When Tottenham and Aston Villa were pulled out of the hat to face each other in Round 3 of the Capital One Cup, many football fans’ pulses sped up. Although not the glamour tie of the round – a tag which can be placed on Manchester United and Liverpool’s upcoming clash – Spurs vs Villa offers a very unique prospect as two of the top tier’s youngest and most exciting managers prepare to face off.

Although operating at different ends of the division, Paul Lambert and Andre Villas-Boas are widely seen as two of the more progressive coaches in English football, with their unique styles setting up an enthralling match. The two are very different in their approach to the game, with AVB very much a micro-manager intent on honing every individual detail to provide a fluid and effective performance, while Lambert looks to utilise a hunger from his players to create a determined and spirited unit.

Villas-Boas arrived in English football with Chelsea, but quickly saw his time at Stamford Bridge draw to a close. In his early 30s at the time, AVB was in the strange position of coaching players older than himself, and when the going got tough – as it has for many in charge of the Blues – he got the boot. Since then, The Portuguese has found his home at White Hart Lane, with a club that were craving a boss of his style and ability. The polar opposite to predecessor Harry Redknapp, he has quickly implemented his philosophy at the club and is now entering a pivotal campaign having invested over £100million in his squad to draft in the players he desired.

Like AVB, Lambert is also in the midst of a make or break season. The 44-year-old Scot stuck to his plan to axe a number of high earning and ageing players last season to field a new generation, and only just avoided a spot in the bottom three. Many have predicted that his high-risk strategy may pay off now, but the only way the ex-Norwich boss can defend his actions is by getting results on the pitch. Controversial moves such as discarding Darren Bent for Christian Benteke while affording inexperienced defenders in the shape of Ciaran Clarke and Nathan Baker regular action have laid the foundation for a new era, but Lambert simply must usher in success as the Midlanders look to escape the hangover of Alex McLeish, and to an extent Martin O’Neill.

For the pair a decent cup run could vindicate their methods, with both clubs relatively short on silverware in the modern era. Tottenham’s ultimate quest may be to reach the Champions League, but AVB could cement his spot as one of the club’s greats by bringing home a trophy this winter. Lambert could also achieve a similar status at Villa, and the experience of securing silverware could help to turn young starlets such as Andreas Weimann and Fabian Delph into genuine stars.

The sub-plot to this Round 3 tie is one befitting of a great encounter. Both managers have lots to prove and are very much on the cusp of achievement at their respective clubs. The talking will be done on the pitch, but will it be AVB or Lambert who has the final say?

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