Cup Line-ups to Define Harry's Ambition?

[Krafty]

We are still bottom of the league, but looking in much better shape than a fortnight ago. Considering the trouble we were in, avoiding relegation would be a good, if somewhat expected, achievement. The quality in the team is too high to be relegated. So should we be looking for more?

Redknapp has said that the league is the priority above everything else, and so it should be, but it would be foolhardy to dismiss the Uefa Cup campaign at this early stage. We have lost our opening game, but such is the format of the competition that one or even two defeats does not mean you are out. The three from five allows for at least one bad result, we should not let the Udinese loss prey on our minds too much. We might not have the strength to reach the final stages of the tournament, but there is a good chance that by the time the next knock out stage is upon us we will be out of trouble and able to focus our efforts on the cups.

A mix of first teamers and fringe players should still be strong enough to get through the group stage, without compromising our league campaign too much. Ramos had his priorities set wrong, players like Ledley needed to be kept for the league, but a defensive pairing of Dawson and Rocha, for example, should still be good enough to compete.

The extent to which Redknapp is willing to play members of his strongest eleven tomorrow will be an indication of ambition, and not just in the short term. People question whether he can get us challenging the top 4, and only time will tell, but tomorrow night might give us a clue.

The starting XI next Wednesday could be an even bigger clue. A full strength Liverpool is a tough test, as Saturday’s game showed, but we are only a handful of games away from a route into Europe, and they will no doubt field a weakened team as they look to put together a title challenge. While the league remains the priority, I don’t want us to give up on everything else just yet.

 

[JimmyG2]

The league is very tight this season so far,6/7 points covering relegation to Uefa qualification.But we are still bottom and the job is not yet done
We have had a serious fright this season and still have to keep putting points on the board.If Harry is on 4million bonus to avoid relegation I would be surprised if he targets the cups.
I posted earlier in connection with Ramos that I thought his game plan was to focus on the cups, but he and I assumed that our league position would have improved by game 10. It didnt and we all know the result´.
Harry will earn his bonus and we will all heave a collective sigh of relief. I didn´t think that we would be relegated even under Ramos but noone will forgive Harry if we stay down at the bottom for much longer and I hope he prioritizes the League.

 

[mil1lion]

I wouldn't be fooled by Harry's comments. He'll want us to do very well in the UEFA Cup. He knows the Club well, and knows what this competition means to us. Unlike at Portsmouth, where it was just a geat experience for the Club, but at Spurs there is much more expectation. Its our 3rd year in succession for UEFA Cup football. Harry knows the importance and will field a strong team for this. With Corluka, Pavyluchenko, Jenas and King all out, i expect the rest of the team to be pretty much the same as Saturday to keep it as consistent as possible. We need to win Cup games to keep the winning mentality. So tonight will be important. We should definately have a good enough team to win tonight, and the place should be buzzing.

 

[onthetwo]

If we are still in the wafer in the new year I believe pav and corky will be eligible again so the selection problem starts to ease and thereafter only ledley will likely need to be rested in mid-week. I think we can also re-register rocha, ghaly and co so that helps too. Will be an interesting window in jan to see if harry can do a few deals to ship out some dead-wood whilst tweeking a few areas.
Don't think he will go straight back to p'mouth for defoe or diarra so think the likes of scott parker could be more likely.
We shall see!

 

[Sauniere]

I read an interview with Redknapp posted on here somewhere, where he said winning this game is the most important thing in their minds following that game the most important thing is a win against Man City at the weekend. That would suggest he does see the importance of being in this competition despite saying that staying in the prem is the only priority.

As million hinted at he is a wily old devil and will want to do as well as possible in all of the comps.

 

[mil1lion]

If we are still in the wafer in the new year I believe pav and corky will be eligible again so the selection problem starts to ease and thereafter only ledley will likely need to be rested in mid-week. I think we can also re-register rocha, ghaly and co so that helps too. Will be an interesting window in jan to see if harry can do a few deals to ship out some dead-wood whilst tweeking a few areas.
Don't think he will go straight back to p'mouth for defoe or diarra so think the likes of scott parker could be more likely.
We shall see!

Unfortunately both Pavyluchenko and Corluka cant play UEFA Cup football at any stage this season. Once you play in the competition for one team then you're ineligible for the rest of the season. Hence why Hutton couldn't play when he signed in January. We could recall the forgotten players though, and any new players who haven't played in the UEFA Cup yet (or Champions League teams that have dropped to the UEFA Cup.) Michael Owen maybe :shrug:

 

[llamafarmer]

I've always had the impression that the other English UEFA cup representatives see it as a bit of a tin pot. They make a fuss about how great it is to be in Europe, but then put out weakened sides and go out early doors. Not the case at Spurs, our fans care deeply about this competition and would dearly love to win it, so I hope Harry doesn't go toocrazy tonight.

Having said that, first priority has to be to sort out our league position.

 

[camaj]

I object to the word "ambition". People, in the past, have said things like "that shows a lack of ambition" for things they don't like in general. As then, this has nothing to do with ambition.

Redknapp, if he picks a weakened side, is only doing what I have spent the last 3 years calling on Jol and Ramos to do, play the best team in the league and a second string team in the cups. Not because I want to risk losing cup games but because our fringe players need minutes on the pitch so that if they're called up they're in form and match ready. They also need to spend time together to gel, having a different line-up every week is counter-productive.

 

[KenilworthSpur]

The only problem with that is if our fringe players need minutes on the pitch then they're not gonna get it as we'll be knocked out the cups early for fielding below strength teams