Tim Sherwood invited a Spurs supporter who regularly offers advice from a seat behind him to join the boss in the dugout during the final stages of today's win over Aston Villa

Published: 11 May, 2014
by DAN CARRIER at White Hart Lane

Barclays Premier League
SPURS 3, ASTON VILLA 0

SPURS manager Tim Sherwood cut a defiant figure in what could be his last post-match press conference in charge of the club.

After watching his side demolish a struggling Aston Villa 3-0 this afternoon (Sunday), he told reporters he felt he had made a good case for staying on in the five months he has been in charge.

He said: "If I had started this season, we'd be in the Champions League."

He added he would see chairman Daniel Levy for talks about what the future holds – but no date for the meeting had been set yet.

"It needs to happen as soon as possible," he added. "A quick decision is best for everyone."

He defended his tenure, which has seen him win 58 per cent of his games in charge – the best ratio for a Spurs manager since the start of the Premier League.

He said: "It can't be based on results if I do leave the club."

Sherwood added if stayed, he would need a longer contract as he has just a year left.

"Otherwise you're just a supply teacher," he added.

And he said he felt that the club and fans had the wrong expectations at the beginning of the season – and he had done what was asked of him.

"My brief was to see if we could score a few more goals," he said.

"We've done that. But we were ridiculously hyped at the start of the season. We lost a genuine world class matchwinner in Gareth Bale, and had seven new players who had not played here previously. But the club will be better for it next season."

If this was indeed Sherwood's final hurrah, he had no problem geeing up his team before kick-off. 

Spurs started with intent. Until this afternoon, they had not scored a goal in the opening 15 minutes of any Premier League game – a record they seemed determined to break. 

In the first 10 minutes, probing from both flanks created some panic in the Villa defence. The first real opening came when Harry Kane was played in by Emmanuel Adebayor – but Villa goalie Brad Guzan managed to block his swivelled effort. 

On 11, a brave run from Kyle Naughton took him towards the heart of the Villa defence. He laid it off for Christian Eriksen, whose prompt ball forward found Paulinho. He stabbed home from close range. 

It was two on 35: Danny Rose sent over a powerful cross and with Adebayor on his shoulder, Villa defender Nathan Baker turned it home under pressure. It was quickly followed by a third. Eriksen's goal-bound shot caught Villa's Gabby Agbonlahor's arm and Adebayor converted the resulting penalty. 

The second half saw Spurs go through paces but rarely trouble their visitors, while Villa looked utterly bereft of any confidence or ideas. 

A 3-0 home victory may be a nice way to end a campaign, but it can't paper over the fact that when the players returned to the pitch after the final whistle for the usually raucous end-of-season lap of honour, White Hart Lane was half empty – and whether they return to see a team picked by Tim Sherwood will be resolved in the coming days. 

SPURS: Lloris, Rose, Chiriches, Paulinho, (Bentaleb, 71) Adebayor, Naughton, Dawson, Sigurdsson, (Pritchard, 82) Eriksen, Sandro, (Veljkovic, 62) Kane.

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

MUCH was made of the big-money signings that were going to turn the Gareth Bale cash into the points.

It's not worked out quite like that – so who of the Newbies has done enough to warrant a second bite?

Roberto Soldado

Came with a big reputation – a hot streak in La Liga, a £26m price tag – but it's been dire. 

It is not all his fault: played as a lone forward in an AVB side that had inverted wingers, chances were not forthcoming. It was asking a lot to shine in a struggling new team and a more physical league.

Then, under Sherwood, he played in a front two with Eriksen just behind. He scored, breaking a drought of 12 games…only to be promptly dropped and not reappear again. 

Season satisfaction: 1/10 

Nacer Chadli

Had 14 starts, but has been unconvincing. Bought as a winger, he's also been shoved inside: not set the world alight in either spot. 

3/10

Christian Eriksen

Took a few games to get acclimatised, but he's the one who can say: I've arrived. Has become the side's heartbeat.

8/10

Paulinho

Shown in flashes what he can do but has yet to really impose himself. Chelsea are sniffing, but it would be a mistake to sell – there is more to come. 

6/10

Erik Lamela

The talismanic example of how bad things have turned out. Used sparingly when fit in the autumn, the record signing limped into the treatment room in the New Year and hasn't been seen since. 

0/10

Vlad Chiriches

Showed welcome gracefulness. Not the first-choice centre-back for next year, but has promise.

5/10

Etienne Capoue

Started well. Tough tackling, he made fans dream of a Capoue/Sandro axis away from home, providing an unbreachable base. Instead, he got crocked in September and hasn't had the games to get back up to pace. 

5/10