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OK Tommy, what exactly is AVB doing wrong in your eyes, amaze with your blinding insight into the inner workings of the tactical side of football.

I could do with a the entertainment in seeing how you react when somebody says you're talking bollocks.
I've made my thoughts abundantly clear. If you are so dim witted that you need a personal audience then thats your look out.

This isn't an attack on AVB, my initial reservations have changed on the guy, I don't think he's a master tactician at all, it seems that he has the leadership qualities to inspire players to stick to a rigid formation and pattern of play. I just think its fucking boring to watch, and I don't like what happens when the team are put under pressure for the last hurrah in games, and then start panicing and making mistakes.

That aside, he's doing a much better job than I expected, its just lucky for us as Spurs supporters that the other teams in the league are playing at a lesser standard as well, or we would be further down the table.

Hopefully things will improve as the better players get back to match fitness.

Oh - and in answer to your smarmy remark about tactical insights, try reading the link I posted earlier. The thoughts of a rather successful manager make far more sense than some of the hypothesised tosh I see churned out on here.

Football is a simple game
 
So you have no insights on tactics then, just a link to somebody else's.

I like the way the goal-posts have been shifted from AVB being a clueless clown to how boring his teams play, now that we seem to be getting somewhere in the league.
 
AVB is bringing a more controlling ethos to our tactics. It has fallen apart at the seams on occasion, but I see a silver lining.

Spurs in the last couple of seasons have doubtlessly been very exciting to watch, but we've also tended to be very immature and wasteful in the attack, forcing the ball too much rather than creating real opportunities. This is supported by statistics over the past couple of seasons that showed Spurs being one of the most attacking sides in all of Europe, but actually showing very poor conversion on chances created.

It will take some time for his controlling tactics to become fully baked. Having BAE back will, I think, add a lot of fluidity to our attack, with his overlapping runs and interchanges with Bale. Also, Vertonghen back at CB thankfully means that we will be less reliant on Gallas.

I'm optimistic. We've got a fortuitous run of games that will allow the boys to really bolster our league position and put some pressure on the CL spots, and with the slate of injuries that have affected us these past few months beginning to clear up, we'll start to assemble our real starting 11, which we really haven't seen all season.
 
Like I said, its a sad world when people are so precious that they cant take a bit of mickey taking.
If you think I'm going to explain myself or have a conversation with someone who can only punctuate the conversation with "you're a dick", and "go fuck yourself" then you have another think coming.

Would you
a. accept that from someone in a face to face discussion
b. Behave like that in a face to face discussion

I'm guessing no - to both.
Well neither do I - personally or on line.

You got caught out talking cock, and all you can come up with is insults to cover your tracks. Man up and grow a pair.


I called you a dick because thats how you were acting, very simple. Just as if I were playing the part I would expect to be told as much.

You werent mickey taking, you were mocking - without actually backing up your view.

I tried to engage, to tease your point out so that we could actually debate.

You have steadfastly avoided such and carried on with your condescension and mockery, with a few insults thrown in for good measure. Is it any wonder if I react in kind?

Ill offer it up one last time, an olive branch, take it or leave it.

The content of my comical post:
- AVB has a design on playing. This was not me making up fanciful nonsense, this was me relaying what AVB has previously spelled out as his philosophy. To expand upon a point made that we struggle in the final third, I offer that AVB has a design on playing and so hopefully solutions to this issue.

AVB Speaking of teasing with the ball:



Here is one interview where he does so
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ndre-Villas-Boass-footballing-philosophy.html


AVB: There are more spaces in football than people think. Even if you play against a low block team, you immediately get half of the pitch.
And after that, in attacking midfield, you can provoke the opponent with the ball, provoke him to move forward or sideways and open up a space. But many players can’t understand the game.
They can’t think about or read the game. Things have become too easy for football players: high salaries, a good life, with a maximum of five hours work a day and so they can’t concentrate, can’t think about the game.
Barcelona’s players are completely the opposite. Their players are permanently thinking about the game, about their movement, about how to provoke their opponent with the position of the ball.

The idea of the high line and condensing play up the pitch is well versed already. You seem to have issue with my discussing this, as it has been spelled out by the manager, could you explain why?




- I like the ideas he talks about, and refer to them as brave. This would be recognition that its not a 100% dead cert to win type style, it is something that carries risk. I think this is a point you yourself made as well, so perhaps we are in agreement?

- I observe that we miss passing opportunities, and that in passing backwards to the GK instead of into midfield we are effectively resetting our forward play. I would like to see us keep the pressure up more. Would you disagree?

- I state my belief Naughton uses the ball more intelligently than Walker, and so could help us facilitate this sort of possession. Would you disagree?

The relevance of your Fergusson article is still lost on me. It is mostly an article in talking about over all people management, rather than football tactics and nuance. Given that it was a presentation to Harvard Business School and not a sporting institution/class this seems perfectly appropriate. It talks of motivation, the balance of respect/love and fear in his employees (for want of a better word) and how he achieves it. The only tactical element he speaks of is this


"Tactics can change depending on whom we are playing.
"I tend to concentrate on one or two players of my opponents – the ones that are the most influential.
"Who's the guy who is taking all the free-kicks? Who's the guy who's on the ball all the time? Who's the one urging everyone on? The rest of the time I concentrate on our own team.

"On Friday we take our players through a video analysis of our opponents: their strengths, their weaknesses, their set pieces, what their team is likely to be, and so on.

"Then on Saturday, we might give them another, shorter version – just a recap of the previous day."

Which, to my mind, basically says he alters tactics in part game to game to counter the opposition strengths, but otherwise focuses on Utds system of play. Given that he goes through video evidence on opponents with his players (multiple times), quite some detail IMO, I assume he also works on his own teams tactical game in similar (if not greater) detail.

This offers nothing to counter my raising AVBs discussion of tactics in detail, if anything it promotes it as Fergie is one of the best around and AVB may be sharing a trait with him.

It was an interesting article, I would like to appreciate what it is you believe I am missing, or what you think it proves in my post to be hogwash.

I do not believe I was talking cock, hence my wanting to discuss. I come onto forums like this to enjoy a debate, to interact and to learn. I am open to someone telling me I am wrong, and explaining why. Sometimes it will do no more than reinforce the view I held, sometimes it will open my thinking and change that view. I enjoy these discussions either way.

You are nothing to me, except a potential (and passing) point of interest while I am killing time. I genuinely dont give a damn what you think of me, though I do take exception when I feel I am being attacked. I would be very happy to continue in a cordial fashion, in the spirit of debate. If you throw this back in my face I will simply let it be. At least I tried.
 
When I was in my early teens I started to learn the guitar. While I was learning about chords, scales and various other techniques and systems, I made what I thought was good progress. I now realise that it was only after I had learned these things and 'internalised' them (for want of a better expression) that the actual progress was made. Learning to drive is a similar analogy.

I think we are currently learning our scales, once they become second nature we will see a much more pleasing style of football I'm sure.
 
Having BAE back will, I think, add a lot of fluidity to our attack, with his overlapping runs and interchanges with Bale. Also, Vertonghen back at CB thankfully means that we will be less reliant on Gallas.

Ekotto getting back will be massive for us IMHO.

In having a natural left back our defensive line and shape will be better. Also in having someone able to use his left foot in wide positions our attacking play can transform as you say. I also think he is very well suited to the idea of provoking/teasing opponents and then passing/using the space that creates - which could do a lot for our possession game.

A secondary, and equally important benefit is getting Vertonghen back at CB. This guy has it all IMO and his composure on the ball - that ability to take some pressure and make a decent pass - will also be huge for us.

Ekotto coming back can change the entire shape and dimension of the team. Which sounds all dramatic but I believe to be true
 
So you have no insights on tactics then, just a link to somebody else's.

I like the way the goal-posts have been shifted from AVB being a clueless clown to how boring his teams play, now that we seem to be getting somewhere in the league.

Not sure if you are none too bright, or just internet thrush.
after 17 games last season we had 38 points after two hammerings to start the season
we currently have 27 and are one place lower

thats getting somewhere is it?

Reality check. AVB is without Modric and VDV and several other players through injury.

I have never said AVB is a clueless clown, you may have convinced yourself of that - but like I said, its quite possible that you are either none too bright - or just thrush.

I think its both personally. So do me a favour, if you have nothing to offer - then go play with your toys. Rest assured of one thing, if you want to come after me - I can give in stellar portions, and I can take all that you have to offer.

For everyones sake - play nice and Ill do the same.
 
I called you a dick because thats how you were acting, very simple. Just as if I were playing the part I would expect to be told as much.

You werent mickey taking, you were mocking - without actually backing up your view.

I tried to engage, to tease your point out so that we could actually debate.

<snip>

You are nothing to me, except a potential (and passing) point of interest while I am killing time. I genuinely dont give a damn what you think of me, though I do take exception when I feel I am being attacked. I would be very happy to continue in a cordial fashion, in the spirit of debate. If you throw this back in my face I will simply let it be. At least I tried.
so you think the last paragraph was a big cock teasing, come on do you?

I'm busy with my work, I'll explain my point, and clear up all of the stuff you are struggling with. I'll happily accept that I haven't explained myself too well, as I am on a busy schedule. I am busy, and have flights to catch, but I'll get back on this.
 
Please do.

Please also note that regardless of how you have intended to present yourself you have been, to my mind, VERY rude and aggressive. Perhaps thats not how you see your posts, perhaps that was never the intent - but please understand that is certainly how they appear to me and so my response has been in kind.

I dont usually pick arguments with posters, I always prefer to debate. If this is all misunderstanding I am happy to let bygones be bygones and move on like grown ups.
 
I also think BAE is gonna be huge.
He was once asked, how it feels to play behind Bale and he answered, that you'd have to ask Bale how it is to play with him. At first that might sound arrogant, but he really adds a lot of creativity to our game when he's playing.
On top of that it also gives us the bonus of playing Jan centrally which will certainly gain us a few points this season and that's not only for his defensive work. Just remember last season when Kaboul tried to give us an extra man in attack against bus-parking teams by making runs forward. As we all have noticed they were largely useless but now imagine Jan making those runs, it's definitely something I'm very much looking forward to in the second half of this season.
 
so you think the last paragraph was a big cock teasing, come on do you?

I'm busy with my work, I'll explain my point, and clear up all of the stuff you are struggling with. I'll happily accept that I haven't explained myself too well, as I am on a busy schedule. I am busy, and have flights to catch, but I'll get back on this.

Classic troll post.
 
I also think BAE is gonna be huge.
He was once asked, how it feels to play behind Bale and he answered, that you'd have to ask Bale how it is to play with him. At first that might sound arrogant, but he really adds a lot of creativity to our game when he's playing.
On top of that it also gives us the bonus of playing Jan centrally which will certainly gain us a few points this season and that's not only for his defensive work. Just remember last season when Kaboul tried to give us an extra man in attack against bus-parking teams by making runs forward. As we all have noticed they were largely useless but now imagine Jan making those runs, it's definitely something I'm very much looking forward to in the second half of this season.

Ok, Kabouls runs were fairly useless and didn't always result in much. But you've got to agree that seeing Kaboul start to pick up pace and surge forward, destroying anything that even considered tackling him, and crashing in to some hapless berk who did, was a fine sight!
 
Ok, Kabouls runs were fairly useless and didn't always result in much. But you've got to agree that seeing Kaboul start to pick up pace and surge forward, destroying anything that even considered tackling him, and crashing in to some hapless berk who did, was a fine sight!
Ahh that reminds me of Crouch's goal at Man City.

Kaboul turned on BEAST MODE for that one!
 
Please do.

Please also note that regardless of how you have intended to present yourself you have been, to my mind, VERY rude and aggressive. Perhaps thats not how you see your posts, perhaps that was never the intent - but please understand that is certainly how they appear to me and so my response has been in kind.

I dont usually pick arguments with posters, I always prefer to debate. If this is all misunderstanding I am happy to let bygones be bygones and move on like grown ups.

First things first, I am not claiming to be some tactical genius, neither am I going to make any magical statements about how the team should set itself up, so for those of you sitting with knives out, looking for a quick execution – you will have to do what so many of you have done before, ignore everything I say, interpret everything in a manner that does me a total disservice, and then post infantile carping remarks.

That’s not aimed at you Lister – as I said, prior to your post that I posted my mickey taking remarks about, I had always enjoyed your input and thought your views to be sound.

I’ll skip the bit about insults, we’ve done that

I’ll also skip all the other points in the post that you subsequently mentioned, as I have absolutely no issues with them, and concentrate on the bit that I have a major problem with. I don’t have internet access at the moment, so I’m doing this from memory, so if I don’t quote verbatim don’t get the arseholes, I’m not really bothered with all of the details, it’s the general thrust of the argument that is risible.

In your post you commented on the principles of pressing and where about on the pitch to do it, and then came out with these fanciful notions of suckering teams in, and making them attack us, so we could utilise our speedy wingers to get round the back and score with speedy counter attacks. Yeah, like thats a tactic. This makes as much sense as a boxer saying, I let him punch me in the face for 5 rounds, so that he was so tired of punching me, that when I threw my right hook in desperation and knocked him out – it was all part of my plan. What else was it you were alluding to? Oh yeah, AVB claiming we teased them with the ball? WTF, did he really say that? Jesus, if Redknapp had ever come out with a dick like comment of that nature, there would have been rioting on the streets of Tottenham.

My piss taking is due to the ever increasing need for people to post their long winded and boring flights of fancy as a sort of audition for sky sports or MOTD, almost as if there was a hope that the incisive nature of the commentary would be recognised and that a celestial sleigh will collect the proponent and whisk them off to the studios.

Very little has been invented in football that is new – oh sure, people dick around with formations and dependant on their available talent, will play with various combinations, but the fact of the matter is simple. What wins games is having more talent on your side than theirs, fitness and discipline. Top that off with first class leadership on the field, and top notch management and motivational leadership off it, and tactics make up a tiny proportion of what happens on the pitch, and that centres around how you nullify their best players from causing you any damage. The whole stupid notion that you can allow a team to camp on the edge of your penalty box so that you can run around the back was ridiculed when Wimbledon did it in the 80s but now its tactical magic? Sure you can argue that Wimbledon didn’t play the ball up the pitch, but it was the same tactic, borne of desperation because they didn’t have the on field talent to work it up there, or keep it up there.

Which brings me to the pressing and playing a high line shit, that gets trotted out all the time. OK its just words, but some younger fans actually believe that this is some new kind of tactic, and that teams in the 60/70/80’s didn’t do it. Sorry guys but all of that stuff was being coached to me as a kid back in the 70’s – we just hadn’t gotten around to the need to call it pressing, because you used an iron for that, after you got your dry shirts off the high clothes line in the garden. The object of the game hasn’t changed one iota, get the ball up the pitch, into range of goal and take a shot at the bit of it that the goalkeeper isn’t standing in – without cheating, or getting caught offside.

The differences are manifest in the modern game, because players are more athletic, they train, eat and live like serious athletes and they run faster, longer and they put science into their diets and lifestyles now. The days of 2 hours training 3 days a week, 10 pints a night and a fag at half time are done and gone. Players now are better motivated, by teams of scientifically trained fitness coaches, backed up by medical staffs and drilled and coached to high standards of motor skills, muscle memory and core footballing skills. An average modern championship side would hammer the shit out of top sides from the 60’s, simply because they would run them into the deck and annihilate them with power and discipline. As long as the modern players could withstand the butchery and physical assaults that were commonplace in those days, they would crucify the old teams.

I make no bones about the fact that I like what Redknapp did for the club and the team that I have supported, watched hundreds of times up and down the country and across Europe and spent an obscene amount of money on, but the shit and ridicule poured on the man is just plain wrong, and its annoying to see the excuses, and lies that people promulgate about AVB, long before he has proved a fucking thing, often quoting where HR got it wrong, and how AVB is righting those wrongs.

Trust me, I hope AVB turns out to be our Fergie/Shankly/Busby mated with Nicholson to be the manager of the finest league winning British team of all time. I support Spurs – but I don’t do it blindly and I see a bad future if he is going to pin his hopes on cockeyed tactical fallacies that involve letting teams come on to us in the hope that we can get an occasional breakaway. I originally came on here asking for evidence of his tactical wizadry, because there has been little or no evidence of it, in any of the games I have witnessed. This is partly because we lost the VDV and the Rat, as well as injuries. Not getting Moutinho probably hasn’t helped him – but why does he persist with Dempsey and Codpiece (Sigurdsson) who are clearly hopeless? Why does he allow his sides to try to protect single goal leads (his substitutions give the game away) and why are we collapsing at the end of games? We didn’t against Swansea, because they played with a 9 man defence, and only started trying when they could see the panic in the teams eyes.

What I now see is that he is turning out to be a good man manager, motivator and trainer of footballers and teams, but he is too like Mourinho for his own good. Jose put out teams that played dull and effective football, and that is now what we are starting to see our team turn into. There is no swagger or risk taking on show, and hey its got us to 4th – but is it what we want to see? Not me, for sure.

So my comments that you got all pissy and precious about were to do with your earnest peddling of these babbletalk tactical analyses, that make little or no sense in a real world where 22 men battle it out with a ball, all independent thought, changes of mind, unkind bounces and mistimed tackles multiplied out by a thousand times a thousand times a thousand - as games move and emotions ebb and flow, blowing any kind of tactical preparation for gameplay into a zillion pieces. The fact is, life doesn’t play out to preconceived notions, even in controlled environments, let alone in the life under a microscope that professional football is, as played by footballers with the brains of rodents and the emotions of children.

But hey – if you want to believe in it all, knock yourself out. I prefer to believe in SAFs tactical acumen and approach, as well as Redknapps tactic of letting them express themselves, within the framework he set them out to play.

I don’t think for a minute that you will agree with much of this so you can comment or disagree with what you want, or take it as it stands.
 
Classic troll post.

Given that you are continually trying to needle me and get a rise out of me

I'd say that if anyone was trolling it would be you.

Unlike you - I have opinions and am prepared to put them up and stand by them - but you, you are just a weasely little shitbag with nothing of value or substance to say.

Frankly, you're fucking worthless
 
Given that you are continually trying to needle me and get a rise out of me

I'd say that if anyone was trolling it would be you.

Unlike you - I have opinions and am prepared to put them up and stand by them - but you, you are just a weasely little shitbag with nothing of value or substance to say.

Frankly, you're fucking worthless

Haven't you got a flight to catch.

Actually I feel honoured that you've found time in your busy schedule to reply to me.
 
Given that you are continually trying to needle me and get a rise out of me

I'd say that if anyone was trolling it would be you.

Unlike you - I have opinions and am prepared to put them up and stand by them - but you, you are just a weasely little shitbag with nothing of value or substance to say.

Frankly, you're fucking worthless
Why do you still post here even though you hate everyone?
 
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