Goodbye CL

[Paxtonite]

Today we should be mourning the death of our Champions League aspirations for this season. Despite the perverse fact that "aiming for fourth" seems to be a target that should be stimulating players and fans alike rather than "aiming for first" the fact is that we are failing to even achieve this. Even if the mighty Bill Nick said "It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory" it would seem that even "aiming low" is beyond us and i certainly ain't witnessing any glory at the moment.

There is no arguing that this was the year that gave us our biggest window of opportunity to land CL qualification and all the trappings that it brings. Liverpool are supposedly having a dreadful season (yet still ahead of us), Arsenal were supposedly on the wane also but yet last night's MOTD assessment by that man Hansen - "As soon as you think spurs are on the ascendancy they will ALWAYS let you down" seems to be just about right and don't we long suffering spurs fans know it.

This season we have been done twice by Wolves. A couple of seasons ago, Birmingham who were eventually relegated, also did the double over us. Last season we only took one point off the likes of Wigan and Fulham. We always manage to drop points where we are not "expected" too, and especially it seems as soon as that wintery weather sets in!

I think we have missed the boat for CL this season. If anything, Man City with their squad and two games in hand will challenge Liverpool for it whilst we all lick our wounds at dropped points against Wolves (twice), Stoke and Hull at home as well as Everton away when the chance for three points were gifted us, but we decided to settle for one.

Liverpool will not be as weak again. They are an international brand much like ManUre and no doubt some new deal will be brokered whereby an Arab billionaire or some such will buy out those comical Americans and order will be restored. Speaking of Arab billionaires, you can bet all you want that next season Citeh will be challenging for 1st and not 4th. Man U, Arse and Chelsea will continue to strengthen as a result of the CL cash coming in on a regular basis.

This season was our best chance for CL qualification and sadly i think we've blown it. There are still questions over much of our squad for all the hype about us having a "great squad this season". Outside the first 11 or 12 we are found wanting. Redknapp's ability is also coming under scrutiny. As much as the players should shoulder respnsibility he has been found tactically wanting this season when it mattered. Ok he kept us up last season but he was in a win win situation, and we were always in a false position at the time of his takeover given the calibre of player already at the club.

But most of all we should cut the chat. Stop talking ourselves up to the media. The manager and players should keep their interviews modest. Stop talking about 4th place, stop talking about the calibre of our squad (half of whom are now at on loan at other clubs) and concentrate on delivering where it matters. On the pitch.

Today is a sad day for me. Hopefully we can garnish some joy and some glory from the FA Cup, but as for CL football, we can kiss that goodbye for now.

 

[Blockbuster]

After Last season did you really expect a push for top 4???
Next season will be the one, finally getting rid of the dead wood and the players who were good enough to keep us IN THE LEAGUE! lets not forget this, last Jan we was going down and Harry saved us and brought players to keep us up.

We now need to strip the squad down rethink what we need to take us to that next level and really push on next season.

I for 1 didn't expect top 4, I'm happy we have pushed hard so far and played well after last season. The FA Cup would be lovely this year and top 4 maybe 3rd next season please.

 

[jimmy-jojo]

I agree with a lot of what you say but we're never going to qualify for CL with a DEFEATIST attitude like yours.

until it is mathematically impossible for us to get CL we should be fighting tooth and nail to win every single match left.

This is what seperates the winners from the losers, including the fans!

 

[sheringmann]

Was fun while it lasted! Seriously....

Now lets get a Europa League spot!!!! And hopefully a FA-cup win!!!

 

[dynamoSpurs]

Was fun while it lasted! Seriously....

Now lets get a Europa League spot!!!! And hopefully a FA-cup win!!!

how can we get an FA cup win when we havent scored a league goal in like hundreds of minutes?????????????????????????????

moron.

 

[Paxtonite]

I agree with a lot of what you say but we're never going to qualify for CL with a DEFEATIST attitude like yours.

until it is mathematically impossible for us to get CL we should be fighting tooth and nail to win every single match left.

This is what seperates the winners from the losers, including the fans!

There is defeatism and realism. You have to appreciate the difference.

 

[ExpatFan]

As a diplomat once said, when speaking on another, non-sports topic:

"They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity."

 

[sunnydelight786]

Today we should be mourning the death of our Champions League aspirations for this season. Despite the perverse fact that "aiming for fourth" seems to be a target that should be stimulating players and fans alike rather than "aiming for first" the fact is that we are failing to even achieve this. Even if the mighty Bill Nick said "It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory" it would seem that even "aiming low" is beyond us and i certainly ain't witnessing any glory at the moment.

There is no arguing that this was the year that gave us our biggest window of opportunity to land CL qualification and all the trappings that it brings. Liverpool are supposedly having a dreadful season (yet still ahead of us), Arsenal were supposedly on the wane also but yet last night's MOTD assessment by that man Hansen - "As soon as you think spurs are on the ascendancy they will ALWAYS let you down" seems to be just about right and don't we long suffering spurs fans know it.

This season we have been done twice by Wolves. A couple of seasons ago, Birmingham who were eventually relegated, also did the double over us. Last season we only took one point off the likes of Wigan and Fulham. We always manage to drop points where we are not "expected" too, and especially it seems as soon as that wintery weather sets in!

I think we have missed the boat for CL this season. If anything, Man City with their squad and two games in hand will challenge Liverpool for it whilst we all lick our wounds at dropped points against Wolves (twice), Stoke and Hull at home as well as Everton away when the chance for three points were gifted us, but we decided to settle for one.

Liverpool will not be as weak again. They are an international brand much like ManUre and no doubt some new deal will be brokered whereby an Arab billionaire or some such will buy out those comical Americans and order will be restored. Speaking of Arab billionaires, you can bet all you want that next season Citeh will be challenging for 1st and not 4th. Man U, Arse and Chelsea will continue to strengthen as a result of the CL cash coming in on a regular basis.

This season was our best chance for CL qualification and sadly i think we've blown it. There are still questions over much of our squad for all the hype about us having a "great squad this season". Outside the first 11 or 12 we are found wanting. Redknapp's ability is also coming under scrutiny. As much as the players should shoulder respnsibility he has been found tactically wanting this season when it mattered. Ok he kept us up last season but he was in a win win situation, and we were always in a false position at the time of his takeover given the calibre of player already at the club.

But most of all we should cut the chat. Stop talking ourselves up to the media. The manager and players should keep their interviews modest. Stop talking about 4th place, stop talking about the calibre of our squad (half of whom are now at on loan at other clubs) and concentrate on delivering where it matters. On the pitch.

Today is a sad day for me. Hopefully we can garnish some joy and some glory from the FA Cup, but as for CL football, we can kiss that goodbye for now.

Are you sure about that, I thought it was a "taboo" subject about daring to question Redknapp on this forum.....

 

[ExpatFan]

I agree with a lot of what you say but we're never going to qualify for CL with a DEFEATIST attitude like yours.

until it is mathematically impossible for us to get CL we should be fighting tooth and nail to win every single match left.

This is what seperates the winners from the losers, including the fans!

I'm sure, as fans, we all agree with you mate. Unfortunately, based on last night's performance, most of the players don't!

 

[sunnydelight786]

After Last season did you really expect a push for top 4???
Next season will be the one, finally getting rid of the dead wood and the players who were good enough to keep us IN THE LEAGUE! lets not forget this, last Jan we was going down and Harry saved us and brought players to keep us up.

We now need to strip the squad down rethink what we need to take us to that next level and really push on next season.

I for 1 didn't expect top 4, I'm happy we have pushed hard so far and played well after last season. The FA Cup would be lovely this year and top 4 maybe 3rd next season please.

BB do you honestly believe that we were going down last Jan knowing HR had bucketloads of £ to spend, which he duly did. Speak to any clued up fan of other PL clubs and they would tell we we had a very good squad last season, and a fantastic squad this season. What HR achieved last season was achieveable with the players he had to work with from Jan onwards.

Presently do you think our squad is over achieving, under achieving or playing at their level.....?

 

[ultimateloner]

I think 4th spot is still wide open. We string together a few wins and will be right in there. Any team can drop points against any other.

It's all about belief. What is worrying is we conviction, especially up front.

 

[Alfieconnman]

If Harry was "resting" players for the FA Cup match on Sunday it suggests that he values this above a CL opportunity, which is more than a little worrying. 4th place is still an outside possibility as other competing teams are also tripping up, but frankly we should have "sewn up" 3rd/4th place by now. Some truly dreadful recent team selections and poor performances have obviously sapped the confidence that was building within the side and I fear we are slipping back into familiar mediocracy. Great shame - get a grip Harry.

 

[Hoowl]

Firstly, the seasons not over. Everyone was writing off Arsenals titles hope after defeats to United and Chelsea but they're well in the race. Likewise, we're still well in the race for fourth and there is everything still to play for.

Secondly, we thought the year of Jols first 5th place finish was our best bet to challenge for fourth and yet here we are challenging again this year. We will challenge again.

Thirdly, if we fail to get into the CL then we may end up in the Europa League. That would definately represent an achievement for us (thus arguably an echo of glory) as we have only done it twice through the league in the last twenty years. That is obviously not as attractive a price as the CL but we need to look at where we are and where we've been in the last 20 years, not where we 'expect' to be.

 

[Hoowl]

If Harry was "resting" players for the FA Cup match on Sunday it suggests that he values this above a CL opportunity, which is more than a little worrying. 4th place is still an outside possibility as other competing teams are also tripping up, but frankly we should have "sewn up" 3rd/4th place by now. Some truly dreadful recent team selections and poor performances have obviously sapped the confidence that was building within the side and I fear we are slipping back into familiar mediocracy. Great shame - get a grip Harry.

Harry got slated for resting players in europe last year and he's getting slated for resting them in the league this. He can't win. The side he put out last night should certainly have been good enough to win the game.

 

[Blockbuster]

BB do you honestly believe that we were going down last Jan knowing HR had bucketloads of £ to spend, which he duly did. Speak to any clued up fan of other PL clubs and they would tell we we had a very good squad last season, and a fantastic squad this season. What HR achieved last season was achieveable with the players he had to work with from Jan onwards.

Presently do you think our squad is over achieving, under achieving or playing at their level.....?

I Truly believe the squad we had December 2008 would have taken us down if Harry didn't come in and buy new players. I feared for us we was so low on confidence even after the first month after harry took over we had a real bad spell and it was clear the players were not good enough.

Look at who we have brought and who is of real class in our squad.
We need proper defenders next season we will address this with King & Woody possibly going/retiring.
We need a good DM/CM
We need a world class striker who can play with Defoe & Crouch.
We need a top quality back up keeper to keep Gomes on his toes.

of our squad we have Good players but not top quality and no real leader.

so yes our squad is good and i think a top 6 finish is achievable but if everyones wants top 4 we need to improve on these things.

 

[THOWIG]

I can't understand why Top 4 is peoples target for a successful season? Surely a successful season is winning the league. People have become obsessed with 4th place. When has 4th ever been an achievement?

 

[sunnydelight786]

I Truly believe the squad we had December 2008 would have taken us down if Harry didn't come in and buy new players. I feared for us we was so low on confidence even after the first month after harry took over we had a real bad spell and it was clear the players were not good enough.

Look at who we have brought and who is of real class in our squad.
We need proper defenders next season we will address this with King & Woody possibly going/retiring.
We need a good DM/CM
We need a world class striker who can play with Defoe & Crouch.
We need a top quality back up keeper to keep Gomes on his toes.

of our squad we have Good players but not top quality and no real leader.

so yes our squad is good and i think a top 6 finish is achievable but if everyones wants top 4 we need to improve on these things.

The calibre of players you are suggesting we need would much rather sign for a CL team ahead of us, leaving us fighting over the left overs. The policy we adopted under Frankie and Santini/Jol which was carried on till Redknapp took charge was the correct one i.e. signing up and coming players. Get them while they are young. Signing has been's is not for me sorry to say, it never worked for us before did it....? I don't mind the odd experienced head, e.g. RVN would have been ideal as he is still doing it but we could not afford him, but signing players who have gone well pasty there sell by date is not on.

 

[sunnydelight786]

I can't understand why Top 4 is peoples target for a successful season? Surely a successful season is winning the league. People have become obsessed with 4th place. When has 4th ever been an achievement?

Exactly!!!

 

[talkshowhost86]

There's enough quality in our team to win the majority of our remaining games, including away at city and home to chelsea/the scum (I haven't included the United game because we haven't won there since Methuselah was born). If we get Lennon back soon then we can certainly, talent-wise, give most teams in the league a run for their money.

The problem at the moment is attitude. The players seem to be low on confidence and Harry doesn't seem to be 'man-managing' them in the way that we've been told he can.

Personally I think the next three games are massive. We need to beat Bolton to get our confidence going again and it would also keep us going in the cup which may be very important this season. Then wins against Wigan and Everton would set us up nicely to go to Citeh and really give them a game.

Sadly I don't think we'll get those three wins with the team playing like they are at the moment. Harry needs to get a grip of them and remind them of how they were playing earlier in the season.

If we win our next three games I think 4th is still in the balance. If we drop any league points in that time I think we'll struggle. If we lose either game I fear we may start to slide in the wrong direction.

I won't give up on CL football until the players have done...I just hope last night wasn't a sign of them giving up.

 

[Tottenham_OZpur]

Are you sure about that, I thought it was a "taboo" subject about daring to question Redknapp on this forum.....

hehe the same happened with past managers, Hoddle, Jol etc, anyone who did were on the end of stick

started with a few seeing faults, a few murmors, others nah nah nothing wrong and calling them fickle, non Spurs fans etc, but further on, the numbers grew until finally the manager was sacked, who was right and who was wrong :wink:

not that it would ever please you to be right in that situation, would rather be proved wrong myself

I am seeing the start of the end of Harry myself, the number of doubters will only grow, faults undid past managers, the same will undo Harry

some will say but he saved us last season, I for one never thought we would go down with the squad we had, but he did better than anyone would have thought, just missing out on Europe in the end, so he did well in that regard

others here saying they didn't expect to get 4th and next season we will push for 4th, well we were in a prime position for a run at 4th and have failed to take our chance and as for next season, I have said the same as the op myself in the past, Pool will no be as bad and City will spend even more, this season we had a far better chance at 4th than we will next season, where we will probably be playing for 6th as much as it pains me to say

of course Harry could go and win us the Cup and that would buy him another season or two and put the end to that for a while :wink:

I don't think anyone would think he should go right now, unless we have the chance of a top draw manager at the end of the season, I think he will be here next season which will be make or break for him