Last and by no means least, we should compare how Villas-Boas treated domestic cups with European competition. The result is astounding. Tottenham lost just one of 20 Europa League games under him. They only exited last season at the quarter-final stage on penalty. Inter Milan are the only team to have inflicted a European defeat on Spurs for two years. AVB's predecessor Redknapp did not pay the Europa League as much respect and they suffered successive losses in November 2011, failing to make it out the group then by a single point. It is fitting that Villas-Boas should have such an awesomely strong record in Europe. In his only season with Porto he won the Europa League as part of another historic treble. It was something mentor Mourinho managed there too. Perhaps if AVB had allowed Hotspur to play in a similar vein in bread and butter Premier League outings he might still be in a job. Arguably the opposition is stronger on Sundays than on Thursdays, but there are certain tactical points we noticed. In the Europa League, Villas-Boas permitted his wide players to switch flanks. We seldom saw that happening in Premier League games. Had he let the wingers operate on their natural sides, perhaps Roberto Soldado would have got more surface.
Jamie Clark is a qualified Web Journalist after undergoing professional training at the University of Sheffield. A prolific and accredited sports writer, he also enjoys classic comedy, historic fiction, 80s music and heritage.
