The race for the title

[thebenjamin]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

We'd just end up in EL in this case. Worse for league form surely?

 

[Gbspurs]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

What's the point in qualifying for the thing then?

 

[thebenjamin]

What's the point in qualifying for the thing then?

To make money. Just like all the other clubs in the tournament apart from like 4 who have any chance of winning it. And keeping our best players as a byproduct.

Why, you think we qualified in order to have a real go at winning it?

 

[Gbspurs]

To make money. Just like all the other clubs in the tournament apart from like 4 who have any chance of winning it. And keeping our best players as a byproduct.

Why, you think we qualified in order to have a real go at winning it?

I know football has changed a lot but it's still a sport isn't it? Winning should be our aim definitely not financial rewards. Otherwise we are no better than a non league side hoping to win enough games to draw Man Utd in the cup.

 

[Always Offside]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

So we haven't even heard the Champion's League anthem yet & already we're in a difficult group & are out at the group stage.

Wow.

I may not get out of bed tomorrow, I'll have to have a real self-evaluation. Life just doesn't seem worth living anymore knowing this.

God help us.

 

[RogerTCB]

I'm always badgering on about this but there is no difference between 'challenging for the title' and 'challenging for Top 4'. If you are not challenting for the title, you won't be in with a shout of Top 4.

As for where we will end up? This season looks so hard to call - which is great! But what let us down last season was a couple of things: the slow start, which I can see us avoiding, and being soft in the middle whenever Dembele was out, which we've also cured. We also are not playing Thursday Sunday agains people who have played Tuesday or Wednesday. In other words, we are going to have to work on a brand new reason to do badly.

The other teams will definitely up their game as others have said. Klopp is now firmly embedded and will come out the blocks far better, however bad the defense still is. United will play much better. Chelsea can only be better, surely? Everton will be much stronger, particularly in the second half of the season and take more points. If Arsenal got Mahrez, that would be huge. Leicester - who knows - but Kante was a heavy loss.

As someone said, there are going to be far more in the mix and far less points to go round. It will certainly be fun. Can't wait!

 

[nicdic]

So we haven't even heard the Champion's League anthem yet & already we're in a difficult group & are out at the group stage.

Wow.

I may not get out of bed tomorrow, I'll have to have a real self-evaluation. Life just doesn't seem worth living anymore knowing this.

God help us.

Hate to break it to you dude, but you're gonna die one day, so...

 

[WiganSpur]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

It does seem the most likely scenario but I just want us to give it a good go and let's see where it takes us. I think with our usual first eleven out there we are capable of getting the required results.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

I'm always badgering on about this but there is no difference between 'challenging for the title' and 'challenging for Top 4'. If you are not challenting for the title, you won't be in with a shout of Top 4.

This makes no sense. Challenging for top 4 doesn't mean you got top 4, just as challenging for the title doesn't mean you won the title.

Not to mention in 2010 we finished 4th. Nowhere near challenging for the title. In 2006, 2011, 2013, 2015 we finished 5th having 'challenged for the top 4', but we were nowhere near the title. Challenging for the title, winning the title, challenging for top 4 and getting top 4 are all very different things which are independent of one another. Arguing the opposite is strange to say the least.

 

[Shadydan]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

That's the spirit!

 

[danielneeds]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

The thing is when we qualified last time we were drawn in a group with the champions - who just happened yo be having a mare under Rafa. Whos knows what will be happening in a few months time? New managers struggling, injury problems. Cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

[sunnydelight786]

Our first eleven, when fit & no one suspended, is a match for anyone in this league. The clear problems arise when we suffer from injuries/suspensions/fatigue. Our backup players are really not of the required quality for us to fight on 4 fronts & be competitive.

I keep saying it but we cannot expect our first eleven to play the lion share of our games & keep their high levels up. We NEED real quality players so we can rotate. With 4 weeks to go of the window we are yet to sign a player who would lift the club/squad & give us the X-Factor in games. Of course we have a stadium to build but to fill it & keep filling it you need a challenging team.
Our reluctance to push the boat out on special players will cost us come the business end of the season. No doubt come January everyone will scream for that special player, remember Jan 2011, whilst ignoring the fact Jan is a impossible time to buy real quality. The time is now & I hope we can do so in the next 4 weeks!!!

 

[KingNothing]

Given our seeding the likelihood we'll get a dark CL group. Given our lack of home advantage it's pretty likely we'll go out at the group stage. Which although annoying would be no bad thing for our league form.

It's not "likely" at all. We are as good possibly better than any team in pot 2. We aren't going to solely focus on the league, we are going to have a real go at CL and PL. While seeing how far we get in the cup competitions with rotated squad. When Rodgers finally got Liverpool back in the CL, he pissed it away by resting players, for example when play against Real Madrid away. I wouldn't be surprised if we made it to the quarter-finals.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Our first eleven, when fit & no one suspended, is a match for anyone in this league. The clear problems arise when we suffer from injuries/suspensions/fatigue. Our backup players are really not of the required quality for us to fight on 4 fronts & be competitive.

I keep saying it but we cannot expect our first eleven to play the lion share of our games & keep their high levels up. We NEED real quality players so we can rotate. With 4 weeks to go of the window we are yet to sign a player who would lift the club/squad & give us the X-Factor in games. Of course we have a stadium to build but to fill it & keep filling it you need a challenging team.
Our reluctance to push the boat out on special players will cost us come the business end of the season. No doubt come January everyone will scream for that special player, remember Jan 2011, whilst ignoring the fact Jan is a impossible time to buy real quality. The time is now & I hope we can do so in the next 4 weeks!!!

What do you mean by 'special players'?

 

[SandroClegane]

What do you mean by 'special players'?

Messi. Goodnight.

 

[sunnydelight786]

What do you mean by 'special players'?

A Waddle, Gazza, Ginola, Bale, etc. In other words a game winner who can cut through the mundane 'pass, pass, pass' bollocks when you're needing to win a game in the final 15 mins.

 

[Shadydan]

A Waddle, Gazza, Ginola, Bale, etc. In other words a game winner who can cut through the mundane 'pass, pass, pass' bollocks when you're needing to win a game in the final 15 mins.

So pretty much anyone who we can't afford then lol

 

[THFCSPURS19]

A Waddle, Gazza, Ginola, Bale, etc. In other words a game winner who can cut through the mundane 'pass, pass, pass' bollocks when you're needing to win a game in the final 15 mins.

Any player like that goes to a bigger team or is someone out of our price range. Unless you could suggest some current players that fit this category?

 

[chico]

The great Bill Nicholson said something along the lines of Spurs aiming so high that even failure would be tinged with glory?
We should be aiming to win everything we enter. It's what BIG clubs do, and what we are aspiring to be?!
Be fantastic to get to the k.o. stages of the C.L., and I think we can achieve it.