The worries of a realist.

[Montasura]

I read the gossip in the sport pages and the so called ITKs just like anyone else and I get excited at the vision of some of the names linked with us playing at the Lane.

I think the signing of Modric was a massive coup for Spurs and it builds on the hope and possibility of other signings of his calibre.

Ultimately, however, I am a realist. David Villa now look Madrid bound (and I really did believe we could get him). I don't believe Ronaldinho would consider Spurs and I'm not overly confident of Eto'o either. Our we going to end up with Modric and a number of other smaller signings who will, ultimately, end up being no better than those they replace.

At the moment we have an average squad with one star player and I worry that next season will be the same with our star player being Modric instead of Berbatov. Thankfully, I'm not overly concerned with our front line as I believe Keane and Bent can do the job as well as Keane and Berbatov. Obviously Modric will be the playmaker instead. Surely, however, this would not be a great improvement on this season.

Maybe I am pessimistic (life has taught me well) but before anyone knocks me for my thoughts just remember that these are just my rantings after a rather depressing day yesterday. At lease if I remain pessimistic or doubtful then I will be both surprised and happy if the big players do come and I can't be too dissappointed if they dont

 

[miles_64]

Average?

Bale,
King,
Woodgate,
Hutton,
Lennon,
Jenas,
Huddlestone,
Berbatov,
Keane,
Modric



AVERAGE? Don't delude yourself.

 

[Montasura]

OK, would it be better if I rephrased it as "a relatively good squad that is performing averagely"

 

[DC_Boy]

Hi Monta - you are being a bit pessmistic - it's highly unlikely an average bunch of players would have beaten boro man city away AFc over 2 legs and CFC at Wembley

EDIT - just saw your edit - but still disagree - see below

I'v said time and again we wouldn't get Villa so when we don't it won't surprise me at all

I'd say we had an above average prem squad - I'd say we were the 5th/6th most successful club in the country this season (depending on who wins the FA Cup - hoping for Cardiff)

I'd say we have every chance of repeating that level next season (may be reflected in a better league position but worse cup performances)

but to make that jump to 4th most successful club in the country next year - wow that's going some - and needs more quality and a lotta luck

to truly break into the big 4 on a consistent basis there's as much chance of that as a spaceship landing in Haringey - but wait ... da daa daaaaa da

 

[michaelden]

We don't need luck we need consistancy and concerntration. We lost to weaker teams this year and lots of them and we conceeded late goals and let leads drop. We'd be a lot higher if we were more consistant.

 

[Montasura]

OK, maybe I was hasty with the word average.

Dont get me wrong, I think 5th two years running was excellent and I truly think we deserved it. This season has been more dissappointing (despite the CC win) although it has been a transitional time and obviously nothing to play for after the cup win.

I just dont think we have the squad capable of breaking the top 4 at present and it looks like Some other teams may spend big this summer also to try to bridge that gap. I think Spurs will be more tempting to the better players than the likes of Everton, Villa, Man City etc but whether we can make the great signings that some people expect is something that we will have to wait to see.

p.s. Like I said earlier, these are my rantings after a shitty couple of days which have lowered my mood considerably. I'm not always so dismissive of our chances but thought I would offer an alternative point of view amid the hype of all the ITK threads

 

[DC_Boy]

Hi M - it's all about opinions as ever - to me this season has been better than the last two - but I agree we're short (way short I think) of the big 4

 

[hughy]

We've made one signing so far, and it was a corker. Give us a chance before you say there will only be one star player next season. The transfer window isn't even open yet...

 

[Kyras]

We've made one signing so far, and it was a corker. Give us a chance before you say there will only be one star player next season. The transfer window isn't even open yet...

Exactly, and bare in mind the age of some of our players, Modric might not be the only star, Lennon could reproduce his 05/06 form, with a better final ball, Huddlestone could come really good after a good pre-season and a run in the first team. Also, Woodgate is the fucking dog's bollocks.

 

[Pedro]

add in to the mix that it will be ramos' first full season in charge, so after a pre-season and moulding of the squad to suit his style, i believe we will be a real force next season (i find myself saying next season we will be great bla bla bla a lot over the years, but i mean it this time!) with or without berba. i think the board realise its make or break time and i expect some very juicy signings over the summer. COYS

 

[Bulletspur]

Hi M - it's all about opinions as ever - to me this season has been better than the last two - but I agree we're short (way short I think) of the big 4

Yes I agree here, as we have debated this on previous threads.

I also agree that we are way short of the big four but we are heading in the right direction.

Montasura has a point though, as I was thinking along the same lines myself. A lot of the bigger teams wont be showing interests in players until after the Euro 08, where the players that we would want will snapped up by bigger clubs if they perform well.

Our current squad although may look above average on paper, has not done it, especially the midfield. Even so called weaker teams' midfield mostly outthink, outrun, and overun our midlfield, because ours dont gell enough IMO. Hopefully with the benefit of a full pre season training etc, Ramos can up the games of people like, Jenas, Lennon, Huddlestone so that they can then compliment Modric, therefore we wont have to depend on future Star buys in order to move forward.

On top of that we have people like Bale (Left Midfield IMO) to come where it will be like having a new signing, so while Montasura has a good reason to be pessimistic, its now all bad!

 

[zac]

OK, maybe I was hasty with the word average.

Dont get me wrong, I think 5th two years running was excellent and I truly think we deserved it. This season has been more dissappointing (despite the CC win) although it has been a transitional time and obviously nothing to play for after the cup win.

I just dont think we have the squad capable of breaking the top 4 at present and it looks like Some other teams may spend big this summer also to try to bridge that gap. I think Spurs will be more tempting to the better players than the likes of Everton, Villa, Man City etc but whether we can make the great signings that some people expect is something that we will have to wait to see.

p.s. Like I said earlier, these are my rantings after a shitty couple of days which have lowered my mood considerably. I'm not always so dismissive of our chances but thought I would offer an alternative point of view amid the hype of all the ITK threads

Much as I hate to admit it, but I think this is a fair assessment of our squad, and when I look at the top 4 teams, we are way off Man U and Chavski, but not too far behind the other two, especially Liverpool.

We now have a top manager, and that`s a start, but this transfer window will go a long way to showing Levy`s intentions, because if we keep on buying only potential we will always be top 5/6 at best, and even that will be a fight with the likes of Newcash, Man C, Everton, Blackburn and Portsmouth all going for the same.

 

[MarkinJapan]

I just dont think we have the squad capable of breaking the top 4 at present and it looks like Some other teams may spend big this summer also to try to bridge that gap.

I think we'd all agree with this. The current unknown factors are:
Who will we sign over the summer (good start so far)
Who will go
What can Juande do with the squad over the course of a full season.

The signs are positive (surely we will finish higher than this season) but it would take a massive leap to get into the top 4. (Remember back to last summer and the number of people that were saying we'd finish 4th (some even thought we'd go as high as 2nd!) It all seems a long time ago now!)

Right now, would take 5th for next season and the guarantee of improvement and a 4th consecutive year in Europe!

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

We'll likely buy players who are less household names than Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Villa but who will be far more effective in this league and this and in our team.

Ronaldinho can't even hack the pace of La Liga anymore, he'd be a disaster in the EPL.

Eto'o and Villa are great goalscorers but neither could play alongside Keane as we'd have no height, so if we did effectively trade Berbatov for one of them we'd be in a worse position and would have to buy someone like Iaquinta or Huntelaar as well.

Players like Modric, and my favourites Veloso and Gonzalez, would be more like signing our Vieiras, Henrys and Roy Keanes (from Milan, Juve and Forest), rather than our Verons, Shevchenkos and Rebrovs.

 

[DJS]

I'm feeling a bit negative at the moment as not liking these rumours around Keano in particular and also not overly keen on Kameni in goal if true.

IF Berbs wants to leave, even though it's probably not realistic I'd sooner we try and lure Kanoute back as him and Keano were immense together (better with Keano than with Defoe IMO).

In the small period they worked together, I think arguably they worked better than Keano / Berbs as Kanoute played the target man role more effectively and Keano was his foil.

It was just a shame they played together early in that crud awful 2003/04 season and the AFN and Defoe's arrival put a stop to it flourishing.

Otherwise I wouldn't mind looking at Gudjohnsen from Barca as a replacement for Berbs as he'd lead the line nicely and is a quality player who has been tragically underused in past few seasons.

I'd also prefer us to not go too mad and spoil the squad building of the past few seasons and just look at purchasing a gk (Maarten Stekelenburg would be my choice as name cropping up on radar again), a defensive midfielder (Lassan Diarra please) a left winger or left back (Shorey or Capel or both - depending on where Bale is gonna play when / if fit) and a centre back if King is gonna be like this season (although you just don't know who to believe these days...)

Eto'o and Villa are great goalscorers but neither could play alongside Keane as we'd have no height, so if we did effectively trade Berbatov for one of them we'd be in a worse position and would have to buy someone like Iaquinta or Huntelaar as well.

Eto'o is 5'11 isn't he? Seems tall enough to be partnering Keane to me? Bent is also 5'11 and he has had no probs being target man alongside Keano?

Eto'o also plays as the spearhead up front for Barca and doesn't have a target man alongside him, in fact he probably plays that role doesn't he? (someone with more knowledge of Spainish footy can pick me up on that please as not really a follower! :up

Although to be honest as I said above there are other maybe less glamourous but perhaps more practical solutions who may blend with the team better.

Correct about Villa though, really surprised to see people lining Villa and Keano alongside each other as would be Defoe / Keano partnership all over again.

 

[DC_Boy]

We'll likely buy players who are less household names than Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Villa but who will be far more effective in this league and this and in our team.
.

good news Dan and exactly what I've been saying - we won't get Villa but if Berbs go let's not get a superstar and thus damage spending on so many areas of our team that need it (of course if we have CFC 2005 style funds get em all in - but we don't)

 

[AngerManagement]

Why is someone with a negative and pessimistic outlook considered a realist?

Are things really that doom and gloomy? I for one think next year we will have an excellent season. Play the best football we have in modern times, score bag full of goals and make a real impact in every competition we compete in.

Does that statement make me a dreamer? If so why is it any less realistic than those who constantly look to the negative and predict things go tits up?

This type of pessimism is the war cry of the loser, I sincerely hope that the team and everyone connected to the club on a professional basis do not have such a defeatist attitude as you will never get anywhere with such negativity

(I only skimmed this thread so im not directly referring to any of the posts made within, just my observations from comments and attitudes I see and hear from my fellow Spurs fans on a regular basis, frankly im bored of people being so defeatist.)

 

[bryanabutler]

We do not need Ronaldinho or Eto. If Berbatov goes we could buy Ashton/Crouch or both 16/18mil with rest of the money , add funds and transfer fees and add quality to the Modric signing in m/f were we need it like :hump: Arshavin,Gonzalez,Veloso

 

[Liamstamb]

Good point why is being negitive more realistic?

Think positive,believe positive and feel positive = positive things happening to you!

Think negitive,believe negitive and feel negitive = negitive things happening to you.

Do you think Ramos ever got anywhere in his career by being negitive?or Tiger Woods?

If Tiger Woods went into every tournament with a negitive attitude like some of you lot, he'd never win a thing.

It's all in the head.Which you control, so how about quit whinging like little boys and Women, and sack up like men!

 

[fortworthspur]

the summer transfer window hasnt even opened yet. Im going to wait until August 31 before predicting next season.

BTW, transfers under Ramos (Woodgate, Hutton, Modric and maybe Gilberto) seem, on average, an order of magnitude better than what we were doing before.