How to be a top four side

[TheBigMatch]

Before the start of the season Jol said that Spurs were not a Top 4 Side yet and that it would take another season or two.

Perhaps this was Jol's fundemental flaw. He didn't believe, so the players didn't believe.

Jol was a very good manager who failed in winning positions: 4th place versus the l'arse loving west ham; cups against l'arse and chelsea; Liverpool at Anfield..................

Perhaps it's about belief.

For next season perhaps we need to believe the hype.

If we can finish this season in style by finishing off the likes of Wigan, Bolton, and Reading, and taking Liverpool at White Hart Lane, then I would say why not.

Losing these games would show that the mentality is not there, and it will be too much of a jump. And even with Ramos, perhaps Jol was right, we need another 2 seasons.

Next season's preseason starts this Saturday. If we want to be a top four side it has to start now. Ramos has to make them believe.

 

[van_Pommel]

I have more belief that Ronaldinho is going to sign for us than that we will keep Gerrard and Torres quiet for 90 minutes. However if 1 or both are injured it should be a breeze.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Sadly I think alot of the players playing in those 4 games won't be at the club come the start of next season so can't see them getting up for anything.

 

[ackie]

Sadly I think alot of the players playing in those 4 games won't be at the club come the start of next season so can't see them getting up for anything.

I agree! I think most of them their heart is no in it anymore.

 

[eddiebailey]

Before the start of the season Jol said that Spurs were not a Top 4 Side yet and that it would take another season or two.

Perhaps this was Jol's fundemental flaw. He didn't believe, so the players didn't believe.

Jol believed alright, he just had a realistic timetable. And since Juande is in the process of dismantling the our "Top 4 squad" it is appears he does not think the problem is one of belief,

Jol was a very good manager who failed in winning positions: 4th place versus the l'arse loving west ham...

Perhaps it's about belief.

Or perhaps it was the shits.

For next season perhaps we need to believe the hype.

A lot of people, including apparently the Board, believed the hype this season, and that did not work out too well. Do we really want gnashing of teeth and recriminations all round when it turns out that Juande does not walk on water after all?

If we can finish this season in style by finishing off the likes of Wigan, Bolton, and Reading, and taking Liverpool at White Hart Lane, then I would say why not.

Losing these games would show that the mentality is not there, and it will be too much of a jump....

Next season's preseason starts this Saturday. If we want to be a top four side it has to start now. Ramos has to make them believe.

The mentality is not there, in part, because Jaunde has shown he has no confidence in the players. Until he gets the squad he wants we wont see any improvement. The end of the season cannot come quick enough.

And even with Ramos, perhaps Jol was right, we need another 2 seasons.

That is two seasons from now, so the timetable has been put back a season.

 

[johnmc]

I think Jol was being realistic, and honest. Two things that have no place in football to-day.

 

[DC_Boy]

Yep Jol was correct in his statement - whether it should have gone into print and whose fault that was I know not.

We're still well short of top 4, after what proved to be a poor summer of signings. We were well unlucky with Bale, but he hasn't delivered.

(Incidentally, I vividly remember the first time Bale got injured in a pre-season friendly, and it seemed to me he was told to play on, till being subbed later. AT the time I thought it was a mistake, it may have turned out to be an appalling mistake, I can't say as a mere punter. I am very concerned though that the fact Bale missed nearly a whole season, may not be entirely down to bad luck)

Kaboul Bent Boateng we all know about - whatever the pros and cons they weren't what we needed, though I still support the Bent signing

We need to be a lot smarter and luckier with our next crop of signings to have any chance of top 4 - can't see it myself but hey, etc

 

[TheBigMatch]

Deja vue one again.

At the end of last season Ramos had the chance to show that we were a side to be reckoned with by beating Liverpool at White Hart Lane. Instead we continued our fall into decline and lost 0-2. I lost a lot of hope in Ramos after that defeat.

We are back again with the last game of the season and Liverpool, this time Anfield.

Again if we are to be a top team... a top 4 team.... and some say we would be better off without Europa (not I).... then we need to once again show that we can compete against a top 4 team.... not lay down and hand them an easy win.

Beat Liverpool at Anfield and with Europa or not we will be viewed as a club capable of chalenging for the top 4 and able to attract top players.

Lose badly to Liverpool and it's no Europa and we will be perceived as a midtable team by top players.

 

[The Original Yiddster]

outside of improvements in a couple of key areas whats lacking is easy ...... mental toughness and consistency of performance

 

[JJetset]

If we had Lennon, Palacios and no other injuries i would be more optimistic but we are in a much much stronger position as a club than we were a year ago.

 

[stemark44]

I think Liverpool will be far too good for us,they are playing great football and scoring plenty of goals.

 

[danielneeds]

All the top 4 sides have top squad members on £100k+ a week, our top earners are at about £65-70k... You pays for what you gets.

Unless Levy is prepared to break the wage structure to sign a Barry and a top centre forward on big wages, we will not break the current hegemony.

 

[fozzi44]

Deja vue one again.

At the end of last season Ramos had the chance to show that we were a side to be reckoned with by beating Liverpool at White Hart Lane. Instead we continued our fall into decline and lost 0-2. I lost a lot of hope in Ramos after that defeat.

We are back again with the last game of the season and Liverpool, this time Anfield.

Again if we are to be a top team... a top 4 team.... and some say we would be better off without Europa (not I).... then we need to once again show that we can compete against a top 4 team.... not lay down and hand them an easy win.

Beat Liverpool at Anfield and with Europa or not we will be viewed as a club capable of chalenging for the top 4 and able to attract top players.

Lose badly to Liverpool and it's no Europa and we will be perceived as a midtable team by top players.

Really, even though we have beat liverpool twice this season, not to mention chelsea and drawing twice with l'asre and once with the manure.

I think we have proven this season we have taken massive strides to competing against the big 4. How easy we forget.

 

[Spurs_Q8]

I like Jol too much, but he contradicts himself, before the start of the season, we signed Modric, Giovani, Gomes & Bentley... he said it's finaly Spurs can beark the top four because under his belt, we signed players whom need to develop like Kaboul, Bale, Taarabt, Baoteng etc.. and he amazed by Ramos signings as they are young but quality, but after poor start, he said we were wrong and we need to keep English policy.

the idea of top four isn't impossible, the fact ENIC started here in 2001 with very limited cash, little by little the club finance improved due to our policy with DoF, it costs us stability and good players, but it's improved the finance a lot which helped us to sign expensive players and improve starting XI with names like Gomes, Corluka, Woody, Hutton, Palacios, Modric etc.. now it's the first time we don't have too a lot departments which needs investment, Harry just would like 2-3 names ( not like the past thinking about 5-6 players every transfer window cost us stability, while just 3, then Harry just thinking about class signings ( not 1-2 years players ) ... i think it's the first time we thinking about selling benchers, and sign more Key players, an Experienced manager here said 2-3 signings would make the difference for us next season, which mean 2 or 3 of current players will be switched to the bench, despite the fact current team is a bit of top 4 form.

 

[stemark44]

How to break into the top 4 - I would say that its a mixture of buying the right players for the most effective system which is a 4-3-3.

 

[Spurs_Q8]

we were 2-0 up after 55 mins away from home against one of the best two teams in Europe now in 4-4-2, might be needed tactical changes after that but the system itself no problem for us .

 

[striebs]

All the top 4 sides have top squad members on £100k+ a week, our top earners are at about £65-70k... You pays for what you gets.

Unless Levy is prepared to break the wage structure to sign a Barry and a top centre forward on big wages, we will not break the current hegemony.

The opportunity for Spurs to bust through the glass ceiling has come and gone unfortunately .

The fiasco caused by hiring Comolli has cost us 3 years :-

- 2006 - 2007 terrific to back up the previous fifth but Comolli had already unsettled Levy and Jols removal was only a matter of time .

- 2007 - 2008 self destruct button activated , great to win CC but really started to slide

- 2008 - 2009 innability to build upon success , dismantled team , tried to get a last minute transfer bargain and wasted another season

Levy is going to have to sanction higher wages just to retain key players like Lennon and Modric .

Any surplus should be ploughed into the stadium project and a longer term view taken on breaking the cartel .

 

[fozzi44]

All the top 4 sides have top squad members on £100k+ a week, our top earners are at about £65-70k... You pays for what you gets.

Unless Levy is prepared to break the wage structure to sign a Barry and a top centre forward on big wages, we will not break the current hegemony.

That is absolutely rubbish and if you think that paying massive wages are key then you are mistaken. Success comes first - united didnt get to where they are by paying massive wages all of a sudden, neither did arsenal when they had cracking teams.

Everton achieved CL qualification on a shoe string. I agree that if the right player comes along who will no doubt get us 10 points on his own - over and above what we already have then the wage structure needs to go.

But given the current financial climate, commitments to a new stadium and training facilities spunking money on players wages that are already high enough with no guarantees that they will deliver is not the way to go. It is naive to think otherwise.

It time to evaluate where we are we have spent so much money on players who have not delivered i think it is about time people realise big payouts are not required. Players that fit with the team direction and have a role to play are.

 

[DC_Boy]

Our greatest opportunity to break the glass ceiling was when CFC were on the verge of bankruptcy - had they gone under we could have grabbed some of their best players

when they won the lottery that was a massive massive blow to us

 

[danielneeds]

That is absolutely rubbish and if you think that paying massive wages are key then you are mistaken. Success comes first - united didnt get to where they are by paying massive wages all of a sudden, neither did arsenal when they had cracking teams.

Everton achieved CL qualification on a shoe string. I agree that if the right player comes along who will no doubt get us 10 points on his own - over and above what we already have then the wage structure needs to go.

But given the current financial climate, commitments to a new stadium and training facilities spunking money on players wages that are already high enough with no guarantees that they will deliver is not the way to go. It is naive to think otherwise.

It time to evaluate where we are we have spent so much money on players who have not delivered i think it is about time people realise big payouts are not required. Players that fit with the team direction and have a role to play are.

It ain't rubbish mate, You use Arsenal and United as examples, but they have been paying top wages for 20 years or more. The real example is Chelsea, whose sudden success came overnight when paying top dollar, and if you compare points per season with the combined wage budgets you will find a pretty solid correlation.

I'm not saying I want us to break the wage structure that we have currently, it would be hugely risky, but I don't see us sustaining a realistic challenge to the other clubs, barring a total Arsenal blowout, with Fabregas, Adebayor, Wenger leaving. Even then Citeh are primed to take their place.