The Blame Game

[Astro]

I disagree and I resent it when this gets said

Liverpool got thumped a total of zero times last season, drew at City and Chelsea in the first half of the season before going on a run of form that's continued to this day. Their second half of 12/13 had 6-0's,2 x 5-0's and a 4-0.

They had progress, signs of good football, and a manager who sat in the dugout. Liverpool would have sacked Sherwood by now

I dunno mate. Hell it's all speculation anyhow.
Well having checked league positions it doesn't appear that they got worse after his appointment. In fact they achieved 1 position higher to 7th. Mind you they did get their fair share of losses (maybe not thumped) that 1st season under Rodgers + his Brendan Rodgers unintentional impersonation on Liverpool tv lol
However he was a chosen/established/scouted/recruited appointment. Is Sherwood?
Seems also that a number of teams have had a thumping this season including us and the gooners. Perhaps this indicates something else?
I think the only thing for sure.... is we shouldn't expect much better next season, even anticipate worse as we have fallen of the crest of the wave we were riding.
And with that said we should all just bite the bullet and back whichever manager is in charge

 

[CJJ]

I dunno mate. Hell it's all speculation anyhow.
Well having checked league positions it doesn't appear that they got worse after his appointment. In fact they achieved 1 position higher to 7th. Mind you they did get their fair share of losses (maybe not thumped) that 1st season under Rodgers + his Brendan Rodgers unintentional impersonation on Liverpool tv lol
However he was a chosen/established/scouted/recruited appointment. Is Sherwood?
Seems also that a number of teams have had a thumping this season including us and the gooners. Perhaps this indicates something else?
I think the only thing for sure.... is we shouldn't expect much better next season, even anticipate worse as we have fallen of the crest of the wave we were riding.
And with that said we should all just bite the bullet and back whichever manager is in charge

It's not the results.

We're not getting outplayed, our manager isn't having bad luck, nor is he appearing to 'do his best'.

Our players look like they gave up not too long after the honeymoon period following when AVB left, none of them look happy (except Ade), none of them have looked in form. This isn't results based, we have a bigger problem than that.

When was the last time a manager would wilfully spent the game in the stands? This guy isn't a pioneer, he's reckless.

 

[Astro]

To add, I think it's obvious we have adopted a philosophy of to buy young (in most cases) with resale as potential revenue. Perhaps Levy should apply this philosophy to manger appointments...

It's not the results.

We're not getting outplayed, our manager isn't having bad luck, nor is he appearing to 'do his best'.

Our players look like they gave up not too long after the honeymoon period following when AVB left, none of them look happy (except Ade), none of them have looked in form. This isn't results based, we have a bigger problem than that.

When was the last time a manager would wilfully spent the game in the stands? This guy isn't a pioneer, he's reckless.

I don't know in truth. Who does outside the boardroom?
But couldn't all of the above be addressed by consistence and confidence instilled from the top in a managerial appointment and backing?
Sherwood just doesn't count. Last minute dot com appointment, short term contract, no experience, not even
fully qualified.
We do look like we lack winners/leaders on the pitch. There's been far too much change this season.
I'd like to see Sandro given captaincy. I've always been a fan of midfielders being captain. They guy is a fighter and a character, loved by most fans already, give him some backing in the dressing room and some nudging in the way of berating other players for falling short

 

[Dr Rocktopus]

It's not the results.

We're not getting outplayed, our manager isn't having bad luck, nor is he appearing to 'do his best'.

Our players look like they gave up not too long after the honeymoon period following when AVB left, none of them look happy (except Ade), none of them have looked in form. This isn't results based, we have a bigger problem than that.

When was the last time a manager would wilfully spent the game in the stands? This guy isn't a pioneer, he's reckless.

We actually started the season fairly well in terms of the team ethic, and general effort. Then at some point the goals dried up, and we started to look lacklustre across the pitch (West Ham was probably the starting point). By the time AVB was sacked, the life and confidence had been drained from the squad, and I wouldn't even say it re-appeared in Sherwood's first few games. We looked slightly less rigid, but there was still something fundamentally wrong with the attitude of the team. I wouldn't even say Ade has looked happy. More like he's been driven by his own bruised ego.

Just doesn't look like a very club to be at right now. I'd say maybe we should try hiring a clown, but we've already tried that with Sherwood.

 

[Éperons]

I won't blame the players. If they looked disinterested, BushHillSpurs , then surely that's because they're not sufficiently motivated by the manager. We've noted during the whole TS reign that many players (especially Vertonghen and Paulinho, right?) have "looked" unhappy. Yet if they're unhappy, you work with that, sell, massage egos, etc. The usual stuff that managers (and I mean this beyond just football) do in every industry. Manage.

I don't blame AVB because I have an AVB-shaped body pillow in my bed.

I don't blame TS, because what was he going to do, say no? He was like Homer Simpson designing a car. He has become more petulant than AVB ever was, but still.

I don't blame Baldini, because, as others have said, no one (except FM addicts) thought that buying seven players in one window was a mistake. Oh, I guess PSG tried it, too, and it took them two seasons to win the league afterward.

I don't blame Levy, because I have to believe that he has the club's best interests at heart, and I'm terrified of the alternative. (A friend is reading SAF's bio and says that it is changing his view on DL. SAF apparently says that Levy's devotion to Spurs can never, ever be questioned).

So that leaves us. We're the worst.

 

[Éperons]

I forgot. I also blame Yeezy.

(Would that be Redknapp?)

 

[BushHillSpurs]

I won't blame the players. If they looked disinterested, BushHillSpurs , then surely that's because they're not sufficiently motivated by the manager. We've noted during the whole TS reign that many players (especially Vertonghen and Paulinho, right?) have "looked" unhappy. Yet if they're unhappy, you work with that, sell, massage egos, etc. The usual stuff that managers (and I mean this beyond just football) do in every industry. Manage.
that buying seven players in one window was a mistake. Oh, I guess PSG tried it, too, and it took them two seasons to win the league afterward.

That's bullshit, sorry. I played for a sunday league team for a manager with the motivational skills of a wet fish, but I still played out of my skin every damn week and gave 100% because I knew my team mates and the people on the sideline was counting on me. Just like these overpaid wankers have millions of fans depending on them and getting paid for the privilege. I did it for nothing but free orange segments at half time ffs.

Im sick to death of the excuses for the players. The buck stops with them. The manager can only influence a tiny tiny part of a football match once that whistle blows and if they are playing similar to brain dead zombies like yesterday then we are going to get results like 4-0, 5-0 etc...

 

[SandroSays]

I think it's a mixture, but mainly Levy piling instability onto an unstable situation. He shouldn't have got caught up in the hype at the start of this season, he should have seen it as one for a new manager to put his stamp on a new team, not one to break into the top four. I know that's a big ask, and I guess most people thought this should be our year, but fuck it, he should be better than that.

Spoiler: Longer reasoning

Putting in order what happened this year:

Massive hype about loads of new players deflects from dissapointment over our best player leaving.

Season starts well, especially defensively, but due to instability, the loss of Bale and not playing Adebyor, we don't score enough. Still on course to better our previous season's record points total.

Lose heavily to a couple of top sides playing high line and players looking a bit rattled. Pressure builds up because of lack of goals.

Instability multiplied by sacking the manager.

Sherwood starts well due to bringing back Ade and telling everyone to fakin run around a bit. I think other teams also loosened up against us, not sitting back so far. Still on course to better our record points total.

After a couple of bad results, it looks like nothing's really changed under Sherwood, except the longevity of the plan. Despite (or because of) the manager's shouting and screaming, the players lose confidence again.

Everything goes to shit.

 

[truetomyself]

From https://twitter.com/karlsentk
1) more than anything, there's been no basis for new (any) player to thrive this season. Unsettled environment, no clear structure post AVB
2) even players that performed well last season have had negative trend this term, which shows something's fundamentally wrong
3) which Spurs players have improved on last season? Townsend? Adebayor? Majority of the rest looking confused, unmotivated, out of sorts
4) in such a context, how can one expect any new signings to flourish? I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way
5) from the summer signings, I've seen enough of Paulinho, Eriksen, Lamela (pre joining) to know that they'd strengthen Spurs significantly
6) I was unsure/unconvinced about Chadli and Capoue back then, but Chriches - if anything - has surprised me positively
7) Soldado has become a problem, starting to look like a lost cause, but he'd profit from clearer structure to the attacking game
8) but point is: with seemingly no clear plan, strategy or stability it's completely naive to expect new signings to prosper
9) as pointed out at the time of AVB sacking, why didn't Spurs go with a manager whose system would get the best out of the summer signings?
10) by appointing an inexperienced manager Spurs seemed to give up on £60-70 million worth of player investment after five months. Bizarre.
11) and finally, what's the point of appointing a technical director when he seemingly had no influence in appointment of new manager?
12) with all these factors in mind, there's no wonder why Spurs is having a disappointing season. Lack of coherent club strategy

 

[ArcspacE]

3) which Spurs players have improved on last season? Townsend? Adebayor? Majority of the rest looking confused, unmotivated, out of sorts

Son of Sherwood has had a few runs

 

[Tomo]

That's bullshit, sorry. I played for a sunday league team for a manager with the motivational skills of a wet fish, but I still played out of my skin every damn week and gave 100% because I knew my team mates and the people on the sideline was counting on me. Just like these overpaid wankers have millions of fans depending on them and getting paid for the privilege. I did it for nothing but free orange segments at half time ffs.

Im sick to death of the excuses for the players. The buck stops with them. The manager can only influence a tiny tiny part of a football match once that whistle blows and if they are playing similar to brain dead zombies like yesterday then we are going to get results like 4-0, 5-0 etc...

Yeh some of the players body language like Verts fucking hell, our dressing room must be awful right now, get the feeling some of the attitude is poison in the team. Hope LVG if he comes hits them like a ton of bricks and sells the deadwood, I can forgive loosing to Liverpool away but no passion but for a few players is no good. Why is Bentaleb a 19 year old the guy who looks like he cares more than the rest?

 

[BAE32]

Pulled the plug on AVB too early, turned a (seemingly) disappointing season into a fucking catastrophe. Downhill from there, and damages coming now that could hurt longer-term.

 

[Benjoss]

I was thinking yesterday about this and in my view the original 'AVB Project' hinged on everything slotting nicely into place but lacked any contingencies for when it went wrong.
We're all quick to blame Levy and certainly there are certainly a number of areas where he is culpable. But referring specifically to the situation we are in right now I don't think it was anticipated at all. As has been pointed out AVB wasn't sacked and I would go so far as to say he actually wanted to leave. Maybe he felt that promises he had been given hadn't been met etc… This put Levy in the worst position possible, new manager required mid-season, World Cup year and no-one of any worth available.

Emergency stop gap required and Timmy making a very eager case.
Now we come to the players. Some of who are now thinking what happened? We were sold one ideal and now we've got this guy who ran the development squad in charge. Not what they were expecting at all. So some of the prima-donnas start throwing their toys out of the pram. Tim shouts a bit, but lacks any technical experience or gravitas to really impose himself. Why the bollocks should I play for this guy who's noting more than a substitute PE Teacher.
Thrown in the fact that us fickle home fans haven't exactly covered ourselves in glory with all our booing and in fighting.

How do we fix it? No real idea, I'm not a Chairman or a Manager. If I was to offer a suggestion, we need a respected, hard-line, no nonsense manager now. Someone not afraid to front up to players, even let them walk if it comes to it. Times like this call for a troubleshooter where noses getting put out of joint are just part of the recovery.

To sum up though perfect storm all down to a project that didn't have any backup plans in place. Who's to blame? Everyone I guess. Mostly the boogie though…

 

[Tucker]

From https://twitter.com/karlsentk
1) more than anything, there's been no basis for new (any) player to thrive this season. Unsettled environment, no clear structure post AVB
2) even players that performed well last season have had negative trend this term, which shows something's fundamentally wrong
3) which Spurs players have improved on last season? Townsend? Adebayor? Majority of the rest looking confused, unmotivated, out of sorts
4) in such a context, how can one expect any new signings to flourish? I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way
5) from the summer signings, I've seen enough of Paulinho, Eriksen, Lamela (pre joining) to know that they'd strengthen Spurs significantly
6) I was unsure/unconvinced about Chadli and Capoue back then, but Chriches - if anything - has surprised me positively
7) Soldado has become a problem, starting to look like a lost cause, but he'd profit from clearer structure to the attacking game
8) but point is: with seemingly no clear plan, strategy or stability it's completely naive to expect new signings to prosper
9) as pointed out at the time of AVB sacking, why didn't Spurs go with a manager whose system would get the best out of the summer signings?
10) by appointing an inexperienced manager Spurs seemed to give up on £60-70 million worth of player investment after five months. Bizarre.
11) and finally, what's the point of appointing a technical director when he seemingly had no influence in appointment of new manager?
12) with all these factors in mind, there's no wonder why Spurs is having a disappointing season. Lack of coherent club strategy

So essentially we have been lost at sea without a compass, with a cabin boy calling the shots. Just about sums it up for me. End of the season can't come soon enough so that we can sort shit out get a structure back in place and build again.

 

[gibbs131]

AVB. That idiot pretty much ruined the careers of a 100 million worth of talent.

So I got an inbox full of dislikes so here is my reasons:

Made Daws Captain then tried to sell him.
Supplied a lone striker in Soldado with crosses from players with poor crossing skills.
Played Dembele (an AM) as a DM.
Played Paulinho as a box to box headless chicken.
Played Siggy, an AM on the wing.
Played Holtby, a number 10 or central AM on the wing, or in the boiler room.
Let record signing Lamela rot and played a former serial loanee instead of him.
Then when he did play him, he was so rusty his confidence was shattered because after a stint out, he put him against Man City away and gave him tracking back duties.
He played Eriksen on the wing: Same deal, gave him tracking back duties.
He gave Townsend, the Bale role when Townsend has no history or scoring.
When Bale was here, we were lopsided and Bale was the only gameplan. Defoe and Ade went on droughts.
He let Caulker be sold.
He let Benny go on loan.
Defoe scored 1 prem goal in a calender year under AVB's tactics.
He introduced the high line.
He made a slow CB in Daws play the high line.
He did not buy a left back.
Soldado went from scoring 35 goals a season, into looking like the flop of the season with the method of creativity coming from the wings/wingbacks.
He thought Rose, a failed winger could be our left back.
He thought Naughton could play at left back.
He delayed the introduction of Lloris.
He played Dembele as a DM instead of Capoue. And much like Lamela Capoue ended up getting rusty. Also got fat under AVB's watch.
He found a way to make our wingers even worse by inverting them which led to a lot of stepping on toes.
His lack of vision caused other problems, (like not signing a left back, letting Caulker go) led to player morale issues for Vert, had Sandro playing CB, had Capoue playing CB which impacted their ability to gel.
We had issues with aspects of training ground routines: Scoring from corners, high line defending, throw in taking, individual mistakes, Townsend shooting on sight, Walker taking corners etc.
He let Lloris play concussed.
Would not learn from obvious trends like Rose and Naughton being targeted and compounding it with putting lightweight players, often out of position in front of them.
Post Bale the play was unattractive with slow, predictable buildup effecting the atmosphere at the lane.
He never had a plan B.
He could not juggle prem games and Europa effectively.
Townsend had zero assists. For a winger with top 4 aspirations is diabolical.
Townsend had 1 goal from 50 shots in the prem. And that was a cross.
Lennon has 1 goal and 1 assists in the prem.
Holtby had 1 prem goal in a calender year.
Made Ade train with the kids after his brother died. Reason: For questioning his tactics.

 

[Ossie's Cream]

So I got an inbox full of dislikes so here is my reasons:

Made Daws Captain then tried to sell him.
Supplied a lone striker in Soldado with crosses from players with poor crossing skills.
Played Dembele (an AM) as a DM.
Played Paulinho as a box to box headless chicken.
Played Siggy, an AM on the wing.
Played Holtby, a number 10 or central AM on the wing, or in the boiler room.
Let record signing Lamela rot and played a former serial loanee instead of him.
Then when he did play him, he was so rusty his confidence was shattered because after a stint out, he put him against Man City away and gave him tracking back duties.
He played Eriksen on the wing: Same deal, gave him tracking back duties.
He gave Townsend, the Bale role when Townsend has no history or scoring.
When Bale was here, we were lopsided and Bale was the only gameplan. Defoe and Ade went on droughts.
He let Caulker be sold.
He let Benny go on loan.
Defoe scored 1 prem goal in a calender year under AVB's tactics.
He introduced the high line.
He made a slow CB in Daws play the high line.
He did not buy a left back.
Soldado went from scoring 35 goals a season, into looking like the flop of the season with the method of creativity coming from the wings/wingbacks.
He thought Rose, a failed winger could be our left back.
He thought Naughton could play at left back.
He delayed the introduction of Lloris.
He played Dembele as a DM instead of Capoue. And much like Lamela Capoue ended up getting rusty. Also got fat under AVB's watch.
He found a way to make our wingers even worse by inverting them which led to a lot of stepping on toes.
His lack of vision caused other problems, (like not signing a left back, letting Caulker go) led to player morale issues for Vert, had Sandro playing CB, had Capoue playing CB which impacted their ability to gel.
We had issues with aspects of training ground routines: Scoring from corners, high line defending, throw in taking, individual mistakes, Townsend shooting on sight, Walker taking corners etc.
He let Lloris play concussed.
Would not learn from obvious trends like Rose and Naughton being targeted and compounding it with putting lightweight players, often out of position in front of them.
Post Bale the play was unattractive with slow, predictable buildup effecting the atmosphere at the lane.
He never had a plan B.
He could not juggle prem games and Europa effectively.
Townsend had zero assists. For a winger with top 4 aspirations is diabolical.
Townsend had 1 goal from 50 shots in the prem. And that was a cross.
Lennon has 1 goal and 1 assists in the prem.
Holtby had 1 prem goal in a calender year.
Made Ade train with the kids after his brother died. Reason: For questioning his tactics.

But apart from that, should we have kept AVB a little longer...........

 

[Tomo]

So I got an inbox full of dislikes so here is my reasons:

Made Daws Captain then tried to sell him.
Supplied a lone striker in Soldado with crosses from players with poor crossing skills.
Played Dembele (an AM) as a DM.
Played Paulinho as a box to box headless chicken.
Played Siggy, an AM on the wing.
Played Holtby, a number 10 or central AM on the wing, or in the boiler room.
Let record signing Lamela rot and played a former serial loanee instead of him.
Then when he did play him, he was so rusty his confidence was shattered because after a stint out, he put him against Man City away and gave him tracking back duties.
He played Eriksen on the wing: Same deal, gave him tracking back duties.
He gave Townsend, the Bale role when Townsend has no history or scoring.
When Bale was here, we were lopsided and Bale was the only gameplan. Defoe and Ade went on droughts.
He let Caulker be sold.
He let Benny go on loan.
Defoe scored 1 prem goal in a calender year under AVB's tactics.
He introduced the high line.
He made a slow CB in Daws play the high line.
He did not buy a left back.
Soldado went from scoring 35 goals a season, into looking like the flop of the season with the method of creativity coming from the wings/wingbacks.
He thought Rose, a failed winger could be our left back.
He thought Naughton could play at left back.
He delayed the introduction of Lloris.
He played Dembele as a DM instead of Capoue. And much like Lamela Capoue ended up getting rusty. Also got fat under AVB's watch.
He found a way to make our wingers even worse by inverting them which led to a lot of stepping on toes.
His lack of vision caused other problems, (like not signing a left back, letting Caulker go) led to player morale issues for Vert, had Sandro playing CB, had Capoue playing CB which impacted their ability to gel.
We had issues with aspects of training ground routines: Scoring from corners, high line defending, throw in taking, individual mistakes, Townsend shooting on sight, Walker taking corners etc.
He let Lloris play concussed.
Would not learn from obvious trends like Rose and Naughton being targeted and compounding it with putting lightweight players, often out of position in front of them.
Post Bale the play was unattractive with slow, predictable buildup effecting the atmosphere at the lane.
He never had a plan B.
He could not juggle prem games and Europa effectively.
Townsend had zero assists. For a winger with top 4 aspirations is diabolical.
Townsend had 1 goal from 50 shots in the prem. And that was a cross.
Lennon has 1 goal and 1 assists in the prem.
Holtby had 1 prem goal in a calender year.
Made Ade train with the kids after his brother died. Reason: For questioning his tactics.

Yep AVB was a huge mistake but he is gone now, the whole thing is a mess.

Always find it funny when you get dislikes in mass numbers, half of the people in the list never seem to post on this forum, they are like fantoms reading the forum waiting for a moment to dislike, and they only dislike if someone else has already clicked dislike, bit odd.

 

[gibbs131]

I disagree with the poll where people are blaming Lev and the players. IMO the players are so good, it's the only reason we had a chance of 4th. So despite AVB's bizarre tactics/feuds we can still actually finish with a half decent points total. It goes to show that by the end of the season, Sherwood will probably have a better prem win ratio than AVB and he has no managerial experience/brain/gameplan.

The players can not help it if AVB and Sherwood are CONSTANTLY playing people out of position, putting out powder puff wings, no spine etc. Imagine being a CB at this club: you look to your left..There is Rose, Naughton or Fryers. You look to your right. There is Sandro. You look in front of you: There is Holtby. Talk about sleepless nights. The players are not at fault, they are victims of cause and effect via horrible lopsided skillsets in positions they should not be filling.

 

[WHITE&BLUE]

Havent read any of this thread...but here is your blame:

 

[Tomo]

I disagree with the poll where people are blaming Lev and the players. IMO the players are so good, it's the only reason we had a chance of 4th. So despite AVB's bizarre tactics/feuds we can still actually finish with a half decent points total. It goes to show that by the end of the season, Sherwood will probably have a better prem win ratio than AVB and he has no managerial experience/brain/gameplan.

The players can not help it if AVB and Sherwood are CONSTANTLY playing people out of position, putting out powder puff wings, no spine etc. Imagine being a CB at this club: you look to your left..There is Rose, Naughton or Fryers. You look to your right. There is Sandro. You look in front of you: There is Holtby. Talk about sleepless nights. The players are not at fault, they are victims of cause and effect via horrible lopsided skillsets in positions they should not be filling.

Its more a combination of factors, crap tactics, Levy's crazy decisions, players are obviously de-motivated and there are a few maoning buggers within the team. We have a young manager, the youngest team in the league and everything feels a mess, What could go wrong!