Next Thursday...

[sunnydelight786]

One thing is for certain we will have to play our strongest team possible next Thursday to beat them. The fact we have no league game next weekend, we have no excuse not to.

p.s. Strongest team means Lloris in goal too!!!

 

[Mullers]

I'd prefer to win the Europa league than get top four, champions league is just about money, realistically if we get there we have no chance of winning the whole thing, there is no glory in going out in the group stages.

 

[jonnyrotten]

One thing is for certain we will have to play our strongest team possible next Thursday to beat them. The fact we have no league game next weekend, we have no excuse not to.

p.s. Strongest team means Lloris in goal too!!!

Agree, they have so much pace up front we need Lloris in there. I would play Vertonghen LB as well to give us some much-needed width.

We are three games from our first European final in 30 years, next Thursday is one of the biggest games I've known following Spurs.. lets give it everything!

 

[Sandro30]

Scrape wins on Sunday and Thursday and then rest boys. I'll be a very happy man if so.

 

[CowInAComa]

Honestly. I see success in the Europa League and our top 4 challenge being death or glory. We get both or neither, its like stoking a fire isnt it, if we just crash out of europe what sort of mentality will that set?

fuck this throwing in the towel shit. Its the business end of the season and we have realistic chance on two fronts, therefore we should fight on two fronts.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Honestly. I see success in the Europa League and our top 4 challenge being death or glory. We get both or neither, its like stoking a fire isnt it, if we just crash out of europe what sort of mentality will that set?

fuck this throwing in the towel shit. Its the business end of the season and we have realistic chance on two fronts, therefore we should fight on two fronts.

I'm not advocating playing a weakened team on Thursday, particularly with the 10 day rest they get afterwards, but I just wouldn't care that much if we went out, whereas I'll be gutted if we don't finish in the top four.

 

[CowInAComa]

I'm not advocating playing a weakened team on Thursday, particularly with the 10 day rest they get afterwards, but I just wouldn't care that much if we went out, whereas I'll be gutted if we don't finish in the top four.

Hate to break it to you, but i would start bracing yourself to be royally gutted.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Hate to break it to you, but i would start bracing yourself to be royally gutted.

I think you might be right, but we shall see.

 

[Adam456]

On this occasion we might as well go for it as we have a long rest. But we should have been playing the kids from the start and we are beginning to see the damage to our CL challenge. Would be nice to win it and join the illustrious list of winners (can anybody remember more than a couple of the winners in the last decade ? No I thought not) but don't really care if we go out

 

[Armstrong_11]

well... at least we wont be throwing away a 3 goal lead this time.

frankly... i think we have a great chance... we will go into the match with nothing to lose, Basel will be under pressure, their fans will expect them to win the match. Seriously, everything still to play for. COYS!

 

[chrissivad]

On this occasion we might as well go for it as we have a long rest. But we should have been playing the kids from the start and we are beginning to see the damage to our CL challenge. Would be nice to win it and join the illustrious list of winners (can anybody remember more than a couple of the winners in the last decade ? No I thought not) but don't really care if we go out

Saville (they put us out on the way to win it), Shaktar, Moscow (cant remember what one), Zenit (Beat Rangers), Porto, Athletico Madrid and Liverpool (might be more than 10 years)

 

[BK007]

Here's my take on it:

People here love to call others out on their fandom. Basically, if you have anything negative to say about the team or players, you are not a proper fan and should be hung from the balcony for all to see.

Yet, so many of the same would prefer to see Chelsea go far/win the FA Cup/Europa League and would not care if we go out- just so as long as we get fourth and CL qualification.

It doesn't take perfect vision to see the irony, hypocrisy and stupidity of it all. I don't want to get into the CL to make up the numbers and be whipping boys. What does it say that we cannot beat teams in the Europa League? And this would be the best chance of a European trophy for the foreseeable future unless some here are delusional enough to believe we can win the CL.

The whining here of Europa distraction is akin to what we point and laugh at Wenger for. When did we become the small time Charlies at Arsenal? If the players can't get up for it, then fuck them. Any player who would retire satisfied with winning nothing is a player we don't want at Spurs.

Winning breeds winning. That's the discerning quality that separates the champions from the pack. So, want Chelsea to go far and for us to throw in the towel? Stamford Bridge is always open.

 

[Adam456]

Saville (they put us out on the way to win it), Shaktar, Moscow (cant remember what one), Zenit (Beat Rangers), Porto, Athletico Madrid and Liverpool (might be more than 10 years)

Jimmy ? Just kidding.

Erm

With you on Seville, Porto and Shaktar. Maybe Athletico....think Liverpool's was more than 10. But really struggling and that's the point sadly

 

[WestBelfast Spurs]

I really want to win this, they can call it a poor trophy if they want but know what I will say when that's mentioned, "bitch please, its still a fucking trophy", do you think wenger shines his 4th place trophy every week

 

[kaz Hirai]

We can win, even without Bale and Lennon I'll stick my neck out and say we are quite the better team.

Just AVB needs to be smart tactically, he knows how they play, the pace they have.

To play Friedel over Lloris would be madness considering they will murder us on the counter with through balls and pace

To play 2 low centre backs would be madness. It must be Caulker and one other

And we will need a midfield that can contain and control possession without getting flustered...that's the tricky part. No Dempsey with wild shots and poor control would be a starting point

 

[robin09]

Never give less than 100% effort to win a game.

It's a quarter final!

 

[SteveH]

Its seem people get their knickers in a twist over this priority question when its quite simple.

Always play you strongest team. Don't 'risk' any recently injured and returning from said injury, important first team player/s who could be crucial to achieving your main goal.

My only critique then of AVB was playing the fragile Lennon. AVB said our top priorities is top four, thus not the Europa cup.

 

[Bails]

Personally I don't think it was a concerning result last night (score-line not injuries obviously). We have to just win away against Basel not by 2, but by 1. Every away game we have played so far this season in the league has been to win the game- at no point have we gone extra defensive to get a draw. Most teams we play away (the Villa's, Fulham's, Southampton's etc etc) are quite happy to get a draw when spurs visit and this will be the mindset of Basel- dont lose, but a win is nice. Its similar to how we were against Inter- not truely motivated as could coast through.

Think how tricky it is for Basel to approach the next game- do they go for a win (being more open on counter) or do they stick and defend and allow us 90 minutes to get one. I think its more tricky for them. Whereas we just have to set up and have the mentality to win, something we have been doing all year. Great comeback because at 2-0 or 2-1 it becomes a chasing game that we are unused to.

Of course we should go for it on Thursday it is equivalent of saying Swansea is a good team a draw isnt too bad but i want to win- guess what we won that one and it will be a similarly difficult/nervy game but an achievable target nonetheless. We can beat most teams in Europe home or away. We will be easily motivated, simple game plan to win. Then we can go on and pick up the trophy in Amsterdam.

 

[Gbspurs]

I want to beat Basel in a glorious away game. Get drawn against Chelsea in the semi's and spank them and then enjoy a Glamorous European final against Benfica, which of course we win.

I know what finishing 4th brings, but how much better would the above feel!

 

[marion52]

IMO we haven't a hope