Now what?

[Japhet]

We need a good transfer window in Jan to get some back up for Kane. If we can do that I think we're in terrific shape.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Can't see us losing another game this season. Should have the league rapped up by the end of April which will allow us to concentrate on the EL which I can't see us having any problems with either

Next season we’ll take our eye off the ball a little and finish runners up because we’ll be focusing on the CL which I'm pretty confident we’ll bring back to WHL

Not sure about 2017/18 yet. Will let you guys know ASAP

 

[dagraham]

January is key. Right now the same core group of players seem in prime fitness ( yesterday aside), but by the business end of the season I suspect it will catch up on us.

Which means that either Poch must begin to trust players like N'jie, Wimmer etc or we have to go into the transfer market for players that Poch has faith in to step in immediately.

And of course it goes without saying that we need to put a winning run together as we are drawing too many games.

Can we do it? Absolutely.

Will we do it? History tells us wait and see.

I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[Spurs 1961]

Best chance we have ever had to win the Premier League. There is no team this season who have seriously outplayed us, indeed there are too many games we should have won but didn't.

That then is our problem, one which needs one world class finisher to solve for us. Give us a Bale or a Berbatov from the start of this season and we would be 6-8 points clear. But we don't have anyone of that class, let alone a Saurez. It is highly doubtful that the world class players at City, Chelsea and even Arsenal (like Hazard and Aguero) will continue to under achieve or be injured for the entire season. In December we need to take advantage of no Europa (we have already qualified so should take the last group game easy) and go all out to win every game.

It's nice to been on such a not losing streak but we would have more points if we had won three of our drawn games and lost the other four. Sure not losing is invaluable for moral but somewhere we need to find the formula to turn draws into victories. Mayve we think that with more experience we could do it next year but the style we play means we will always need a young team and who knows what injuries may be around the corner or which players might move on.

Poch has a challenge now, one that more running alone will not overcome, can he turn a hard to beat side into a winning one?

 

[spids]

Poch should be saying to the players that we can put together 5 or 6 consecutive wins for rest of this year, but only if they out-work the teams we are about to play. Against Monaco we can field a second XI so players should be fresh for this period. I see no reason we should not be aiming or 15 points out of 15 from the next 5 league games. Between now and the busy Xmas period we should have players returning from injury (Bentaleb, Chadli, Mason) too help with some rotation when fixtures get congested.

My one worry at this stage is that Kane looked very 'leggy' and tired against Chelsea and has played a lot of games in the last 12 months. I really wish England had not picked him for the senior team until after the U21s tournament. He could / should have had a 10 day break back in March when it was evident he would play for the U21s in the summer. Poch needs to give him time off if we want him to be 'on it' all the way until the end of the season, only problem is we do not have many other CFs who can lead the line.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Poch should be saying to the players that we can put together 5 or 6 consecutive wins for rest of this year, but only if they out-work the teams we are about to play. Against Monaco we can field a second XI so players should be fresh for this period. I see no reason we should not be aiming or 15 points out of 15 from the next 5 league games. Between now and the busy Xmas period we should have players returning from injury (Bentaleb, Chadli, Mason) too help with some rotation when fixtures get congested.

My one worry at this stage is that Kane looked very 'leggy' and tired against Chelsea and has played a lot of games in the last 12 months. I really wish England had not picked him for the senior team until after the U21s tournament. He could / should have had a 10 day break back in March when it was evident he would play for the U21s in the summer. Poch needs to give him time off if we want him to be 'on it' all the way until the end of the season, only problem is we do not have many other CFs who can lead the line.

I think you meant 'we do not have ANY other CFs who can lead the line

 

[talkshowhost86]

Right, with that tricky month of November out of the way how are people feeling about our chances?

Over the past couple of months people have been pointing toward this recent period of games as being our toughest stretch that will really show what we're made of. Well, we've remained unbeaten, qualified for next round of the Europa League and have a clear week to rest up a bit before a run of games that look much more favourable.

I seem to recall a number of posters claiming that November would prove whether we can really consider ourselves real contenders for fourth, let alone higher. What do you think now? Because we've passed that test is WBA the new test?

Personally I think it's shown we are genuine contenders for the top 4, but that we are not necessarily favourites for 4th, and we don't quite look ready to take that extra step towards being top 2 contenders.

We've played well (mostly) but ultimately only come away with 5 points from our last 3 league games, and if you're going to be considered as title contenders you need to be taking more points than that.

So I think we can be positive based on November, but also need to temper that possibility with a sense of realism. The unbeaten run is great, but we need to turn more of those draws into wins (we've actually won fewer than half our games this season) and until we do that then I think top 4 is a sensible target.

The next month brings a completely different type of test as we have a selection of games that we'd probably be expected to win. West Brom (a), Newcastle (h), Southampton (a), Norwich (h) and Watford (a). It'll be very interesting to see where we are come January 1st.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I'm going balls out the bath on this one - I think we will finish top 4. I just don't see us losing many games. We've got decent options throughout the squad. As long as Kane or Lloris don't pick up long term injuries then i'm very confident we'll do it based on what I've seen so far.

 

[mpickard2087]

I'll just be taking one game at a time. I think things are still delicately poised, we are in amongst several other teams and I think some of the games ahead actually look quite tricky.

 

[onthetwo]

i cant see any game in December that isnt winnable, and im not prone to giddiness!
Id be happy with a back-up striker in the window (even someone on a 6 month deal like Lambert, as longer term options are rarely available in Jan) just to tide us over and prevent H from burn-out.

 

[neptunes]

Let's go game by game. Coming fixtures look that the points are/can be taken. This group of players are looking very very solid indeed. Get another CF to help Harry and we are flying.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Everyone is saying we need to get another CF in and I agree.

Buuuuuuuuuut (lights blue touchpaper and runs away)

We've been here before and the evidence suggests shortstuff won't do what's required……So come the end of the season people will be saying "if only", moaning like fuck about him until next season when we'll win two consecutive games and he'll be the handsomest, baldest and most well hung little pixie in football again.

#we'reluckytohavehim
#thegrassisn'talwaysgreener
#becarefulwhatyouwishfor
#doyouwanttodoaleeds

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Oh and

 

[dickieven]

A good thread and everyone seems reasonably optimistic but with a hint of caution. This is about right i think. It is so tight this year at the moment. We are 4 points off top and 4 points off 9th place.

As everyone says we need to turn some draws in to wins. Maybe take a few more risks?

Overall though I am a very happy Spurs fan. We are starting to play better football as well as not losing. We seem fitter, probably why we have fewer injuries than normal (and other teams).

Lets enjoy the ride!

 

[DiscoD1882]

word of caution. When pocky was at southampton they started very well. And then tailed off badly at the end of the season. Is this beacause he worked them too hard and it was unsustainable? maybe. so i would say we should not predict anything until the end of the season. If i had to give a prediction. I would say we have an outside chance of any place in the top 4. lets just enjoy the ride and stay behine the team regardless. 13 games unbeaten is pretty good.

 

[Gassin's finest]

I think we've got a relatively forgiving set of fixtures over the Christmas period, which can usually make or break a season. The toughest games are out of the way, and we've been superb so far. No need to get any expectations in yet, just keep steady away and we'll be reet.

 

[talkshowhost86]

word of caution. When pocky was at southampton they started very well. And then tailed off badly at the end of the season. Is this beacause he worked them too hard and it was unsustainable? maybe. so i would say we should not predict anything until the end of the season. If i had to give a prediction. I would say we have an outside chance of any place in the top 4. lets just enjoy the ride and stay behine the team regardless. 13 games unbeaten is pretty good.

Yup this is the unknown factor at this point.

There are so many games in December that we could feasibly be completely burnt out by the end of the year, or equally we could get through it, sign a few reinforcements in January and really kick on.

It's very hard to know.

 

[Hot Spur]

Yup this is the unknown factor at this point.

There are so many games in December that we could feasibly be completely burnt out by the end of the year, or equally we could get through it, sign a few reinforcements in January and really kick on.

It's very hard to know.

Sign reinforcements in January? I guess you've only just become a spurs fan otherwise you would know Levy never does that apart from the 2 points in 8 games season and that was only because he got scared of relegation.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Sign reinforcements in January? I guess you've only just become a spurs fan otherwise you would know Levy never does that apart from the 2 points in 8 games season and that was only because he got scared of relegation.

Been a Spurs fan for plenty long enough thanks, and in that time we've never been in a title race.

If we get to the end of December and we're within striking distance of the top, I really do think Levy would look at reinforcements.

 

[Hot Spur]

Been a Spurs fan for plenty long enough thanks, and in that time we've never been in a title race.

If we get to the end of December and we're within striking distance of the top, I really do think Levy would look at reinforcements.

We're not in a title race now so what's different?