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I would happily swap them "bread and butter" results for our day in the sun at Old Trafford and last week v City.
Wolves beat Man U and went down. Means fuck all really unless you are genuinely challenging them.
Wolves beat Man U and went down. Means fuck all really unless you are genuinely challenging them.
This pisses me off no end. I like Naughton, but he's been thrown into BAEs accomplished position and when it costs us goals like it did today, it becomes even more grating.
We gained absolutely nothing from dropping Benny today.
You Have To Start Right, To End Right...
Andre Villas-Boas' changes may have helped Spurs beat Man City last week, but after two wins in six, Matt Stanger says the manager needs to work on his starting line-ups...
Despite Spurs snatching a late equaliser against Wigan, a 2-2 draw is a disappointing result for Andre Villas-Boas and his team as they remain outside the top four. Villas-Boas was deservedly praised for his match-winning changes against Manchester City last week, but Saturday's performance offered a different perspective on the manager's decision-making.
Being able to change a match to your team's advantage is only one part of a manager's job description and, more often than not, picking the right starting line-up is a more important test. Villas-Boas failed in this requirement against Wigan, with a three-man midfield of Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone and the exhausted Mousa Dembele lacking pace and urgency as Spurs toiled to their fourth 2-2 draw in five matches.
The thinking behind Villas-Boas' first XI was obvious - the manager stuck with the front three that all scored in the fight-back against City, while Huddlestone also kept his place after his impressive cameo. However, with Huddlestone flanked by Parker and Dembele - who unsurprisingly picked up an injury before half time - Spurs struggled to build swift attacks and get behind Wigan's porous defence. Parker had as many shots as Bale in the first half (both off-target) and when that's happening, something clearly isn't right.
Parker in particular seems to be restricting Spurs' fluency at the moment and it was no coincidence that the team's thrilling come-back against City was achieved after the 32-year-old was replaced. The midfielder has been substituted in each of his last four matches as Spurs' failure to control games has left Villas-Boas seeking new ways to grind out late victories.
This wouldn't be a problem if the manager was succeeding with his changes in every match, but Spurs have now won only two of their last six fixtures in the Premier League, leaving them a point behind Woolwich with four games to play. A big performance is needed against Southampton next Saturday before the crucial clash with Chelsea on May 7, which could decide the fate of both teams.
Fatigue is also an increasing concern for Villas-Boas at the end of the Portuguese's impressive first season at White Hart Lane and, while Aaron Lennon's return has provided the team with a timely boost, Dembele's muscle strain is a new blow.
Saturday's draw may have been a disappointing setback in Spurs' quest to finish in the top four but that aim is still not beyond them with four matches remaining. However, if they are to secure a Champions League place - and with it, Gareth Bale's future - then Villas-Boas will need to start getting his team selections right first time rather than relying on in-game changes.
Matt Stanger
Andre Villas-Boas' changes may have helped Spurs beat Man City last week, but after two wins in six, Matt Stanger says the manager needs to work on his starting line-ups...
Despite Spurs snatching a late equaliser against Wigan, a 2-2 draw is a disappointing result for Andre Villas-Boas and his team as they remain outside the top four. Villas-Boas was deservedly praised for his match-winning changes against Manchester City last week, but Saturday's performance offered a different perspective on the manager's decision-making.
Being able to change a match to your team's advantage is only one part of a manager's job description and, more often than not, picking the right starting line-up is a more important test. Villas-Boas failed in this requirement against Wigan, with a three-man midfield of Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone and the exhausted Mousa Dembele lacking pace and urgency as Spurs toiled to their fourth 2-2 draw in five matches.
The thinking behind Villas-Boas' first XI was obvious - the manager stuck with the front three that all scored in the fight-back against City, while Huddlestone also kept his place after his impressive cameo. However, with Huddlestone flanked by Parker and Dembele - who unsurprisingly picked up an injury before half time - Spurs struggled to build swift attacks and get behind Wigan's porous defence. Parker had as many shots as Bale in the first half (both off-target) and when that's happening, something clearly isn't right.
Parker in particular seems to be restricting Spurs' fluency at the moment and it was no coincidence that the team's thrilling come-back against City was achieved after the 32-year-old was replaced. The midfielder has been substituted in each of his last four matches as Spurs' failure to control games has left Villas-Boas seeking new ways to grind out late victories.
This wouldn't be a problem if the manager was succeeding with his changes in every match, but Spurs have now won only two of their last six fixtures in the Premier League, leaving them a point behind Woolwich with four games to play. A big performance is needed against Southampton next Saturday before the crucial clash with Chelsea on May 7, which could decide the fate of both teams.
Fatigue is also an increasing concern for Villas-Boas at the end of the Portuguese's impressive first season at White Hart Lane and, while Aaron Lennon's return has provided the team with a timely boost, Dembele's muscle strain is a new blow.
Saturday's draw may have been a disappointing setback in Spurs' quest to finish in the top four but that aim is still not beyond them with four matches remaining. However, if they are to secure a Champions League place - and with it, Gareth Bale's future - then Villas-Boas will need to start getting his team selections right first time rather than relying on in-game changes.
Matt Stanger
Dembele being exhausted is an important point that is easy to forget about sometimes. He became an instant starter as soon as he was signed and has been our key player in midfield ever since. He then had that hip injury which I'm not sure he has fully recovered from, and ever since Sandro got injured he's had to put in even more work to make up for that absence. And I think AVB probably felt that he couldn't really afford to rest Dembele because of the lack of quality depth in the squad.
Although I don't think Dembele is the answer to our creative/passing issues, and part of the problem is that he has been expected to be that creative player as well as doing the defensive work. He doesn't necessarily get between the lines, is not a great passer of the ball and needs space to run with the ball; space that we are not always afforded. But his energy in defending, his ability to keep the ball and his dribbling skills when carrying the ball forward are things that he does better than anyone else in our midfield; and is so essential to our shape and style. In an ideal situation we'd be rotating him with another mobile box-to-box midfielder, which we don't currently have. And he clearly needs to play alongside good passing players like Holtby, Carroll or Huddlestone to help our possession and build up through the middle.
So the perfect starting midfield selection for AVB away from home would be Sandro, Dembele and Holtby/Carroll. The understanding and quality that Sandro and Dembele have, would allow one or the other to carry the ball forward (mostly Dembele) and the other to hold back (mostly Sandro). And Holtby/Carroll would be finding space in between the lines and linking the play to our forwards. In this ideal situation, we'd also have a good like for like substitute for Dembele on the bench which could allow AVB to rotate. And we could bring on Hudd for Sandro at home to provide more forward passing ability.
Although I don't think Dembele is the answer to our creative/passing issues, and part of the problem is that he has been expected to be that creative player as well as doing the defensive work. He doesn't necessarily get between the lines, is not a great passer of the ball and needs space to run with the ball; space that we are not always afforded. But his energy in defending, his ability to keep the ball and his dribbling skills when carrying the ball forward are things that he does better than anyone else in our midfield; and is so essential to our shape and style. In an ideal situation we'd be rotating him with another mobile box-to-box midfielder, which we don't currently have. And he clearly needs to play alongside good passing players like Holtby, Carroll or Huddlestone to help our possession and build up through the middle.
So the perfect starting midfield selection for AVB away from home would be Sandro, Dembele and Holtby/Carroll. The understanding and quality that Sandro and Dembele have, would allow one or the other to carry the ball forward (mostly Dembele) and the other to hold back (mostly Sandro). And Holtby/Carroll would be finding space in between the lines and linking the play to our forwards. In this ideal situation, we'd also have a good like for like substitute for Dembele on the bench which could allow AVB to rotate. And we could bring on Hudd for Sandro at home to provide more forward passing ability.
Table since Arry The Innocent took over at QPR
So take away the poor start, where he got the team used to his methods, and he's been the business.
A lot been said about our finish being wobbly...not really based on that table.
Imagine if we'd have started well
Imagine if we'd have started well
I'm fairly impressed, but he's still demonstrating a number of limitations both tactically and in terms of his in-game management that I need to see him overcome during the season to come.
I've been disappointed with how much he's opted for tried and tested players for his first XIs over the course of the full season (and the tactics that go with these selections) while letting creative talents like Carroll and Huddlestone, players who could really have helped us to forge out more chances against parked buses, fall largely by the wayside. Could we really not have given either player more chances across the whole season, in cup runs or the Europa League, to gauge what they could've brought to the side this term? Has it really taken until now for him to realize that Huddlestone could maybe have done more of a job for us, if he'd just been more willing to experiment with a full 4-3-3 set up to cover his limitations? Furthermore, his substitution choices, the game against City excluded, have largely been ineffectively and are often deployed too late in the game.
In a more general sense, you ask if he's taken us forward. Certainly, he's implemented more of a coherent and consistent style than Redknapp ever brought to the side, which should be conducive to long-term success. I very much like the sound of the training methods he's implemented behind the scenes too. But I need to see evidence that he'll be more willing to make necessary changes sooner- both in terms of rotating his squad and tinkering with his tactics between games, and making adjustments in-game- otherwise, I struggle to see how we'll manage better than another good start and disappointing drop-off in the seasons to come. Woolwich manage to shift into top gear at the end of every season because they adapt to the challenges posed by early failure, changing their lineups and tactics (look at Ramsey's shifting role in the latter half of this season) to gain a more comfortable rhythm for the all-important run in. AVB needs to demonstrate that he can do likewise in the year to come.
I'm not knocking the guy, because at the end of the day I still think he's delivered in his maiden year with us. Just a frank and (I hope) constructive assessment.
I've been disappointed with how much he's opted for tried and tested players for his first XIs over the course of the full season (and the tactics that go with these selections) while letting creative talents like Carroll and Huddlestone, players who could really have helped us to forge out more chances against parked buses, fall largely by the wayside. Could we really not have given either player more chances across the whole season, in cup runs or the Europa League, to gauge what they could've brought to the side this term? Has it really taken until now for him to realize that Huddlestone could maybe have done more of a job for us, if he'd just been more willing to experiment with a full 4-3-3 set up to cover his limitations? Furthermore, his substitution choices, the game against City excluded, have largely been ineffectively and are often deployed too late in the game.
In a more general sense, you ask if he's taken us forward. Certainly, he's implemented more of a coherent and consistent style than Redknapp ever brought to the side, which should be conducive to long-term success. I very much like the sound of the training methods he's implemented behind the scenes too. But I need to see evidence that he'll be more willing to make necessary changes sooner- both in terms of rotating his squad and tinkering with his tactics between games, and making adjustments in-game- otherwise, I struggle to see how we'll manage better than another good start and disappointing drop-off in the seasons to come. Woolwich manage to shift into top gear at the end of every season because they adapt to the challenges posed by early failure, changing their lineups and tactics (look at Ramsey's shifting role in the latter half of this season) to gain a more comfortable rhythm for the all-important run in. AVB needs to demonstrate that he can do likewise in the year to come.
I'm not knocking the guy, because at the end of the day I still think he's delivered in his maiden year with us. Just a frank and (I hope) constructive assessment.
AVB has been a roller coaster ride for me. He's a selection, sub and tactical genius one week, then complete question marks the next. I'm giving AVB a little bit of slack because I don't think he has the players he would prefer. I think players like Dempsey, Sigurdsson, Defoe, BAE, etc. are his first choice. Even being an American myself, I don't fancy Dempsey (even though he has scored some key goals for us) and I don't think he plays well in AVB's set up. At times I question his selections. For example, when we need maximum points these last 5 games, why not play out best 11. Now is not the time to rotate/rest players. However, I still have faith in AVB and I feel he will pull us up into the top 4.
If AVB receives the necessary backing and support in the off season, we could be VERY dangerous next year. If Levy, and it's a BIG IF, loosens the purse strings a little, then we AVB could buy the necessary 2 or 3 players missing to truly play his style of game. We could speculate who those players are on another post, but it's obvious we need a quality forward. You get what you pay for and Van Persie's £22M fee was the difference from Manure losing the league on goal difference and running away with the title with 5 games to go. Yes, there are bargains out there (like Michu and Benteke), but they're the exception to the rule and not the quality to propel us into the top 3-4 consistently. We NEED to stop bargain hunting and start quality shopping with the players AVB wants. An extra £3-5M in a deal can spell the different between a Shinji Kagawa (£15M) and Gylfi Sigurdsson (£10M). Time will tell. Here's to looking to the positive and the future. COYS!
If AVB receives the necessary backing and support in the off season, we could be VERY dangerous next year. If Levy, and it's a BIG IF, loosens the purse strings a little, then we AVB could buy the necessary 2 or 3 players missing to truly play his style of game. We could speculate who those players are on another post, but it's obvious we need a quality forward. You get what you pay for and Van Persie's £22M fee was the difference from Manure losing the league on goal difference and running away with the title with 5 games to go. Yes, there are bargains out there (like Michu and Benteke), but they're the exception to the rule and not the quality to propel us into the top 3-4 consistently. We NEED to stop bargain hunting and start quality shopping with the players AVB wants. An extra £3-5M in a deal can spell the different between a Shinji Kagawa (£15M) and Gylfi Sigurdsson (£10M). Time will tell. Here's to looking to the positive and the future. COYS!