Do we have the team to succeed in Champions' League?

[Khilari]

Not quite yet
I think we have a strong first XI but our opposition in the ECL will be that much tougher than the midweek quality we've been used to
If the likes of Son, Pritchard, perhaps Bentaleb and Mason can really step up next season then perhaps we'll be ok

Would be great to get out of the group stages and anything beyond that would simply be a bonus

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Defence and goalkeeper sorted, DM and CF additions required i.m.o.

 

[Blake Griffin]

we're better than the current city side that are a 1-1 draw away from getting to the final. we're surely better than the 10th placed side in the bundesliga which were a goal away from getting to the semis.

 

[mil1lion]

I think we're good enough to compete at the top level in the Champions League. The bigger question to me is can we compete in the League as well. We wont rest key players in the Champions League, I'm sure of that. Which means we'll need to rest key players in the League. The League is so competitive now though which makes it even harder. I believe Leicester winning the title comes down to them taking full advantage of no European football. Everyone else who has been playing European football has struggled to juggle both League and Europe. I think that speaks volumes how much the competition level has gone up now in the Premier League. The other top teams in Europe will have some straight forward League fixtures where they can rest key players and still comfortably win 3 points. There aren't many opponents you can do that with in England any more.

For me there are a few key positions that we need better options in. First is Dier because I don't fancy anyone else to play that role effectively. The combination of Mason and Carroll was horrible against Dortmund. Neither of them can do that defensive role. Whether Bentaleb can come good next season remains to be seen but I'm still not sure he has that physical edge that Dier has. Another position is at centre back because I think Alderweireld will need some rest at times and I'm not sure we'll be as solid without him. Both Wimmer and Vertonghen are reliable but I think more so alongside Alderweireld and I'm not sure how they would work together. Then finally at centre forward where we still could do with another lone striker who will score goals. Chadli is too inconsistent to rely on to come into that role. N'Jie hasn't shown he can play alone effectively (seems better alongside Kane actually) and hasn't been scoring goals either.

With a few key signings and more development from the youngsters I think we'll be ready next season to compete on all fronts.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Nonsense. Man City who are currently sat some way behind us in the league are in the semis. Plenty of other sides have done well playing as a team and I think you do our current side a disservice.

Lloris, Toby, Eriksen, Alli, Kane are players who I reckons this time next year will be commonly regarded as World Class. Even Lamela might if he can find consistency or continue to add some end product.

Man City's run in the CL has been at the expense of their league position, not in spite of it. They rested several key players yesterday and lost 4-2 to Southampton. They will change three of their back four, their no.10 and their striker for Wednesday, and will give Real Madrid a tough match.

The point arunspurs, and lots of others in this thread, are trying to make is that our current squad would struggle to compete for both the PL and the CL titles simultaneously.

 

[TheChosenOne]

I feel that we are short of nous in the dirty tricks department, simulations, ref abuse and touchline histrionics.

Other than that it is a walk in the park.

 

[arunspurs]

Nonsense. Man City who are currently sat some way behind us in the league are in the semis. Plenty of other sides have done well playing as a team and I think you do our current side a disservice.

Lloris, Toby, Eriksen, Alli, Kane are players who I reckons this time next year will be commonly regarded as World Class. Even Lamela might if he can find consistency or continue to add some end product.

City's run to semis - they had beaten Kiev & PSG.
We can beat Kiev most times with our current squad.
Against PSG, they should have lost it , with PSG missing numerous chances. Got lucky IMO in a one off game.

With luck of draw, any good CL can proceed till Semis. That is what City have done. They did not face a Barcelona or Bayern or RM or AM

Their PL form has suffered badly too. Point is, we are still a nobody in CL arena. To excel in this competition, will take time, take a bigger squad & more importantly handful of world class (or players who have potential to be world class

 

[arunspurs]

I feel that we are short of nous in the dirty tricks department, simulations, ref abuse and touchline histrionics.

Other than that it is a walk in the park.

Good point. But I believe - more we play in CL competition, more our players would learn that automatically. What we need is sustained CL qualification for 4 to 5 seasons.

 

[npearl4spurs]

Isn't the Summer Transfer Wish List thread already dealing with this issue?

Sorry not up to date on that thread as I don't speculate about players until we are solidly linked

 

[Jules Evans]

Just trust that we can. I know the team can make it.

 

[Good Doctor M]

Don't think we're there just yet.

I'd expect us to not embarass ourselves, but in reality, I think we'll find it tough going.

If we get a kind enough draw, who knows what could happen and I'd hope we could at least get out of the group.

The odd thing is, the oddest thing, is that despite the fact we are a much better team than Redknapps, Harry's team was probably much better designed for the Champions League. We had big performance players. VDV, Modric, Bale, King - they were players that could look around the field and know that, man for man, they were as capable as anyone else on the field, regardless of opposition. There was a good mix of maturity and talent.

I think, with this squad so young, CL this term will be more of a learning exercise for them than anything else. But it will be fascinating to see how it goes. I've written this team off a few times this season and they've always surprised me.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

I'm convinced we will have a great and CL ready squad by the time the competitions starts later this year.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

I'm convinced we will have a great and CL ready squad by the time the competitions starts later this year.

You must be new here. Welcome to SpursCommunity.

Rule #1 - we never assume anything good will ever happen to the club - particularly when it comes to transfers and cabbages.

So, the party line for us supporters here remains that: Levy will somehow bottle the transfer negotiations of any player we are remotely linked to, that he has no intention of backing the manager, and that we will have no back-up plans in place when Levy screws up the first choice.

If you keep these in mind, you will find transfer season much easier to follow...again, welcome!

 

[TwanYid]

What's more interesting is that, for the first time, the gaffer is going to be forced to try to win/advance/do well in a European competition. Tommy Carroll at CM ain't happening against, say, Barcelona.

Or will it?

 

[Good Doctor M]

What's more interesting is that, for the first time, the gaffer is going to be forced to try to win/advance/do well in a European competition. Tommy Carroll at CM ain't happening against, say, Barcelona.

Or will it?

To be fair - it's not like Poch ever threw any games in the opening rounds of the EL. He put out teams that should have been (and where, more than a match for any opposition). He threw the Dortmund games obviously, but I don't think we can reasonably argue that he didn't do the sensible thing considering where we are now sitting in the league.

It'll be tough and we'll certainly need a few players of proper quality bought over the summer. Particularly in midfeild. A back-up for Dier is an absolute must, as is a Harry Kane replacement.

And poor form on the Carroll comment mate, for me. He's come on leaps and bounds and played an important part for us this season. Not once did he let us down - even in the big games. No reason that he couldn't continue to be a player to come on and steady the ship, regardless of opposition.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Oh yes the same old "it's not a allowed to criticise the "one of our own" players simply because they have been with the club since before they stopped using nappies, even if they play so poorly that if they were a part of the magnificent 7 even Chiriches would have gotten more praise".
Carroll has been a perfectly average and utterly eventless player all season. If his name was Carollinho and he was purchased for the Bale money, fans would have started a crowd funding scheme to buy him and give him away to a Chinese football club.

Rant over.

 

[slartibartfast]

Id like to take this opportunity to stick up for Mason and Bentaleb.
They've both been plagued by injuries this season and their stuttering performances have suffered because of it.
Some have used this as a stick to beat them with and slag them off.
I've read posts saying they're shit, get rid, will be gone in the summer, etc.
It wasn't that long ago we were looking at Bentaleb as a possible future Captain and having the pair of them as our center mid pairing for the future after some fantastic appearences. Remember it was these 2 that dragged this team kicking and screaming away from the dog shite slow trudge that AVB had instilled to where we are now.
They are both bloody good players and I hope next season they stay injury free and show us what some seem to have forgotten.
Provided they're still here of course. I think getting rid of either would be a mistake. And Mason is Spurs through and through. We need that in the club.

 

[Good Doctor M]

Oh yes the same old "it's not a allowed to criticise the "one of our own" players simply because they have been with the club since before they stopped using nappies, even if they play so poorly that if they were a part of the magnificent 7 even Chiriches would have gotten more praise".
Carroll has been a perfectly average and utterly eventless player all season. If his name was Carollinho and he was purchased for the Bale money, fans would have started a crowd funding scheme to buy him and give him away to a Chinese football club.

Rant over.

Glad it's over - because it was pure bollocks.

Carroll hasn't done anything to have been given any criticism. He's an average enough player but the role he was asked to play, he's done it near faultlessly...

Sometimes it's okay not to be an amazing footballer - you can still play a part. Carroll's job all season has been to steady the midfield. Has he failed at that once? Has he been shit? No - he's been consistently able to come on and do the exact job asked of him. What more do you want?

 

[TheChosenOne]

Good point. But I believe - more we play in CL competition, more our players would learn that automatically. What we need is sustained CL qualification for 4 to 5 seasons.

last night's fixture was a prime example

 

[arunspurs]

last night's fixture was a prime example

Ofcourse.

Last night game came at the right time for development of these players. The boys should be hurt as hell. It would greatly aid them going into next season. They will learn from it