Believe the hype...

[cornelius knob]

All these 'clearing out the crap' posts are sadly mistaken. Levy will not sell players at a substantial loss. He just won't. I fully expect to see the likes of Paulinho, Soldado, Lamela, Chadli and Chiriches clogging up the bench in September, and very little inward movement because of the lack of funds made available. We need new blood for Poch to make the progress we expect, but don't think that will happen and next season will be more or less the same as this season, but maybe a little worse.

Sadly your right. But because we have the best balance sheet in the league, no one on here will question the lack of ambition of the owners and things will trudge along just the same

 

[stevenurse]

Can't really reply to the OP as there is so much conjecture put forward as fact.

I started the season on the fence with regards to Poch's appointment and remain there.

I really feel the best way for him to start is by shoring up the defence. We have the 5th worst defensive record in the Prem.

Playing Rose, Dier and Walker in defence we have a young defence and the full backs are attack minded. I've nothing against that but we need a midfield that protects the defence better.

So far I've liked that Poch has got some of our young players playing well in the team but I haven't been impressed with the starting setup, substitutions or cohesion as a team going forward.

Whilst I agree with this, I think maybe "do we believe our own hype?" Would be a better title and question, I would also say that "conjecture" could also be replaced with "experienced realism"

As for the comment about our midfield two bottling it, I'd say they were as bullied today as the arsenal midfield were when we played them. They are young and can't be expected to keep it up, it's the easy back pass 50 yards because you don't want to actually do anything with the ball that I disagree with. Too many people hiding and it's not a physical thing, it's all mental and that goes for 90% of our team

 

[shelfboy68]

Sadly your right. But because we have the best balance sheet in the league, no one on here will question the lack of ambition of the owners and things will trudge along just the same

People do and have questioned the ambition of the club on here frequently,but lets give a bit more time before we judge.
If things have not improved by the end of next season then Yes we can be a bit critical.

 

[NEVILLEB]

No one should be pointing the finger at another manager. The recruitment strategy is the cause and that has been set by the Chairman and the Board.

If you sell off all your top players and buy average ones you'll end up where we are.

 

[teok]

Just out of interest where exactly did people think we were going to finish this season? We are 6th joint on points with liverpool on 5th.

The premiership table basically translates to your wage bill give or take.

 

[dontcallme]

Just out of interest where exactly did people think we were going to finish this season? We are 6th joint on points with liverpool on 5th.

The premiership table basically translates to your wage bill give or take.

I predicted 5th.

 

[cornelius knob]

[QUOTE="NEVILLEB, post: 4548622, member: 9638"

If you sell off all your top players and buy average ones you'll end up where we are.[/QUOTE]
Hmmm..The words Nail and Head spring to mind

 

[Jody]

Agree with the fact that mason hasn't played well since arsenal. Bentaleb isn't showing as much in the game either. Walker is clearly having another off season like he did season before last. One on, one off for him atm.Praying we don't end up in the europa league next season. Agree with Nevilles comment re the lack of pace. Looking forward to a good pre season with some strong signings.

And Paulinho....that shot....

 

[millsey]

No one should be pointing the finger at another manager. The recruitment strategy is the cause and that has been set by the Chairman and the Board.

If you sell off all your top players and buy average ones you'll end up where we are.

Exactly. Where exactly do people expect us to be. We have the 6th best squad in my opinion and we are currently 5th

 

[millsey]

Is Europa 5th and 6th place?

 

[dontcallme]

Is Europa 5th and 6th place?

I think 7th as well depending on who wins the FA Cup

 

[millsey]

I think 7th as well depending on who wins the FA Cup

So we are pretty much guaranteed to be in it

 

[goughie1966]

Explain to me what I've said is wrong? Since the arsenal game have we played well? Squeezed past Swansea and QPR, luckily got a draw against West Ham, didn't turn up against Chelsea in the final, pedestrian against Liverpool, embarrassing against united, lucky again against Leicester and appalling today.

Arsenal have won 7 in a row playing football we can only dream of right now. The truth hurts unfortunately.

Yes it's kneejerk straight after this game but it's all fact.

Arsenal also spend £60 million more than us on wages each season. The table always finishes in line with wages paid. The top 4 biggest wage payers are in the top 4 again. The fact we compete is a miracle in itself.

 

[stevenurse]

Arsenal also spend £60 million more than us on wages each season. The table always finishes in line with wages paid. The top 4 biggest wage payers are in the top 4 again. The fact we compete is a miracle in itself.

I completely agree. Hopefully by the time our new stadium is finally completed we can start to narrow that gap. The problem is that we, myself very much included, contest with arsenal fans every year about who is better etc but the wages argument generally comes out when we know we're gonna finish below them. We can't have it both ways.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

Not going to comment on the OP, but apart from Kane there's really very little to be excited about when it comes to Spurs and the future.

By the time the new stadium is ready I suspect we'll be well and truly back to mid-table mediocrity, and managed by Pochettino's replacement's replacement.

TBF though the general feeling at the start of the season was that if Poch got us 5th this season that would be a good start, For some reason some of our fans have got carried away and started thinking we have some sort of divine right to be in the top 4, when in reality we cant compete financially. 5th/6th and a cup final is a good season IMO, not to mention the development of some of our younger players, I'm optimistic about things personally.

 

[prawnsandwich]

TBF though the general feeling at the start of the season was that if Poch got us 5th this season that would be a good start, For some reason some of our fans have got carried away and started thinking we have some sort of divine right to be in the top 4, when in reality we cant compete financially. 5th/6th and a cup final is a good season IMO, not to mention the development of some of our younger players, I'm optimistic about things personally.

I really don't get this. Surely we as fans expect a new manager to do better than the old manager?
I was expecting top 4 from the new manager. Why change if the new manager has lower expectations than the old manager?
Does Levy keep changing the manager so the fans keep saying-"Give him a year or 2?"

 

[spursfan77]

Not so much that, but it is easy to get motivated for games like Arsenal, Chelsea etc, they also leave more space for our flair players to play in.

Its games like today that we really struggle, when there is'nt any space, its games like this where you need strength, courage and fortitude more than skill and flair to prosper.

Poch doesn't seem to want flair players though. He wants athletes and people who can run all day.

 

[prawnsandwich]

Poch doesn't seem to want flair players though. He wants athletes and people who can run all day.

If Spurs expect to do well and win competitions we will have to have star players. Harry Kane is not the norm. Most star players need to be treated with kid gloves. I don't think the current manager has a clue how to deal with star players.
I don't get why Harry was captain today.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

I really don't get this. Surely we as fans expect a new manager to do better than the old manager?
I was expecting top 4 from the new manager. Why change if the new manager has lower expectations than the old manager?
Does Levy keep changing the manager so the fans keep saying-"Give him a year or 2?"

This is part of the problem, unrealistic expectations. AVB was sacked because he was boring the fans to tears, along with 5-0 6-0 whuppins we were taking, and the huge money spent on a load of shite. He'd clearly lost the dressin room.

Can I ask you why you think we should finish in the top 4? Do you really think we have better players than any of Chelsea, City, Arsenal or United?

Dont get me wrong the aim should be to get in the top 4, but you have to give a Manager a certain amount of time to get there. It really is pretty delusional to think Poch would do it in his first season with this group of players.

 

[Spurger King]

TBF though the general feeling at the start of the season was that if Poch got us 5th this season that would be a good start, For some reason some of our fans have got carried away and started thinking we have some sort of divine right to be in the top 4, when in reality we cant compete financially. 5th/6th and a cup final is a good season IMO, not to mention the development of some of our younger players, I'm optimistic about things personally.

I've never been too bothered about league position this season, and certainly wasn't expecting a top four finish.

What concerns me is that, with a few notable exceptions, our performances have been pretty dire. The only thing I was hoping for from this season was some evidence that Pochettino's approach was starting to come together and that the club is moving in the right direction.

If anything we look like we're going backwards, with Kane's impressive form papering over the gigantic cracks. With Jol, Harry, and even AVB (before we sold Bale) there were small but visible signs that things were beginning to come together. With Pochettino there's no consistency of performances, seemingly no logic to his line-ups (for the love of God why start Paulinho?), no plan B, and usually no evidence of a plan A. He doesn't make good choices in games, doesn't seem to be able to organise his defence, and doesn't appear to be much of a team motivator. And if he had any say in our summer signings, he doesn't seem to have much of an eye for a decent player either.

Yes it's great to see home grown players in the team, but as we've seen with Andros, the Bentaleb and Mason love-in will soon fade when it becomes blindingly obvious that neither of them are good enough right now.