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Positives!

There are so many of them, we all know how fickle fans are and it translate's to support for both team and manager....and our's is failing!!!

AVB has had a very believable amount of stick this year, not believable because of his performance, but believable because there was once a journalist who let a starving child die shortly after taking a photo of him...and this stereotypes the journalist's of today. Onwards and upwards! We need to be bright, too much down talk, bottom line? We're sitting 6th (Soon to be 5th, I mean West Ham....really? Get back where you belong) and I think we're doing impeccably well.

We've lost Modric, we've lost VdV, we haven't been able to play Dembele or Kaboul really, who are undeniably two of our best players, in very crucial positions. Long gone are the days of knowing exactly what formation was coming up, we also don't hear any more of that bulls**t that we were unlucky, or that we will never compete with these teams, or that injuries have cost us, or that we're Spurs with a 35,000 seat stadium and these clubs have billionaire owners....we have a manager not full of excuses, but full of determination and grit, enough to get us a 3-2 result at Old Trafford.

read somewhere earlier where a Spurs fan moaned about never being able to hold onto a win and compared us with Keegan's Newcastle where they would need 4-5 goals to beat the other team. Do people genuinely not see that that is a thing of the past, take it how you want but holding on at Old Trafford like we did was an incredible feat that no-one has achieved in an age. If we dominating all game, I would not be saying this, but the resolve we showed defensively must have surprised even the most optimistic fans!

I've also seen an enormous improvement in set pieces, we are scoring goals from them now....that being the main difference. Now, granted, we have better offensive headers in the game now with Jan the man and Steven Caulker, we also have players who are willing to hit the ball beyond the defensive front man. So this one I will concede defeat and say that Harry may have done better with the current crop of resources. I still think we look more organised on offensive set pieces under Andre, we just seem a bit more aggressive in the box.

The final one, the big one, changing how we play. Quite simply put, as previously mentioned, if we didn't win under Harry, we were almost definitely unlucky. Unlucky that Defoe was a greedy little so and so and shot from a 20 degree angle instead of squaring Bale for an open goal, unlucky that Bale whipped 5 perfect balls across the line and Defoe was inches away every time, unlucky that King was injured. We're not any more, any one remember screaming at Bale, Defoe et al to pass the ball instead of shoot? Has anybody noticed the increase in square balls being played this year?

I think Lennon was the only player selfless enough to play it under Harry. I'm normally open to discussion, but this time I'm not, this is an article of praise and appreciation for where we have come from and where we're going (if people quote that and say we were 4th and we're going down the pan, you are the awful fans who see we had the most shots on goal and thinks we should automatically win, stop looking at figures and tables, you all poke fun at AVB for doing it....) So please guys, add to the list of positive things that have changed for us this year. All hail AVB!

Written by Jimzoaar_The_Yid

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Writer: Jimzoaar_The_Yid

Date:Thursday November 15 2012

Time: 11:49AM

Your Comments

AVB is not the problem, it's the impatience of some fans

yiddyboy

AVB's Blue and White Army, AVB's Blue and White Army, AVB's Blue and White Army, Yids.. Yids...

ItalianYiddo

Great article, totally agree. We can only get stronger with key players starting to become fit again.

Crazyspursfan

I agree there are many positives however the only stat that counts is the points on the board. If we won 1-0 every week playing boring football people would moan. If we lost 5-4 every week people would moan. I think AVB knows what he's doing and he must be given adequate time to implement his plan, this also goes for resources that he will require.

yiddyboy

I have a new song for the festive season approaching. "Levy & Lewis get your cheque book out"

yiddyboy

yiddyboy......what tune do we sing that to mate?

Andre's Crouching

Greaves v Ibrahimovic-whose the daddy?Sorry to go off the subject ,but,Jimmy Greaves scored a hat-trick in his first game for Spurs, one of which was a brilliant overhead kick.Did anyone here see this remarkable goal & how does it compare to last night's effort? Also for you Scandivian fans,Greaves popped in 5 goals for England in a friendly against Norway in 1966 ,just before the world cup,so there!

Greavesaboveall

As a fan, and on these forums, you cant really win. I get moaned at for being too pessamistic or player / manager / fan bashing. But in reality....im not. I say what i see. It is a year of "transition", and considering the injuries and fact that AVB didnt really buy any of "his" players we cant really expect anymore than what we have got. We are still only 3 points off the golden 4th spot, and although we were apperantly in with a title shot last year we wree certainly going to fall short of last years bench mark this season

However...we cant turn a blind eye on some of the team and AVB's short coming this year. Some of the Tactical choices made by AVB have been questionable to say the least. The instruction to shut up shop, one nill up with 30mins to go is crazy.The fact that we could very well lose one of the best keepres in the world becuase we wont play him. The fact that we continue to play a very poor Dempsey when we have younger players trying to burst into the team. Im not saying bieing a manager is easy, far from it. But i wonder if young sterling were playing for Tottenham, would he be making waves like he is at pool or just waiting for someone to get crocked. I know the pressure is on AVB but get some balls man. We are becoming the new stoke FFS.

hudderspur

Excuses excuses always excuses. AVB agreed to the sale of VDV and the other players and to the signings of Sigurdsson and Dempsey. He is the one playing a system that doesn't suit the players. He is the one who ended the game against City with 4 centre backs, a full back out of position and 2 defensive midfielders. That is totally unacceptable. There are few positives but plenty of excuses. Caulker has meant we haven't missed Kaboul, Verts is better than Benny, the wingers are the same, the strike force is the same. We have played 17 games plus pre-season, sit 7th soon to be 9th whereas when United rebuild they remain top 4. Raise your standards people and stop making excuses. Whar we say has absolutely no affect on how the team play so let's quit that excuse too.

Med1

The final one, the big one, the way we play. I'm with you that Harry often unlucky with one or 2 results (didnt we have a rediculous amount of goals wrongly chalked off last season?) and yes, if Defoe did make a better choice,square ball across the box, king not being injured etc. If those problems are what was needed to take us to a higher level, then why has AVB come in and completey changed everything?

coys1717

Refreshing article and i totally agree Jimzoaar_The_Yid. But it pointless preaching to the kn0bheads particularily on this site as they wait for any oportunity to condemn AVB. Posters like Hudderspur above i can respect as he points out his concerns as a level headed person. But there a loads others who never gave AVB a chance from day one. These people are either 12 years old or need to go support Chavski COYMFS!!! Lets do the Woolwich at Highbury

JattYid

At the end of the day, it is a transitional season. I would have preferred a more experienced manager. I personally feel that the negatives outweigh the positives. But I will try to list some. Positives: 1) We won at Utd. Lucky, but we did it. 2) Given that Modric and King were always on their way out, Dembele, Vertonghen and Caulker are excellent additions. 3) Bale did not follow Modders out the door. 4) Stadium on its way. 5) Some genuinely talented youngsters appear to be on their way. That's it I think. The negatives surround around AVB's non-working tactics, mis-management of Lloris, questionable usage of substitutions, love of Gallas, not gettinng the team to perform for more than 44 mins, and the way that it looks like we will finish 5th-6th. Let's hope AVB fixes some of these issues soon. If we lose to the Gunners, then it will be 3 defeats on the bounce with West Ham and Liverpool to come.... Defeats are INFECTIOUS....

TonyRich

AVB doesn't all have the players that suit his system. Willian & Moutinho, for eg., would've been a great additions. Combine that with a whole host of injuries to BAE, Kaboul, Dembele, etc, we've lost some of our best players who form a crucial part of the first team. There is no wonder why we've been struggling.

But one thing that does concern me is something that I've noticed in the past few games, which is that some of the players don't seem to be up for it anymore lacking any sort of motivation. Wigan being the most obvious example. This is something that AVB really needs to work on; he needs to fire up the team. The NLD is a game that can certainly stir a lot of emotions and if it goes our way, then it will definitely help in lifting their spirits up.

spuradic

Positives? Our performance against Lacio at home, the first half away at Old Trafford and the home game against Maribor. That is what, more or less, I expect to see every game. Individually young Caulker has been immense, Vertonghen was excellent as a leftback at first, Naughton showed promise and Dembele run our show.

Nothing else comes to my mind if I try to find positives in our overall performance.Our football have been atrocious this season. Even with injuries we have enough quality to play attacking football. Instead we play very slowly, don't move in the open spaces, don't have creativity, actually we get nothing done in the attack. Our defence leaks goals, we have conceded in all but one game this season. Our defending at set pieces has been awful, I fear every time our opponent gets a corner. Maybe we'd be better with Benny and Kaboom back to action, but somehow I doubt it. There is something wrong in the system we play. But because of those three games I mentioned earlier, I have hope!. AVB needs to drop the negative defensive minded approach and get us playing the way we played against Lacio and the first half agains Manure.

Jables

Oh. One more positive - we have been playing a stronger team in Europa. If we DO get to the CL (at some point), then would it not be better to be USED to playing a strong team in Europe the previous season? The other cups can involve more youngsters and fringe.

TonyRich

Oh, I forgot to mention that Defoe has been great, goal wise.

Jables

spuradic - I got shot down for saying that. The way AVB speaks does not fill me with confidence. I am not hating, because I said this last year when he was Chelsea manager and doing ok in the early stages. If he does not have the players for his system, then it is part of the job title "manager" to manage that scenario - either change your system, or make it work. That is his job. Injuries are no excuse. Our XI man for man was better than Wigan's - theirs was just managed better. Same with Norwich.

TonyRich

Well if you're going to write an article, at least get the facts right. We are 7th, not 6th.

Hot_Spur

Jables - yeah, but Defoe was great goal wise in 2009 for Harry where he had 11 league goals from his first 11 games... That did include 5 in one game, and 3 in another... Basically that isn't a positive that has changed since this year.

TonyRich

Hot_Spur - and we are below WEST HAM!!!!!

TonyRich

Andre's Crouching - To the same as AVB's blue and white army

yiddyboy

POS; avb, system, NEG; still does not know his best team, his missing the jigsaw box picture, once he finds that and has all his players in the right places, things should keep moving forward, i don't expect to much this season, a europa final, maybe the FA Cup, 4th upwards in the prem. So it's, Dear Santa can i have.......

spu 4 life

TonyRich - What does WH have to do with it. We are still 7th, West Ham do count you know

Hot_Spur

Positives Caulker, Dembele, Vertonghen all showing they can compete ...Thudd getting back to fitness after such a long injury. Falque and Carroll coming through with Ceballos closely following I hope...our youngsters look like they know what they are doing and that's got to be good for the future. I won't look at the negatives or the thought police will be on me...

shedboy2

Unfortunately there are no positives :(.... AVB doesn't even know how to pick his strongest 11 available. Adebayor, sigurdsson and Lloris should all be starting.

01tottenham

What are the odds on Dempsey having another ***** poor 90 mins with everyone being able to see this but AVB? Please Andre turn things around.

01tottenham

This title can wait until we really have something to report about as opposed to pulling something out of our asses and pretending it to be true.

Moscovite

I think there have been some positives this season, mainly on the player side of things, with the performances of Vertonghen, Dembele & Caulker. We also have some very promising youngsters coming through. I can't help but see negatives too though, especially when it comes to our manager. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt & hold my final judgement until the end of the season, but there have been several early warning signs: 1) Insisting on a 4-2-3-1 formation every game, when it clearly doesn't always suit the opposition or players available; 2) Making poor substitutions during games that have gone on to cost us points late on against West Brom, Norwich & Man City; 3) Wanting to contest every trophy is admirable, but didn't lack of rotation cost us previously & gain Redknapp a lot of stick?; 4) Poor player management - whatever way you look at it, the goalkeeping situation is a mess & should have been handled better. Dawson should not have been made captain & then put up for sale. Making Gallas captain causes a similar problem - what happens when BAE is 100%? Is he willing to drop the captain to move Jan back to CB where he performs best, or will he drop Caulker who has performed better than Gallas so far? What about when Kaboul is fit? If he keeps making players captain & then either dropping or trying to sell them, who'd want to be our next skipper!?!

Spursteve

I'm also worried about Bale. When Redknapp was sacked & it appeared AVB was favourite to take over, I remember saying it would probably be very detrimental in the short term, unsettling to players & would probably cause the leaving of Modric, VDV & Bale. I was mocked by some, saying that the players would be a lot happier now Harry was gone, but a short time later we have lost both Luka & Rafa (2 massive players for us) and there are now rumours that this season will be Bale's last at WHL.

Spursteve

Spursteve, are you kidding!? Do you really think AVB's appointment or Harry's sacking had anythng to do with Modric and VDV leaving?? They were going regardless and Bale signed a new contract after AVB joined. Bale will leave eventually whatever happens and whoever is in charge. The minute Barca or Real come calling he's off and who could blame him. None of the above have anything to do with Harry or AVB.

MJBSpur

The biggest negative is if we don't get Champions League football we'll lose Gareth Bale and set the club back another few years. Man Utd are often in transition, but always inside the top 4. The team have played 17 games and still can't make the system work. Still let's bury our head in the sand and hope, no point expecting wins anymore.

Med1

Med1, I love how people like to beef up stats to try and support a lame point. The core of the side have played no more than 11 games together and that is with key members of that core being out for the vast majority so there has hardly been a settled period where we have had time to work on any sort of system. AVBs system, as with most modern systems, is heavily reliant on creativity and movement in the centre of the park, the best example of it starting to come together was the first 45 mins against United and unfortunately since that game we have lost the main man Dembele and had no choice but to replace him with the very slow and cumbersome Huddlestone. At least AVB is trying to fit round pegs in round holes to cope with injuries unlike Mr Redknapp we no doubt would have resorted to playing whoever his next favourite player happend to be and moving everyone else out of possition to accomodate it. Stop ignoring the obsticles AVB is having to deal with and give the guy a fair chance.

MJBSpur

As I just said somewhere else, I think there's some argument for playing the best (or in form) players and adapting the system for them (ie playing Ade and Defoe wiv Ade in a deeper role re vs Citeh) Whatever happens - I'm backing AVB come hell or high water til the end of the season - not least because he's been delt a ***** hand in terms of who came in, when they came in, and the ridiculous injury situation. And let's face it - we're not crusing but the teams imedeiately above us are very likely to fall away COYS!

DocHotspurs

Someone said that AVB doesn't have the players to play his system as if that is an excuse. He should play to the bloody strengths of the players we've got. The time for transitions is the transfer window not a whole season ffs. We did well when Dembele came in and we've been shlt since he got injured. Not playing Adebayor is just plain daft. The tools were there for a 4th place challenge and it's not too late yet but the lads don't look confident on the ball.

Love totty

Well said Doc

MJBSpur

Spursteve, rumours of Bale leaving had started even before AVB had taken over. Matter of fact, it's been alleged that was one of reasons Bale faked his injury in the Olympics. The writing has been on the wall for a while, this is Bale's last season and it has nothing to do with AVB.

spuradic

Love totty, I agree with you to a certain degree that it's not an excuse for AVB if he doesn't have the players to fit in his system. But your point about playing to the strengths does not hold. If you've seen the past half dozen games or so, that's exactly what we've been doing. And injuries to our best players don't help either. I believe we are doing the best can, but I will also add that it's not AVB rather the players who need to be putting in a shift every game and not go to sleep for half the game. It seems that they aren't even trying anymore. It's AVB's job to set this 'give-up' mentality right; this is the only issue I have with AVB who aside from this has done a pretty decent job despite the loss of Modric and VDV.

spuradic

Med 1 absolutely right. The question I would ask is, are some of you going to continue with your heads buried in the sand until either you suffocate, or until Easter, when you emerge to discover that we are in a mid table mediocre position. If we are expecting to be rescued in January by Levy splashing the cash, then forget it, those days have gone, uncle Joe Lewis has locked the safe. That is the other reason why we are where we are, i.e. 7th and going downwards.

Frank

Love how everyone has now decided it's '' transition season '' because it's all going a bit *****. When Levy sacks this clown, it really will be a ''transition season ''

Big Chiv

Those of us that were realistic and assessed things at the start of the season could see it was a transition season. We lost our star play maker, lost our club captain, lost VDV and of course brought in a new manager.

MJBSpur

£900 to watch a season of transition!

MrSpurs

Good article. Nice that the usual doom-sayers already have us down as mid-table at the seasons end, if their crystal ball is so great then why haven't they made their own billions and bought the club, instead of constantly moaning about it. Patience is a virtue.

Crissybwoy

Maybe we should wait until we're able to field our strongest team before loading the gun and writing us off, Kaboul was one of the best defenders in the league last season, but don't let the facts get in the way of a good bull-**** story.

Crissybwoy

Our fans are the worst moaners in the league. Just funny looking at vitalspurs posts - very unique, dont see any of the moaning on here anywhere else, not even on other vital sites

COYS_TSB

Nice read Jimz but I'm afraid u are dealing with spoilt brats and professional arm chair fans on here at the moment. It's amazing what happens to supporters in such a short period of time. For example I remember when winning games by relying on 2 meter Peter was found apon... We have yet to even begin the campaign era of AVB. We have only began a transition period which evidently is going well to a degree considering injuries, new players, loss of old players and above all that the media just waiting to attack AVB at the soonest possible opportunity. The sad thing is some fans have zero paitence and infant don't even understand what harm they are doing to the club. We mock Liverpool, Chelsea and United fans and brand them as plastic but the funny thing is they still stick together and support their clubs through thick and thin. Spurs fans are an embarrassment to the club lately and even the players recently acknowledged this. The only positives I can see is that our team is prepared to continue to progress and work hard despite our own fans stabbing them in the back....

Mix26

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