Disappointed to see AVB get sacked.
I think he is getting blamed for structural problems within Spurs' squad. Not nearly enough creativity in the final third of the pitch for Tottenham to be able to play his preferred style of football.
Unfortunately for AVB, he is not the most flexible of managers so I agree with the opinion that he hasn't gotten as much out of that team as he could. But I would still stick with him and his long term vision for the club. Ride out this bad patch and keep building. I think AVB is a guy who could have been good for Spurs in the long run.
Things I don't like about Spurs attacking play:
* Strikers = Soldado is a limited No.9. Terrific finisher but doesn't do much else. Offers too little in build up play, dribbling, playing off the shoulder, in the air or down the channels. Doesn't create for others. Relies too much on his teammates to be worth €30 million. Defoe still has his issues. Adebayor is the most talented striker at Spurs but he has been awful for the last 18 months. Lots of problems.
* Wide players = all too similar. Not enough end product. Not enough passing ability. Not from wide areas with crosses or when cutting inside with through balls + link up play. They need someone like Santi Cazorla there on one wing to balance out someone like Andros Townsend playing as an inverse winger on the inside. Lamela, Townsend, Chadli and to a lesser extent Lennon (their best wing) are too similar and none of them provide enough top quality talent.
* Christian Eriksen = love him. Best player at Spurs for my money. But there is way too much pressure on him in terms of creative passing and linking the play together in the final third. He is the only guy who frequently looks capable of linking the play together in congested areas of the pitch + and of delivering that killer pass to create those quality goal-scoring opportunities for Spurs. Tottenham gotta get him more help. They are way too reliant on him. Need to share the load. The wings should be the ones to provide that help.
* Holding midfielders = A lack of creativity here as well. That wouldn't be a problem if the wide players and/or the forwards did more to create chances but they don't so the holding midfielders are (somewhat) of an issue too. Shame they sold Tom Huddlestone who is having a great season at Hull. I think he could have done a great job for Spurs this season.
I do like their holding midfielders but they gotta get more creativity higher up on the pitch if they are gonna stick with this group. Sandro and Capoue are strong ball-winners. Very happy with Paulinho. I think he is one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the league. Dembele is very good too. I wonder if it is a bit too much of the same with the four of them though. I'd love to see more of a passer there. A Moutinho type. I think that could have helped Spurs majorly.
--------------------------------
I expect the next manager to be someone more pragmatic who creates an identity more suited to Spurs personnel than AVB's way of trying to force players to adapt to his style and philosophy of playing.
And I expect that is going to look like more of a counter-attacking team than a possession based attacking identity due to Spurs limitations in the final third creatively.
I know Spurs fans have been unhappy with the team's dull attacking play but I think things could get more defensive-minded under the next manager. Drop that high line and move the defenders further back. Maybe even switch that midfield triangle with Eriksen at the top to an inverse triangle with Sandro as holding midfielder and two box-to-box midfielders ahead of him (Dembele + Paulinho).
Sort of like Mourinho's first Chelsea team that top defensive backline, Makelele in front of them and then Lampard + Essien as box-to-box. Very physical counter attacking team. Then break with pace down the flanks. I think this Spurs squad would be really good at that.
