Now what?

[thinktank]

Game by game.

 

[ilikeost]

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?

I think we are contenders for top 4, not the title. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if we didn't make top 4 either since both Chelsea and Liverpool are also contenders. But I'd argue that we are favourites for top 4 out of us, Chelsea, Leicester and Liverpool with Liverpool being close 2nd.

But it's far to early to get any hopes up. Just do as the players and Pochettino keeps on saying, take it game by game. If we get it, great! If not, I don't really give a shit, I just enjoy watching this Spurs team play.

 

[Hot Spur]

Game by game.

Exactly.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

I think our undefeated streak might have a negative influence when you look our fixture list. Let's hope the players will try to win these bottom 10 teams and don't pay attention to our streak which may cause draws.

Why? You think they might be so keen to hold onto 'not losing' that it might stop them from taking winning risks?

 

[Lo Amo Speroni]

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.

If Poch likes what's available, I think DL will back him.

 

[beats1]

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?

IMO from November I think we learned we aren't title contenders and 4th isn't certain and will be hard as we are 2 points ahead of our rivals and they also have an easy run in

Now we can't afford to slip up games and only drop points once this December as Liverpool and Everton have a similar run in before January

 

[zepstar]

I'd suggest it's our responsibility as fans to adjust our own mindset now. I've seen enough this season to think we can not only qualify in 4th, but perhaps qualify in 3rd.

It's been self-perpetuating over the years. Us fans, pessimistic to the last, to carry a (often justified) defeatist attitude to games, which then permeates the stadiums and the club. It reaches the players you know.

I agree with what others have said. This team looks and feels different. Almost as if none of them, even the academy lads, have any sense that they're supposed to be fucking up right about now in fine Tottenham tradition.

13 games unbeaten. The best run since 1984/85. Let's adopt a 1984/85 mentality then. We finished 3rd that season.

 

[yido_number1]

Just going to enjoy the ride without any expectations. We have a young maturing team with lots of quality and I'm enjoying watching them achieve what they have so far.

 

[lunde1]

We fight for a top 4 finish every season imo. At the moment we might be unbeaten in 13 matches but we draw to many games to fight for something else than top 4. Hopefully December will be a good month but we usually drop points in these "winnable" games.

Will take one match at the time

 

[Mr Pink]

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.

And we would of, in all likelihood, had we not been in the Euorpa League - or handled it differently. I know there's no point in really pointing that out because we are in it and we're taking it seriously - which is the right thing to do of course.

Its just a pity IMHO, because I genuinely believe we'd challenge for the title if we clearly prioritized the league given the struggles of the other top sides. We'll never have a better chance I reckon.

As it stands we're still in a good position for top four, and possibly a touch higher, even taking the Europa League seriously as well.

 

[Mullers]

I think we can challenge for fourth, since the days of Jol we've challenged for fourth, with a couple of breaks in between, whether we will get fourth is a different matter entirely. The defence has kept a clean sheet in the last two games, they need to keep that up With a couple of injuries to key players everything can change, I don't remember the last time before this season that we had a consistent CB pairing, what if TA or Verts get injuried or both? Wimmer is an unknown factor he's played two games all season none of them in the PL and Fazio is rubbish. We could play Dier back there with Wimmer then we probably end up playing Dembele there, which isn't a great idea. Then there is Kane anything happens to him, we are in deep shit, Poch apparently rejected the chance to sign Charlie Austin.

Levy told Pochettino he could get Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers and he believed he could do so for less than the £15m fee that had been quoted. Austin had scored 18 Premier League goals the previous season. He had earned an England call-up. At the very least, he looked like a decent option in Tottenham's hour of need.

Pochettino was not interested. He told Levy that Austin, good player though he was, would not represent a fit for his team. He would prefer to make do with what he had, to adapt other players if necessary. He would not add for the sake of adding and, for him, it was not only to do with quality over quantity but instead, specific qualities.

http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnatio...ransfer-news-rumors-charlie-austin-harry-kane

Hmmm, well I won't make any comment about Levy offering to get players that were not the original choice, for obvious reasons...

It's clear that Poch wants quality and I don't think he'll be getting that in January, clubs don't want to sell key players in January. We have a stronger mentality and a stronger team but the situation is not a lot different, we could finish 4th or we could fade and have bad luck and finish 6/7, I'm just enjoying our current form at the moment.

 

[nicdic]

IMO from November I think we learned we aren't title contenders and 4th isn't certain and will be hard as we are 2 points ahead of our rivals and they also have an easy run in

Now we can't afford to slip up games and only drop points once this December as Liverpool and Everton have a similar run in before January

I'm interested to know what makes you think this?

Us in November

Villa H 3-1 W
Arsenal A 1-1 D
West Ham H 4-1 W
Chelsea H 0-0 D

8 points

I'm guessing you consider City, Arsenal, and United as title contenders? (I've added their last fixtures of October)

City
Norwich H 2-1 W
Villa A 0-0 D
Liverpool H 1-4 L
Southampton H 3-1 W

7 points

Arsenal
Swansea A 0-3 W
Spurs H 1-1 D
West Brom A 1-2 L
Norwich A 1-1 D

5 points

United
Palace A 0-0 D
West Brom H 2-0 W
Watford A 1-2 W
Leicester A 1-1 D

8 points

Think we had the hardest games there, and yet only United scored as many points as us. We dropped points to other teams challenging at the top, yet the others all dropped points to what should be seen as weaker sides.

Surely if you're looking at everyone over the last month then our stock has only increased.

 

[DiscoD1882]

I'm interested to know what makes you think this?

Us in November

Villa H 3-1 W
Arsenal A 1-1 D
West Ham H 4-1 W
Chelsea H 0-0 D

8 points

I'm guessing you consider City, Arsenal, and United as title contenders? (I've added their last fixtures of October)

City
Norwich H 2-1 W
Villa A 0-0 D
Liverpool H 1-4 L
Southampton H 3-1 W

7 points

Arsenal
Swansea A 0-3 W
Spurs H 1-1 D
West Brom A 1-2 L
Norwich A 1-1 D

5 points

United
Palace A 0-0 D
West Brom H 2-0 W
Watford A 1-2 W
Leicester A 1-1 D

8 points

Think we had the hardest games there, and yet only United scored as many points as us. We dropped points to other teams challenging at the top, yet the others all dropped points to what should be seen as weaker sides.

Surely if you're looking at everyone over the last month then our stock has only increased.

Very interesting. And we have had the harder games. WE ARE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE!!! Order the open top bus lads. Book monday off work. this is going to be EPIC!!!! (sorry yes. Not getting carried away.)

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Game by game.

Boring

 

[Dazza86]

I'm confident the club will spend in January. It's clear we had some targets in the Summer we weren't able to recruit and have the money there to make the additions, so see no reason why we wouldn't (unless players decide against it). We've also got assets to sell so can raise a good chunk if need be.

If we do, I think we'll have a great chance of getting the top 4. Finishing at the top end of the league is a squad game, and we've got some gaping holes, particularly clear if anyone from a number of positions gets an injury (Kane, Dier, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Lloris).

Usually, I feel like being in strong league position actually weakens Levy's desire to spend in Jan (financial risk/reward), but if we don't, we potentially go back years again if Poch, Lloris, Vertonghen, et al decide the ambition isn't there.

Obviously easy to say 'spend' and assume it'll all work out, but I think we've learned a lot in a few years and now have the personnel to get the majority of spending right.

 

[Bendo]

Yes, it's in Rwanda between 16th Jan and 7th Feb.

The 2016 CHAN is different from 2015 CAN and won't include any players playing in non-African clubs, so no advantage for Spurs. The Cup of Nations is biennial, except for 2012/13 when it was switched to odd years.

As required by the regulations, teams must be exclusively composed of national team players playing in their country's own domestic league.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I'm interested to know what makes you think this?

Us in November

Villa H 3-1 W
Arsenal A 1-1 D
West Ham H 4-1 W
Chelsea H 0-0 D

8 points

I'm guessing you consider City, Arsenal, and United as title contenders? (I've added their last fixtures of October)

City
Norwich H 2-1 W
Villa A 0-0 D
Liverpool H 1-4 L
Southampton H 3-1 W

7 points

Arsenal
Swansea A 0-3 W
Spurs H 1-1 D
West Brom A 1-2 L
Norwich A 1-1 D

5 points

United
Palace A 0-0 D
West Brom H 2-0 W
Watford A 1-2 W
Leicester A 1-1 D

8 points

Think we had the hardest games there, and yet only United scored as many points as us. We dropped points to other teams challenging at the top, yet the others all dropped points to what should be seen as weaker sides.

Surely if you're looking at everyone over the last month then our stock has only increased.

I think the point is that for us to genuinely be considered title challengers, we'd need to take advantage of the fact that the teams around us haven't done so well.

Title winning teams turn dominant performances into victories (we didn't do that against Arsenal) and take advantage of struggling teams (we didn't do that against Chelsea).

The fact is that for all our good play and our unbeaten run, we are in 5th. I can't remember how many title winning teams have been 5th going into December, but I'm prepared to suggest it's not many.

Ultimately we're not going to know if we're genuine title contenders till something like March, and obviously if results continue as they have then we will be there and thereabouts.

But if we'd held onto our lead against Arsenal and put away a limping Chelsea, then I'd be far more confident talking about us as title contenders.

 

[GutBucket]

I don't think we have enough game winners in the team to win the title and City and Utd can spend like crazy in January if needed. Maybe Arsenal too if they get forced by injuries. We depend too much on Kane to score goals, we need more from Lamela, Eriksen and Son (I think Son will score goals once he fully adapts but It could take time). Another problem is young teams make some stupid mistakes that will lose us couple of important points.

We are solid in all areas so I think it's enough for top 4.

We need more consistent goal threat (and someone to rest and challenge Kane) to win the title.

And good thing with young teams is that you don't need to buy many new players since youngsters will improve every year and the team will continue to grow by itself. Just imagine Alli-Dier partnetship in 3 years from now (if we keep them and Dier doesn't switch back to CB).

Anything is possible and this will be one fun season for sure.

 

[fletch82]

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.

So don't make a prediction until it's over ? Hmm......

That's like me predicting we will draw with Chelsea 0-0 today for yesterday's game where's the fun in that ?

 

[southlondonyiddo]

So don't make a prediction until it's over ? Hmm......

That's like me predicting we will draw with Chelsea 0-0 today for yesterday's game where's the fun in that ?

Spot on with that prediction. Well done, hopefully you had a bet