The College Dropout

Difference for me is, they're not any better than last season. I think the England thing affected Spurs but I do agree they needed something else from Harry in that period that he can and will never possess. They did finish 4th though. Harry does adapt to games and teams, we've seen that at QPR. But the QPR team atm can't play on the front foot. Spurs have won the same amount of games at home as us. They've had a fair few draws at home. Being a counter attacking side has meant means they can be toothless a bit at home. I don't think that's any better than Harry's "strict" possession based approach. I do agree that Harry's style suited Ade much more than Defoe for the reasons you described though. I believe R Madrid are over reliant on counter-attacking. If they go behind to a top side, they'll struggle. Mourinho was out-foxed by SAF. It was not a bad result but it wasn't good for them. Slight advantage to Fergie. AVB does have time to learn but you say "he just needs to learn how to break teams down when they sit deep" but their style is against that. It will be very difficult. I don't think Pardew is as bad as is made out. He misses things we see but strikes where we don't but doesn't get the credit. His subs are poor though. He's better than both Harry/AVB at manahing squads morale.

But they do. It's focused around letting the better players do their thing. VDV in spaces to pass great balls and shoot, Ade to hold up and bring others in, Bale-Lennon use their pace. BAE-Walker natural overlap etc. Parker et al. hold it all together. It is more "free" but the style of Harry's Spurs was distinct. His Spurs where better at home because they where encouraged to do their thing. AVB is more rigid, so they've sometimes looked toothless at home because there's more parameters. Away they're better than at home because they're built to counter.

Not sure why some like to be so pessimistic even with clearly our best player. Just enjoy him FFS Why is it pessimistic to state that even Hatem Ben Arfa has a price? It's not like I hope we sell him, or even expect us to, as I don't think any club will offer an amount that would entice us to sell (20 million or more). Has nothing to do with being able to enjoy him either; I most certainly do, and wish I could do more as I don't think he's featured enough or played to his full potential over a prolounged period since coming here. Fully agree with you mate. HBA's probably my favourite player. If he plays to his potential for a season and a half he will most likely get a move. If someone offered £20m in the summer which i'm confident nobody will. He would most likely be sold, at that price at this moment in time 5-8m of that would be for potential for someone who is almost 26. Could all change in a flash though. He comes back, scores 8 goals. His value will be towards £30m...

Chelsea are in a mess.

I'm not sure. I presume that he's trying to ease him back in after his injury, which was pretty awkward. The thing is, it's not just that he's a better footballer than Naughton (after all, Vertonghen actually played LB on Monday) - BAE is our only left back. Vertonghen and Naughton have been doing a job, but it's obvious they're both out of position. It's possible that BAE is not doing what AVB is asking of him in training, but I think it's more likely that AVB really is just being cautious. I think that Vertonghen was started at least in part because we expected a barrage of long balls. I'd expect to see BAE play on Sunday. To me, it looks like AVB is perfectly happy playing Naughton and the Belgium lad at LB and will continue doing so. Everytime I watch you it's one of them starting and I think that's how AVB wants it. Don't understand it myself. The other two look out of position like you say. Naughton might be a better defender than your current RB mind.

I'm consistent and realistically optimistic. AVB hasn't shown himself to be as good as some claim. Same can be said for Cisse and HBA.

So did Juande Ramos. Redknapp took that exact side the opposite position in the league. AVB hasn't done any better at Spurs than Harry did. Jury's still out for me. No doubt he will learn and improve. But people going "look how great AVB is" are being too quick.The same people didn't credit Redknapp for doing the exact same thing.

Cheers. Didn't mean to jump down your throat, but I've read some extraordinary drivel on RAWK/Arsenalmania etc about us, and this is a far better forum to talk about it . Yeah, there is definitely a split among Spurs supporters on our style of play. We'd like to be more expansive, but it's difficult to argue when we're getting the results. In the first three games we didn't, and that's when we were really worried. Some still are, though I'm pretty sure they're a small minority. We let in three late goals in those games (one after a joke red card for Huddlestone that was later rescinded) and got only two points when we would have hoped for seven. Yet it was his first three games, and ones in which our squad was in a state of flux. I just can't argue against what he's achieved, so far. Redknapp wasn't a tactical fool, but I think much of his success was about giving the onus to the players, giving them more freedom to do what they want and knowing how to motivate each of them. This really suited VDV and Adebayor, in particular, but put a lot of pressure on the water-carriers. There were a handful of games, particularly after Xmas, where it seemed painfully obvious what adjustments/substitutions needed to be made, yet they weren't happening, and we were losing and drawing games because of it. AVB has clearly been more focused on getting the players to press, which was what we were saying all last season. The Ade stuff is difficult, because his whole season has been a mindfuck. First we have the incredibly drawn-out transfer, during which he hadn't apparently kept himself fit, then Defoe starts playing better, then the ANC and that mess. I much prefer Adebayor for his impact on our general play, but he's always been hit-and-miss on finishing and touch. Hopefully Sunday will be the catalyst for his season (and he doesn't get sent off again, FFS). I'd like Laudrup, but you can't have everyone, and I just hope that AVB is the real thing. Levy would clearly love to find another Wenger, and have a coach who can get the whole club playing a certain way. He'd like to have an entirely home-grown team (for the cash, naturally), and we're getting there - more than half the team that finished the West Ham match have been with us since they were teenagers. The thinking is that AVB as coach is a good fit for bringing those players through. I'm not sure if Pardew is, but until you get your academy upgraded I guess the chances are slimmer. Fully agree with everything you've said. Harry and Pards are similar in the sense they're good man managers. Except Pardew is probably better in that aspect as he gets the whole squad going where as Harry has his 13 or so he trusts and the rest rarely play (see the Everton lad). Harry gives the creatives more freedom though. AVB is more structured, sometimes it works like with Lennon receiving the ball on the run more.. sometimes it doesn't see: Adebayor. Why doesn't AVB start BAE? He's a better footballer than Naughton totally. I do think AVB's personality works better on younger players with less ego as seen at Chelsea. Which is good for Spurs.

Dembele, Sigurdsson & Dempsey for Modric money was good business. Plus Vertoghnen. With Caulker and the fullback with Prem experience. They are a better side this year imo but are in more or less the same position as last year. Which tbh was a good job. Without the Redknapp media circus they would've finished 3rd last season and they should finish 3rd this season too. I just don't understand how Redknapp is crap and AVB is brilliant that some people think despite similar results. AVB maybe better in the long-term, he likes youth and rotation more but atm he's not shown much in the PL to show he's better than Redknapp. I think the rotation will mean they will be strong in the cups this year and next though.

Basically.

£20m for Hatem is good price for all parties tbh. Just not L'pool though.

Would love ud to have some proper options for when Cisse is having one of his off days.

I'm sure the difference between 3rd and 5th is important in te Premiership like. Just a hunch.

Take Bale out and they'd be mid-table. Just look at how many points he's got them alone. That is rubbish tbf, Bale hasn't been carrying them until the last 3 or 4 weeks before then it was much more of a team effort with Defoe, Dempsey, Dembele and Lennon all contributing to points. Mid table is a bit strong. Behind Arsenal? I believe so. The past 5 weeks Bale has won them points. Credit to AVB for helping Bale get to this next level but the team as a whole in recent weeks hasn't been great.

Hans is the naive fool. Star players can be the difference between winning and losing, cups and runners up. I thought everybody knew this?

the defence isn't great atm. Do they do concede and look like conceding. The Bale braces have been vital. Had Bale been added to the injury list. They would be behind Arsenal. 100% certain.

Can't believe what hans is saying personally. I haven't seen a man carry a team like this in ages. Did he watch our match? Did he watch the Wham match? At Wham, without Bale they lose imo. Against us, we looked toothless without Gouff but I would've fancied us to nick a draw. They probably would've bundled one in without Bale at some point. They don't score 3 at Wham without Bale. They don't beat Lyon at home without Bale. They lose to Norwich without Bale. You know why RVP is worth 20m at 29 with a year left on his contract? Because RVP and RVP alone is potentially the difference between 1st and 2nd. Does Hans think Bale is worth £30m because of his looks? Gareth Frank Bale has single handidly won Spurs matches, plural. You know... like any world class attacking, match winner in football. Worst part about Hans POV. Is that Bale is scoring wonder goals, outside the box, powerful runs. Definition of one man team heroics. As a team, Redknapp's lot where playing better than this before the implosion. The past 5 weeks have been the Gareth Bale show.

It was 4-4-2. The opening goal shows the position of the team.

Our best results last year came at home to Man U and away to Chelsea. We played 4-4-2 in each. One with Ba and Cisse. What's best for the team is playing the in-form man in his best position. If you think the difference between last season and te beginning of this was swapping Ba and Cisse around then there's not much I can say. The fact Pardew is still willing to stick Cisse out wide from time to time just confirms he doesn't believe Cisse at the moment to be the best option at 9 at all times. Contract situation aside. IMO most managers and pundits will think play the in form man.

Oh come on, if Bale was injured against us and Wham and someone else in their squad took hisplace they would not have taken 6 points. He's not on the end of team moves. He's scoring great goals and goals only he could score. They've built the whole team around him. He can do whatever he likes and what's best for him because he will deliver. Holtby's not a wide player but teams are marking Bale out at LW so he moves and Holtby has to love it. He's carrying them. They are not playing brilliantly as a team at all. He scored twice at Wham and provided the cross for the other goal. Man United ATM are in the groove, everyone is playing well. That is not the case at Spurs. Gareth Bale's individual brilliance is winning them points and the team is built to do so.

Of course they have affected the overall play and system of those teams. Don't be daft. Ba wasn't shifted when Cisse arrived. They played as a partnership for a good number of games including Cisse's debut when Cisse came. Only during the middle of Ba's slump was he moved put wide, same thing with Cisse. And even then we played them as a two when we beat Chelsea. They played as a two at the start, Cisse shone Ba stopped scoring. Ba moved wide. Same story this year in reverse. Not understanding the horrible management view. People act like he preferred Ba for no reason. I would say Steven Taylor, Debuchy, Sissokho, Gouffran and most importantly the return of Cabaye as biggest factors than our return to form than Ba leaving. IMO we would be a better side with Ba playing in this system than Cisse.

Don't believe that for a second personally. Demba Ba was like our Bale, RVP, Suarez. Match winner, you put your match winners where they will be most devastating fr the team. Pardew thought that was Ba not Cisse. That's all. I dot think Cisse should've been wide either. The logic is clear and it makes sense. When we have no rhythm, focus on keeping clean sheets and Demba Ba will most likely score a scruffy goal.

Truthfully, I don't think it cost is any/many points. Seemingly Ba was popular in the dressing room, was said he and Cabaye where seen as leaders of the French speakers. Would've caused more disruption benching or playing the current goal scorer wide for someone woefully out of form.

Pardew gets over criticised for te Ba situation. He saw Ba as the main man and positioned him as such. That is what you do with your star players. Partly, it was to help convince Ba to stay but Ba was justifying it with his performances. We all forgot that he actually dropped Ba unfairly at Everton. Ba comes on, scores twice and gets us a point by himself. At that moment, Ba was #1 in Pardews mind and he saw how vital Ba was. Clean sheets and Demba Ba goals was the foundation of last seasons success lets not forget. Can't blame him for trying to get back to that. Didn't work. Fair enough. But it wasn't horrible management by any shot.

I read a stat on Spurs that they are 11th in te possession rankings. Good for thought IMO. AVB has received a lot of credit on here for controlling games.