The College Dropout

Yesterday it was clear that AVB didn't know what he was doing and he looked like a dear in the headlights again.

Getting whooped 5-0 by your rivals in the league though. Getting hammered is one thing. Rarely looking like scoring all season is another. But yesterday the players had no heart. He looked like he had lost another dressing room. Yea, but Suarez in his current form is unstoppable. I agree, yesterday was inexcusable, but unfortunately these things happen from time to time with most teams, maybe more so if you are in a bad stint in a transition period. This season was bound to be a bit shaky, with a whole new squad coming in, and I think they should have given him more time. L'pool are no great shakes away from home. With 10 men they could only draw against us and they lost deservedly to Hull the other week. If you're going to have a team that struggles to score goals, you can't get whooped like Spurs have been. What's there to hold on to? Where's the identity? AVB goes from overly cautious against crap teams to overly adventurous against good teams. If you're a solid low scoring unit - be that. Free-flowing attacking - be that. They are neither. Add to that the players gave up yesterday. Spurs never looked so bad under 'Arry.

I think their points tally last season was the highest in their PL history. The only important stat is that they finished 5th.

Aye, so you would think he would go for a cautious defensive set-up. Nice and deep. Forget an offside trap. What with the pace and movement of Suarez and co. Nope. Really high line. Crap offside trap. Everyone looking clueless. A mess. Tactically naive.

Good shout. Still surprised at what I consider a hasty decision though. You don't revamp your squad after selling your best player and not allow for a transition period. I've defended AVB in the past and thought he'd build a successful team after Bale. Unfortunately he hasn't done anything right, I know they need a time to settle, but his usage of Paulinho is for starters horrible, he's tried him as either a DM or as AM, not used him in his best position which is as a box-to-box player. He hasn't given Lamela any chances and Soldado has been terrible under his set up. I'm not saying it was the right decision to sack him already, but I at the same time I understand why they did it. Same here. Always thought he should be given more time. His time at Chelsea seemed to have changed his tactical thinking fundamentally though and he looked to prefer the cautious approach than getting the most out of his attacking riches. Then he would randomly play a highline against City & L'pool with Dawson and a CM at the back. The man's tactically naive at best.

Getting whooped 5-0 by your rivals in the league though. Getting hammered is one thing. Rarely looking like scoring all season is another. But yesterday the players had no heart. He looked like he had lost another dressing room.

Based on what? I asked a question, I don't hide behind then if I have something to say. I badly want Hatem in the starting Xl but his contribution to team play simply doesn't warrant the special treatment he gets here, which is partially why he's gained weight and his form has dipped. Powerful posting.

I mean if we are going to compare HBA to Messi or even Suarez in terms of end product.... we should close this thread.

No mention of not performing to a high standard? This is one of the things that irks me most about this forum. Blame everything except the player.

L'pool have looked very ordinary to me away from home. If Sturridge/Suarez aren't red hot i've expected them to lose or draw on the road. Yesterday Suarez was red hot but the whole team was magnificent. At the same time Spurs were a joke. I don't see how a team so rigid, organised and secure for much of the season can look so shabby and disorganised now. In Redknapp's 2 1/2 seasons they never looked this bad.

HBA offering less, Wow. Currently, as CD states. I don't think that is such a preposterous statement considering our recent results which coincide with him being dropped in favour of Sissoko, Gouffran and Remy as our wide options? Yes exactly this. Currently. We've not had either in the side during our current good run in form and we haven't looked noticeably better when they've come off the bench. We had someone whose biggest attribute is recycling possession and keeping the momentum going. Any player coming into the side will need to do a similar thing.

Suarez with 44 of my 62 points ffs.

Coutinho's 21. Hatem's 26. Mourinho wouldn't stand for that either FWIW.

You can still play an expansive game and have a target man. I've no sympathy for Papiss or Hatem not getting into the side when they legitimately offer less than the alternatives currently.

Aye it's definitely 3-1

Yep.

Paulinho and Dembele shouldn't be sieve-like given those players' reputation and the roles they have played most of their careers. Bastia have been rubbish in the second half. That's like having Cabaye as your toughest CM. Great chip from Suarez.

I like him personally, my honest opinion is they need time to get the players adapted to the league look at our jan business after all, took 6 months for them to get used to the prem and to each other. Don't know if he'll get the time however. I agree. Hope they can fightback to 2-2 today.

What about Remy & Gouffran?

He started the season strong. But he's been terrible for a long while now.

Some miss there.

Never was sold on AVB but at the moment he's looking a total charlatan.

Much like Debuchy earlier this season, he's the obvious weakness in our team and opposing teams know it.

Fat Sam's not wrong. Take away their loan signings and they would be no better than last years side. What I really give credit to Martinez for is giving Barkley a central position very early in the first team.

Moyes has him running around a fair bit. His last season at Arsenal and last season he was right up top running way less than he used too.