Blog: Tottenham's AVB should be feeling the heat

No laughing matter: Andre Villas-Boas (Reuters)

Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas-Boas must be feeling the heat.
The Portuguese splashed over £100 million on seven new players in the summer – with £30m Erik Lamela and £26m Roberto Soldado the headline acquisitions.

Yet Spurs slumped to a humiliating 6-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend and currently sit in ninth in the Premier League.

For a side tipped as dark horses for the title at the start of the season, it simply is not good enough.
The most embarrassing statistic comes in the form of goals scored. They have hit the back of the net just nine times in 11 games – thrice from the penalty spot.


Soldado has come in for criticism. But a striker needs service and he isn’t getting any.
Andros Townsend is seen as a devastating attacking threat for England but he is just too selfish to function in a team built on the art of possession play. He was dropped for the City clash and, for once, it was the right decision.
Lamela, however, looks lightweight in the Premier League, Aaron Lennon still lacks a final product, Nacer Chadli plays like a man destined to be second-choice, while Emmanuel Adebayor is just disliked by Villas-Boas.

The most potent striker in Spurs’ arsenal, Jermain Defoe, is too often benched in the top-flight, despite scoring nine goals – the same amount the whole squad has mustered in the league – in cup competitions.
Villas-Boas obviously has a system – he favours 4-2-3-1 – but he does not have the players to fit it.
Gareth Bale flourished in a fluid 4-3-3 formation last term, as he was given freedom to roam behind the striker and swap with Lennon at will.

Now Spurs’ formation looks far too rigid and far too regimented. The club’s forward line looked static and, frankly, frightened against City.
There was no creative spark – with Christian Eriksen injured – and very little industry.
It was a flat performance. That, for Spurs fans, is unacceptable.
The White Hart Lane faithful expect free-flowing, attacking football.
Instead, Villas-Boas is playing defensively.

When a side goes 1-0 down inside 14 seconds, they need to come out all guns blazing and take the game to their opponents.
Spurs didn’t at the weekend. They responded meekly and deserved their thrashing.
With Manchester United now on the horizon, Villas-Boas must quickly find a way to change his ways, as another loss may see chairman Daniel Levy whip out his axe.
He simply cannot afford to see that £100m go to waste.