Yesterday’s win over Hull wasn’t the most exciting game of this or any other season and a portion of today’s headlines have been devoted to the post match comments of Andre Villas-Boas. AVB said he felt the team were effectively playing away from home as anxiety got to the fans.
“I compliment the boys for what they did – great work rate. Not only that but we played away from home. We didn’t have the support that we should have had in a game that we needed a win,” Andre said.
“There was much anxiety present in the fans which transmitted to the players, so this victory is down to the players. We did it with no help today.
The manager went on to explain how patience was needed in order to break down a stubborn set of visitors.
“It was difficult to break them. They came here with a good strategy and different to what other teams have done here which is defend and look to hit us on the counter,” he added.
“I think the thing we did different to the game against West Ham was that we waited patiently for our opportunity. It’s always difficult to get in behind a defence of five plus four in the middle and one up front.”
It’s probably just as well that AVB didn’t look at some of the comments on social media but does he have a point about the frustrations of the fans during yesterday’s contest?
Yes ………….. but I would suggest that he needs to get the lads sorting out how to deal with the kinds of situation Hull presented. This was not brilliance, but hard work, and that’s exactly what WE made of them. But our answer to such situations must be very loud renditions of COYS!!!
DOC DRIBBLE’S NEGATIVE GELLY FIGHT
1. AVB is being negative criticising the fans
2. the fans are being negative criticising AVB’s tactics at home games
3. the team needs time to gel
4. AVB needs time to gel with the fans
5. the fans need time to gel with the team
Klopp that Mr Levy.
He does have a very valid point. I had a right knobhead sitting next to me who critised Holtby ALL game and the fact we passed sideways, and back just to retain possession. Even after we got our dubious penalty, he was suggesting he hoped Hull would equalise. DO WE REALLY NEED PEOPLE BUYING TICKETS LIKE THESE ?? This is not a one off either coz last year someone thought Dembele was rubbish and NO replacement for Modric. Please do not bother to turn up to be like this. COYS get behind everyone if we want total glory.
A.V.B has a point there is and always has been a lot of negativity especially in the west upper But fans have to accept that opponents give us a lot of respect (probably too much) and so expect a lot of 1-0 games I expect a gradual improvement as the new players start to gel
Exactlt right winning brings confidence and that will bring better performances, I’d take a few more 1-0 putting us in a decent position for when the boys click
Not making excuses but just read somewhere that we have the second smallest pitch in the PL , 100×67 -the Hammers have the smallest.Just maybe, this is not helping.
This smells of a frustrated manager devoid of ideas and looking for a scapegoat. I totally agree that no fan should EVER boo the team but to generate excitement in the ground the crowd has to have SOMETHING to feed off. The atmosphere may have been lacking in the last couple of games but we’ve been forced to watch this slow,deliberate and boring style of football ever since he took over. So teams come to defend, like they do when they play any top club, it doesn’t seem to stop the other top six clubs playing decent football at least some of the time. I don’t think anyone expects brilliant displays all the time but when was the last really exciting performance at the Lane? When did we last demolish a visiting team? Even Jan Vert commented pre season that we had too many one goal margin victories and would need to remedy the situation this year. Time to gel? we started Saturdays game with only three of this years signings. AVB was sold to us as the master tactician so let’s see some of it and let’s also see a better effort from the terraces. It works both ways. COYS!!
the fans are not having a go at the players, well some are , but they are totally wrong doing that, no they are having a go at av bloody b, and his one method attack, the players are not performing to their abilitys, and this is due to the manager who tells them what to do, im telling you guys a decent manager running this squad, will be like a breath of fresh air, for the players and fans, and they will gel quicker and enjoy their football more, sack avb now, and get stefen freund as caretaker manager, he knows what we fans want, he is spurs through and through, and the players like him, you can see that when they talk off the pitch, in contrast the body language between avb and players is bad, watch when our players speak to avb on sidelines, and you will see what i mean.
Totally agree,AVB looks looks totally bemused the whole time,” why is my plan A masterplan not working?”Please no well we are 4th etc.I’ve seen us top of the league for few weeks about this time over the years,so theres nothing phenominal about it.What counts is at the end of the season and I,m sorry the football we are playing aint going to hold up CL ?5th at best.Cue abuse.
It was a tough day at WHL for Spurs yesterday and it was clear that from quite early on, there was an apparent reluctance to really ‘get at’ Hull. For me and those around me, this was a growing source of frustration. The endless sideways passing and the absence of a player able to play the killer ball reminded us again how much we still miss a certain small Croatian. When Dembele came on though and then Eriksen, we started to look more positive and I think the atmosphere in the ground improved markedly. The problem really was that, as the first half disappeared, it started to smell like WHU all over again and the fans got more anxious. There was little to cheer other than the occasional gritty endeavours of Holtby and Sandro. AVB must have heard that. He is a clever tactician and I’m sure he knows what he is doing. The composure of the players is very much better than last season, but the fans need to see heart too, especially when they have turned out again in such huge numbers. As the roar that greeted Townsend, when he came back on bandaged and dazed so clearly illustrated, give us more of that and we will follow you loudly, through anything.
I’ve thought for years that the pitch is too small at WHL.
A geordie friend came to the stadium for an England U21’s game and said it immediately too.
seen the film called the sting, well thats what has happened to thfc, we have been conned, we are supposed to have a tactical genius, and what we have got is a fraud making lots of money, chelsea found this out, and got rid, we must do the same, this man is NO TACTICAL GENIUS, there is nothing to back that statement, last season we relied on gareth bale, and he saved us so many times, not because of avb tactics, but because he is a great player who needs no guidance from an inept manager, and this season we are a one method team, dembele who can score goals as he proved at fulham, cant shoot for us, let alone score, soldado a class forward, is getting no service whatsoever, there is no plan to get the ball to him better, we keep doing the same thing time and time again, watch the players guys, they dont know each others runs, this leads to slow play, and hardly any dynamic movement to find space, avb has well and truly conned two english clubs, by talking well in job interviews, and then doing nothing genius in the job at all.
Do one John. Stop moaning FFS. If you ain’t happy, don’t go to the games. Simple as that.
Or have I totally misjudged you and you’re really a gooner on this site to stir up banter?
dembele has never scored goals for fun im pretty sure he only scored 2 for fulham in 2 years despite haveing the most shots in the pl over the same time. i will agree with soldado point tho
Agreed but of course you like me are not a real fan because we are critical of the Messiah.
I went with my two brothers yesterday who are Bristol City fans, it was their first ever premierleague game and were looking forward to seeing how much better the prem players are first touch, pace, passing e.t.c.
WOW they were disappointed most players on the spurs team (holtby, sandro and eriksen in particular) were terrible touches and passes. However they were more suprised at how many fans were moaning at players and the lack of singing compared to what I normally here. 1 brother in particular was desperate to video record and entire full rendition of when the spurs go marching in and there wasn’t ONE, they faded out every time. But they were more shocked at the complaining and moaning of the fans at the train station platform. One brother said these guys wanna support Brilstol city (sat bottom of league 1) we’d love to win 1 v 0 and would happily take a scrappy 1 0. Even a stranger walking passed said he couldn’t tell if spurs had won or lost from the atmosphere.
Maybe it’s time to accept that the players aren’t used to playing against a flat back 10 and we should encourage rather than abuse our own. We have no right to be in the top four as some seem to think, let alone champions. It must be earned and whilst it’s not pretty at the moment wins build confidence and confidence brings performances.
Brave interview by AVB and I think he is spot on.
Villas-Boas is the problem. Not the fans. When a manager has the nerve to criticise the fans you know he has lost it.
His style of play is negative and sluggish: three passes sideways, two back, and if you’re lucky, one forward. The most effective play is fast and direct. This pulls the opposition defense apart and opens up gaps to exploit. It’s also the most exciting to watch. When they do attack Tottenham seem to be obsessed with attacking down the middle and trying to squeeze a way through. What’s wrong with the wings and using the full width of the pitch? It’s like you’re trying to break down the front door of a house and it won’t open. Wouldn’t you try the sides or the back to look for another way in?
No number or combination of new players will make any difference if the manager stubbornly persists in this slow boring predictable style of play. So called fans who continue to sing his praise in the face of mediocrity are navel gazers.
Or the AVB brown nose brigade
Benitez said it about the chelsea fans and he was proved right too. When they got off his back and improved the atmosphere Chelsea were terrific. Someone has to say it to make the fans realise they CAN help the team, not burden them.
I can honestly say I make more positive noise at WHL than anyone else near me – although I did sit Paxton lower so that’s not hard. AVB is right. Our home support is miserable. FACT.
Perhaps it was a bit foolhardy to comment like he did but he’s not wrong. Whether or not you believe he’s trying to cover up his inadequacies by having a pop at the fans is irrelevant.
Sing up to support your team and to improve the match day atmosphere at WHL.
No you didn’t, I saw you. You were quiet.
Haha, what can I say! In my head I was singing at least….
Well I WAS singing in the Park Lane, and the bloke next to me seemed to be tutting at the futility of it and support of the team. I was always told, like a reference, if you have nothing good to say then don’t say anything.
It’s a commen thing at white hart lane especially against the smaller teams since 10/11 season. I remember playing Blackpool at home and going 1-0 down to a Charlie adam pen and a group of fans left the stadium after the 75th minute!! And since then I’ve realised how pathetic our support is. Ticket prices aren’t a excuse to vent your frustration at players.. I’m worried when we get our new stadium the atmosphere will be as bad as arsenals..
Hopefully the club will work with groups such as 1882 movement to allow singing sections where atmosphere will be generated. It’s what we need.
Sad so many are quick to criticise yet slow to support, especially when we’re so close….
Everybody needs to sing, in one voice and guide our boys to victory….. nothing else matters!
Ooo forgot ……. i hate gooners! 🙂
Do you really think that singing your nuts off is going to make the players try harder,just look at their attitude to AVB ,they havnt got a clue what hes asking them to do,and run around like headless chickens.Dembele was exceptional at first,now he looks like hes got a touch of the Ades,that;s not ai by the way,I think you Know what I mean
What is wrong with you? Why are you so negative? I’m sure you’re on a wind up.
If you go to the games you should do us all a favour and sell your ticket. If you don’t go to the games then stay in your armchair….
Isn’t avb just trying to stir things up to make the fans a bit louder in the next game?
AVB said the players in the dressing room were talking about the negative atmosphere. And he, as the manager has to be their voice….and rightly so…..good management!
This was hard yesterday. I could feel the frustration where I was sitting and even the regulars were looking stressed. We move the ball far too slowly and playing down the middle to a 10 man defence is madness. The midfielders simply did not do enough to create a genuine threat. We are at present built to counter attack away from home. I even heard some having a go at Soldado! I know its frustrating but having a pop at players simply does not help and that frustration does affect the players. I have said it before, we need a little patience. We are 4th, three points off the top so lets not press the panic button
Seems like only one thing will settle this debate…… a thunderous WHL next game and a stunning performance from the team…..
fans play their part and ask the team to plsy theirs 🙂
K
I don’t think we can make it even this
season- let me tel y- our defense s plays
high on the pitch wic conjests the space 4
attackers… 4 this tactic we need players
lik modric who can split opposit defence
sic we don’t hv…. moreover our pitch is
pretty small compared 2 others… no
wonder we hv lot of possession & do
nothing abt it especially wen other teams park
the bus… Der s no room 4 players
2 work it-
Msg to spurgatso….. singing my nuts off will allow me to enjoy the price of my ticket…. i or you have no control over how they perform. All any hardcore spurs fans can do is back them no matter what… im starting to think youre a gonner so stop buying tickets and fuck off you hater……
Top post, succinctly put. We sell out every week and there are more willing people to buy your seat.