Gutsy Spurs survive Stadium of Light to end week on a high

In the helter skelter world of premiership football, where fans have notoriously short memories, a week is long time and two weeks can seem an age.  A very long time ago, two weeks to be exact, Andre Villas Boas celebrated his 50^th game in charge of Tottenham by watching his team lose humiliatingly at Manchester city. Bookies had him as favourite to be the next manager sacked. Ravenous hacks tore into him with indecent relish and that overused word ‘crisis’ hung over Tottenham. Two a league wins and a creditable draw later, Tottenham sit in sixth place, three points off second place and (albeit with a vastly inferior goals difference) and a not insurmountable eight points off the top. The cloud of crisis moving swiftly up the M62 to Manchester united and manager David Moyes who must have felt really lonely as United lost back to back home matches in the league for the first time in 12 years.

While AVB is entitled to a spot of self-satisfaction after a good couple of weeks, this most unpredictable of seasons has shown that positions and prospects can change rapidly on a few results. He must therefore be aware of the danger that still lurks. Apart from Arsenal, no other team has shown the level of consistency that can allow it’s fans to relax, safe in the knowledge that their team will live up to expectations. In the absence of any such momentum, only the form of our key players and the emergence of an effective pattern of play is the basis on which our prospects for the rest of the season can be judged.

Hugo Lloris is undoubtedly one of the best keepers in the league and his ability to play as a sweeper does give Spurs an extra dimension at the best of times. However, he does not seem as authoritative as he was before his sickening collision with Romelu Lukaku a month ago. He is still an excellent shot stopper, but has not looked as commanding on crosses and one-on-one situations since his return. He may need a few games to get back into his groove, but as we head into the busy December period, Spurs can ill afford the kind of mistake that allowed Sunderland to take the lead on Saturday.

Etienne Capoue showed his versatility by playing as a centre back and had a good game at the weekend. However, While the ruggedness of Michael Dawson is not in doubt, he looks susceptible to pace. It is noticeable that Tottenham have not played as high a defensive line as they have in the past,  though this is still a core part of AVB’s football philosophy. Jan Vertonghen and Vlad Chiriches, who has really impressed since his debut, appear to be the best centre backs we have while Kaboul regains fitness. Kyle Walker has played well recently at right back but for all the decent signings made in the transfer window, the failure to sign a left back to compete with or cover Danny Rose has severely compromised our play down the left this season.

   

The midfield has been a bit of mixed back all season. Paulinho has impressed both defensively and in getting forward to pose a goal threat as he did at the weekend. Lewis Holtby has been busy and tried to create things when he has played. Dembele has not been firing on all cylinders although there are signs in recent games that he is coming into some form. His ability to keep the ball and run with it is fantastic. If only he could spray passes like Tom Huddleston, he would be some player. Sigurdsson made a decent start but seems to have gone off the boil a little. Other than Paulinho and perhaps Andros Townsend, Sigurdsson seems the only other midfielder with goals in him. Of the others, Sandro has been his usual belligerent self. Lennon and Townsend have played well without inspiring while Nacer Chadli has yet to really show the form he showed in Holland.

Attack has been a problem for Spurs for a few seasons now. Gareth Bale’s heroics and a great season from Adebayor, while on loan from Manchester city have disguised the problem for the last three seasons. Jermain Defoe will always score goals but never enough to carry a top four team on his own. Soldado has made an underwhelming start to his Tottenham career, but he has enough pedigree and class to believe he will come good soon. Key to this will be the form of Christian Eriksson and Erik Lamela. Both are very young and exceptionally talented. They clearly need time to adjust to the frenetic pace of premiership football and find their consistency.

In terms of the football style, AVB’s history suggests he is committed to possession based attacking football. Spurs players are young, hungry and receptive enough to adapt to this philosophy. Given the number of new players signed in the summer, this was always a transitional season. Perhaps AVB should have dampened expectations a bit to give himself some room for manouvre while he blended them in. In the circumstances, Spurs have slogged their way like a boxer on the ropes into contention for Champions league qualification without ever playing their best. That is either promising or worrying, depending on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist.

Last December, Spurs recovered from a patchy November to collect thirteen points from a possible eighteen. With seven on the board already and testing matches against Liverpool, Southampton, West Brom and Stoke, we’ll know a lot more about Spur’s prospects after December.

A word on a much liked former Spur’s boss. In 2004, a Dutch coach (Martin Jol) with a growing reputation and managerial ambitions joined Spurs as assistant manager. Thirteen games later the head coach (Jacques Santini) was sacked after poor results and said coach became manager. In 2013, a Dutch coach with a growing reputation and managerial ambitions (Rene Meulensteen) joined Fulham as assistant manager. After thirteen games, head coach (Martin Jol) is sacked and said coach becomes manager. It’s a funny old game. Good luck for the future big Martin.