Andre Villas-Boas had momentarily stepped back into that unusual space where things made sense to him but left almost everyone else scratching their heads. He did it on more than one occasion in the first few months of his current spell at Tottenham, receiving criticism for what seemed like his avoidance of reality. This time, he’s criticised the apparent lack of support from Tottenham fans.

Football managers can die by the sword, but they’re not really in a position to tell the wielder how to swing. Fans have a right to be as muted or vocal as they wish.

It’s as if Villas-Boas has found a get-out clause for some very forgettable performances so far this season. Whose expectation levels wouldn’t be raised tenfold off the back of the summer Spurs had? They picked up some of the best talents in European football, forcing the case for a top four Premier League finish come May.

The product has been far from befitting, though. A string of one-nil results, a set of performances that haven’t so much been bland as rigid, failing to coherently put together to pieces added over the summer. It’s October, the club have spent close to £30 million on an established striker. Why shouldn’t fans be a little concerned that 75 per cent of his league tally has come from the penalty spot?

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It’s not the fans’ problem or responsibility to get the best out of this team. I don’t see how Villas-Boas could have found any logic in pointing the finger at the home support, not just in saying that they create a muted atmosphere but then going on to hand out instructions on how they should behave throughout the ninety minutes.

Villas-Boas spoke to his players at half time against Hull and said, “We’ll have to do this on our own.” Well that’s generally the case. Fans observe and react to what’s happening on the pitch; they don’t conduct the manner in which a team performs. Noise generated from the home support is one thing to sway a result, but this whole issue smacks of a manager who is trying to force the responsibility onto someone else. If Tottenham aren’t producing results or performances that match the ambitious spend of the summer, it’s in no way due to the “unwelcoming atmosphere” at White Hart Lane.

There was a lot said about Spurs having the best midfield in the league. Well I don’t see it. I didn’t see it at the start of the season, when giants with limited creative nous made up the midfield two, and I don’t see it now, when these midfielders are failing to turn possession into goals.

And why would anyone be overly excited about that? As painful as it may be to admit, football does have an element of theatre about it. Sports can occasionally step over the boundary into entertainment. If you’re not entertained, why should you applaud? If supporters believe the product on the pitch to be below their expectations, why shouldn’t they feel some form of aggravation?

It’s down to the manager to work this out. That’s largely what he’s paid for. He sets the team up and he’s trusted with putting the pieces together. Why, at this point of the season, does Erik Lamela remain quite firmly out of the spotlight? What about Soldado?

The rising and falling of noise levels don’t have a direct influence on tactics. It would be wrong to say Villas-Boas is feeling any kind of pressure – after all, the team are fourth on 19 points. But there isn’t anything right or justified about his criticism of the support.

Was criticising Tottenham fans a bad move by AVB?

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