Champions League - 2017/18

Some of the defeatist attitude I've read on social media Spurs pages has been embarrassing.

Some of the celebratory attitudes I've received from Liverpool mates for getting a fairly straightforward group draw on paper, has been even more embarrassing.

I don't understand this desire to have an easy group draw on paper.

I said to my best friend and fellow Spurs fan this morning, that the worst draw we could get would be to be matched up with teams that will park the bus, frustrate us, stop us playing, teams from Eastern Europe on a long haul flight, in a stadium where the crowd will be extremely hostile.

Real is a tough fixture for any team in the world. But I truly believe our players will be more focused, less complacent and will have more space on the pitch to do what they do very well...against teams that will come at us.

Players like Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Alder, Lloris and all the others are going to be relishing the opportunity to test themselves against Real. I don't count our performance against Dortmund in the Europa last season...as generally every English club normally goes completely off the boil once they drop into the Europa. We've seen it a hundred times before...and we shouldn't judge ourselves on that.

As I said, big games will bring the best out of our players. That also applies to our fans too. I don't care how passionate and loud a fan you are...you're probably going to be louder watching Spurs Real...than you are Spurs Genk...or Monaco (in their chicken shed stadium).

I never gave us a chance against reigning champions Inter in 2011, we proved wrong. It will be tough, but I'm expecting the players to give it a 100% guts and glory effort...no matter the result - we can't ask for more.

It's not time to be cowards, sorry that we can't hide in the group stages and then meet the big boys later on. It's time for a team that has came very close to winning arguably the best league in the world for the last two seasons...to stand up and show we can truly mix it with the some of the best Europe has to offer.

What worked for us in 2011 is that no fear attitude. We can rattle a few cages this year as well.

I say, bring each and every one of them on.

Well said @Makkaveli101

I'm so excited about the draw it is untrue, much more than I was last year. 85,000 Spurs fans, at Wembley, playing the best side in Europe...yes please!

Bit disappointed about getting teams we've had before, but been wanting to cross Dortmund off my bucket list for ages, was gutted when I couldn't get out there last time, and we owe them a proper fucking game. Would have liked Juve, Bayern or PSG really but there's always the knockout eh..

This is why we're desperate to play in the Champions League ain't it? To face teams like Real Madrid and Dortmund. This is the best thing that could have happened to us really. 4 Massive games with 0 pressure on us. If we progress somehow from this group we could start dreaming big, but if we don't it's certainly not a fiasco.

SpaggyBoy said:

Can't see us getting through that group. Just have to remember to lose to Apoel so we don't have to go and play in the Europa league.

Might as well concentrate on the league.

Click to expand...

I was having a bit of a crappy day when I wrote that. Please forgive my petulance.

With time to reflect, I don't think the draw is that bad. Real Madrid will be a fantastic occasion. Dortmund are beatable if we perform at our best. Apoel will probably end up being about goal difference. We can get second, but it will be tough.

What a fucking draw, hope it's Derby though..........

Dzejkob said:

Say I'm crazy but I love thisdraw. We can face one of the best teams in Europe on nights on Wembley. Yeah it's not WHL but 90k Spurs fans and a game versus Real Madrid in Champions League just sounds sooo exciting to me.

Click to expand...

Yeah

I am going to be so excited telling little cookiemonster about the exciting night when we were spank 4-0 by real Madrid in the CL

SpaggyBoy said:

I was having a bit of a crappy day when I wrote that. Please forgive my petulance.

With time to reflect, I don't think the draw is that bad. Real Madrid will be a fantastic occasion. Dortmund are beatable if we perform at our best. Apoel will probably end up being about goal difference. We can get second, but it will be tough.

Click to expand...

Real are beatable. Many a great side have been turned over. Many underdogs have earned hard fought victories against the odds.

What's the point in the players turning up if they don't think they can get a result? Seriously? Why bother turning up or being a part of an elite competition if you don't believe you can win the game?

The financially doped up English Premiership is an annual group of death, the group of death in European league football...a group of death we've almost won twice in the last two seasons. People see historic names like Real Madrid and shit their pants. The insecurity and fear smacks of 1990's English teams in Europe before Man Utd shook the monkey off of everyone's back in 1999.

I totally get that everyone's excited about playing some big teams, but I think I would rather have been drawn in an easier group and had a better chance of progressing from it. there's a good reason why there's seeding in the first place, and that's because the big clubs don't want to be facing each other this early and running the risk of being eliminated before it really gets going. none of Chelsea, the Manchester clubs or Liverpool would've been celebrating getting this draw, and neither would any other top club around Europe. while it's great that we'll be playing Real and Dortmund, it's going to be the mother of all comedowns if/when we then have to face the likes of Brondby or Feyernoord in the EL last 32 in Feb.

PeeEyeEmPee said:

I totally get that everyone's excited about playing some big teams, but I think I would rather have been drawn in an easier group and had a better chance of progressing from it. there's a good reason why there's seeding in the first place, and that's because the big clubs don't want to be facing each other this early and running the risk of being eliminated before it really gets going. none of Chelsea, the Manchester clubs or Liverpool would've been celebrating getting this draw, and neither would any other top club around Europe. while it's great that we'll be playing Real and Dortmund, it's going to be the mother of all comedowns if/when we then have to face the likes of Brondby or Feyernoord in the EL last 32 in Feb.

Click to expand...

We had an easier group on paper last season. How did that work out for us? We looked like a Tottenham side trying to break down mid/lower Premier League table sides...a lot of our players are big game players - it's why we beat nearly all of our top six rivals last season. A lot of good players are big game players...there's a reason Real don't always look like world beaters against the same lower level sides in their own league. I'm not comparing us to Real...but it's of the same mentality.

Love our group. I'm made up. Fantastic experience/test for the boys. Right in the pressure cooker on the world stage.

Makkaveli101 said:

We had an easier group on paper last season. How did that work out for us? We looked like a Tottenham side trying to break down mid/lower Premier League table sides...a lot of our players are big game players - it's why we beat nearly all of our top six rivals last season. A lot of good players are big game players...there's a reason Real don't always look like world beaters against the same lower level sides in their own league. I'm not comparing us to Real...but it's of the same mentality.

Click to expand...

On paper the media were dismissing Monaco as shit until they knocked Man City out.

Seeing as we're not gonna win it I just wanna play the best teams we can. Hope we can get past Dortmund and take 2nd place. Would love Barca in a knockout game.

Don't really get wanting easy group, we're gonna get knocked out at some point so let's see this team of ours tested against the best teams we can. It'll help in terms of development and experience and us as fans get minimum of two cracking European games at Wembley too.

Absolutely Brutal few weeks there. At the same stage last season we won 1 drew 3 in the PL and lost 2 drew 1 in the CL, so the bar isn't exactly high. COYS!

spurs9 said:

Absolutely Brutal few weeks there. At the same stage last season we won 1 drew 3 in the PL and lost 2 drew 1 in the CL, so the bar isn't exactly high. COYS!

View attachment 32111

Click to expand...

It's tough at the top, in every facet of life. We've been consistently at or near the very top for the last two seasons. About time we started acting like those at the top...representing English football as runners up in arguably the best league on the planet...and not be the petrified, fickle Spurs fans still emotionally anchored by the shite we all had to go through in the 1990s.

One should never be afraid or daunted when confronted by the very best there is in a particular sport. Your opponent can then be used as the measuring stick to show where you truly stand in the current rankings. To approach these matches with trepidation and fear would indicate a lack of inner confidence...one should always look forward to such battles, treating your adversary with the respect and caution they deserve, but demanding,by your performance, that they do likewise.

There should be no motivational skills required by Poch to have his team ready to play the likes of Real Madrid. Every single player should now be busting their balls in an attempt to be selected for the CPL matches that lie ahead. True professionals do not shirk from such challenges, they embrace them.

These are the games you should dream of being involved in, this is the reward (yes reward !) for all that effort last season in obtaining a top four place and qualification. We could of had an easier group and subsequently more of a chance of making it through to the knockout stages...but we didn't ...so we accept and deal with the challenges ahead.

The thought of going to Wembley to see the team I support play Real Madrid, not in a friendly, but in Europe's top competition is both exciting and inspiring. This is where Tottenham dream to be on a regular basis, competing against the best because they also belong in such auspicious company.
So let's approach these games with a united and positive attitude, from the manager, the players and the supporters. The world will be watching...let's show it just how far we have come and do this famous club proud.

Harry Kane said...
“It’s a great draw,” “You expect to play the best in Europe in the Champions League and it’s exciting for us. We look forward to these games.“You want to test yourself against the best and Real Madrid are the best at the moment.”

That's exactly the approach needed....bring it on !

Makkaveli101 said:

It's tough at the top, in every facet of life. We've been consistently at or near the very top for the last two seasons. About time we started acting like those at the top...representing English football as runners up in arguably the best league on the planet...and not be the petrified, fickle Spurs fans still emotionally anchored by the shite we all had to go through in the 1990s.

Click to expand...

Not always.


But I agree with the rest of your post.

That brutal schedule is presumably going to concentrate a few minds on getting a few more signings in.

Like most, I love the group, & am very happy we've got big games, but I'm sorry to say I think we'll finish 3rd. Might not, but that's what the smart money would say.

Fuck sake. This killed me.

https://mobile.twitter.com/HFooty/status/900764852792291332