For arguments sake ....

[Rethink]

... If we were to sign Moutinho and a top striker in January. Would we have a squad capable of challenging at the top as opposed to for 4th ? IMO we would ... just frustrating knowing how close we are to having that true world class team ...we always seem just 1 or 2 players away

--------------Lloris--------------
Walker--Verts--Kaboul--BAE
------Sandro--Mouthino------
three of (Lennon, Demspey, Bale, Dembele,Siggurdson)
on of (Adebayor, defoe , A.N.Other)

 

[King of Otters]

No, I don't think so.

 

[CJMurray]

Depending on the striker, yes.

The only striker I can foresee being potentially available to us would be Leandro, but i'm not sure if he'd make us title challengers, not yet anyway. Possibly in the future, but definitely not this season.

 

[Kingstheman]

Not this season.

 

[Snarfalicious]

It's really tough to say because that striker would not only have to be able to assimilate into the squad pretty quickly, but the link-up play between Moutinho and the other players would have to be pretty seamless as well.

I am actually more curious about what this team, as it stands right now, looks like when January comes around. The Reading match I felt could operate as a springboard moving forward. You look at the talent in our side and it screams a true contender for Top 4 to me. And, if the chemistry continues to build, and most importantly Sandro/Dembele/Siggy can continue to build on their play at Reading (with some Parker sprinkled in), it could be an incredibly effective squad against all levels of opponents.

 

[King of Otters]

Let's not go overboard here. Before Reading the general consensus was that we have no chance of top 4 this season. One win later and we're two players away from the title?

Come on now.

 

[Mr Pink]

It's really tough to say because that striker would not only have to be able to assimilate into the squad pretty quickly, but the link-up play between Moutinho and the other players would have to be pretty seamless as well.

I am actually more curious about what this team, as it stands right now, looks like when January comes around. The Reading match I felt could operate as a springboard moving forward. You look at the talent in our side and it screams a true contender for Top 4 to me. And, if the chemistry continues to build, and most importantly Sandro/Dembele/Siggy can continue to build on their play at Reading (with some Parker sprinkled in), it could be an incredibly effective squad against all levels of opponents.

Perfectly put IMO.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Let's not go overboard here. Before Reading the general consensus was that we have no chance of top 4 this season. One win later and we're two players away from the title?

Come on now.

This is how I feel. I never doubted us as a contender for a Top 4. I would never say we are a lock to be Top 4 since there is simply too much shit that can go wrong.

For me, what it boils down to is probably another strong Summer transfer window that hinges upon us earning a Champion's League spot. If we can clinch a CL spot, I believe we can possibly lure the talent that we desire (either established or youth with huge upside) that can really propel the squad as a whole.

 

[Rethink]

Let's not go overboard here. Before Reading the general consensus was that we have no chance of top 4 this season. One win later and we're two players away from the title?

Come on now.

I personally, never subscribed to this 'general consensus'. so its not as if im fluctuating from doom to glory.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

It's amazing how fans can lose their heads after one win...

 

[OmarsComing]

We beat Reading, whose performance yesterday was the worst home team performance I've ever seen from an EPL side and now we're 2 players from the title.

LIFE IS GOOD

 

[SpursSince1980]

agree with the sentiment that top 4 doesn't seem likely this season. and i didn't see anything yesterday to suggest we'd be able to surge into that position. we did well, and i hope will continue to gel and take shape. whether we like it or not, this is a bit of a transition year for Tottenham. Might feel like a small step back, but in reality it had to happen. Our 4th place finish last season, really put the polish on a team that became a bit turdish in the final third of the season. Required some change. And that's what we got. Fingers crossed we are moving in the right direction for long term stability and success.

 

[Mr Pink]

It's amazing how fans can lose their heads after one win...

Don't think anyone is doing that, I just have confidence in what AVB is trying to do. It won't happen over night obviously but we'll see real progression IMO. Anyway there were signs prior to this game, first half against Newcastle was excellent and now he's got the players in needed to play this way much more effectively, Dembele being crucial. Over the long run this approach will yield better results. He's getting the balance right.

Talk of a title race is a litte ridiculous though, but we could still end up being right in the race for top 4.

 

[mpickard2087]

No.

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

-------------Lloris
Walker-Kaboul-Verts-BAE
Dembele-Sandro-Moutinho
--Dempsey--Ade---Bale

Friedel, Gallas, Naughton, Parker, Sig, Lennon, Leandro


IMO that would be the second best team, and second best squad in the country (after City).

 

[OmarsComing]

No way stronger than Man U's or Chelsea's first teams or squads.

 

[Montasura]

Too much work ahead, IMO, for 2 players to instantly take us to title contenders. At the end of the day we have 6 new players, a new manager, a new style of play...thats a lot of change for one window for us to consider ourselves that good, regardless of what 2 players we had have got (not forgetting that would have taken us to 8 new players!)

I also think people get a little carried away with the idea of Moutinho. Yes, he is a good player, a very good player. But personally I don't think he is world class material, they way some here rave about him. He has the ability to be an influential player, but that certainly doesn't show all the time. Of course, he has worked with AVB and they know each other well, which would be important, but at the end of the day there is a reason he plays for Porto and not any of the big boys.

 

[Rethink]

It's amazing how fans can lose their heads after one win...

harsh, considering that on the last day of the transfer window, the ' general consensus' was that if we signed Moutinho and another striker then we would indeed be contending toward the top ... id even turn it around and say its amazing how fans can lose all confidence in succeeding after a few mediocre performances.

 

[Hitch]

Yes on paper I think we would. Would need a couple of additives (left back and winger cover for instance) but the basis would be there. I should emphasise the word "challenge" here though because I'm talking about us having the basis of a potential title challenging squad rather than a title winning one. The latter would require a number of intangibles that are not going to be bred into the players overnight.

Also I should say that even had we managed to get Moutinho and a top striker in place by deadline day I don't think that we would have been able to challenge this season purely for the fact that we have had to go through so much upheaval. It's too much of a transitional year for that.

If we could get Moutinho and say Leandro in January (humour me) then I'd say that we'd be looking very tasty for a challenge starting next August. Of course the problem then is that with us quite likely not in the Champions League we'd be facing up to the very real possibility of losing Bale (hopefully he'd be the only one but after the VdV thing I'm not confident of anything anymore). We'd then subsequently have to deal with the further upheaval that would come with that. Same old story, typical catch 22.

In order to challenge next season we need to make some sort of major breakthrough this season, whether that be through Champions League qualification or winning a couple of trophies. Gotta have a season of overachievment (think we're due one) if we're going to break the current cycle and jump the queue. Personally I feel that Arsenal and Chelsea both hugely overachieved last year, so it's not THAT unreasonable a request that we take our turn! Both of those clubs are now in a far greater position to challenge than they were prior to that overachievment (and Christ does it rankle me).

 

[Kingellesar]

It is all very well writing names on the forum and thinking it all looks neat and tidy but it's actually going out there and putting in consistent performances and bonding as a team. We are a long way from the finished article now and we will require more time to gel as a team, I don't think we can challenge the top this season but if we can keep pace then that would be great, if the players can knuckle down and carry on developing within AVBs system then there is no reason why we can't push on and start challenging near the top again.

Let's get our first home win out the way first though eh? Lazio, then QPR (which I'm going to!).