Are we ready?

[tooey]

why are most people under the assumption that spending money is paramount to success? I'd argue that continuity is just as important. I know its wildly optimistic, but I think we have a genuine chance of a top 3 (yea 3, what of it?) finish. Liverpool may well "do a spurs" this season, lots of new faces who are new to the league and the demands of European football might trip them up. I'm not convinced LVG is the saviour either, a poor start and the wheels will soon fall off. We need a good start, some good luck and to forge some sort of identity in playing style.

 

[Snarfalicious]

I feel like this is one of the better preseasons we've had in the past few years. It's not just about the results, because in all honesty you would hope we could handle any MLS side, an undermanned Celtic and what has been a somewhat lackluster Schalke side (at least so far this preseason).

But the style of play has been promising. The constant player movement off the ball, the quick ball movement, the solid tactical setup when players know their roles, etc. All things that lead me to believe we are heading in the right direction. It might not all come to fruition in one season, but I think we do have the right man for the job in Pochettino. I'm hopeful for the season in that I believe we will be relevant in the Top 4 Race (although I do believe we will fall short).

I look at our side, our performances in the preseason and realize that we have some of our better players yet to be introduced. Vertonghen, Chadli, Paulinho and Dembele didn't play a minute in preseason. Some of the WC players that did play, played very little. The young (Dier, Veljkovic, at times Ceballos) and underperforming (Lamela, Holtby, Rose) have all shown some very positive signs in preseason. While these players will obviously have varying roles in the side, it's great to see that with a better manager at the helm, we could see player improvements at just about every level.

I'm excited for the season. I think we are ready. I think the players that will start against West Ham will be comfortable in their roles because we've got a manager who can get his tactics across. I also believe we will still add 2-3 players who will serve a valuable role in this side and that has me excited about the immediate and long-term future of this club.

 

[raymundo-iow]

I'm looking forward to this season because my expectations aren't sky high like last year in terms of achievement but I do expect to be entertained so much more this season. That's just as important as winning to me. We won a fair amount last year in the scheme of things but there was often this slight down feeling after the game that we didn't play well and we won despite that. I want to feel content after we've won a match!

I'll second that, never felt comfortable winning a game 2-0, 3-0 Etc last season. We could never finish teams off.

Onwards and upwards

 

[eViL]

We all need to have patience this season.

We have a massive squad that Poch will take his time to assess; that can only truly be done in competitive games - we have some of Europe's best talent but it's now about converting to Pochettino's style and mentality.

Go hard or go to Hull.

Are we ready? I think we could have done without the WC this year, so no. Not yet.

 

[Yid-ol]

Thud World Cup players have not had enough time back or games, so no, not ready for this weekend.

But saying that no team will ever say thief are ready, injuries, World Cup, traveling from pre season, there will always be an excuse.

 

[Nebby]

Our problem last year was poor management, badly communicated tactics, players with no motivation and a lack of any vision. In Poch and his team I think we've addressed all these issues.
We'll not be winning the EPL but we are well equipped to punch above our weight ie. to challenge the top four

Oh I wish I could share your optimism. But I see forwards that dont score and defenders that dont defend.

 

[eddiebailey]

As has been said, ready for what exactly? Bottomline is that it would take a miracle to finish above 5th and a catastrophe to finish below 7th. I am just hoping the footie is a bit more watchable than last season, and that there are fewer embarrassing trouncings.

 

[lukespurs7]

Very good and refreshingly positive OP.

Agree with most of what you said.

However due to players coming back from the WC and a few positions looking a bit iffy + our squad being too big I would say we are not quite ready. However we are perhaps as ready as we could be?

I think Vorm and Davies were very astute signings. The young lad at CB looks like a good investment too.

I'm a bit disappointed Marchissio or whatever his name is and Schneirdlin didn't transpire as I think they would really improve us to a level not too far off the top4.

At the moment with the new players the top4/5 have brought in I think we need to make 2 top level signings and offload about 5 players if we are to be in good shape.

 

[eddiev14]

I think our defence needs work.

I'm pretty concerned given the lack of quality and I think Kaboul is pretty much done at EPL level. The injury has taken a lot away from his game, it's so sad. He was looking so good until he got injured a couple of years ago.

Dawson is not up to playing a different style, other than 'get your 'ed on it' and 'spray it right to left'...

For me, both need replacing. We have Dier in, we just need another.

Th rest of the team, yeah it seems ready. Holtby deserves a start based on pre-season IMO.

 

[SpursManChris]

With Vertonghen, Kaboul, Chiriches, Dawson, and Dier, we have five good centre backs.

Dawson is good? Isn't he most likely taking off? Kaboul is a MONUMENTAL injury risk, Chiriches I'm not convinced about, but he'd certainly be solid back up at the very least and Dier? I think you may be being slightly optimistic thinking that a 20 year old fresh out of the Portuguese league is going to make an instant impact in the Prem. Good positive post, but perhaps slightly optimistic on our defence.

 

[nasescoba1985]

Ready for westham? Yes I do think so. I think we enough quality at the moment to beat what is frankly a sHit westham side who fuck knows how beat us 3 times last season. But I don't think we are ready properly for the season yet and still need to bulk up this defence of ours by snapping up this Musacchio. I would happily take Musacchio alone as our only singing now because with our other signings like Dier etc we would of improved our weakness last season. Lamela feels like a new signing so we are fine in the attack front. We need a new centre back though. I do not trust Dawson, crock Kaboul or even Chirichis at the moment. Verts needs someone top class to play alongside.

 

[barry]

Basically, we have a team that finished 6th last year (when Manchester United had their worst performance of the Premier League era) plus Southampton's manager and Swansea's left-back.

I'd argue that we haven't replaced Bale. Levy and Baldini (with a little help from Levy's "chosen one", AVB) pi$$ed away almost £100m from last summer's sales and yet somehow most of the people on this forum ended up blaming last season on Sherwood!

If you had 100 million who would you have replaced Bale with?

 

[nicdic]

Dawson is good? Isn't he most likely taking off? Kaboul is a MONUMENTAL injury risk, Chiriches I'm not convinced about, but he'd certainly be solid back up at the very least and Dier? I think you may be being slightly optimistic thinking that a 20 year old fresh out of the Portuguese league is going to make an instant impact in the Prem. Good positive post, but perhaps slightly optimistic on our defence.

Dawson might not be one of the Premier League's top centre backs, but he is still a good centre back. I think I've said already that I'd have him in fourth in the pecking order, and I'd see him leave before others, but nevertheless he isn't as bad as people make out. We have five good centre backs as things stand. Can we improve? Of course, and hopefully we will with the signing of Musacchio, but it's not like we're dangerously depleted without another signing. And as I said previously, now that we have two left backs we are actually stronger at centre back seeing as Vertonghen should be much less likely to be shifted to left back.

There are still improvements we could make to the squad and team in just about every position (bar 'keeper), but we're not understocked anymore in any of those positions and thus don't desperately need signings. The squad looks OK to me, no glaring holes, but very happy to see us upgrade still if possible.

 

[stemark44]

As has been said, ready for what exactly? Bottomline is that it would take a miracle to finish above 5th and a catastrophe to finish below 7th. I am just hoping the footie is a bit more watchable than last season, and that there are fewer embarrassing trouncings.

Agree 100%.
Hope the football is a good deal better but have no expectations of a position higher than 6th and we will be in a real dogfight with Everton to even make that.

 

[SpursManChris]

Dawson might not be one of the Premier League's top centre backs, but he is still a good centre back. I think I've said already that I'd have him in fourth in the pecking order, and I'd see him leave before others, but nevertheless he isn't as bad as people make out. We have five good centre backs as things stand. Can we improve? Of course, and hopefully we will with the signing of Musacchio, but it's not like we're dangerously depleted without another signing. And as I said previously, now that we have two left backs we are actually stronger at centre back seeing as Vertonghen should be much less likely to be shifted to left back.

There are still improvements we could make to the squad and team in just about every position (bar 'keeper), but we're not understocked anymore in any of those positions and thus don't desperately need signings. The squad looks OK to me, no glaring holes, but very happy to see us upgrade still if possible.

You didn't mention the high chance of Dawson not being with us this season. Isn't this likely going to be the case?
And Kaboul's hundred year long injuries? And the largely unproven youngster? I won't push you on Chiriches, I'll let him be.

 

[Lucky22]

Personally, the one thing that I thought we lacked last season under AVB was a high tempo. It was pass-pass-pass without any real penetration but with the higher tempo we have displayed with Pouch I'm more convinced of our chances across the board.
Unlike AVB's first season where players at the Olympics/Euros seemed to hold us back, Pouch seems to have taken this in his stride. If nothing else, he's told the players who didn't go to the World Cup to take their chance and it's now up to those coming back from additional holidays to get their place back!
Of course, we'll need patience, but I'm genuinely more optimistic rather than ignoring the obvious faults (like I usually do!).

 

[nicdic]

You didn't mention the high chance of Dawson not being with us this season. Isn't this likely going to be the case?
And Kaboul's hundred year long injuries? And the largely unproven youngster? I won't push you on Chiriches, I'll let him be.

As things stand Dawson is still with us and still club captain. Even if he's sold, we don't desperately need to buy a centre back. As for Kaboul, I don't know how things stand with his injuries. But if he were to pick something up, right now as things stand, we're well stocked to deal with it.

If both players were to leave we would need another centre back.

 

[SpursManChris]

As things stand Dawson is still with us and still club captain. Even if he's sold, we don't desperately need to buy a centre back. As for Kaboul, I don't know how things stand with his injuries. But if he were to pick something up, right now as things stand, we're well stocked to deal with it.

If both players were to leave we would need another centre back.

Yeah, it's just that, Dawson could go AND Kaboul could pick something up. Would we still be 'well stocked' to deal with it, when we're down to 3, one of which is an unproven kid?

 

[Shanks]

I voted yes.

We got some players in much earlier than we usually do. We've had about as solid as a pre-season that I can remember.

When I say solid, I don't mean by results, I mean by adopting to the managers style. He has had plenty of time with the players before the season starts and I'm not fussed about bringing in more players.

This year is slightly different, because I have an air of expectation about Poch - he seems like the real deal, not like AVB or any other manager we've had, but seems to know his onions - on the training ground, seems to be very meticiulous (ala Mourinho) and knows what he wants.

Last year really wasn't that bad when you look at points won. Just short of our best ever.
Lets be honest here, the brand of football and the upheaval throughout the year was a nightmare, alongside some long running injuries.

Difficult to judge how we will perform this year, but without any long term injuries, we start the season pretty fresh - which again seems slightly unusual for spurs too.

I am excited to see what Poch can do with this bunch of players actually, so I voted yes - we are ready.

 

[nicdic]

Yeah, it's just that, Dawson could go AND Kaboul could pick something up. Would we still be 'well stocked' to deal with it, when we're down to 3, one of which is an unproven kid?

I'd say that we'd be well enough stocked to deal with it and could reassess if needs be in January.

If though we're to ship two centre backs out to bring in one more now, so be it. Just don't think we're left with a gaping hole at centre back if that doesn't happen.