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Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
22,989
31,168
Maybe I'm just too pessimistic, I don't know but I still feel like the initial goal is to secure top 4 first and foremost and as the season develops see where we're at.

I'm still not 100% sure Wembley isn't an issue yet either. The only team we've managed to beat there that has just mostly sat back has been Bournemouth and that was only just. I'm definitely more concerned with creating a gap from the chasing pack than I am chasing City at the moment, personally.
 

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
I've done my bit to boost our chances of winning the league by putting 3 citeh players in my fantasy football team....and it almost worked yesterday! I did the same with Liverpool a few weeks back by picking Salah, Mane and Coutinho and they've not looked themselves since!

Have faith, it's now only a matter of time before City's form starts to slide.
 

RickyVilla

Well-Known Member
May 16, 2004
18,479
19,942
Maybe I'm just too pessimistic, I don't know but I still feel like the initial goal is to secure top 4 first and foremost and as the season develops see where we're at.

I'm still not 100% sure Wembley isn't an issue yet either. The only team we've managed to beat there that has just mostly sat back has been Bournemouth and that was only just. I'm definitely more concerned with creating a gap from the chasing pack than I am chasing City at the moment, personally.
We have often had problems with teams that sit back and defend. I am not sure Wembley has a lot to do with it. The media have made a massive deal about our so called "Wembley hoodoo" and I think that's why it is on everyone's mind. Can't say I see much difference to previous seasons at the Lane (last season was a massive one off).
 

The Doc

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2012
881
2,456
10 games in..... City will have masses of games through December and January (assuming they make semis of cc). Even if they don't, everyone has a ridiculous amount of games to play then. Will be a war of attrition for all. Moreover, it's not as if they have great b choices in defence if they pick up more injuries or suspensions. Even the a selection isn't great. Finally, both Liverpool (when they had 11 players on the pitch) and Napoli ran them ragged at times. ie. If you press them high, good things can happen.
 

rocklink

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
1,613
2,558
When we can win 1-0 at anfield, old trafford, stamford bridge and emirates, we will win title .. Otherwise we dont .. we will never !!!

We always concede silly goals at these places ... that does show we dont have that extra edge or mentality to go past and grind win at those places ...
 

Dov67

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2005
3,320
10,213
been called an "outrageous optimist" in past (by my son and Dad), but even i think us winning the title this year in the context of City's points tally and form is a little unlikely.

hate the thought of Kyle Walker winning a premier league medal.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
When we can win 1-0 at anfield, old trafford, stamford bridge and emirates, we will win title .. Otherwise we dont .. we will never !!!

We always concede silly goals at these places ... that does show we dont have that extra edge or mentality to go past and grind win at those places ...

Chelsea lost 2-0 at Spurs, 2-1 at Utd 3-0 at Arsenal and drew against Liverpool on the road last season, you don't win the title by picking up points away from home against your rivals.
 

glacierSpurs

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2013
16,163
25,472
Give some injuries to Citeh's critical players and see if they still can conjure up the points. Conceding two against baggies surely is something teams can look into. Considering our injury plight so far, we are actually not that bad.

Luck will be a factor as crucial as anything else.

Still reeling from late goals against manure and chelscum though. We had chances to win these two, but being sucker-punched like that was damn hard to take.
 

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
22,989
31,168
We have often had problems with teams that sit back and defend. I am not sure Wembley has a lot to do with it. The media have made a massive deal about our so called "Wembley hoodoo" and I think that's why it is on everyone's mind. Can't say I see much difference to previous seasons at the Lane (last season was a massive one off).

We have done but I'm not so sure we've been as slow and ponderous in those matches as we have been at Wembley. Plus the teams we've faced who do that have more so been the ones that are renowned for doing so. I wouldn't be surprised to see every team outside the top 6 adopt that defensive approach and the difference with WHL was that a higher tempo was easier achieve with the tighter pitch. How many times did we have a poor first half to only start playing the right way in the 2nd half and have us asking why we didn't start like that? We were able to switch it up and go up a gear, I haven't seen any evidence of that against such teams at Wembley, it's all one pace and a rather slow one at that.
 

RickyVilla

Well-Known Member
May 16, 2004
18,479
19,942
We have done but I'm not so sure we've been as slow and ponderous in those matches as we have been at Wembley. Plus the teams we've faced who do that have more so been the ones that are renowned for doing so. I wouldn't be surprised to see every team outside the top 6 adopt that defensive approach and the difference with WHL was that a higher tempo was easier achieve with the tighter pitch. How many times did we have a poor first half to only start playing the right way in the 2nd half and have us asking why we didn't start like that? We were able to switch it up and go up a gear, I haven't seen any evidence of that against such teams at Wembley, it's all one pace and a rather slow one at that.
Still only three games played there against the so called lower teams. One win and two drawn. I think I will reserve a judgement until we have played a few more.
 

davros

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2005
2,887
586
Next week we're at home to Palace while Chelsea play Man U and Arsenal play Man City. It's great chance to pick up points over rivals and to start another winning streak. Or continue a winning streak that we start in our midweek cup game
 

eddiev14

SC Supporter
Jan 18, 2005
7,173
19,679
Like we did last season you mean? Today would have been tough even with Harry in the team but as soon as he was out it was always going to turn into "Spurs can't do it without Kane". What would be good is if our own support didn't buy into such drivel.

I genuinely don’t care what the media write about us, but I also think i’m being pretty realistic.

I haven’t looked at our expected goals with and without Kane in the team but my guess would be that the number falls sharply when Kane is not there.

We’ve probably got enough to get past most of the lesser teams but to win the title this season we have to beat City and United IMO.

I just can’t see us doing that without Kane this season. Both teams are so much stronger.

Would love to be proved wrong.
 

rocklink

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
1,613
2,558
Chelsea lost 2-0 at Spurs, 2-1 at Utd 3-0 at Arsenal and drew against Liverpool on the road last season, you don't win the title by picking up points away from home against your rivals.
But they didnt draw their home game against swansea or burnley
 

Streetspur77

Happy Clapper
Jul 20, 2017
2,792
9,404
Chelsea lost 2-0 at Spurs, 2-1 at Utd 3-0 at Arsenal and drew against Liverpool on the road last season, you don't win the title by picking up points away from home against your rivals.

This. People just regurgitate what they hear the media saying and the media obviously has an interest in making these games seem as important as possible
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,988
81,937
I'm going to put my neck on the line and say that despite spending over £100m in the summer Everton wll not be in the title race.
 

thePessimist

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2012
1,261
3,344
We have often had problems with teams that sit back and defend. I am not sure Wembley has a lot to do with it. The media have made a massive deal about our so called "Wembley hoodoo" and I think that's why it is on everyone's mind. Can't say I see much difference to previous seasons at the Lane (last season was a massive one off).

I think there's a slight difference in the fact that playing at wembley is a special occation, a place the smaller teams rarely get to play. It might raise their game with say 5%
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,776
99,340
Yesterday still annoying me, but win next Sunday and we're back on track.

But the big game is the NLD. Not just for obvious reasons, but we simply have to win it if we want to consider ourselves genuine title contenders.

Losing at OT won't rule us out, but with the NLD so close after, I think it's a game we must win to stay in touch with City.

So basically we need a response, 6 points from the next two games keeps us in the mix with City for sure.
 
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Westmorland

Active Member
May 21, 2014
290
449
When Ronaldo was at Man Utd one season they won the title by winning every game but one against the bottom 12. 23 w 1d. ie. 70 pts. They only got 21 pts from 14 games against the rest of the top 8. The main thing when playing your rivals is not to lose ...to quote Souness
 

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
Yesterday still annoying me, but win next Sunday and we're back on track.

But the big game is the NLD. Not just for obvious reasons, but we simply have to win it if we want to consider ourselves genuine title contenders.

Losing at OT won't rule us out, but with the NLD so close after, I think it's a game we must win to stay in touch with City.

So basically we need a response, 6 points from the next two games keeps us in the mix with City for sure.
There's too many must win games now, we've already blown it.
 
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