Expectations for next season.

[striebs]

Good to see we aren't setting ourselves up to fail by being wildly optimistic like this time last year .

Anyone who is saying 3rd/4th is talking out of the wrong end based on the information available .

So we've got Modric and Gomes , we've also got 2 disaffected strikers and no replacements and no backup for Ledley .

 

[JJ1978]

I have no idea how we will do, depends how the new lads get on and who replaces Keane and Berby if they actually do go! This Keane saga reminds me of the Downing to Spurs one that lingered like a bad smell in the air for ages!

 

[Paxtonite]

We have to be careful that we don't do what we do this time last year, i.e. have a pre-season of expecting 4th place finish.

Of course it is desirable and last year we were so gonna replace Arsescum who were on their way down blah blah.. 10 games in and we were a laughing stock.

We all WANT to finish fourth, but for as long as we keep having wholesale changes in our team each summer we negate whatever progress we MAY have made the season before. If we were keeping our key playing squad in tact and adding/changing one or two things then fine. But we are not.

First we had the Santini influx, then we had a wholesale change under Jol, and now we are having it again it would seem.

Personally i would want us to win the UEFA cup this coming season. That trophy was ours for the taking the last two seasons and we blew it both times.

I would love a serious pop at the FA cup too.

Realistically we need to finish at least fifth in the league and then hope that one of the established top four slip up. That said we need to stop shipping goals this season and to stop dropping points in games we should be winning. If we do this the rest will follow.

On a separate note, watch out for Portsmouth to upset the apple cart a bit next season. Everton, Villa and Citeh haven't really added to their squads yet so much will depend on what they do too, so it won't be easy.

 

[DC_Boy]

Good to see we aren't setting ourselves up to fail by being wildly optimistic like this time last year .

Anyone who is saying 3rd/4th is talking out of the wrong end based on the information available .

So we've got Modric and Gomes , we've also got 2 disaffected strikers and no replacements and no backup for Ledley .

Hi Striebs - check my post in this thread - I was one of the ones precisely saying we won't finish top 4

And my early-season prediction was 7th

 

[tRiKS]

I expect 5th but really after the fuss they made getting jol out after 3 seasons even though they gave him a 5 year plan??.
Ramos has to get us 4th imo. I don't even think losing Berbatov is an excuse becasue we've known about him going really since the start of his second season. Keane is replaceable on the pitch and there are lots of players within our reach to get in.

 

[Jack2]

So, EPL is starting next Saturday, so it's time for me to get back to the expectations for the coming season, like I "promised" back in July.

First of all, us. We lost Steed, Keano, Chimb, Robinson and TT. From these Chimb, Robbo and TT weren't big losses IMO. Steed was one of our best players last season and I would liked to have seen him with us also during the starting season. But Steed isn't irreplaceable. Keano then. Althought I have criticized him sometimes, he was one of our key players, there's no doubt. And to lose a player who can score 20+ goals / season is always bad.

Our new signings. Modric, Dos Santos and Bentley are quality signings, althought Bentley is the only one I have really seen playing (I mean enough to say something about him). Modric was great in the Euro 2008 and he can be a big player in the EPL. Dos Santos is still a "mystery" for me, 'cause haven't been able to see any of our Pre Season games. He and Modric are also new players in the Prem and English football, so it might take a time before they will flourish. Gomes is also a little bit mystery for me. But he has to be better than Robbo was, otherwise there wasn't really any sense to replace Robbo with him!

So all in all, I think we are a bit stronger than we were last season, althought we lost Keano. Of course there still is a possibility to lose Berba as well and at least our Chairman gave us a clear message that he is leaving. That is a big loss, if it happens. But he is still here! And Bent is getting better under Ramos (of course you can't really make very big assumptions according to friendlies, like we've seen). One thing is also that this is the first season starting under Ramos and now we can really see what he has done and can do. I am very positive.

Still there is one thing that concerns me. The centre backs. I hoped and I still do hope that we will sign a high quality CD to play alongside Woody. I don't think King can play more than 15-20 games, if even that. Dawson isn't good enough although he has had his moments. But he has also had his hazards and too many to make our defence a top 4 defence. He was a very promising player, but hasn't really get any better during the last 2 seasons. I am not expecting a change there.

The others. Manure, Chelski and Liverpool are still too strong for us and they will compete together for the winning of the EPL. Arse is weaker than last season, althought quite a mystery. Wenger has the capability to do miracles, so I just can't play them out from top 4. So unfortunately I think the top 4 won't change, not yet.

According to last season and when looking about the squads today, I think our main contenders (if thinking about final positions in the EPL) are Pompey and Villa. Everton did well last season, but they haven't get any stronger like we have. They, West Spam, Man Shitty and Blackburn might be the ones who can also reach the same positions as we. But at the moment they are weaker than us IMO.

So, to sum up, I expect us to finish 5th at the best and 7th at worst in the Prem.

Cups. Haven't made any real expectations, but I hope us to reach the final in 1 cup competition.

:beer:

 

[theaman]

Looking at the first XI who started last season and the line-up we'll most likely put out on Saturday, I think we have and WILL definitely improve a lot on last season.

The result vs Boro will tell us exactly how far we have come from last season and through pre-season....

 

[TheBigMatch]

A Cup win again; FA or UEFA please.

5th, but would settle for 6th.

If we have a top class strikeforce then 4th could be on. But still not sure about Bent.

Preseason was just for fun. When the tackles fly in it might be a different game.

 

[spursfan1991]

Spurs will definitely win the UEFA Cup. Surprised we didn't win it last year but we have a better squad now, so i just can't see anyone stopping us. AC Milan will not take it as seriously as we will, so if we were to play them, we will win.

 

[VegasII]

I also think we can win the wafer. I have a nagging feeling we'll balls up the FA like we did against Leicester, but then I could be wrong & we'll take a Wafer/FA double - which would be sweet.

As usual, I'd be happy with top a six place & a trophy.

 

[hughy]

The least I'd be content with would be 5th and a final of either the UEFA or the FA Cup. On the flip-side, I'm not expecting anything higher than 4th place, and one trophy.

 

[spursfan1991]

The least I'd be content with would be 5th and a final of either the UEFA or the FA Cup. On the flip-side, I'm not expecting anything higher than 4th place, and one trophy.

I would rather the team crashed out in the 1st round than having to deal with the pain of losing a final. If we get to a final, then anything less than a win will be a massive dissapointment and i'm sure the players will think the same.

 

[tommo84]

We need to re-claim our place as the best team outside the established top 4. Another trophy (preferably the Uefa Cup) is the other aim. I think thats pretty realistic too. Everton have the same team as they did last season, but arguably a weaker squad having lost Johnson. Blackburn are out of the running for 5th without Bentley and Hughes (I saw MK Dons a lot last season and Ince needs a bit of time). Pompey may suffer from playing in Europe as 'Arry isnt used to it. Man City have some good players and a good boss but the club is in disarray, so they could well lose one or the other during the season, and that leaves Aston Villa. If they keep Barry then they'll have a good season, but if they lose him then their midfield will be severely weakened. So we're top 6 by default with Villa our most likely challengers for 5th. And even if we fail we'll be bloody entertaining I reckon.

Come on Spurs!

 

[Mr-T]

The aim must be CL qualification, UEFA qualification MINIMUM.
A trophy would make it a great season.
Plans for the stadium to be finalised or at very least revealed.

I dont think thats unrealistic, they're all do-able.

I'm happy to stand by what I said for last season, except I reckon this season we're better.

 

[spursfan1991]

Based on the two results, our defensive performance from the whole team, lack of quality defensive signings, inability to replace Keane and now the Berba saga. I have changed my expectations for this season.

I feel 7th or 8th finish will be considered a successful season and will be an improvement after the disastrous summer we've had this year and last year. Based on the type of players we have and the way we play our game, i still believe we have a genuine chance of winning the UEFA Cup but we will find it tough in the domestic competitions.