Race for the Top 4 - 2018/19

[RichieS]

#bringbackluca!

That's the dream.

Wages + age ≠ Levy.

A long time ago, but Davids? That's the only sort of signing I'd make in January - a top notch "been there, done that" midfielder. More of a passer than a terrier this time though.

 

[Giovanni]

11 home games and 8 away games left. Away to Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City, mind.
If we do keep up our current points per game ratio, then we're on course for 90. Probably a somewhat tough ask. If we're sniffing at the 80 point mark, then I think we've done a bloody marvellous season all things considered.

Tough ask but......

11 home wins = 33pts
5 away wins= 15pts
1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss from the tough 3 you mentioned = 4pts

= 52pts.....gives us 97pts!!!!

Sounds easy right. Our away form to date gives us hope.

 

[Phomesy]

So MOTD let Salah off with a slap of a wet lettuce. Ffs - where’s Lineker’s “divey Alli” comments?

It was blatant cheating by a serial offender. Ffs

 

[Gb160]

So MOTD let Salah off with a slap of a wet lettuce. Ffs - where’s Lineker’s “divey Alli” comments?

It was blatant cheating by a serial offender. Ffs

Disappointed with Murphy as I quite like him as a pundit.
"Why give the referee a decision to make?"...It's not a fucking hard decision to make, putting your hand on someones shoulder doesn't make their legs give way.

 

[$hoguN]

So MOTD let Salah off with a slap of a wet lettuce. Ffs - where’s Lineker’s “divey Alli” comments?

It was blatant cheating by a serial offender. Ffs

Come on mate everyone knows that physics acts differently on Liverpool players. Salah with clearly hit with a wrecking ball like touch, don’t be disingenuous

 

[CarrickSpurgus]

Disappointed with Murphy as I quite like him as a pundit.
"Why give the referee a decision to make?"...It's not a fucking hard decision to make, putting your hand on someones shoulder doesn't make your legs give way.

Also disappointed with how Murphy gushed over how "commanding" Liverpool were today , yet Bournemouth made it easy for spurs , I like wee Danny as a pundit but thought he tried to dilute our win as an easy anybody could have done that type thing.

 

[coys200]

There will be 11 left to play when the “easy” run ends. We’d need to be very close then 1 or 2 pts or even ahead. Then it could all come down to those 3 away games at Chelsea Liverpool and city. We know on our day we can go anywhere and win so who knows.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Not sure where else to put this, but I saw a lot of complaints in the match-day thread about our defense - and not being tight enough. So, I did a little research:

This season - in league matches only - we have used 13 different back-line combinations in 19 matches. Some rotation, some injury, some tactical changes. But it is very difficult to build continuity and consistency with that many changes. Alderweireld has been the most consistent presence in the back line with 17 starts.

And, when you factor in GKs (i.e. back-line + GK) we have used 16 different combinations in 19 matches!


I think we will be a much better defensive team in the second half as we build more continuity in the back line.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

And just looking at the CB pairings - we used 7 different CB pairings.

Alderweireld - Sanchez - 5
Alderweireld - Foyth - 5
Alderweireld - Vertonghen - 3
Alderweireld - Sanchez - Vertonghen - 3
Alderweireld - Davies - 1
Sanchez - Vertonghen - 1
Foyth - Vertonghen - 1

 

[Hotspurious]

Interesting stat of the day:

Arsenal’s celebrated “Invincibles” had 45 points and a +23 GD after 19 matches.

After 19 matches this season, Spurs have 45 points and are +24.

 

[fluffybunnyuk]

Not quite as good as the 52 points we had in the 1960-61 season after same amount of games... using 3pts/win W17 D1 L1

We're almost good enough to be convincing title challengers. Its fine margins, the stutter in losing the watford and liverpool games...
I know i don't appreciate how good things are right now. People say Spurs have to do this, or win that. I dont remember that nonsense in the 70s/80s.
We have an ethos at Spurs of playing good football. Yes winning is brilliant, and I remember alot of those days. But enjoying tonking teams 6-2 , and 5-0 right now is pretty satisfying. I've seen us scraping draws with Leyton Orient ,Notts County and Mansfield Town in the league... bad days.
I remember dross Arsenal teams grinding out 1-0, and 0-0 results, and their fans going on about how great Arsenal were. The football was boring as hell. I'd rather we played good football, and came 2nd, than being a george graham wet dream team.

COYS lets win the next 2, and see where we stand after Liverpool have 2 tough games.

 

[Deggsy56]

Not quite as good as the 52 points we had in the 1960-61 season after same amount of games... using 3pts/win W17 D1 L1

We're almost good enough to be convincing title challengers. Its fine margins, the stutter in losing the watford and liverpool games...
I know i don't appreciate how good things are right now. People say Spurs have to do this, or win that. I dont remember that nonsense in the 70s/80s.
We have an ethos at Spurs of playing good football. Yes winning is brilliant, and I remember alot of those days. But enjoying tonking teams 6-2 , and 5-0 right now is pretty satisfying. I've seen us scraping draws with Leyton Orient ,Notts County and Mansfield Town in the league... bad days.
I remember dross Arsenal teams grinding out 1-0, and 0-0 results, and their fans going on about how great Arsenal were. The football was boring as hell. I'd rather we played good football, and came 2nd, than being a george graham wet dream team.

COYS lets win the next 2, and see where we stand after Liverpool have 2 tough games.

You forgot the Arse game when we went all 'Spursy' from 2-1 up and lost. That potential 'win' would've put us closer to LFC !

 

[Mornstar]

If liverpool dont drop points in their next two, I'm afraid its all over.

I know the purists will come out with all the cliches....theres a long way to go, it sint over till the fat lady sings, blah blah blah

 

[hellava_tough]

Bringing the discussion back to a Top 4 theme, I see that Arsenal and Chelsea have potentially tricky away games today:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/scores-fixtures

Also, they play after everyone else, which adds a little more pressure

Looking up the table, Liverpool have got an easy game against Newcastle (Toon will get smashed unfortunately ) and City go away to Leicester. I'm expecting City to come out all guns blazing after their shock defeat and if they don't you'd start wondering about motivation problems in their squad.

Overall, it'd be great if we could put top 4 to bed over the Christmas period and focus on the title race for the rest of the season

Well, it looks like Toon did get smashed, City are starting to wobble and Top 4 may actually be put to bed over Christmas if Arsenal lose to Liverpool (not that we want this to happen in our current circumstances).

It's going to be facinating to see what City do against Southampton away in their next match. If they lose or draw that, are they going to go into free-fall? And then they play Liverpool, who could actually end their title hopes by going 11 or 12 points clear of them (not that we want that either).

Just need Liverpool to start stuttering now...

 

[hellava_tough]

If liverpool dont drop points in their next two, I'm afraid its all over.

I know the purists will come out with all the cliches....theres a long way to go, it sint over till the fat lady sings, blah blah blah

You're probably right; especially their away game Vs City

To be honest, I don't think we're in a 'real' title race until we're 3pts away from Liverpool

That said, Top 4 was always the target this season so we could have CL football in the new stadium, so anything else is a bonus!!

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Chasing six points against a team with the firepower Liverpool have is a massive, massive ask. I can’t see it happening unless van Diyk picks up an injury- while they can cover attacking options for injured forwards, his form is central to their stability. I don’t wish injuries on anyone but objectively speaking, I can’t see them faltering too much without van Diyk absent. Doesn’t mean we aren’t having an amazing season, of course, and given all the early season set backs, we’ve become a team that can now win ugly and win beautiful. I think next season could be the one where we really ramp things up, but I’d love to see us run them and City close this season

 

[jonnyrotten]

The next few games are important but it certainly isn't all over if Pool take 6 points from goons and city. Mistakes can happen and the pressure will be massively on for them. We've just got to stay in touch. What an amazing performance from our lads to put us in range given what tough circumstances we've faced!

 

[$hoguN]

The way I look at it is if Liverpool can just keep winning, fair play to them they deserve the title.

However they are 6 points in front of us with City at the Etihad to come shortly. Momentum is a funny thing so let’s see what happens.

All we can do is keep winning, and hopefully the lads will be giving their all to do that every game

 

[tototoner]

Let's see how Liverpool now cope with being labelled favorites

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

There is really no point in being to bombastic as midway through the season as December. "If this and this doesn't happen, we are certainly not achieving that or that". It's simply too early. Usually by early February it starts making sense to be more one-sided when describing possible PL developments, but at the half-way point you really can't tell anything for sure apart from that we are doing rather OK at the moment.

What I think about Liverpool, is that they are more fragile than what meets the eye. They are largely basing their results so far on a constant use of the same 7-9 players, and otherwise some rotation. The possibility of injuries and/or fatigue might bring them down. I'm not saying I think it will happen, but I am pointing to one obvious reason for why they might hit a dry spell.