From Portugal with Love

2013-06-09 22:15#110642 Okikos : Good luck for the City game! Always tough opponents.

thanks mate

Before the game on Friday I sat down with one of SkySports football interviewers. Where I was asked a few questions which turned into more like a Oprah Winfrey therapy show.

Andre Villas-Boas
Interviewer

So it's that notorious half of the season where Tottenham is known to drop points. What are your thoughts on that? And how do you look to avoid it?

Well obviously I look to win against current defending champions and top sport holders City but, moreover I look to the squad. Our first half of the season has been astonishing and I look to them to keep that passion and hunger going.

Speaking of the game. With the likes of Bale, Alaba and McCarthy still injured surely you must have your doubts about the City fixture.

No, not at all. Ben Davies and Ola John were brought in solely for that reason to provide depth and competition in those areas. Along with that McCarthy's position can be covered by a number of other players. This is what I am trying to create at White Hart Lane a healthy relationship and competition within the group. Plus I am certain all of you have seen how well Ben and John have played and I expect them to fight for their position when the injured return.

After City's 3-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday in the Capital One Cup final. How would you expect that to affect them?

Well obviously thats a huge boost to their morale but if you look closely to the squad they played, they were all starting eleven players. The likes of Tevez, Silva, Nasri and Kompany all played along with others. Then again City's depth is strong so its hard to say.


With that we headed into the City game with a lot of pride. Fortunately for us James McCarthy and David Alaba resumed training the day before the game but I didn't want to risk them in it. Especially when we play Newcastle in the BPL three days later.


I chose to opt out of our usual 4-2-3-1 to use a 4-3-3 and it rounded us off with a three goal win the papers and everyone were ecstatic. Dembele played a more defending role while Holtby was our box to box midfielder causing havoc and Gylfi's playmaking was on point. With the City RB and LB having more of a supportive role it gave Lennon and John room to get behind them easily.

Well done Inq Great result!

Brilliant result! Nice to see the gamble payed off.

2013-06-09 23:22#110650 Louis O. : Well done Inq Great result!

2013-06-09 23:23#110651 Okikos : Brilliant result! Nice to see the gamble payed off.

Thanks Boys! Truly had no idea if it would work! I remembered thats how we beat them in real life though. AVB switched the formation to a 4-3-3 and we came back with 3 goals, thats what gave me the idea. So I guess FM is actually pretty damn realistic.

On our way to the St.James Park in Newcastle to play Stuart Pearce's men was an eventful trip as Kyle Naughton's slate humor about Geordies made for an interesting bus ride. After the game against City everyone seemed lifted and the confidence going into the Newcastle game was superb. I believed we would win without a doubt. Newcastle had been stripped of all their prized possessions and were left with a mediocre team that could play 'mediocre' football.


Despite the game being a low scoring win it was well and truly justifiable with Carroll, Dempsey and Naughton all in the starting eleven. Three players who often only see the pitch from the rare occasion they get picked off the bench in a game.

Still I am very anxious to see how Carroll develops. He is a little fragile right now but, I hope to find him a decent BPL team to loan out for to get some well and truly needed game time.

After coming back from Newcastle we had a quick few days of training then we retured to face them in the Europa second knockout stage. I went into the game thinking we would just use the same formation we did in our last fixture. I couldn't have wasted my time more. As I drove up the M1 to Newcastle in the BMW.


Only a few days later we were to return to WHL and play Everton in the second round in the FA Cup. I was confident ahead of this game. With David Moyes just taking the job at Fulham when Jol moved Liverpool it was likely that they would be disorganized.


A good win to continue domestically!

Good results, amusing to see Ashley make a fool of himself