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Pochettino wants a title challenge from Spurs

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
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Tottenham Hotspur must not be satisfied with qualifying for the Champions League and have to mount a more serious challenge in the Premier League and for other trophies, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said.

Source: RTE
 

Mullers

Unknown member
Jan 4, 2006
25,914
16,413
" We need to brave and take risks"
I don't think he was talking about buying zero players with two days left of the transfer window.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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Of course it's what he wants. He can't really say anything else, after all. Every time he gets asked this question,he comes up with a different simile to differentiate us from the other top clubs: this time it's "same race with a different car".

But this season will have some unique challenges, so I'm not frothing at the mouth with hope and anticipation about our finishing position just yet.

We don't know how quickly the players - and the fans - will adjust to the new stadium.

We have [more than] 9 key players who will start the season with a potentially debilitating combination of reduced match-fitness due to 3 weeks of holiday, lack of pre-season training with their teammates for the same reason and underlying fatigue resulting from a year of nearly-uninterrupted competitive football. And there may be an additional risk of injuries.

If players like Kane, Trippier, Alli and the three Belgians start the season at the top of their game, I will be very surprised.

We'll have to look to players like Moura, Walker-Peters, Winks, Carter-Vickers and even Foyth to show that they have matured and/or accustomed themselves to English football. We don't know if they can step up, although Moura has looked very exciting in pre-season.

We have a good squad, but it is still dependent upon inexperienced players to back up the 14-16 regulars. The limits of my positivity are: let's hope we can stay in touch until the squad sorts itself out.

I haven't mentioned transfers, because I don't think they're very important to our strategy.
 

John48

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2015
2,249
3,143
" We need to brave and take risks"
I don't think he was talking about buying zero players with two days left of the transfer window.

This, whatever happens in the next day or so I don't think any Spurs supporter can say the manager has been backed in this TW & that especially disappointing considering what he achieved in the last few years. Challenging for league is going to require the manager to wring out every last little bit he can with what he's got. Even top 4 looks a very tall order considering what those around us are doing.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,386
With a couple of days left before the transfer window close we need to show some ambition to move forwards. I don't see any backing for Poch or anything to encourage the players that we're pushing on.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,386
Of course it's what he wants. He can't really say anything else, after all. Every time he gets asked this question,he comes up with a different simile to differentiate us from the other top clubs: this time it's "same race with a different car".

But this season will have some unique challenges, so I'm not frothing at the mouth with hope and anticipation about our finishing position just yet.

We don't know how quickly the players - and the fans - will adjust to the new stadium.

We have [more than] 9 key players who will start the season with a potentially debilitating combination of reduced match-fitness due to 3 weeks of holiday, lack of pre-season training with their teammates for the same reason and underlying fatigue resulting from a year of nearly-uninterrupted competitive football. And there may be an additional risk of injuries.

If players like Kane, Trippier, Alli and the three Belgians start the season at the top of their game, I will be very surprised.

We'll have to look to players like Moura, Walker-Peters, Winks, Carter-Vickers and even Foyth to show that they have matured and/or accustomed themselves to English football. We don't know if they can step up, although Moura has looked very exciting in pre-season.

We have a good squad, but it is still dependent upon inexperienced players to back up the 14-16 regulars. The limits of my positivity are: let's hope we can stay in touch until the squad sorts itself out.

I haven't mentioned transfers, because I don't think they're very important to our strategy.

Really?
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
This, whatever happens in the next day or so I don't think any Spurs supporter can say the manager has been backed in this TW & that especially disappointing considering what he achieved in the last few years. Challenging for league is going to require the manager to wring out every last little bit he can with what he's got. Even top 4 looks a very tall order considering what those around us are doing.
This window has been the same as every other imo but I don't think levy is concerned with that as he has a long term vision or strategy, which may well see us out the top 4 this year but the longer view is one of competing at not just at the top table in the EPL but in Europe eventually which I think is what @davidmatzdorf was alluding to.
 

Nebby

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2013
3,363
6,377
I will be happy if I see the team continue to improve and grow as a collective unit. One or two individuals within the group also need to raise their game. Games home and away against City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal will provide a good indicator of real progress - certainly in terms of mentality. Play with a bit more confidence, swagger and ruthlessness please.
 

Bilko

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2004
951
614
Hoping we keep Toby-makes more than one statement- think if he goes we're unlikely to be in top four
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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45,030
Every August, we get one group of people complaining that we haven't done enough major-transfer business and another group complaining that whatever major transfers we have done will stifle/stunt the careers of our best young players. Sometimes I swear some people are complaining about both.

Based on the evidence of last summer (Sanchez 24/08/17, Aurier 31/08/17) and winter (Moura 31/01/18), I'm not convinced that Pochettino sees this kind of business as essential to progress. If there's an opportunity to add an exciting, good-value and (especially) young player, then he'll ask Levy to snap it up. If not, he'll persevere with Winks, KWP and whoever is looking good in the academy. His record over the past 5 years in England suggests that he knows when young players are ready to step up.
 

Nebby

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2013
3,363
6,377
Every August, we get one group of people complaining that we haven't done enough major-transfer business and another group complaining that whatever major transfers we have done will stifle/stunt the careers of our best young players. Sometimes I swear some people are complaining about both.

Based on the evidence of last summer (Sanchez 24/08/17, Aurier 31/08/17) and winter (Moura 31/01/18), I'm not convinced that Pochettino sees this kind of business as essential to progress. If there's an opportunity to add an exciting, good-value and (especially) young player, then he'll ask Levy to snap it up. If not, he'll persevere with Winks, KWP and whoever is looking good in the academy. His record over the past 5 years in England suggests that he knows when young players are ready to step up.

Agreed. Far happier to have a manager that coaches / develops rather than buys. Buying the "finished article" will always be a challenge, as we remain a smaller fish in a big pond.
 

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,117
47,878
Every August, we get one group of people complaining that we haven't done enough major-transfer business and another group complaining that whatever major transfers we have done will stifle/stunt the careers of our best young players. Sometimes I swear some people are complaining about both.

Based on the evidence of last summer (Sanchez 24/08/17, Aurier 31/08/17) and winter (Moura 31/01/18), I'm not convinced that Pochettino sees this kind of business as essential to progress. If there's an opportunity to add an exciting, good-value and (especially) young player, then he'll ask Levy to snap it up. If not, he'll persevere with Winks, KWP and whoever is looking good in the academy. His record over the past 5 years in England suggests that he knows when young players are ready to step up.
I don't believe that KWP would have done any worse than Aurier. However, I do think we are light in CM and need some quality there.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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I don't believe that KWP would have done any worse than Aurier. However, I do think we are light in CM and need some quality there.

Depends on whether Winks has recovered fully and returns to his exciting form of 2 seasons ago.
 

shelfmonkey

Weird is different, different is interesting.
Mar 21, 2007
6,690
8,040
There won't be a title challenge this season. We won't compete in the cups or CL either, we're far too light in quality cover and there's no one on the bench to really challenge for 1st team places.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
There won't be a title challenge this season. We won't compete in the cups or CL either, we're far too light in quality cover and there's no one on the bench to really challenge for 1st team places.
I agree we won't compete in the CL or league title crowns but I reckon the club will offer up a challenge albeit a token one for the cup.
 

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
45,893
68,893
Poch... Just. Win. A. Domestic. Cup.

I don't want to hear anything from the manager/players about winning the everything.

Just go along quietly and win a cup.

Please.
 

14/04/91

Well-Known Member
Jan 13, 2006
3,526
5,693
Depends on whether Winks has recovered fully and returns to his exciting form of 2 seasons ago.

He was in great form when he played last season, especially around Autumn-time - from memory he started both Madrid games and played for England in November. So we don't have to back as far as 2 seasons for some encouragement.

Hopefully his ankle is close to being full strength as he's pretty vital this season given Dembele and Wanyama's fitness issues. We need him playing games asap.
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
" We need to brave and take risks"
I don't think he was talking about buying zero players with two days left of the transfer window.
Maybe he was talking about player substitutions?
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
Poch... Just. Win. A. Domestic. Cup.

I don't want to hear anything from the manager/players about winning the everything.

Just go along quietly and win a cup.

Please.
Absolutely. Surely all fans want a trophy and realistically, when are we going to win the title or CL?
 
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