Andre Villas-Boas Needs the Support of Tottenham’s Away Fans at Reading

Andre Villas-Boas needs fans support

Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping for the full backing of Tottenham’s traveling supporters at the Madejski Stadium against Reading  as Tottenham’s Premier League campaign continues on Sunday afternoon. Sections of Tottenham’s home fans booed the team off the pitch at the interval and at full-time in the match at White Hart Lane against Norwich City a fortnight ago. Two points from three games, two at home, is a disappointing return for the new manager but he will have been further concerned by the reaction of the home crowd as pressure mounts on the team and the Head Coach. Many supporters recognised that the appointment of Villas-Boas was a risky strategy by Chairman, Daniel Levy, but over the summer there had been considerable optimism surrounding the club. This, however, has quickly evaporated with the start of the Premier League season. There had been encouraging signs in the opening two matches where Tottenham had been unfortunate not to take more points against Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion but the performance of the team against Norwich was disappointing.

Playing at Reading will relieve the pressure of the high expectations of home supporters at White Hart Lane which in itself puts added stress on the players and Tottenham’s away fans are notoriously supportive of their team. The travelling supporters have witnessed many difficult days while following Spurs over the years but have always been vocal in their support of the team. Even in the face of defeat, they have continued their singing which can be clearly heard around the ground.

With players returning from international duty, Villas-Boas will have to lift certain players like Gareth Bale whose Wales team lost both matches, including a 6 – 1 defeat in Serbia. He will also be faced with the task of integrating the new signings, Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey, into the team with Hugo Lloris already reported to be concerned at comments that Brad Friedel would be continuing in goal at present.

Patience is a Virtue

Patience was always going to be an essential quality for Tottenham supporters to display this season. There have been numerous changes to the squad with much uncertainty and speculation about it’s composition throughout the summer while the last minute signings have had no opportunity to become acquainted with their new team. The squad is unbalanced and weakened since last season with the lack of a creative influence in midfield and no competition or cover for Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe as strikers. The composition of Tottenham’s team at Reading will be under much scrutiny from supporters and the media who are already looking for and finding similarities with Villas-Boas’ unsuccessful time at Stamford Bridge last season.

Younes Kaboul throws his shirt to the Spurs away fans

Now is the time and the opportunity for Tottenham supporters to get behind the team and their manager as they look for the elusive first win of the season. To get it at Reading on Sunday would lift a weight from the manager’s shoulders and set the team up for the coming matches without continuing references to Juande Ramos and Jacques Santini whose short reigns at Tottenham were spectacularly ended in the month of October.

It is very early to be labelling a match as a ‘must win’ game but for Andre Villas-Boas and Tottenham it has that feeling even though the season is only three matches old. The away supporters backing for Spurs and the team will be essential if the players are to perform at a level which will achieve that goal on Sunday afternoon in front of the eyes of the ever critical footballing nation, hoping for another calamity and a story of crisis at Tottenham. Let’s hope they’re disappointed and Spurs can march on with their heads held high.

Why are the Tottenham’s travelling fans so supportive even in dire straits while the home support can be over critical?