The Roflham Lolspurs Thread

[The College Dropout]

Watched a fair bit of them. Looked very strong, powerful and organised. Going forward? Speculative. Don't look like the attacking players know how to play together. The only one who seems to have settled into a role is Paulinho and his finishing is suspect.

 

The players they've signed are all pretty young, plus it's basically a whole new team. How they look after a year together will be the real test of how good they're going to be.

 

Agreed.

[Cajun]

8 of the 11 started today where there before this summer. Same goes for the 3 that came on.

 

City also had 3 players who signed this summer starting.

[The College Dropout]

8 of the 11 started today where there before this summer. Same goes for the 3 that came on.

 

City also had 3 players who signed this summer starting.

 

But they haven't played that team consistently. It was the first time i'd seen Lamela start in the league for example.

 

Soldado - Paulinho and maybe someone else i've forgotten have started every game i've seen from them out of their front 6. Outwide we've seen Chadli, Lennon, Lamela, Townsend. In the middle Sigurdsson (sometimes plays wide too), Eriksen, Holtby, Sandro, Dembele, the French lad and i'm probably missing a couple players. There's no consistency, he doesn't know his best team and it's not surprising.

 

Their attacking play is a little like ours last season - look like strangers.

 

 

From a team lacking an effective attacking identity they could probably use someone like Adebayor up top for a bit. Sometimes you can just float the ball in to him and play off him. The way we did with Shola in the first half against Norwich, it really makes things easier when you have a player like that. Soldado seems to be a particular type of forward and they don't play to his strengths at all.

[Mattoon]

8 of the 11 started today where there before this summer. Same goes for the 3 that came on.

 

City also had 3 players who signed this summer starting.

 

But they haven't played that team consistently. It was the first time i'd seen Lamela start in the league for example.

 

Soldado - Paulinho and maybe someone else i've forgotten have started every game i've seen from them out of their front 6. Outwide we've seen Chadli, Lennon, Lamela, Townsend. In the middle Sigurdsson (sometimes plays wide too), Eriksen, Holtby, Sandro, Dembele, the French lad and i'm probably missing a couple players. There's no consistency, he doesn't know his best team and it's not surprising.

 

Their attacking play is a little like ours last season - look like strangers.

 

 

From a team lacking an effective attacking identity they could probably use someone like Adebayor up top for a bit. Sometimes you can just float the ball in to him and play off him. The way we did with Shola in the first half against Norwich, it really makes things easier when you have a player like that. Soldado seems to be a particular type of forward and they don't play to his strengths at all.

 

Shearer hit the nail on the head from what I've seen if them, far too narrow and Soldado in particular coming too far midfield during an attack, defenders will let him play with his back to goal all day outside the box. They need to get in him in the box facing goal with some decent balls in to get the best out if him.

[Ryan_Taylor]

 

8 of the 11 started today where there before this summer. Same goes for the 3 that came on.

 

City also had 3 players who signed this summer starting.

 

But they haven't played that team consistently. It was the first time i'd seen Lamela start in the league for example.

 

Soldado - Paulinho and maybe someone else i've forgotten have started every game i've seen from them out of their front 6. Outwide we've seen Chadli, Lennon, Lamela, Townsend. In the middle Sigurdsson (sometimes plays wide too), Eriksen, Holtby, Sandro, Dembele, the French lad and i'm probably missing a couple players. There's no consistency, he doesn't know his best team and it's not surprising.

 

Their attacking play is a little like ours last season - look like strangers.

 

 

From a team lacking an effective attacking identity they could probably use someone like Adebayor up top for a bit. Sometimes you can just float the ball in to him and play off him. The way we did with Shola in the first half against Norwich, it really makes things easier when you have a player like that. Soldado seems to be a particular type of forward and they don't play to his strengths at all.

 

Shearer hit the nail on the head from what I've seen if them, far too narrow and Soldado in particular coming too far midfield during an attack, defenders will let him play with his back to goal all day outside the box. They need to get in him in the box facing goal with some decent balls in to get the best out if him.

 

Sounds like watching Cissé all of last season.

[jdckelly]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/26/andre-villas-boas-tottenham-manager?CMP=twt_gu

[Dave]

They're two points behind Man City in 4th and four points off 2nd. After spending all that money, binning him this early would be ludicrous.

[Ronaldo]

Got to feel for Tooj if that happens.

[ponsaelius]

Would be incredibly harsh IMO.

[Disco]

Who they gon' get?

 

Pointless sacking a manager unless you've got someone lined up IMO.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Football really has gone mental if they sack him now.

[Tiresias]

Holloway's free 

 

Not sure who'd they'd get to be honest, it takes time for all those players to gel (though they do seem to be playing way too slow paced) so I think harsh to judge him on not playing lamela. They need some more intensity and they've probably got hte players to click into being a very good team, they're hardly terribly placed in the table.

[Ronaldo]

He's had 16 months in English football to convince me he's a genuinely good manager, mind. Still hasn't. Without Gareth Bale where would he be?

[Tiresias]

I don't think he's proved all that successful either, but not completely terrible either, he's proved pretty average enough to suggest to me that barring an obviously available upgrade of the manager (no doubt press clamouring for 'arry's triumphant return) it strikes me he should still be given time to get things to click, they have as much to lose as to gain switching now.

[Mole_Toonfan]

He's had 16 months in English football to convince me he's a genuinely good manager, mind. Still hasn't. Without Gareth Bale where would he be?

 

It works both ways.... for first 6 months Spurs were winning games and still probably would have finished 5th but post Christmas he decided to build the team around Bale the rest of the players got worse to allow Bale to do what he wanted but Bale massively improved to cover that.

 

Anyway they would be idiots to sack him, they got thrashed by the team who seemingly thrash everyone at home that is it really.

 

They just bought an entirely new team, these things take time and won't happen over night.

 

Do they have problems? sure but its nothing which can't be rectified and sacking him definitely isn't the answer, especially when they are just 4 points from 2nd.

 

Ultimate kneejerk reaction this.

[Ameritoon]

Would be very harsh. He's said some weird things to the press before, but saying the players should be ashamed after losing 7-0 is putting it pretty mildly. That Guardian article is pretty fucked up too

 

Most alarmingly, Villas-Boas has struggled to get the best from the new signings, particularly Erik Lamela who, at nearly £30m from Roma, is the most expensive in Tottenham's history. Given his difficulty in adapting, it was a surprise that Villas-Boas introduced him for his full league debut at City.

 

wut. A lot of people were calling for Lamela to start after the loss to us, and how is it AVB's fault that a player's struggling to adapt to a new league? Would just be very kneejerk imo

 

 

[jdckelly]

suppose it would simply come down to they spent a shit load of money and expected to compete for the title which doesn't remotely look like happening also this raises a fair point which might annoy the board

 

Miguel Delaney ‏@MiguelDelaney 12m

Suppose one thing about AVB, in past few weeks he's questioned fans, medical team and now players. If that's not backed by own results...

[Foluwashola]

Far too early to talk about sacking, tbf. Mind you, they have spent an outrageous amount and he has them below a team with nee budget and a flukey twat in the dugout.

 

Champions League a minimum one suspects.

[Mole_Toonfan]

suppose it would simply come down to they spent a s*** load of money and expected to compete for the title which doesn't remotely look like happening also this raises a fair point which might annoy the board

 

Miguel Delaney ‏@MiguelDelaney 12m

Suppose one thing about AVB, in past few weeks he's questioned fans, medical team and now players. If that's not backed by own results...

 

Anyone that expects this Tottenham team to compete for the title wants their head looking at.... yes they spent a lot of money because they sold Bale for 90m but they still are nowhere close to the major contenders and besides you can't buy loads of players and expect them to gel instantly.

 

Why does anyone think over last few years Arsenal have started so slowly? its because every summer they sell their best players and have to rebuild... and thus a new team has to gel they didn't this summer and if by magic they are 4 points clear at the top.

[Optimistic Nut]

I know they sold Bale, but for the money he's spent they should be doing much better.

 

Pardew has a better head-to-head record with a much smaller budget and worse team ffs.

[Mr. Snrub]

Any good team are gonna be taking libs against them as long as they continue with the most over hyped right hand side you'll ever see from England.

[Deuce]

He's had 16 months in English football to convince me he's a genuinely good manager, mind. Still hasn't. Without Gareth Bale where would he be?

 

It works both ways.... for first 6 months Spurs were winning games and still probably would have finished 5th but post Christmas he decided to build the team around Bale the rest of the players got worse to allow Bale to do what he wanted but Bale massively improved to cover that.

 

Anyway they would be idiots to sack him, they got thrashed by the team who seemingly thrash everyone at home that is it really.

 

They just bought an entirely new team, these things take time and won't happen over night.

 

Do they have problems? sure but its nothing which can't be rectified and sacking him definitely isn't the answer, especially when they are just 4 points from 2nd.

 

Ultimate kneejerk reaction this.

 

 

AVB's biggest challenge is figuring out his central midfield, imo. Needs to pick his guys and stick with them each week, let them gel.

[jdckelly]

suppose it would simply come down to they spent a s*** load of money and expected to compete for the title which doesn't remotely look like happening also this raises a fair point which might annoy the board

 

Miguel Delaney ‏@MiguelDelaney 12m

Suppose one thing about AVB, in past few weeks he's questioned fans, medical team and now players. If that's not backed by own results...

 

Anyone that expects this Tottenham team to compete for the title wants their head looking at.... yes they spent a lot of money because they sold Bale for 90m but they still are nowhere close to the major contenders and besides you can't buy loads of players and expect them to gel instantly.

 

Why does anyone think over last few years Arsenal have started so slowly? its because every summer they sell their best players and have to rebuild... and thus a new team has to gel they didn't this summer and if by magic they are 4 points clear at the top.

that won't be the way the money men look at it they'll see over £100m on new players and a team that instead of playing better and scoring loads of goals with the many attacking players they bought they'll see a dull side that can't score have depended on luck to get them pens to win matchs they should win anyway and results dipping.

[Mole_Toonfan]

that won't be the way the money men look at it they'll see over £100m on new players and a team that instead of playing better and scoring loads of goals with the many attacking players they bought they'll see a dull side that can't score have depended on luck to get them pens to win matchs they should win anyway and results dipping.

 

Ah true.... personally though i wouldn't even expect them to finish top 4 and i said that when the season started for me when i look at the contenders i'd have 4 teams above them.

 

Also outside of defending AVB he doesn't do himself any favours with regards to gelling the team... he keeps switching around the midfield behind Soldado every week he seems to not have a clue what his best midfield 5 is and that isn't helping anyone with regards to gaining some consistency going forward.

 

He'd do himself a massive favour if he finds a setup he likes and stick to to it, team isn't going to gel if you play Dembele one week, Sigurdsson the next and so on.

[The College Dropout]

I've always questioned the hype AVB gets on this board but sacking him would be very harsh.

 

Mind, i've seen plenty of them this season. Twice in the flesh and they've been pretty boring.