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How do Spurs take the next step up?

Locotoro

Prince of Zamunda
Sep 2, 2004
9,326
13,915
We've read in the last few days that Poch has said we need to be brave and take risks in order to take the next step up and today we hear about how Guardiola felt Spurs made City suffer last year and we pushed them more than any other team. But where does this leave us in practical steps to future success?

We've been arguably the most consistent side over the last 3 years whilst coming up empty-handed. Yes, we want to win the league and trophies and there have been many potential solutions as to how we should do it but which one will guarantee success?

Paying more money to and for players?
Well whilst getting the top brass players will require more in salaries and transfers we've shown that even with a fantastic first eleven and a solid squad we still fell short at times. Both Chelsea and Utd have shown that spending silly money doesn't mean you'll trot out a Man City style season so the money thing is not the be all or end all for me.

More physical intensity?
We've had a great season (all things being considered) though I feel that our physicality wasn't on par with what it was last year when we were pressing teams off the park. It may be because of the bigger Wembley pitch but are we able to turn it up another notch next season? Or would we burn out too soon playing an ultra-physically dynamic style of football. Would we be able to compete on more than one front? Probably not. Would it remedy problems we have against teams that sit deep or park the bus? Maybe not, but i do think we certainly need to increase the speed of our attacks rather than slow passing (which serves its purpose of maintaining control and pulling the opposition out to create gaps, playing with more speed would create an air of panic in the defence, create situations where mistakes would happen, create more goal scoring opportunities.

Do we need technically better players?
I look at Man City and I think "where are they better than us?" and to me the answer is first touch and passing. Every player on the ball has A* first touch and has at least 2 passing options the moment they look up. That's how they get around our press and hit us on the break. They also have an attack that plays with greater speed. Whilst we don't have a fast attack I don't think we have slow players just a team that plays slow. Although the solution of signing better players sounds like quite a glib thing to say, its still our players that are being linked with those bigger sides when they look for their own missing pieces - Kane to Real, Toby to Barca, Walker to City, Dier to Utd; with exception of Kane we could argue that each of these players could be dropped and someone else come in and do the job with the same effect.

Do we need to improve mentally?
“It is not tactical, it is not philosophical, because we know very well how we need to play. It is here in our heads that we need to improve.” Those were the words uttered by Poch in August 2016 after our first tilt at the title came up short. But how do you fix this unless you win trophies? and how long does it take to fix?

Where do you guys think we can improve in practical terms and what would take us to the next level?
 

leffe186

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2004
5,322
1,695
Technically better, definitely. Mind you, that's pretty obvious when Sissoko starts 24 games for you in a season. Paying more money is just a means to achieving that tbh - it allows you to retain your best players and attract better. Keeping the same core of players is important too - we don't have the sort of money needed to effectively rebuild an team in one close season and remain competitive.

Right now we need to look at picking up more homegrown players, particularly younger ones. We need to ensure that non-homegrown players are a direct improvement on what we have, or a potential improvement. We haven't got as much room to manoeuvre as I'd like.

We also need to identify upcoming replacements for a couple of specific positions. I'd say goalkeeper is one, CM, Eriksen, probably CF. Getting in Foyth and Sanchez was perfect before this year, knowing Toby's issues with injuries and his always-on-the-cards transfer. Lloris is starting to fray a bit at the edges, and obviously Vorm's time is running out. In CM, we are concerned about Winks and Wanyama's recovery from injury, Dembele's likely departure, and Sissoko's...being Sissoko. Losing Eriksen without a ready replacement would be disastrous, although I think Lamela can do a job. Pulisic would obviously be mint here. Then there's Kane - I mean, Son does a decent job, but we really should have a more better option there.

Finally, I would be happier if I had more confidence in Poch's decision-making and adaptability, but there's still room for that to develop. It's pretty damn good most of the time.

So - technically better, dealing with the homegrown rules, specific squad improvements, Poch growing into the role at the top table. Most of that goes hand in hand with paying more money for wages and transfer fees.
 

kaz Hirai

Well-Known Member
Nov 5, 2008
17,692
25,340
We've read in the last few days that Poch has said we need to be brave and take risks in order to take the next step up and today we hear about how Guardiola felt Spurs made City suffer last year and we pushed them more than any other team. But where does this leave us in practical steps to future success?

We've been arguably the most consistent side over the last 3 years whilst coming up empty-handed. Yes, we want to win the league and trophies and there have been many potential solutions as to how we should do it but which one will guarantee success?

Paying more money to and for players?
Well whilst getting the top brass players will require more in salaries and transfers we've shown that even with a fantastic first eleven and a solid squad we still fell short at times. Both Chelsea and Utd have shown that spending silly money doesn't mean you'll trot out a Man City style season so the money thing is not the be all or end all for me.

More physical intensity?
We've had a great season (all things being considered) though I feel that our physicality wasn't on par with what it was last year when we were pressing teams off the park. It may be because of the bigger Wembley pitch but are we able to turn it up another notch next season? Or would we burn out too soon playing an ultra-physically dynamic style of football. Would we be able to compete on more than one front? Probably not. Would it remedy problems we have against teams that sit deep or park the bus? Maybe not, but i do think we certainly need to increase the speed of our attacks rather than slow passing (which serves its purpose of maintaining control and pulling the opposition out to create gaps, playing with more speed would create an air of panic in the defence, create situations where mistakes would happen, create more goal scoring opportunities.

Do we need technically better players?
I look at Man City and I think "where are they better than us?" and to me the answer is first touch and passing. Every player on the ball has A* first touch and has at least 2 passing options the moment they look up. That's how they get around our press and hit us on the break. They also have an attack that plays with greater speed. Whilst we don't have a fast attack I don't think we have slow players just a team that plays slow. Although the solution of signing better players sounds like quite a glib thing to say, its still our players that are being linked with those bigger sides when they look for their own missing pieces - Kane to Real, Toby to Barca, Walker to City, Dier to Utd; with exception of Kane we could argue that each of these players could be dropped and someone else come in and do the job with the same effect.

Do we need to improve mentally?
“It is not tactical, it is not philosophical, because we know very well how we need to play. It is here in our heads that we need to improve.” Those were the words uttered by Poch in August 2016 after our first tilt at the title came up short. But how do you fix this unless you win trophies? and how long does it take to fix?

Where do you guys think we can improve in practical terms and what would take us to the next level?


I really like our model, but realistically...
07_31023107_f7da2b_2770976a_1459766130_725x725.jpg
 

Locotoro

Prince of Zamunda
Sep 2, 2004
9,326
13,915


I really like our model, but realistically...

Do you really think that billionaire owners are going to turn our on the field fortunes around? I certainly don't.

We'd be in the same boat as City and Chelsea and Utd in our spending ability but we still need to do something on the pitch. Lets say we keep Alderwerield who else is going to come to us over those three clubs that we'd need?

We don't need to splash the cash in my opinion as we're only really missing one key player in our team - technical CM to control the game - (a more defensively aware Eriksen)
 

leffe186

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2004
5,322
1,695
Do you really think that billionaire owners are going to turn our on the field fortunes around? I certainly don't.

We'd be in the same boat as City and Chelsea and Utd in our spending ability but we still need to do something on the pitch. Lets say we keep Alderwerield who else is going to come to us over those three clubs that we'd need?

We don't need to splash the cash in my opinion as we're only really missing one key player in our team - technical CM to control the game - (a more defensively aware Eriksen)

We don't need to turn our fortunes around though, we just need to make a step up. That means keeping our best players and attracting better ones. And yes, billionaire owners will allow us to keep our best players and attract better ones. We will have CL football, an amazing stadium, an excellent team, and London...and even more cash - just get them to pay for the stadium.

Not that I want a cheat code, but thinking that an injection of cold hard cash will not make us better just does not ring true. And suggesting that we're only missing one key player strongly implies that you have not been watching the last few weeks. We're really good, but there are plenty of ways in which we could be better.
 

TottenhamMattSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
10,925
16,007
Do you really think that billionaire owners are going to turn our on the field fortunes around? I certainly don't.

We'd be in the same boat as City and Chelsea and Utd in our spending ability but we still need to do something on the pitch. Lets say we keep Alderwerield who else is going to come to us over those three clubs that we'd need?

We don't need to splash the cash in my opinion as we're only really missing one key player in our team - technical CM to control the game - (a more defensively aware Eriksen)


Billionaire backing Pochettino. I think we'd be in a better position than City and United.
Better location, as much money, pay the wages. We would dominate for a generation.
 

Locotoro

Prince of Zamunda
Sep 2, 2004
9,326
13,915
We don't need to turn our fortunes around though, we just need to make a step up. That means keeping our best players and attracting better ones. And yes, billionaire owners will allow us to keep our best players and attract better ones. We will have CL football, an amazing stadium, an excellent team, and London...and even more cash - just get them to pay for the stadium.

Not that I want a cheat code, but thinking that an injection of cold hard cash will not make us better just does not ring true. And suggesting that we're only missing one key player strongly implies that you have not been watching the last few weeks. We're really good, but there are plenty of ways in which we could be better.

But that's my question..how do we become better?

These players that we are looking to keep are being courted by the top sides so its evident that they are good enough for the top level. So why is it not possible for them to perform in Spurs colours. Paying them an additional 100kpw isn't going to make the same player perform better.

Yes, i agree that we can sign better players but still, having that money doesn't guarantee success on the pitch. Chelsea is a great example of that. We'd go and spend it on .....who? a top level player that is already at a top level club winning trophies and being paid silly money? Where's the appeal of moving from Bayern or Real or Barca to Spurs?

We're in a very difficult situation in that we need players at the top level but we have no USP to tempt them with - even if we had money.
 

Cravenspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2011
2,864
3,680
Take risks...

Simply put, we have to start taking more risks on signings and style of play IMO.

Style of Play

This year I felt we took a real step back in terms of pace of play and overall skill and craft. Looked much more languid and safe with the CM pairing of Dier and Dembele/Sissoko.

This could be down to injuries and quality on the bench, but if I was manager Josh wouldn't have been on loan and a CM3 of:

Dele - Dier - Eriksen (Wanyama for Dier and Winks for Dele when healthy)

would have been the merchants in the middle.

Transfers

We have to do better here. The diamonds in the rough of Juan and Davison are more than welcome, but the proven signings have to be of more quality than Sissoko. Llorente, Vincent, Serge and so forth. For the cumulative amount those four signed for and are on wage wise, we could have brought in a star CM and a FW.

I know financially we have been tight with the development of the training grounds, the stadium and so forth so I get it that we had to be a bit more risk adverse, but it is time we start showing some real ambition with the people we bring in and the style of play we deploy.

Transfers will inevitably influence the style of play, so that takes priority.
 
Last edited:

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
Its very simple we need better quality players, that means spending a bit extra in the transfer market.
 

Locotoro

Prince of Zamunda
Sep 2, 2004
9,326
13,915
Take risks...

Simply put, we have to start taking more risks on signings and style of play IMO.

Style of Play

This year I felt we took a real step back in terms of pace of play and overall skill and craft. Looked much more languid and safe with the CM pairing of Dier and Dembele/Sissoko.

This could be down to injuries and quality on the bench, but if I was manager Josh wouldn't have been on loan and a CM3 of:

Dele - Dier - Eriksen (Wanyama for Dier and Winks for Dele when healthy)

would have been the merchants in the middle.

Transfers

We have to do better here. The diamonds in the rough of Juan and Davison are more than welcome, but the proven signings have to be of more quality than Sissoko. Llorente, Vincent, Serge and so forth. For the cumulative amount those for signed for and are on wage wise, we could have brought in a star CM and a FW.

I know financially we have been tight with the development of the training grounds, the stadium and so forth so I get it that we had to be a bit more risk adverse, but it is time we start showing some real ambition with the people we bring in and the style of play we deploy.

Transfers will inevitably influence the style of play, so that take priority.

I agree with your comments on playing style. We seemed to be playing in 4th gear all season and I don't know if thats to do with the size of the pitch at Wembley but I can't remember a single performance where we squeezed the life at of our opponent. We're clearly better than most of the teams in the league if not all (bar City) but it was like we went out there and a simple win was acceptable rather than doing what City did and go out with the intention of crushing the opposition. From the very first second of the game we have to go out there with the intention of killing the game in the first 30 minutes, really making use of our physical superiority
 

chico

Well-Known Member
Dec 2, 2004
710
1,194
Whilst it would be lovely to sign the world's best players and fast-track ourselves to the title a la Citeh it's worth remembering we are building something really special here. Nothing is linear in life, but steadily upgrading our squad each summer has to be right. That is how we take the next step up imo.

Take a step back. Last 3 seasons , 3rd, 2nd, 3rd......fantastic! Pretty much nobody on S.C. is old enough to have witnessed the early 1960's! Best league run since that time, stop , breath in slowly and smile..... it's very good, and close to being great.

If we are lucky we will retain Poch, and most/all our best players, offload the chaff, and recruit strongly and wisely. One player I'd love to see us sign is Sessegnon. I believe we will win a trophy in 2018-2019 season.
 

Bulletspur

The Reasonable Advocate
Match Thread Admin
Oct 17, 2006
10,690
25,246
Again I am going to be controversial and say what would help us to go to the next level is Poch also stepping up in his tactical and game management. Two games that stand out where he was found wanting, were the quarter finals against Juventus and the semifinals against Man Utd. I put our conceding those game solely at the feet of Poch, where his naivety was exposed. There were other games where we were fortunate to get a result despite his poor selection and game management. Not saying that this is the answer to the next level but without an improvement in his management, getting to the next level will be difficult in spite of any financial windfall we may get.
 

Cravenspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2011
2,864
3,680
I agree with your comments on playing style. We seemed to be playing in 4th gear all season and I don't know if thats to do with the size of the pitch at Wembley but I can't remember a single performance where we squeezed the life at of our opponent. We're clearly better than most of the teams in the league if not all (bar City) but it was like we went out there and a simple win was acceptable rather than doing what City did and go out with the intention of crushing the opposition. From the very first second of the game we have to go out there with the intention of killing the game in the first 30 minutes, really making use of our physical superiority

Agreed, but I think the physical superiority is partially why we are so slow. We roll out players like Dier and Dembele for years now and Poch keeps picking them because of their physical nature. He has shown that he likes brawn over technique in some areas of the park.
 

parj

NDombelly ate all the pies
Jul 27, 2003
3,586
5,861
Pace in our fullbacks is the next step. It's clear that our tactics require pace and that's caused us additional problems this season with no walker or rose.
 

cider spurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 5, 2016
9,399
23,731
Money.

It's why those that spend vast amounts more than us, tend to win the trophies and titles.

Of course, this doesn't guarantee the league title every year, you've only to look at Chelsea this season to realise this.

But, they're in a FA cup final as a consolation. Those that spend the most, tend to win things more reguarly.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,388
I think we miss an outfield player with buckets of experience who can come off the bench and settle things down. Somebody like Banega would be great. he could be our modern Edgar Davids or Rafa VDV. I'm sure there are plenty of others. Maybe we need to forget about resale value once in a while.
 
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