Main rivals...a mass debate.

[spacelord]

No Bentley. And we didn't pay 15 million for Defoe in any meaningful sense, I'm sure.

Wage bills are a far more telling stat than transfer fees, which is not saying that Spurs haven't underacheived, historically and in the past few seasons.

Bentley would explain the rest then, although would say with most transfers these days, the way is paid and any related bonus payments. Makes it hard to judge and compare.

I Agree that wages can be quite telling, and with spurs generally being well run (business wise), and signing generally younger players, therefore keeping wages lower. Has possibly meant freed up amount in transfer fees. Although with Harry looking at signing more established players, it will be quite interesting to see how they will compare against where we finish this and following seasons.

 

[Dr Know]

Football is a funny old thing. We won a cup in Holland we thumped Rome we made the headlines almost every day, we had Arsenal running scared.............................thud.........2 points 8 games

I've said it before you can't buy confidence and Man City will prove that this season. If you ask all of their 8 strikers "how confident are you of starting week in week out?" I'm sure you'll find a lack of confidence there.
Most teams can't keep 4 strikers happy how the hell are they going to keep 8 happy and thats just the strikers what about the other positions!

 

[WhiteStripe]

not glue, just fancied giving a prospect a chance in there in what in my opinion has become less of an obvious choice position after corluka looked a bit shaky towards the end of the season. I have no issue with corluka in there at all. Just have a good feeling about naughton.

 

[Shanks]

I actually though in the last 3 seasons Liverpool were equipped to win the league.

But, Man Utd have been better, better squad, better football and over a decent period of time.

Last season Liverpool had a chunk of the season without Gerrard and Torres through injury. They are two huge players that make the team tick.

It's not bad management that they didn't win the title, just unfortunate.

I think Benetiz learnt, if anything over the last few seasons that he couldn't sacrifice the league in order to win the CL, through his rotation, but it faired him well, constant qualification into Europes most prestigious competition..

Although he does need to win the league, and I reckon this season could be it for them, although depends how Ronaldo missing fairs, but its definitely between Utd and Liverpool this year (unless Man City manage it!!!)

 

[Legend10]

Horrible thought but I think the Chavs will win it this year.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

I reckon the race for 5th is between Spurs, City, Villa, Everton and Fulham.

FulhamEek

With Europe this season they'll be nearer 5th bottom than 5th top.

Usual top 4, with THFC, City, Villa & Everton fighting for the scraps

Also 1 of the promoted clubs has a storming 1st season and you cant write off Big Sam upsetting the top half somewhere!

 

[ultimateloner]

I don't think we have a stronger squad than Everton/Villa.

We have a worse strike force than Villa. We have a worse midfield than Everton. We have a better defence.

We have 1 key player in Luka Modric. Everton has Cahill and Arteta, Villa Young and Abalaghor.

I think we are level if not slightly worse.

 

[Toxxic]

I think we'll finish below City and Everton. Above Villa, so I'm predicting 7th at best next season.

Everton just know how to grind out results even though they were struggling with injuries last season. I think City will most probably get 5th. Villa have a thin squad considering they're about to embark on a Europa Cup campaign, could harm their league position....

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I don't think we have a stronger squad than Everton/Villa.

We have a worse strike force than Villa. We have a worse midfield than Everton. We have a better defence.

We have 1 key player in Luka Modric. Everton has Cahill and Arteta, Villa Young and Abalaghor.

I think we are level if not slightly worse.

overly harsh I think.

You really think that Crouch/ Pavlyuchenko and Defoe/ Keane is worse than Heskey/ Carew and Agbonlahor/ Harewood?

I'd definitely take Crouch over either Heskey or Carew, and Agbonlahor may have promise but he is far from being in the class of either Defoe or Keane. As for Everton, Yakubu is a very good striker and Jo on loan could prove to be very clever, but Saha is always injured and Vaughan and Anichebe are just not very good at all.

As for midfield, Yes Everton have Cahill and Arteta, while Villa have Ashley Young (Agbonlahor's really a forward I think), but as you already say we have Modric, and on top of that we have Lennon. We also have Palacios, and even if I'm not that big a fan I reckon Moyes and moreso O'Neil would love to have Jenas. We also have far better depth, with Bentley and Huddlestone both far better than any midfielders either Everton or Villa have in reserve, and O'Hara, Rose, Livermore and even Naughton all pushing hard for a lot of first team involvement.

I'm not saying we will do better (though I think we will) because obviously other factors come into play, but I think on paper we are better than both Everton and Villa throughout not just the team but the squad, especially Villa with their loss of Barry and Laursen. I reckon even before that we looked better than both, but obviously the way events unfolded we had an uphill battle last season. However, looking at our performance since we put this squad together in January, and now having improved it with Crouch replacing Bent, I think there is a very strong argument that Everton and Villa are the teams who need to improve to reach our level, not vice versa.

 

[riversmonkey]

I'm going to make a bonkers prediction. Burnley will start like Hull did last season, however they will maintain their form throughout the season and finish in the top 6.

 

[WhiteStripe]

you're right, that is bonkers!

 

[Legend10]

I'm confident that we'll finish above Everton and Villa.

 

[nailsy]

If Harry manages to sign a 'leader' and adds a decent centre back who will be fit for the start of the season I think we can challenge Arsenal and Man City for a top four spot. I think Villa will struggle to match last seasons form, and Everton will struggle for goals. Sunderland have made some good signings and could be this years surprise team in place of Fulham who might struggle with all the extra European fixtures.

 

[ultimateloner]

I dont think Crouch/Pav are better than Heskey/Carew. They are in the same bracket. I would defintely disagree that Agbonlahor is far from either Defoe or Keane. Agbonlahor has the pace and 1-on-1 to play counter-attack at the tip of an offence. He is effective, and MON unleashes his potential.

I think Everton has a great strikeforce in Yakubu and Saha. It's a good combination, pace+power. I think we are looking to build a similar type of partnership - someone to make the run (Keane/Defoe) and the other to set it up (Crouch/Pav).

Everton has a much more balanced midfield than ours. Fellani breaks play, threatens in the air and chips in a fair share of goals. Cahill does the same but more goals less destruction. Osman is versatile. Arteta creates. The roles and responsibilities are clear. In contrast our midfield has alot less goals, while palacios is the only one capable of winning the ball. Jenas is good, but he is in the same bracket as Osman. As for the other midfielders you mentioned - yes they provide cover but most are not proven and the other 2, Bentley is a flop, and Hudd needs to be accomodated.

We have a better midfield than Villa on paper, that i would agree.

As I mentioned before our only distinct edge is in defence - before the injuries kick-in. When fit Woodgate and King are a top-4 central pairing. We also have good full-backs. Therefore the key to this season is in defending set-pieces and keeping clean sheets away from home. It is no coincidence that we got our best home defence record last year.

Overall I think our squad is in the same bracket as the other 2, perhaps slightly better than Villa but defintely behind Everton.

overly harsh I think.

You really think that Crouch/ Pavlyuchenko and Defoe/ Keane is worse than Heskey/ Carew and Agbonlahor/ Harewood?

I'd definitely take Crouch over either Heskey or Carew, and Agbonlahor may have promise but he is far from being in the class of either Defoe or Keane. As for Everton, Yakubu is a very good striker and Jo on loan could prove to be very clever, but Saha is always injured and Vaughan and Anichebe are just not very good at all.

As for midfield, Yes Everton have Cahill and Arteta, while Villa have Ashley Young (Agbonlahor's really a forward I think), but as you already say we have Modric, and on top of that we have Lennon. We also have Palacios, and even if I'm not that big a fan I reckon Moyes and moreso O'Neil would love to have Jenas. We also have far better depth, with Bentley and Huddlestone both far better than any midfielders either Everton or Villa have in reserve, and O'Hara, Rose, Livermore and even Naughton all pushing hard for a lot of first team involvement.

I'm not saying we will do better (though I think we will) because obviously other factors come into play, but I think on paper we are better than both Everton and Villa throughout not just the team but the squad, especially Villa with their loss of Barry and Laursen. I reckon even before that we looked better than both, but obviously the way events unfolded we had an uphill battle last season. However, looking at our performance since we put this squad together in January, and now having improved it with Crouch replacing Bent, I think there is a very strong argument that Everton and Villa are the teams who need to improve to reach our level, not vice versa.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I think we just have a very different interpretation of the same things. The proof will be in the pudding I guess.

 

[Legend10]

Somebody doesn't watch everton very much.

 

[mattyspurs]

Right then, I am going to throw my hat into the ring with the Shanks/whitestripe Rafa debate.

For all of my sins, I am going to agree with whitestripe here. Liverpool, last year had there best oppurtunity to win the title. I feel (also living in working in merseyside and employing some Liverpool fans who agree), that it was Rafas decision making that cost them the title too. I understand that ManU had a vey big points total last year, but they didin't for some reason seem consistently good. They ground out results. We should have beaten them at Old Trafford FFS.

As WS alludes to Liverpool should have been at least 9 points clear come the new year, but they had, I think, 3 home games in a row that screwed their season, Hull, WHam and stoke, they drew all 3. That was not good enough for a team of Liverpools capabilitly, and it was mainly due to Rafas tactics, the rotations, the constant faith in Lucas, despite the fans hating him. Had they won those games, they would have wrapped up the league early.

After that, Rafa decided for once, to stick with he same team, hence they went on a very long run. He should have done this sooner.

Just for the record, a lot of Liverpool fans, are really not happy with Rafa. They think he just wants to win the Champions League, when the fans are desperate to knock ManU off the perch as Champions of England

 

[alextheyid]

battle for 4/5/6..will hopefully include us..arsenal, everton, you have to say city...i think losing barry is huge for villa..anyone of sunderland, west ham and fulham could finish well..

 

[Legend10]

Arsenal must be very close to being ousted from the Sky 4.

I think 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th will be a dogfight between Arse, City, Everton and Spurs.

I think its very tough to pick who finishes where amongst those 4.

Villa don't concern me at all.

 

[tony_parkes]

I'm not saying we will 100% finish above Everton and Villa, they are good teams with good managers.

I will be disappointed if we don't though. We do have better squads than them in terms of numbers and strength of depth.

They have had stability of playing staff and management which we haven't. I also thought last season they were both a bit lucky at times.

Everton have over achieved regularly under Moyes, without the finance to compete for players I really feel they are due a bad run. I think they will finish no higher than 7th.

I think we can get 5th or 6th.