It's not Sherwood!

[tomd2103]

Some of the stuff yesterday, especially down the left side between Delph, Grealish and Benteke was fantastic.  If it had been a Spanish team everyone would be wanking themselves crazy about the verve and technique.

Totally agree. The commentator over here was mentioning this how he couldn't recognize the players he saw flail around earlier in the season to the crisp passing and delightful creativity he sees now.

It's not just the players, I think he's starting to get the fans back onside as well.  Under McLeish and Lambert, there was a growing disconnect between the club and the supporters, something which he's managed to address in a short space of time.  I know it's a pretty meaningless term, but it felt on Sunday like we were "all in it together", something which I haven't felt for some time.

[Toronto Villa]

Some of the stuff yesterday, especially down the left side between Delph, Grealish and Benteke was fantastic.  If it had been a Spanish team everyone would be wanking themselves crazy about the verve and technique.

Totally agree. The commentator over here was mentioning this how he couldn't recognize the players he saw flail around earlier in the season to the crisp passing and delightful creativity he sees now.

It's not just the players, I think he's starting to get the fans back onside as well.  Under McLeish and Lambert, there was a growing disconnect between the club and the supporters, something which he's managed to address in a short space of time.  I know it's a pretty meaningless term, but it felt on Sunday like we were "all in it together", something which I haven't felt for some time.

was listening The Monday Night Club and they were commenting on that very thing. Contrasting us to Newcastle where its all falling apart yet "we" club, players, fans all seemed to be in this together and there seemed a genuine bond. The more you watch the game from the weekend the more you pick up how great the entire occasion was by picking up little things about our play, player reactions and the participation of the supporters during the entire game. We battered Liverpool on so many different levels, not just on the pitch.

[pauliewalnuts]

The Guardian podcast is well worth a listen.

Amy Lawrence talking about how we were mesmerising to watch and how it contrasted with the dour Lambert era.

[supertom]

The Guardian podcast is well worth a listen.

Amy Lawrence talking about how we were mesmerising to watch and how it contrasted with the dour Lambert era.

I totally agreed with her point about the Arsenal 5-0. At that point we genuinely did look the worst side in the league. It was utterly hopeless. No fighting spirit at all.

[pauliewalnuts]

The Guardian podcast is well worth a listen.

Amy Lawrence talking about how we were mesmerising to watch and how it contrasted with the dour Lambert era.

I totally agreed with her point about the Arsenal 5-0. At that point we genuinely did look the worst side in the league. It was utterly hopeless. No fighting spirit at all.

It is difficult to overstate just how fucking awful we were until very recently.

That 12 goals in, what, 300 games or whatever it was, that statistic. Fucking hell.

I wrote a piece for the fanzine not that long ago pointing out that we weren't just on course to get relegated if we didn't bin Lambert, we were going to do it in embarassing Sunderland or Derby County style.

We really were that bad, too.

[KRS]

It's not just the players, I think he's starting to get the fans back onside as well.  Under McLeish and Lambert, there was a growing disconnect between the club and the supporters, something which he's managed to address in a short space of time.  I know it's a pretty meaningless term, but it felt on Sunday like we were "all in it together", something which I haven't felt for some time.

I agree with that sentiment. For the first time in a while, I can again relate to the club, management and players...there's still things to sort out but the corner has been turned and it feels like we're on the road to recovery. Don't be surprised to see attendances increase by at least a few thousand for the last few home games...positivity breeds positivity, the fans are being brought back on side and will support the team to finish the fight.

[richl]

It feels like fun again, if I could afford it I'd be attending more.

[PaulWinch again]

The Guardian podcast is well worth a listen.

Amy Lawrence talking about how we were mesmerising to watch and how it contrasted with the dour Lambert era.

I totally agreed with her point about the Arsenal 5-0. At that point we genuinely did look the worst side in the league. It was utterly hopeless. No fighting spirit at all.

It is difficult to overstate just how fucking awful we were until very recently.

That 12 goals in, what, 300 games or whatever it was, that statistic. Fucking hell.

I wrote a piece for the fanzine not that long ago pointing out that we weren't just on course to get relegated if we didn't bin Lambert, we were going to do it in embarassing Sunderland or Derby County style.

We really were that bad, too.

We certainly were. We were as bad as I'd ever seen us. Sherwood has done a brilliant job so far.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

It's not just the players, I think he's starting to get the fans back onside as well.  Under McLeish and Lambert, there was a growing disconnect between the club and the supporters, something which he's managed to address in a short space of time.  I know it's a pretty meaningless term, but it felt on Sunday like we were "all in it together", something which I haven't felt for some time.

I agree with that sentiment. For the first time in a while, I can again relate to the club, management and players...there's still things to sort out but the corner has been turned and it feels like we're on the road to recovery. Don't be surprised to see attendances increase by at least a few thousand for the last few home games...positivity breeds positivity, the fans are being brought back on side and will support the team to finish the fight.

Gloryhunting fu**ers!

;-)

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

Some of the stuff yesterday, especially down the left side between Delph, Grealish and Benteke was fantastic.  If it had been a Spanish team everyone would be wanking themselves crazy about the verve and technique.

Totally agree. The commentator over here was mentioning this how he couldn't recognize the players he saw flail around earlier in the season to the crisp passing and delightful creativity he sees now.

It's not just the players, I think he's starting to get the fans back onside as well.  Under McLeish and Lambert, there was a growing disconnect between the club and the supporters, something which he's managed to address in a short space of time.  I know it's a pretty meaningless term, but it felt on Sunday like we were "all in it together", something which I haven't felt for some time.

was listening The Monday Night Club and they were commenting on that very thing. Contrasting us to Newcastle where its all falling apart yet "we" club, players, fans all seemed to be in this together and there seemed a genuine bond. The more you watch the game from the weekend the more you pick up how great the entire occasion was by picking up little things about our play, player reactions and the participation of the supporters during the entire game. We battered Liverpool on so many different levels, not just on the pitch.

Having consumed highlights and anything related to the match its finally sinking in what a day it was. A lot of the match I was going crazy, shouting, singing, staring at the clock going backwards at the end. To come back from 1-0 down was absolutely unbelievable. Do I mis-remember us ole'ing at one point? The confidence on the pitch and amongst the fans was unreal.

And the roar at the end - Obi Wan Kenobi would have felt that disturbance in the force.

[Ryu]

I just keep thinking where is the evidence that he's clueless tactically?  Seems like it's just the opinion of some know-it-all Spurs bloggers who didn't like him personally.

I also think football isn't as complicated as people like said bloggers and Brendan Rodgers would like us to think.  Looked like we had a plan to attack Liverpool's right side on Sunday and it worked.    Rodgers changed formation and personnel more than once but couldn't stop it.

[paul_e]

I just keep thinking where is the evidence that he's clueless tactically?  Seems like it's just the opinion of some know-it-all Spurs bloggers who didn't like him personally.

I also think football isn't as complicated as people like said bloggers and Brendan Rodgers would like us to think.  Looked like we had a plan to attack Liverpool's right side on Sunday and it worked.    Rodgers changed formation and personnel more than once but couldn't stop it.

I don't konw if it was a plan to attack their right side or if was just a plan to get our best attacking players close together and they all just happen to be comfortable in that area.  Take any of Benteke, Grealish  and Delph out of those little moves (2 of which were the goals) and I don't think they're anything like as effective.  The Sherwood 'plan' appears to be to get your good players on the ball where they can make things happen, which is about as simple as it gets.

I don't see those simple tactics as a problem though because he's got everyone understanding (not believing because he isn't getting them doing thigns that are beyond what you'd expect, just doing what they're good at) that they're good enough to open teams like Liverpool and Tottenham up and create chances.

That's the key thing for me, making players realise that they're responsible for their own fate rather than sending them out to keep x, y and z quiet and hope for a chance of our own as the last couple of managers have done.  The latter is just telling your players that they're not good enough to go toe-to-toe with the big boys but with a bit of luck they can sneak something.  Show someone that's average often enough and he'll believe that's what he is. Make him realise that he's much better than that and you see performances like our last couple.

[Monty]

Football is more complicated than people like Brendan Rodgers seem to think, actually, because it's chaotic and very hard to control or predict. What makes form or confidence is very mysterious, and how players either click or don't click is often basically inexplicable. Having the right tactics is obviously very important - nothing can sap morale like plugging away at a rubbish plan - but you still need more to get the tactics actually working.

Sherwood is very similar tactically to Lambert, with one important difference which I think is related to personality. Sherwood is always looking to impose his team on the opposition, which is exciting and ballsy but can become predictable and vulnerable to the counterattack. Lambert, on the other hand, is more passive and reactive, which can be clever and effective but can become really boring and blunt when the onus is on his team to make the play. It makes sense, because Sherwood has so much more swagger than Lambert, who's about as assertive as a mouse with deep psychological insecurities.

I think this has made all the difference. There's no doubt that Sherwood has improved tactically since his time at Spurs, where it was mostly meat-and-veg 4-4-2 with wide open spaces and not much variation, and it's great to see. His tactics now complement his man management abilities, and it's working out. His record shows that he's a win-or-lose manager (he had both the highest win and loss percentages at Spurs), and it is a fun relief from the pretty grudging, mean, ugly football we've been treated to for the last few years. How well it'll go long-term remains to be seen, but if he does guide us to safety he's more than earned the chance for next year.

[Ryu]

I think getting the ball to our more effective players and getting numbers forward is a tactic, as is Rodgers adherence to passing football or Guardiola's tika taka.  I think the formation and palyers picked for an individual game is better described as strategy.  Seems like semantics but I think it's important as some dogmatic managers seemingly never change their strategy and it can cost them, despite being known as good tactical coaches. 

I don't know if Sherwood is a good tactician or strategist really, but I think this idea he's nothing but sort of motivational speaker is a bit premature.

[ozzjim]

I don't think he is as simple as that Monty.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-joining-tim-sherwood-9093769#rlabs=1

Is an interesting article. The more I watch Sherwood's Villa the less I am convinced that he is a simpleton tactically, certainly in setting up his side and the analysis he has done on the opposition. During games maybe at the moment, but he is relatively inexperienced at that part.