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Realistically Speaking...

Jimmypearce7

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2005
1,473
2,255
Win the league. We have never had a better chance. No building for a bright future, no making good progress, win it now.
 

RichieS

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2004
11,916
16,436
Another CL qualification and a better showing in said competition.

Alternatively, top 6 and a trophy (preferably the league or FA Cup, but the League Cup will do). I like our "won a trophy in every decade since the 50s" record.
 

SpunkyBackpack

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
7,831
9,372
We have to make a statement in the Champions League in order to show progression, league position can dip up or down one or two but if we want our players to stay we need to show something positive in the big boy school.
 

DEFchenkOE

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2006
10,527
8,052
We have the best striker in the league, one of the best keepers, attacking mids that create and score goals, and one of the best defences albeit minus one player. Have to aim for the league title.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Top four despite Wembley.
The makings there of a hoodoo to be overcome.
Good attitude and effort
and integration of some old youngsters
and hopefully some new ones.
If we play well over the season
we will likely win something.
Lady Luck can be a benign Goddess or a mean bitch
and we can't affect her attitude in this.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
So basically you're on the fence.:D

Not really, my standards are higher than 99.9% of people on here and I think anything is possible. I just don't put stock in trying to predict/hope where we will finish, I know if we get performances and application right we will be very competitive again.
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
8,686
Not really, my standards are higher than 99.9% of people on here and I think anything is possible. I just don't put stock in trying to predict/hope where we will finish, I know if we get performances and application right we will be very competitive again.

The question was not really to get your 'predictions' of where we will finish. I was trying to ascertain people's minimum expectations for the team in order to say 2017/18 was a positive season and another step forward...e.g. top four or domestic trophy winners bearing in mind our Wembley move and what's happening in the transfer market.
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,345
129,919
Realism plays no part in this. We've just had a great two years by our standards but to try to predict the next 12 months with the endless amount of variables during the most unpredictable period in Premier League history is an impossible task. I couldn't even tell you how the next week will go. As Spurs fans we'll be happy to improve, frustrated to stagnate and ready to spontaneously combust if we don't again reach the level of last season. It's why we still watch football.
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
8,686
Realism plays no part in this. We've just had a great two years by our standards but to try to predict the next 12 months with the endless amount of variables during the most unpredictable period in Premier League history is an impossible task. I couldn't even tell you how the next week will go. As Spurs fans we'll be happy to improve, frustrated to stagnate and ready to spontaneously combust if we don't again reach the level of last season. It's why we still watch football.

That was my whole point my friend....I'm not asking for accurate predictions just your minimum expectations....how would you class 'improve' or 'stagnate' ?. This is very much a transitional period and expectations have to be toned down with all the variables you speak of. Just trying to find out what would be 'acceptable' as a bottom line rather than ask for specifics.
 

SUIYHA

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2017
1,723
8,579
The bookies seem to rate us as the fourth strongest team this year. I'd say a top four finish and getting out of the group stages in the CL would represent a very good season for us. A trophy on top of that would be perfect.

For the vast majority of my life, I looked at teams playing in the Champions League with envy and thought the idea of Spurs getting there was a ridiculous fantasy. But now, after two consecutive years of qualifying I'd consider it a massive disappointment if we start our new era at the new Lane playing in the Europa League. If we don't get top four again then we absolutely have to win a trophy to make up for it. 5th/6th and trophyless would represent a big step backwards.
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,345
129,919
That was my whole point my friend....I'm not asking for accurate predictions just your minimum expectations....how would you class 'improve' or 'stagnate' ?. This is very much a transitional period and expectations have to be toned down with all the variables you speak of. Just trying to find out what would be 'acceptable' as a bottom line rather than ask for specifics.
And my point being I wouldn't have expectations. To go into a season expecting anything is to set yourself up for disappointment. I hope we beat Newcastle away. After our last trip there I wouldn't expect it but it should be within our capabilities. That said, it's a month away and a lot could change.
 

brendanb50

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2005
4,483
3,890
The bookies seem to rate us as the fourth strongest team this year. I'd say a top four finish and getting out of the group stages in the CL would represent a very good season for us. A trophy on top of that would be perfect.

For the vast majority of my life, I looked at teams playing in the Champions League with envy and thought the idea of Spurs getting there was a ridiculous fantasy. But now, after two consecutive years of qualifying I'd consider it a massive disappointment if we start our new era at the new Lane playing in the Europa League. If we don't get top four again then we absolutely have to win a trophy to make up for it. 5th/6th and trophyless would represent a big step backwards.

This is about where i am on our chances next year. If we have the quality and form to push for the league (difficult at Wembley but who knows) or to push further in the CL then fantastic but i'd be happy with what you've put.

Definitely highlights the importance of this window IMO - add a couple of key men to the squad and i think we have that impact from the bench which may get us those vital wins/extra points. It's a small step up in quality to make but it's a key one for our next 12 months (maybe 2 years).
 

leffe186

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2004
5,323
1,695
It's hard. The implication in the word "acceptable" is that any performance below that would mean heads should roll. It's entirely possible that the top seven (let's include Everton) will all improve and be at a comparable level to each other. At that point, factors largely out of our control (injuries, fixture pile-ups) could have a disproportionate effect. We could conceivably develop as a squad by bringing younger players through and playing well yet get knocked out of the cups early and finish seventh. You just need a bit of bad luck.

That said, the ramifications of finishing outside the top four could be severe. If we're concerned about retaining players or attracting stars this summer, what happens if there's no CL as a carrot? Just imagine the media piling on, as the Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool stooges gleefully plunge in the knife.

But here's the thing. One key to our success over the last couple of years has been the fact that we've overwhelmed the smaller sides. Our style of play and cohesion has given us a stable base that I think will continue this theme. Sure, the other six top sides will improve, but we will all take points off each other. Much like last year, I can see one team getting the breaks and getting on a roll (Chelsea), but not four.

I think that acceptable is top four and a decent showing in the CL. We're good enough to expect that now. if we fail to buy anyone significant and then miss out on the CL then we really only have ourselves to blame. There's a chance that the Fates will conspire against us (injuries, bad luck in games) but we have been constructed in such a way as to minimize that chance. That's the key point, and Poch's greatest achievement. I think we were actually rather unlucky in Europe last year. Poch can't control everything but he can maximize the odds of things working out, and I think he's done that enough to mean that we'll get top four despite everyone else throwing money at the wall.
 

Bobbins

SC's 14th Sexiest Male 2008
May 5, 2005
21,548
45,031
I say it every year but a top four finish would be an incredible achievement. To do it three seasons in a row, whilst playing at Wembley, would be beyond belief.

What I really, really want of course is to win a cup - even just the League Cup, we desperately need silverware.
 

Led's Zeppelin

Can't Re Member
May 28, 2013
7,333
20,178
Three or four years ago when we were worried about things like Archway Steel and Adebayor, the consensus was that our aim should be to build a good, CL- qualifying team by the time we play our first game in the new stadium. We're a good two years or so ahead of that schedule so I think worrying that we're just "nearly men" and a let-down if we haven't won a trophy is revisionist self-flagellation at best and pure bollocks at worst.

I'll take anything that represents progress.

So, more points than last year (an incredibly tough target following an invincible home season in such a competitive league, so some latitude here, but away results could improve) and a respectable CL performance would be nice. The domestic cups are nice things to win but are no measure of anything.
 

tommyt

SC Supporter
Jul 22, 2005
6,166
10,978
I think playing at Wembley will unfortunately take its toll over the course of the season, so for me my realistic expectation would be to finish in the top 4 so we can showcase ourselves in the Champions League to the world in our new stadium. Anything else will be a bonus. The following few seasons, if we can keep our key players and coaches, my expectations will be through the roof!!!

COYS
 

JUSTINSIGNAL

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2008
15,980
48,499
Top 4 finish and a cup final would be perfectly acceptable. Especially with the expected affect Wembley will have on our performances
 

SPURSLIFE

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2011
1,578
2,132
I believe we have to win the league not 2nd 3rd or 4th but win it. If we don't then the following season I can see a number of our top players leaving and maybe even Poch. Winning the CL could stop that but I don't believe that will happen as we do not have a strong enough squad to compete with the top sides in Europe. I think a lot of our players are looking at this season to see where we are going and I don't think a cup will satisfy them, It will us but we have some top players who are ambitious for titles and of course top wages if we can't deliver both this year I worry where we will be the following season.
So I am saying I want just one thing the TITLE !!!!
 

Danfunkel

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2013
1,811
5,844
Happy, very happy to take top 4 considering the season we probably have. However we need a trophy. Something. Anything.
 
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