Andre Villas Boas: 'We have to work on our concentration – we had looked at this during the week to solve the problem of seeing out matches but it wasn't enough'

Published: 1 September, 2012
By DAN CARRIER at White Hart Lane

Premier League
SPURS 1, NORWICH 1

ANDRE Villas-Boas said his players were suffering from a touch of early season nerves as he instigates the root and branch reform of a team that staggered into fourth spot last season.

The Spurs boss, speaking after a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Norwich, said training ground drills over the past week had focussed on seeing out games, following the late, late equaliser in the game against West Brom.

But a carbon-copy of a result conceded in the same way disappointed the new coach.

“We have to work on our concentration," said Villas-Boas.

"We had looked at this during the week to solve the problem of seeing out matches but it wasn't enough. There was some anxiety in the first half but the second half saw a great response."

Spurs went ahead through debutante Mousa Dembele but saw a late Robert Snodgrass effort rob them of all three points.

The manager said that three games in and with just two points on the board, his players needed to be patient.

"This is not the start we wanted or I feel we have deserved," he said.

"Our performances against Newcastle and West Brom were at times excellent. We've played well at times but not had the results."

And while it is early days, in this league you have to put your home bankers away to have a chance of clutching at the Holy Grail of the Champions League: on this evidence, Spurs fans may have to accept a transitionary season – something, that after playing such great stuff last term, may be hard to stomach.

There was a buzz about the ground before kick-off, caused by transfer deadline day dealings, but it didn't last as Norwich settled well and on eight minutes a Snodgrass free-kick found the head of Russell Martin. His effort thundered against the bar after a faint touch from Brad Friedel helped it on its way.

It set up a nervy start for the home side, typified on 25 when a loose ball in the box was seized on by Bradley Johnson as defenders stood static, and his driven effort went narrowly wide.

In return, the best Spurs could offer was when Gareth Bale stung the palms of John Ruddy from distance, and Jermain Defoe hooked a volley high over the bar.

It had been a disjointed first half from Spurs and the home crowd made their displeasure known. The performance wasn't lost on AVB: at half-time, it was clear Spurs needed more strength in the middle and the boss swapped the defensive Sandro for the more forward-minded Dembele.

Within a minute, Kyle Walker had skipped across the face of the Norwich defence, played in Benoit Assou-Ekotto and, while his cross was cleared, Gylfi Sigurdsson got off a strong shot that Ruddy did well to save.

Dembele immediately upped the ante with some silky touches that seemed to remind his teammates what they were capable of, and when Emmanuel Adebayor came on for Sigurdsson, the attack had the focal point it had been missing.

Defoe suddenly got a second wind and on 69 he found space on the right and pulled it back for the oncoming Dembele. The new boy went right then left, and shot through a thicket of legs into the far corner.

It was a great way to start his Tottenham career.

Yet, as we saw last week, a slender lead built on shakey foundations means living on nerves: Friedel had already done enough to win the man of the match champagne and, as Norwich fought to find a way back, he was required again to deny Grant Holt, this time with a brilliant one handed-block on the deck.

Norwich never let their heads drop and when on 85 a free-kick conceded on the right of the penalty area wasn't dealt with, the excellent Snodgrass slipped a low ball into the corner of the net.

If this wasn't bad enough, AVB's decision to take off Defoe, just as he seemed to be contributing something, caused further problems. Tom Huddlestone, making his first appearence for a year, had been on the pitch for just five minutes when a rusty challenge from the midfielder was deemed dangerous and he got his marchingorders.

It was a mild-looking tussle with Jonny Howson and has robbed him of the opportunity to play himself into fitness and first-team contention.

Villas-Boas called the decision "extremely harsh". However, it could have been a disaster: moments after losing a man, Friedel was called on to make another super save after Norwich broke once more.

This was a disjointed and disappointing Spurs performance: with three games gone, two points is not the return chairman Daniel Levy would have expected – yet it must be remembered Spurs were in a similar spot last term, though they'd already played both Manchester clubs.

Spurs: Friedel, Vertonghen, Lennon, Bale, Gallas, Defoe, Sigurdsson, Walker, Livermore, Sandro, Assou-Ekotto.
Subs: Cudicini, Huddlestone, Adebayor, Naughton, Dembele, Townsend, Caulker
Man of the Match: Brad Friedel. With new signing Hugo Lloris in the stands, veteran goalkeeper Friedel pulled off four great saves to spare his teammates‘ blushes.
Attendance: 36,142

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

PATIENCE is in short supply at the Lane, and today's team selection instantly brought criticism before a ball had been kicked.

Playing two young defensive midfielders – Sandro and Livermore – in a home game where you'd expect to walk off with three points gave the moaners ammunition, and the inability to get the passes going early on seemed to pour fuel on the fire.

Add to that the fact that those watching Spurs for some time know Jermain Defoe doesn't flourish alone up front – he's simply too small to offer a physical presence – then leaving Adebayor and new signing Mousa Dembele to fidget on the bench was also setting up easy targets for sniping.

Yet the fans must accept this is a work in progress: fitness seems to be more of an issue rather than formation. Both the home draws this term have come after late, late equalisers as concentration levels have dropped. It also must be noted that no one player seems ready, when a lead is there to be defended, to hold on to it, get it down into the corner flag areas and see out the time. It was a role Luka Modric relished. Who, now, will take that responsibility?

Now AVB has two weeks, thanks to an international break, to get his new players in the groove.

Coming up, there are games away at Reading and at home to QPR. Both are very winnable. Points are needed, or the fans‘ confidence in chucking Harry Redknapp's simplisitic four-four-two overboard and replacing him with the tactical swagger of young Villas-Boas may begin to look not just brave, but foolhardy, too.