed out before he could finish out the season. His track record from last season and the start of this season more than warranted him the chance to finish out what he started. Firing him was insane.

He did fail, he got sacked, he failed and you know why he got sacked...because he was stubborn (like he was at Chelsea) and his management was awful (just like it was at Chelsea)

You can dress it up all you want and I'm an original AVB fan to and I wanted us to give him time but it was obvious he had to go.

 

[idontgetit]

Shame, I always thought he was about his famous 4-3-3... Maybe the slaughter he got off the press put an end to that idea.

The only 4-3-3 he played was 2nd half when we thrashed City as far as I remember. I thought he was famous about 4-3-3 as well which is why I was so excited to have him as manager. Couldn't have been more wrong. Reactionary disciple of Mourinho who favours athleticism over skill. Read the game poorly and didn't know how to get the best out of his own players as shown by constant poor team selections and substitution. Been too used to being able to rely upon world class attacking talent to score goals. On top of that he was also clearly a shit man manager.

 

[idontgetit]

If I recall Holtby was actually playing deeper in his first few games but then kept being placed in different positions.

Maybe he didn't trust them to play deeper...I remember reading something about wanting to turn Holtby into a no6 but that never came to frutition

I'd understand being concerned about Holtby playing CM but if he'd had a good reading of the game he'd have realised that he could have used Holtby in a genuine cm3 and that way had creativity without the risk.

 

[Eric_s]

Really? Did you not see the Manchester City game last year where we were out gunned in the first half, and goal down and AVB switched things up, re-calibrated his midfield and overcame City's full strength team with a 3-1 victory? What about taking out Madchester United in their prime with Fergie in charge at Old Trafford? AVB's switched up his 4-3-3 to morph into a 4-5-1 and a 5-4-1 depending on the opposition. Sure, his high-backline was a a touch annoying at times, but at least it was a system. Under Sherwood... I see none.

Stop confusing the lad with facts.

 

[Jrmpinto]

Out of interest, anyone know what kind of money Benfica spent on building there superb team?

I can tell you how much costed the players that was in the playerlist today.

- Artur - (free)
- Steven Vitoria - (free)
- Luisão - 880.000 £ in 2003
- Cardozo - 10.265.200 £ in 2007
- Markovic - 8.800.000 £
- Djuricic - 7.000.000 £
- Fejsa - 3.960.000 £
- Sulejmani - free transfer
- Siqueira - loan 880.000 £
- Sílvio - loan
- Funes Mori - 1.760.000 £
- Ruben Amorim - 880.000 £ in 2008
- Lima - 3.520.000 £
- Salvio - 9.680.000 £
- Maxi Pereira - 5.016.000 £ in 2007
- Rodrigo - 5.280.000 £ in 2010
- Gaitán - 7.392.000 £ in 2010
- Garay - 4.840.000 £ in 2011
- Jardel - 418.000 £ in 2010
- Enzo Pérez - 2.112.000 £ in 2011
- Oblak - 1.496.000 £ in 2010 (with 17 years old)

 

[CrazyHeart]

AVB's system relies on a regista which he had at Porto. He simply fit the pieces around Moutinho oh and it helped having one of the best forwards in Europe as well.

From time he didn't get Moutinho his system was never going to work and was too inexperienced and stubborn to change it to suit the players.

They worked just fine when we took out City, United, Arsenal and Liverpool last season in charge.

 

[CrazyHeart]

Who do you think you are to call him a nice guy??

He seems like good dude in his interviews... but you're right, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt!

 

[idontgetit]

They worked just fine when we took out City, United, Arsenal and Liverpool last season in charge.

Because we had the worlds most expensive player banging in goals from 30 yards left right and center

 

[CrazyHeart]

Because we had the worlds most expensive player banging in goals from 30 yards left right and center

Actually, if you watched those games you'd see that they were team efforts, in which Bale was a part of. Let's not also forget that star players often get starved if not supported or cultivated correctly. AVB is party responsible for Bale's meteoric rise - even he's acknowledged this. We should be thanking the man for this and not ripping off the credit he deserves for this.

 

[Shadydan]

They worked just fine when we took out City, United, Arsenal and Liverpool last season in charge.

Name the common denominator who scored winners in those games.

 

[idontgetit]

AVB did NOT fail at Spurs! He was building something and got snuffed out before he could finish out the season. His track record from last season and the start of this season more than warranted him the chance to finish out what he started. Firing him was insane.

BTW... you did it again.. putting AVB and Sherwood in the same sentence!

He was getting worse and worse the longer he spent at spurs! He was building nothing. His system destroyed the confidence of the players

 

[CrazyHeart]

Name the common denominator who scored winners in those games.

So what you're essentially saying is that everybody else sucked, there were no tactics and Bale took he whole thing upon himself like some superman that transcended the defence, midfield and attack and won the games singlehandedly against the aforementioned oppositions. C'mon... get real.

 

[idontgetit]

Actually, if you watched those games you'd see that they were team efforts, in which Bale was a part of. Let's not also forget that star players often get starved if not supported or cultivated correctly. AVB is party responsible for Bale's meteoric rise - even he's acknowledged this. We should be thanking the man for this and not ripping off the credit he deserves for this.

No he wasn't. I don't remember AVB sitting on the sideline in Milan when Bale smashed a hatrick past the European Champions. AVB didn't get the best out of Bale. Our team wasn't making runs drawing defenders, pinging balls about stretching defences and playing slide rule balls through for him to run on to. The team just gave him the ball and left him to get on with it. That's why he was getting slated so hard at the start of the season because he kept having to do everything himself and ended up getting isolated.

The team was never built to get the best out of him. The team was built to rely upon him.

 

[CrazyHeart]

Anyway - I'm off to bed, knowing that tomorrow morning I'll wake up wishing this was all just a bad dream. Oooh, I can't wait for Sunday... anyone else giddy with excitement about the Arsenal game? I am!

 

[fortworthspur]

I wanted AVB out. Mostly for the drubbings to City and Liverpool. But the drubbings continue and we are less organized than ever. Whether or not AVB was right for us, replacing him with Sherwood was a mistake.

 

[CrazyHeart]

No he wasn't. I don't remember AVB sitting on the sideline in Milan when Bale smashed a hatrick past the European Champions. AVB didn't get the best out of Bale. Our team wasn't making runs drawing defenders, pinging balls about stretching defences and playing slide rule balls through for him to run on to. The team just gave him the ball and left him to get on with it. That's why he was getting slated so hard at the start of the season because he kept having to do everything himself and ended up getting isolated.

The team was never built to get the best out of him. The team was built to rely upon him.

Hmmm tell you what, let me call Professor Lawrence Krauss and see if there's a parallel universe in which we actually see eye to eye on this. But here... I think we can agree to disagree! Have a good one!

 

[Shadydan]

So what you're essentially saying is that everybody else sucked, there were no tactics and Bale took he whole thing upon himself like some superman that transcended the defines, midfield and attack and won the games singlehandedly against the aforementioned oppositions. C'mon... get real.

No, way to jump to such an extreme conclusion though

You said his tactics worked well in those games but they didn't if you watched them you'd know this. The only game where his tactics made a clear difference was the Man City game where we turned it around.