The reality of no European football

[Dave1882]

Pay them enough, and they will come. History has shown that.

Exactly and whilst we’re not top top payers, we’re in the higher tier of clubs for salary’s.
When have we ever gone out and got big names anyway under Levy. VdV on a free, but bar that no world beaters at top of their games

 

[Styopa]

It's a very fair point, but I think it depends a bit on where you see the root of the issues with the current squad. In my opinion, if you took our players and spread them about other teams in better shape they'd all look talented - to me it's more a collective squad problem centred around the club culture (or lack there-of). Changing/improving that without substantial squad shift is much harder because even players that came in after 19/20 have adopted the mentality of the squad as a whole. In short, I don't think it's ability issues so much as mentality. Setbacks within games seem to have a deep and long-lasting impact on our current group of players. The fans too seem to have regressed to the kind of shell-shocked pessimism that sees us sweating on leads, so it's not just the players really. There's just something about Tottenham at the moment that inspires nervousness.

Now, we could hire an inspirational coach who is able to change a lot without massive transfer activity - that was part of what I was getting at in the original - it's just that even our best manager of modern times needed to shift a lot before he could work his magic so it seems pretty unlikely that we can achieve one without the other.

It is pretty much always better to act decisively, and we don't seem very capable of that in recent years. If we could act decisively this summer I think it could go a long way to repairing much of what ails us.

I agree about it being a mentality problem. But that's another reason I don't think missing out on Europe is a disaster. Another season of qualifying for Europe would be like papering over the cracks and consolidating that mentality when we need a hard reset.

We must get away from the attitude that seems to permeate the club that it is ok to approach all cup competitions half-heartedly. There appears to be a whole culture within the club that says failure to challenge for trophies is ok as long as we are there or thereabouts in terms of challenging for the top four. We don't even take competing in the Champions League itself that seriously because, ironically enough, we are more focused on qualifying for it next year through the league than progressing in the competition itself.

If we had qualified for Europe again, it would be like business as usual. However, not qualifying allows us to reassess and approach the next season in a completely novel way. Whether we do that or not remains to be seen. But we have done virtually nothing of note over the last four years despite being in Europe the whole time.

 

[jpascavitz]

The wildest thing to me, and maybe the most(?) promising is that if you look at our results, 3 more draws and 3 wins - or just 4 wins separate us and Newcastle. Obviously worth a chuckle but when you start looking just at our results -

Liverpool match - blew a draw with the last kick
Bournemouth match - blew a draw with the last kick
Everton match - blew a win in the 90th up a man
Southampton match - blew a win in the 90th + 3rd

All after we got booted out of Champions League. Those results highlighted alone gives us an extra 6 points right next to Liverpool and a better season than Brighton who everyone is salivating over haha

 

[Phil_2.0]

The wildest thing to me, and maybe the most(?) promising is that if you look at our results, 3 more draws and 3 wins - or just 4 wins separate us and Newcastle. Obviously worth a chuckle but when you start looking just at our results -

Liverpool match - blew a draw with the last kick
Bournemouth match - blew a draw with the last kick
Everton match - blew a win in the 90th up a man
Southampton match - blew a win in the 90th + 3rd

All after we got booted out of Champions League. Those results highlighted alone gives us an extra 6 points right next to Liverpool and a better season than Brighton who everyone is salivating over haha

But what about the games we got points at the end of games? Equalizer vs Chelsea (a), Bournemouth (a), Manchester United (h) and others?

It all evens itself out, we deserve to be 8th this season. The underlying numbers suggest we are the 8th best team in the league and the actual numbers tell us that too.

 

[midoNdefoe]

You think it'll go down that way? More likely means fewer incomings and less painful rebuild imo.

It has seemed like in the past that when the Enic model of being top 4 and no further is threatened, levy usually puts his hands in his pocket to try and maintain/regain that position. Can I ask why it would be different this time? (Asking as this reads as a regular comment rather than an itk snippet)

 

[Snarfalicious]

The wildest thing to me, and maybe the most(?) promising is that if you look at our results, 3 more draws and 3 wins - or just 4 wins separate us and Newcastle. Obviously worth a chuckle but when you start looking just at our results -

Liverpool match - blew a draw with the last kick
Bournemouth match - blew a draw with the last kick
Everton match - blew a win in the 90th up a man
Southampton match - blew a win in the 90th + 3rd

All after we got booted out of Champions League. Those results highlighted alone gives us an extra 6 points right next to Liverpool and a better season than Brighton who everyone is salivating over haha

Yeah, and having Kane is like a sort of cheat code. My hope is we somehow luck into a decent managerial fit, a DoF that can identify our issues and somewhat address them, and all of that translates to a little more consistency on the pitch. Right now that feels like an absolute pipe dream, but who knows.

 

[rossdapep]

I think Trix is spot on that missing out on European football will hurt game time for the squad and will mean that it’s used as an excuse for not investing.

for me though there are two massive positives. Firstly it’s got to lead to some very difficukt internal questions within ENIC about his leadership of the club which we know rumbled on last year. More than that though, next year will give a lot of clarity in focus. The team needs to spend time training and gelling. This could afford us benefits.

nevertheless I’m sure Levy will get the wrong manager appointment, leave signings until late and say coys

I look at Arsenal and I think last season when they had no European football really helped them.

They were able to get the same 11 drilled week in week out and whilst they had some weaknesses, I think it helped them to become clear about what they needed.

I don't think there is a correct answer to this.

Some will say European football helps give others time to gel but weve not always done that well.

I think it entirely depends on how the club/coaches and players shift mindset.

There is no clear answer on this

 

[RosieFTL]

The reality of no European football is that, although I will go on the pre season tour as per normal (and any other foreign friendlies), I will have to use the other leave from work to go on holiday with my wife.

 

[Albertbarich]

Just thinking about this.

From last season's squad we have already lost
Moura
Danjuma
Lenglet

I can see
Lloris
Perisic
Sanchez
Tanganga
Sessengon

All being released or leaving for minimal fees.

That's 8 players gone already.

Returning from loans I could see Winks being added to the second list and then we have

Lo Celso
N'dombele
Reguillon
Gil
Spence
Rodon
Parrott

I reckon Rodon and Reguillon leave for small fees. Spence gets a premier League loan, Parrott gets a loan or sold but his effect on wages will be minimal and Gil could get a chance or another loan.

That leaves lo Celso and N'dombele as the two major issues but with Lo Celso especially there will be options to either give another chance or someone will want him.

All very doable and with no focus we can focus on quality first team players rather than squad strength.

It's an opportunity for the new team

 

[only1waddle]

I look at Arsenal and I think last season when they had no European football really helped them.

They were able to get the same 11 drilled week in week out and whilst they had some weaknesses, I think it helped them to become clear about what they needed.

I don't think there is a correct answer to this.

Some will say European football helps give others time to gel but weve not always done that well.

I think it entirely depends on how the club/coaches and players shift mindset.

There is no clear answer on this

They had Europa league, got knocked out by Sporting.

 

[Dazzazzad]

I can see

That's 8 players gone already.

There's an awfully big gap between those two statements.

 

[mark67spurs]

At least most games will be on a Saturday now. Having no Europe might be the time to plan and buy players of quality that can use 2 feet, and really work on a system that works and entertains. Obviously If Levy thinks this way, his pockets will notice no European football.

 

[robhumphreys]

Anyone who didn’t want to be in the conference league. Just look at what it means to West Ham fans. I would have loved to be in this next season

 

[Impspur1]

Anyone who didn’t want to be in the conference league. Just look at what it means to West Ham fans. I would have loved to be in this next season

Yep, just thinking that. Get to the semis and it becomes a good trophy to win.

 

[CookieYiddo]

Can't wait for European Tottenham nights again. Really gonna miss them next season

 

[Impspur1]

I hope we drop this arrogance we have about us being to good for trophies like this and the league cup, players want to win things.

 

[fish5871]

Totally agree. Wish it was us

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

Can't wait for European Tottenham nights again. Really gonna miss them next season

Yeah. Let's go all out for qualifying for the Europa League next year and having a real crack at it in 2024/25.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

I have no doubt Villa will win it next season too …

 

[mil1lion]

Our league is so strong now that finishing 7th makes you more than good enough to beat anyone else in the competition. You just have to be prepared to field a close to 1st team for much of it. The issue is how much it impacts league form. Normally I would say avoiding relegation and being miserable most of the season is not as good as a high finish even with a trophy like that. However we've had a miserable season too finishing 8th but won nothing. I would swap West Hams season for ours. Fair play to them after so many years, worth more than the treble if City get it. The struggle for so long is more than worth it. I so badly want that for us and Kane who really deserves it.