How much of it can we keep together?

[mpickard2087]

Just made a similar sort of post in the Poch thread, but basically, ignoring current form, who stays in the next few years is down to who is continuing to buy in to what the manager is asking of them. It needs the continued commitment as if this was day one and everything was new and exciting. Poch's methods will have a shelf life, and it will vary for different individuals. But it shouldn't matter who it is, if they aren't giving it 100% any more then its bye bye.

We shouldn't be desperate to keep anyone based on what they have done previously. It's about what they're doing in the present.

 

[Shadydan]

Ok so I’m getting a little concerned that some of the players heads may be being turned which may be influencing the way we are playing.

I also think they’ve put in a mammouth effort over the last 2 years and start of this year and seeing us so far off the pace this year + their good old pal Walker earning 3x what they earn and more than likely picking up at least one trophy playing the best football in the league must be frustrating. It must also be infuriating for Poch who is probably getting mentally drained by the 24/7 rumours of players leaving us but the sad fact is as we pay lower wages and haven’t won anything of note in 25+ years, unless we get very close or get to finals or start buying in some big name players, our players heads will be turned.

Lloris: Huge Poch advocate and ambassador for our club as captain etc but he is 30 now and surely could move to a Real Madrid or PSG and win something and I wouldn’t blame the guy in the slightest.

Dier: Man.U very interested in him, would be paid more, they are in title race and won 3 trophies last year.

Toby: could go to any top club in the world.

Rose: See Dier + Rose is a prick for that outburst earlier this year.

Alli: Madrid May want him + probably others and I think he’d chase the money and lifestyle.

Eriksen: Barca - more money,Camp Nou, play with Messi etc

Kane: hopefully would be the last one to go but he is 24, if by end of next season, when he’ll be 26 I think, if we’ve still not won anything it looked any closer to, I think he will seriously consider moving to a Real Madrid etc.

Poch: Could move to Real Madrid, PSG and said in his book teams who want to win it all wanted him. How long will he put up with squeezing every last drop out of this squad getting us to overachieve but knowing we more than likely just won’t win anything.

I know it’s only a league cup but I’m just so so disappointed we went out of that this season because we all know that with the Wembley factor this year would be really tough in the league and I just think for all the teams hard work just winning a small trophy together would kick start them, that feeling of having the winners medal and trophy would push them forward. As it is I think we will get knocked out in one of next 2 rounds of the CL, if we can’t beat Burnley, Swansea, West Brom, Leicester we will struggle over 2 legs vs some of the best teams in Europe. And then there is the fa cup which we’ve not got to a final in for 25+ years.

There is so much positive with Spurs and what Poch has done and I’m sure this current form is just a blip and hopefully we can turn it round and end up top 4 at least but I just really start to think it could all unravel and for me the team looks tired, lacking confidence and lacking effort most worryingly and I wonder if there is something going on behind the scenes, Poch doesn’t seem himself either. On one hand the direction the club is going etc is so so positive but on the other hand when it’s not going so well on the pitch all the depressing off the pitch stuff smacks you in the face and the reality of the situation is that we are in a tougher fragile position with our squad and manager and I don’t trust Levy to manage that 100%, Poch yes, Levy no, he’s a great businessman but not a football man.

What do people think about the players above and Poch and the whole team, how likely is it if we say finish 6th and trophyless that this whole team will give it at least one more year in the new stadium(if it’s even ready by next year)...

COYS

The irony of this post is that those players who will continue to put in performaces like they did yesterday then no-one will want them.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Are you Harry Redknapp?

Harry... is that you?

Oh, sorry about my son. He really was a t'rriffic lad and all that, runnin' around a bit as a child. But when he talks football, there is no excuse really.

 

[knowlespurs]

If offered £200m for dele + eriksen would I take it ? I’d be sorely tempted. Yes it would be a risk but they are certainly not irreplaceable there’s a pretty long list in PL I’d take over them right now. Salah mane sane de Bruyne martial hazard Sanchez. Obviously these players aren’t obtainable. But my point is if you know where to look there’s probably better out there. For me both are just too inconsistent.

why?
Our record of replacements is pretty poor, we sold Walker and bought Aurier who at the moment is nowhere near as good, we bought Llorente who has been shocking and Foyth who has hardly played, Sanchez looks top drawer but he is the only player from the summer who has improved the team, so we made 10m but havent improved the team
Last year we bought Wanyama who is excellent but spent 60m on Sissoko, NK and Janssen who have also been awful

everyone on here said we needed an attacking wide player and gamechanger but we didnt get one and that has absolutely killed us at Wembley, hardly rocket science, so if we sell our best players at the moment we arent replacing them very well

 

[knowlespurs]

Seeing as he's got no hare I'm not sure that's the best way of putting it

no its hare as in the animal, he is bald which is spelt hair

 

[thebenjamin]

Things are going poorly, but I don't think its crisis time just yet.

Last season's success was built in a big way on Wanyama and Dembele bossing the other 19 midfields around the park.

Its difficult that Vic has been injured for months, and it looks like Dembele just doesn't have the body for it anymore. Winks has been excellent, but I also don't think he's the answer to our prayers just yet. He still needs another season to feel his way around and build his confidence - as Modric did when he first broke through for us. Once he does come good and has the confidence to really own games at PL level - watch out.

Three players (at least) had their heads turned over summer: Walker, Rose, Dier.

Walker was allowed to go for what seemed like a top fee before PSG ruined the market for everyone and Barcelona hammered in the nail. It turns out that money is now a worthless way to measure a player's value, if that makes sense. Players like Ousmane Dembele and Mbappe went for £150m, and Barca wanted to pay the same amount for Coutinho. A player who has been terrific for Liverpool and in the PL, but hardly world class in the mould of PL stars from years gone by like Bale and Suarez.

Rose was never going to be let go of after Walker left, we were never going to sell both. He was also injured and kept getting setbacks. I think he spoke to the Sun the day before the season started in a desperate plee to either leave than or get a pay rise in time for a swift exit in 12 months time. I don't believe a word of his or Poch's. I'd be surprised if they were talking at all away from the training pitch, which is a shame considering Rose was essentially teacher's pet.

Dier was one we kept under wraps. We told United to rack off, and they did thanks to Poch and Mourinho apparently having some semblance of respect for each other from their time in Spain. Or maybe it was just that they signed Matic. The only reason we found out he wanted to go was that Poch and Ballague decided to publish it. And then release it as a preview to the Mail before hand. That's on them, because it was all over publicly before than.

There's also something going on with Alderweireld. I don't think he wants to leave; its easy to forget how bad he was for Atletico, and that he was on loan at mid-table Soton before coming here. He's world class, and I think his agent is pushing him to be paid what he's worth. We better do it.

If memory serves, Alli started last season as badly as this one and kicked into gear in December. Lets just see how he goes before we stick the boot in. The understanding he and Kane have together is our biggest weapon when teams sit back, but he's out of form.

Eriksen and Kane look tired. Vertonghen having another good season. Son has started slowly, but needs more playing time. Sissoko contributes, but is absolutely nowhere near the pace in my opinion.

Our signings were a mixed bag too. Sanchez has been really good. I think there's a slight language barrier there which is affecting his relationship with Lloris in particular, but he's been terrific and plays like King.

I know Llorente hasn't had many opportunities, but the ones that come past him he needs to score. Why was he ever at Swansea after so long at Bilbao and Juve? Its almost as if he thought he was done, he bounced back at Swansea, and is now actually finished.

Aurier is the big one for me. Walker is a level above he and Trippier on exposed form this season. He does some good things, but commits ridiculous fouls and often loses the ball in key positions. One of Walker's strengths was his ability to make up for his mistakes in our own box, and Aurier hasn't shown that yet. He's never played in England before, so I'm expecting him to significantly improve. Trippier's been okay, but he needs to realise that he's in the side as a wing back and his crossing is subpar.

On the left, Davies has picked a bad time to lose form. Rose isn't applying the manic pressure he did last season - he chased every single ball from corner flag to corner flag on the left side. Maybe its his injury, maybe its that he clearly wants out. Probably both. All of a sudden, Davies is playing like he did when he first arrived and Rose is out the door. Where do we look for a top four quality LB?

On a brighter note, Lamela looked very good yesterday. Hopefully he provides more of the same going forward.

All we need is a few players to click into gear and a couple of 3 and 4 nil wins for this to all go away. But I don't like how our players have started throwing their hands up and pointing when someone sprays a pass. Pochettino stamped that rubbish out, and it shouldn't be allowed to creep back in.

I think we'll be fine and will finish 3rd or 4th reasonably comfortably. But it won't just happen. No more 3 at the back while Wanyama and Alderweireld are out. Dier - who is in shit form anyway - can't cover both. Poch needs to get smarter, and help our guys pull their socks up. I've never been more confident in a Spurs manager than I am in him, and am intrigued as to where we go from here.

Good post. We've lost the best central midfield in the league in Dembele (finished) and Victor. We've lost the best right back in the league, and with Dele going through a terrible spell we've lost the best goalscoring midfielder in the league (hopefully temporarily). So that's 4 players who were the best in their position in the entire league who we've been doing without this season.

Also timing has not helped us. The emotional high Eriksen went through with Denmark has seemingly left him completely devoid of energy. Equally Dier has barely completed a pass since captaining England. Add in a big injury Toby, and minor ones to Hugo, Jan, Winks, Dele, Kane... the squad is so stretched and we don't have the resources to cope.

 

[king26]

we will be back

 

[WexfordTownSpur]

We are in a fragile position compared to the other teams in that although we have some great players and a good manager, we pay lower wages and look unlikely to win trophies. It's the promise of future glory that have kept players interested, but once that starts looking like a pipe dream it could all unravel quickly.
I think we have to look ahead long term, really- even if this team never win anything, and players leave, we'll buy better players, and improve over time. We've got a great new stadium on the way, and a huge fan base. I'm confident that even if our current promise fizzles out, we'll forge another better team, and one day be the biggest club in London.

I think it will unravel at the end of this season, I think people are in for a big shock!
I think players will leave and Poch with them! He has tried hard but as I said in another thread, we just don’t have a big enough talented enough squad and we all know Levy will not fund either big purchase or big wages. I think Poch has realized that just about now! He knows this squad is not big or good enough to win the league or the CL and he will get offers! And when the players start to leave and they will, he will be gone! I think we will struggle on with the squad we have and not win a cup, league or CL and I think we will finish top 6

 

[stormfly]

We’ll get a top 4 finish and win the Champions League. I’m not greedy, that’ll keep me happy for another 20 years while all the players and manager leaves next season

 

[jurgen]

I think it will unravel at the end of this season, I think people are in for a big shock!
I think players will leave and Poch with them! He has tried hard but as I said in another thread, we just don’t have a big enough talented enough squad and we all know Levy will not fund either big purchase or big wages. I think Poch has realized that just about now! He knows this squad is not big or good enough to win the league or the CL and he will get offers! And when the players start to leave and they will, he will be gone! I think we will struggle on with the squad we have and not win a cup, league or CL and I think we will finish top 6

That's the spirit chap!

 

[tiger666]

I think it will unravel at the end of this season, I think people are in for a big shock!
I think players will leave and Poch with them!

Lol

 

[JohanTheYid]

But these are the players that aren't winning anything. We aren't talking about a one man team where a superstar is dragging along a bunch of cloggers.

Who, this season, honestly deserves a move to Real Madrid or Barca? Honestly? Kane and maybe Vertonghen. The rest have underperformed for the most part.

100% this - want to win something ? Go and win something then, you have all the tools at your disposal at this club. Stop putting in half arsed performances like last night

 

[danielneeds]

We’ve never had all the best players, what we’ve had is togethernes and work ethic.

If that goes then maybe we need a reboot in the summer. As long as we keep Poch and Kane all the rest are expendable in my opinion.

It is a bit of a problem if Poch shows he can only handle young malleable players though, and can’t motivate older ones who challenge him. Very difficult to win things without experience.

 

[worcestersauce]

The simple truth is that we have improved our league position in each of the last three seasons under Pochottino, to do that again is always a challenge whatever the level of achievement, not sure if anyone else has done that very often and certainly not from such a high base line.
Truth is that teams, like any other organisation in any walk of life, have lulls in their growth and improvement and on reflection, it was almost inevitable that we would have a bit of a hyatus during this season, the positive view is that when enthusiasm wanes you have an opportunity to revive it and that is our challenge now.
We are a very good side with some great players and we will come back, hopefully with Rose and Lamella coming back and with Alderwiereld and Wanyama hopefully back for the new year we will have tangible signals to the players and the fans that the tide has turned and that will switch on the drive motor again.
This however an important moment for Poch and his team where we will see how they respond to an obvious downturn.

 

[Colonel Dax]

I think we'll be fine and will finish 3rd or 4th reasonably comfortably.

Very optimistic IMO.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Just made a similar sort of post in the Poch thread, but basically, ignoring current form, who stays in the next few years is down to who is continuing to buy in to what the manager is asking of them. It needs the continued commitment as if this was day one and everything was new and exciting. Poch's methods will have a shelf life, and it will vary for different individuals. But it shouldn't matter who it is, if they aren't giving it 100% any more then its bye bye.

We shouldn't be desperate to keep anyone based on what they have done previously. It's about what they're doing in the present.

This is what worries me. Toby said himself that 'if we don't have our intensity, then we are ordinary'. We're an effort team, albeit one with some very talented players. But if all that Poch can coach is effort, then we will continue to fall short. At the beginning of the last two seasons I've said that what I wants to see from Poch is some evidence that he can coach a team so that it becomes more than the sum of it's parts. I still don't see much evidence of that. Our finishing position in the table for the last two seasons made that less of a problem for me, but the issue is still there. Other teams, right down to the bottom of the table, have clear tactics in a game, things that they have clearly worked on in training. I see so little of this in our game.

 

[St José Dominguez]

I think it will unravel at the end of this season, I think people are in for a big shock!
I think players will leave and Poch with them! He has tried hard but as I said in another thread, we just don’t have a big enough talented enough squad and we all know Levy will not fund either big purchase or big wages. I think Poch has realized that just about now! He knows this squad is not big or good enough to win the league or the CL and he will get offers! And when the players start to leave and they will, he will be gone! I think we will struggle on with the squad we have and not win a cup, league or CL and I think we will finish top 6

Even if you negatively think loads of players will leave it will give Poch hundreds of millions of pounds to spend on new players. We'll be challenging for top 4 constantly over next 3 years because of that.
I never get excited about signings until we sell because we only and always spend what we earn from sales. If we lost multiple big players (we won't) then we could end up with like £300m for new players. We'll be fine, might not push on but be fine.

 

[riggi]

Fuck the league off and go for the fa cup.

 

[wadewill]

i think we are just going through a bit of a bad patch TBH

We will be fine

Even if everyone leaves and we get Justin Edinburgh in as manager, Spurs will still be here

 

[shelfboy68]

The simple truth is that we have improved our league position in each of the last three seasons under Pochottino, to do that again is always a challenge whatever the level of achievement, not sure if anyone else has done that very often and certainly not from such a high base line.
Truth is that teams, like any other organisation in any walk of life, have lulls in their growth and improvement and on reflection, it was almost inevitable that we would have a bit of a hyatus during this season, the positive view is that when enthusiasm wanes you have an opportunity to revive it and that is our challenge now.
We are a very good side with some great players and we will come back, hopefully with Rose and Lamella coming back and with Alderwiereld and Wanyama hopefully back for the new year we will have tangible signals to the players and the fans that the tide has turned and that will switch on the drive motor again.
This however an important moment for Poch and his team where we will see how they respond to an obvious downturn.

After last year the only improvement we could have made was to finish 1st which isn't going to happen in the foreseeable future.
The stats suggest that our form guide is like for like on last year but you could look at it two ways, firstly that we are consistent and stable or secondaly that we are static and haven't progressed.
I would assume that we sit somewhere in between keeping up there but unable to win a league unless bought out by an Arab or a Russian.