Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

[Westmorland]

Well it’s gonna be a tight one!
Apart from staying relatively injury free.
If we are gonna make it we need Alli firing on all cylinders, he struggled for form this season but I think it’s only a matter of time before it’s starts to click for him again. I predict the next few big games coming up will be his time to shine again.
We also need Toby back ASAP, and Lamela to have an impact when he is given the chance.

Alli does seem to like a big game. Let’s hope he performs , he certainly hasn’t had a particularly good season

 

[tiger666]

Alli does seem to like a big game. Let’s hope he performs , he certainly hasn’t had a particularly good season

He's actually created more chances, had more assists and key passes than last. He just hasn't scored as many.

 

[hellava_tough]

Agreed.

And actually, much as I love us winning things, the memories that really stand out are things like some of Glenn's incredible goals and moves, and Gazza's, and Ginola's, every bit as much as lifting the league cup.

Winning the league would be different, as would the CL I'm sure. But if that was all that really mattered, why bother going to football week after week, year after year? The magic of football is the atmosphere and the fact (and it is a fact) that an amazing thing can happen at any moment that you might remember for the rest of your life.

And that goes for 'non-Spurs' related events as well

I think the Brazil Vs Germany 7-1 will probably be the footballing memory that will standout for me, for the rest of my life

Although I'm still young(ish) so who knows...

 

[St José Dominguez]

The vast majority of teams would love to have those 5 memories.
If you want a bag load of trophies i'm afraid you picked the wrong team.
It's up to you. Support someone else or accept what we are and hope for something special. Or you could moan, just don't expect much sympathy from me.

Over 27 years for a club as big as ours it isn't good enough in my opinion.
I didn't pick to support us, it was passed down from my grandad, to my dad, to me. It's in my blood. Utterly pathetic line to throw at someone to "support someone else" when all I was saying is I get memories from winning a cup rather than getting top 4.
Wasn't even moaning, and believe me I hope for something special as much as anyone and know we can win a league in my lifetime. And that's the feeling I want, 1 league title rather than this modern obsession with getting top 4.

 

[tiger666]

this modern obsession with getting top 4.

This modern obsession with top 4 will help with the £50m we're not spending that you're complaining about in the Malcom thread.

 

[St José Dominguez]

This modern obsession with top 4 will help with the £50m we're not spending that you're complaining about in the Malcom thread.

Moaning, complaining or just typing words into a forum.
Absolutely and unfortunately it's just the way it is these days. Football is different to how it was when I first went a game.

 

[Lilbaz]

Over 27 years for a club as big as ours it isn't good enough in my opinion.
I didn't pick to support us, it was passed down from my grandad, to my dad, to me. It's in my blood. Utterly pathetic line to throw at someone to "support someone else" when all I was saying is I get memories from winning a cup rather than getting top 4.
Wasn't even moaning, and believe me I hope for something special as much as anyone and know we can win a league in my lifetime. And that's the feeling I want, 1 league title rather than this modern obsession with getting top 4.

I'm like you supported us from birth 78 through my father.
Not saying you should support someone else just that you have the 3 choices. It is up to you which one you chose.

We shouldn't expect trophies because we are spurs like it is a god given right, that is a bonus. We're playing newport this week. Do they support them because they win trophies? No. They support them because it's their club.

I want to win things, every fan does but (not aimed at you, you were just one poster out of a thousand i've read, it just gets me sad) there are very many teams and very few trophies.

What i'm trying to say is focus on the positives not the negatives.

 

[Lighty64]

Ne need, the site would break anyway due to the amount of moaning.

it was still wobbling until after the final whistle last night.

Poch has been blamed for Sunday's draw, the thing is he wasn't the 1 that missed 2-3 good chances on Sunday, ok he played Sissoko, but we 1, don't have much depth without Winks and Eriksen, and 2, from what I read-into his post match there was a few players carrying illness v Southampton, in real shitty weather.

we definitely could do with getting a result in our next 3 matches, but there's 14 games to go and I'm sure there will still be a good few weeks were the moaners/panickers/OTFT/doom merchants/(please post here if ive missed a category out) posters will return.

 

[ardiles]

Whilst I do massively agree, we do usually lose there yet still finish above them.

You’re right but I’d just like a win at Anfield if only to see the meltdown in RAWK

 

[Lighty64]

Still here.
And still think we've no chance.
Liverpool lost but that doesnt change the fact that we were awful, put out a shit team selection and Poch keeps playing bloody Sissoko.
Unless the last 2 of those things change imo we'll drop away.
On the other hand IF we stop making ridiculous decisions and play at our best we can beat anyone on our day bit I'm not confident that'll happen.
And I think we'll see both Arsenal and Liverpool strengthen with new signings this window. We wont.
Was always gonna be tough getting rop 4 at Wembley anyway.
I just think were not helping ourselves with bad tactics going toe to toe against City, and poor subs, selection etc.
Whats annoying is we are far better than we're showing. Thats whats pissing people off.
I knew that was 2 or 3 points dropped on Sunday as soon as I saw Sissoko, Dier and Dembele in the middle together. Slow as fk with no creativity. Cant understand what Poch was thinking. Not like we havent seen Dier and Demble together before. Add Sissoko and... shittt.

did you watch Poch's post match (I missed the pre match) interview?

the only person we had to start instead of Sissoko was in my view Lamela, but I don't see Lamela every day of the week on the training ground or if he was actually another player that was suffering from illness, or he just not ready to start a match yet, and when he was on he missed a good chance to win it.

and the bolded part, we had most of our spine missing, and still haven't played our strongest XI once this season.

and Dier and Dembele where a strong reason we got 3rd the other season, the combo that never looked good last season was Dier and Wanyama

 

[St José Dominguez]

With Toby fully fit and Wanyama back also the choice of selection in the 4 games after Newport is going to be interesting. Will we go back to 3 at back, I'm guessing at least in away games vs Liverpool and Juve we will. We've not ever been injury wise in a position where Dier could genuinely been left out of the team in last year and half. I reckon Dier will start two of the games at CM (Utd & Arsenal) and two of the games at CB (Liverpool & Juve) with Wanyama coming in for 2. If we don't play 3 at back at home potentially Sanchez might not start any of those 4 games. Plus if 3 at back does Dembele start and who out of Dele or Son will Poch leave out.

 

[JollyHappy]

There's a nice bit of fixture congestion for our rivals now due to the Carabo Cup. That weekend it was meant to be Arse v City and Man U v Chelsea so they have to fit those in another time. If Chelsea win tomorrow and play City then they have Barcelona away before the final and city away the week after,

Can't do us any harm!

 

[BigVic]

He's actually created more chances, had more assists and key passes than last. He just hasn't scored as many.

True, but he’s general play at times has been TERRIBLE.

 

[WexfordTownSpur]

Still here.
And still think we've no chance.
Liverpool lost but that doesnt change the fact that we were awful, put out a shit team selection and Poch keeps playing bloody Sissoko.
Unless the last 2 of those things change imo we'll drop away.
On the other hand IF we stop making ridiculous decisions and play at our best we can beat anyone on our day bit I'm not confident that'll happen.
And I think we'll see both Arsenal and Liverpool strengthen with new signings this window. We wont.
Was always gonna be tough getting rop 4 at Wembley anyway.
I just think were not helping ourselves with bad tactics going toe to toe against City, and poor subs, selection etc.
Whats annoying is we are far better than we're showing. Thats whats pissing people off.
I knew that was 2 or 3 points dropped on Sunday as soon as I saw Sissoko, Dier and Dembele in the middle together. Slow as fk with no creativity. Cant understand what Poch was thinking. Not like we havent seen Dier and Demble together before. Add Sissoko and... shittt.

I agree with everything you are saying especially team selection. But the only thing I can think of is, Poch knows the players, and indeed their fitness levels better than we do. He sees them in training everyday and speaks to the fitness guys every day. Maybe there is stuff going on fitness wise we don’t know. I just can’t believe he picks some of the teams he does because he thinks that is his best team, maybe more best available?

 

[worcestersauce]

Just looked at the table on BBC page which shows last five results which made me look twice.
Over the last five games we have matched Chelsea and Manchester United, made up one point on Liverpool, two points on Manchester City and three points on Arsenal, we have lost ground on none of them.

 

[RichieS]

Just looked at the table on BBC page which shows last five results which made me look twice.
Over the last five games we have matched Chelsea and Manchester United, made up one point on Liverpool, two points on Manchester City and three points on Arsenal, we have lost ground on none of them.

BUT WE DREW WITH SOUTHAMPTON!!!!11!!

 

[spursfan77]

Just looked at the table on BBC page which shows last five results which made me look twice.
Over the last five games we have matched Chelsea and Manchester United, made up one point on Liverpool, two points on Manchester City and three points on Arsenal, we have lost ground on none of them.

Like I said the other day we are in great form. It’s just a pain in the arse that all the other teams aren’t really dropping points whilst we’ve been winning. Liverpool did the other day obviously though.

 

[Westmorland]

He's actually created more chances, had more assists and key passes than last. He just hasn't scored as many.

I prefer to believe the evidence of my own eyes. He has not played well this season. An odd good game in Champ Lge but that’s it. Stats are not that reliable. Did you know that a shot from 20 yds which hits the inside of the post and rolls along the line is off target , yet a shot from 30 yards which bounces 3 times as it goes straight to the keeper is on target!!!!!

 

[slartibartfast]

I agree with everything you are saying especially team selection. But the only thing I can think of is, Poch knows the players, and indeed their fitness levels better than we do. He sees them in training everyday and speaks to the fitness guys every day. Maybe there is stuff going on fitness wise we don’t know. I just can’t believe he picks some of the teams he does because he thinks that is his best team, maybe more best available?

Please dont come out with sensible things like that. It has no place here.
This is SC, we dropped 2 pts against a shower of shit in the bottom 3 and I want to vent with anger fuelled nonsense.

 

[slartibartfast]

I prefer to believe the evidence of my own eyes. He has not played well this season. An odd good game in Champ Lge but that’s it. Stats are not that reliable. Did you know that a shot from 20 yds which hits the inside of the post and rolls along the line is off target , yet a shot from 30 yards which bounces 3 times as it goes straight to the keeper is on target!!!!!

Not sure that's true about he's not playing as well. He's not scoring.
I remember thinking and reading posts from others on numerous occassions last season along the lines of 'oh christ Alli is having a shocker. Probably score in a minute' and he invariably did. All his poor play was instantly forgotten.
Only difference at the minute is he's not finding the net as often.
Edit. I know that sounds like a contradiction but you catch my drift