Top four finish?

[Mr Pink]

What does that mean?

We're not good enough for the Champions League because on this season's evidence neither are any of our teams currently playing in the CL or does that mean we don't deserve to be in the top four because we kinda do as the table doesn't lie...

All this doom-mongering is really stating to annoy me...we lost one game, a game where we played pretty well in against a really tough opponent and could have won the game such are the fine margins. That game will not define our season and we certainly aren't out of the running for the top four or the title. There's plenty of games to be played and this season has proved that anythin can happen, so whilst I appreciate people not getting ahead of ourselves and bemoaning the typical 'Spursy' way in which our seasons tend to unfold, chill the fuck out, a win on Saturday and this place is buzzing again.

We're top four quality this season, and at that moment, because we're fourth - simple as that. Not our fault what the overall strength of the league is.

 

[SPURSFANfrance]

Well blow me backwards

For what it's worth, I agree that substitutions are extremely frustrating. I'm often left scratching my head either after they're made, or whilst wondering why they weren't done sooner.

Team selection is a more difficult one to chat about, though. We aren't lucky enough to be able to see who does what in training, or who's done enough to impress Poch.

I'm sure we'd all like/prefer to see certain other players getting a game, but we have no choice but to keep putting our faith in our current manager/coach. He's got more right than wrong, and we're not sitting in 4th by coincidence or pure luck.

Hopefully he gets his head around the substitution issues, because we definitely agree on that one, and we're not the only 2 on here who do when it comes to that particular subject

PS, nice one for not taking offence to my little Bentaleb jibe. It was just taking the piss

I agree with what you say.

no offence no problem

 

[Ironskullll]

Read a few pages of this and it seems some of you are setting yourselves up for a very big fall.

Why do Spurs fans get so fucking over-excited? Even worse, i fall for it every time too!

Best side in years? Since the 80s?

No its not, i would rather the side of a few years ago that Bale, Modric and VDV were in thanks.

Also, we have been incredibly lucky that Kane has managed to stay fit for so long, the fact is we are one injury from finishing nearer 10th rather than the top four unless we buy in some adequate cover.

Why is it "incredibly lucky" that a player stays fit for fifteen months? Don't quite follow that one.

 

[RicOfPeace]

Why is it "incredibly lucky" that a player stays fit for fifteen months? Don't quite follow that one.

probably because we're so poorly equipped if that one player gets injured for any length of time because we have no adequate replacements

 

[UpTownSpur]

I feel like we need three or four back to back wins to get back on track after that hammer blow the other night - make no mistake about it that was a very bad loss to have, the ultimate six pointer that may yet come back to haunt us.

We need to get back to making ourselves part a genuine title battle because if we get dragged into a 4 way fight for fourth spot then I wouldn't fancy our chances personally.

 

[Lighty64]

Under Poch we've never had more than a 3 game winning streak. That needs to change too hopefully starting tomorrow.

Well i'd settle for 3 wins, a draw, 3 wins, a draw, 3 wins, a draw, 3 wins, a draw, and then win the last 1 just to polish the season off

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

What does that mean?

We're not good enough for the Champions League because on this season's evidence neither are any of our teams currently playing in the CL or does that mean we don't deserve to be in the top four because we kinda do as the table doesn't lie...

All this doom-mongering is really stating to annoy me...we lost one game, a game where we played pretty well in against a really tough opponent and could have won the game such are the fine margins. That game will not define our season and we certainly aren't out of the running for the top four or the title. There's plenty of games to be played and this season has proved that anythin can happen, so whilst I appreciate people not getting ahead of ourselves and bemoaning the typical 'Spursy' way in which our seasons tend to unfold, chill the fuck out, a win on Saturday and this place is buzzing again.

it means I don't think we'd be good enough to finish in the Top 4 normally if Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool weren't ALL shit. that won't matter a single bit if we do actually do it, but I'm still not that confident we will. I don't care what anybody says, there'll be no excuse acceptable if we don't do it in a season where 3 of our 5 normal rivals (4 of 6 if we're counting Everton) are all having bad seasons, and we may as well forget about doing so in the near future when some if not all of them can be expected to revert back to their norm.

you keep saying it's one game, but it isn't really, it's one MORE game. just like Everton was, and Newcastle before that, and West Brom before that. we can't just keep throwing opportunities away. it's 12 games out of 21 that for some reason we've not been able to win.

 

[Shadydan]

it means I don't think we'd be good enough to finish in the Top 4 normally if Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool weren't ALL shit. that won't matter a single bit if we do actually do it, but I'm still not that confident we will. I don't care what anybody says, there'll be no excuse acceptable if we don't do it in a season where 3 of our 5 normal rivals (4 of 6 if we're counting Everton) are all having bad seasons, and we may as well forget about doing so in the near future when some if not all of them can be expected to revert back to their norm.

you keep saying it's one game, but it isn't really, it's one MORE game. just like Everton was, and Newcastle before that, and West Brom before that. we can't just keep throwing opportunities away. it's 12 games out of 21 that for some reason we've not been able to win.

Surely you would only know that come the end of the season though? Why would you even judge whether we are good enough for the top four when we are sitting in 4th place and we are half way through the season? That very much suggests that we are good enough for top four doesn't it?

It's a relative... Chelsea, Utd and Liverpool underachieving means that there are other teams who are overachieving (Leicester, West Ham, Stoke, Watford, Palace) The problem is that these teams underachieving and you can probably include Man City in that as well have totally skewed your perception of this league, if you finish above those teams in normal circumstances you ought to be finishing top four but this season is different and IMO with those middling teams all being able to punch above their weight it's making the league a lot tougher so in fact we are doing well to be in 4th place thus far.

So yes we are going to lose games and not pick up 3 points when expected from time to time, this is perfectly normal, the key thing is that when we have lost we have normally bounced back and picked up wins, for example after the Newcastle game we had the best form over Christmas but the doom mongers will ignore that and they will try and find any negative slant about our results and point to previous 'Spursy' seasons so it can justify their self wallowing when in truth no one really knows what's going to happen come May...But if you calm down and look at the table...based on current form there's no reason to believe that we are not good enough to finish in the top four.

 

[Scottish Spur]

I reckon we'll know a lot more after tonight.

United dropped more points.
We're playing a current top four rival.
Liverpool play Arsenal and United this week.

Huge opportunity and one where we'd traditionally cock it up and drop points. If we're serious of top four or beyond, then tonight will be a big indicator of it. Win tonight and we take a big step forward IMHO.

Sorry guys, I hate doing this - quoting myself and criticising the club. However, we have to.

This is what I posted before the Leicester game and we all know what happened. So typical of Tottenham. On the face of it, we tried hard, were unlucky, blah blah blah. I've heard it all before. It's happened way too often to be coincidence. This year alone I think to Newcastle at home - everyone around us had dropped points and we're playing a joke club at home. What do we do ? Gift a lead and lose in the last few minutes. Leicester at home, same again. Dominate and lose to a header from a set piece. It's so frustrating. We've defended superbly all season and lose a massive game we've controlled from a simple header from a corner.

There's a danger that this 'spursy' adjective sees us find too much humour in this consistent happening. It isn't funny. Professional football players paid handsomely and bought for big money shouldn't be offering up such crap. Pochettino has done an incredible job so far but at 0-0 bringing Eriksen off ? Picking Tom Carroll despite it being glaringly obvious to all that he's too lightweight, too indisciplined with the ball and too indecisive to play at this level yet ?

I'm sick to death of it. This season is a prime chance for us to really do something special. For all of how well we've gone, we've dropped points against the likes of Stoke, West Brom, Swansea, Newcastle. Battered Everton twice for a return of 2 points etc. I don't mind dropping points away, a draw is fine away but Stoke, Newcastle, Everton, Leicester at home ? No, not good enough.

The club has a problem with bottle. It isn't new, they've had it since the early 90s, some would say 70s/80s. It needs sorting and quickly. The only thing that separates us is a bit of depth up top and mentality. We need to demand more of ourselves. Wednesday night should have left all of us absolutely livid.

 

[cookiemonster]

I was confident of top 4

Until lightweight Tom Carroll started to play regularly

 

[Shadydan]

Sorry guys, I hate doing this - quoting myself and criticising the club. However, we have to.

This is what I posted before the Leicester game and we all know what happened. So typical of Tottenham. On the face of it, we tried hard, were unlucky, blah blah blah. I've heard it all before. It's happened way too often to be coincidence. This year alone I think to Newcastle at home - everyone around us had dropped points and we're playing a joke club at home. What do we do ? Gift a lead and lose in the last few minutes. Leicester at home, same again. Dominate and lose to a header from a set piece. It's so frustrating. We've defended superbly all season and lose a massive game we've controlled from a simple header from a corner.

There's a danger that this 'spursy' adjective sees us find too much humour in this consistent happening. It isn't funny. Professional football players paid handsomely and bought for big money shouldn't be offering up such crap. Pochettino has done an incredible job so far but at 0-0 bringing Eriksen off ? Picking Tom Carroll despite it being glaringly obvious to all that he's too lightweight, too indisciplined with the ball and too indecisive to play at this level yet ?

I'm sick to death of it. This season is a prime chance for us to really do something special. For all of how well we've gone, we've dropped points against the likes of Stoke, West Brom, Swansea, Newcastle. Battered Everton twice for a return of 2 points etc. I don't mind dropping points away, a draw is fine away but Stoke, Newcastle, Everton, Leicester at home ? No, not good enough.

The club has a problem with bottle. It isn't new, they've had it since the early 90s, some would say 70s/80s. It needs sorting and quickly. The only thing that separates us is a bit of depth up top and mentality. We need to demand more of ourselves. Wednesday night should have left all of us absolutely livid.

Bottling isn't having the best goal difference in the league.

Bottling isn't going 16 games unbeaten

Bottling isn't bouncing back to go on a winning streak when we lose a game.

Sorry to say this, this team doesn't lack bottle, the fucking fans do.

 

[npearl4spurs]

Bottling isn't having the best goal difference in the league.

Bottling isn't going 16 games unbeaten

Bottling isn't bouncing back to go on a winning streak when we lose a game.

Sorry to say this, this team doesn't lack bottle, the fucking fans do.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

Surely you would only know that come the end of the season though? Why would you even judge whether we are good enough for the top four when we are sitting in 4th place and we are half way through the season? That very much suggests that we are good enough for top four doesn't it?

It's a relative... Chelsea, Utd and Liverpool underachieving means that there are other teams who are overachieving (Leicester, West Ham, Stoke, Watford, Palace) The problem is that these teams underachieving and you can probably include Man City in that as well have totally skewed your perception of this league, if you finish above those teams in normal circumstances you ought to be finishing top four but this season is different and IMO with those middling teams all being able to punch above their weight it's making the league a lot tougher so in fact we are doing well to be in 4th place thus far.

So yes we are going to lose games and not pick up 3 points when expected from time to time, this is perfectly normal, the key thing is that when we have lost we have normally bounced back and picked up wins, for example after the Newcastle game we had the best form over Christmas but the doom mongers will ignore that and they will try and find any negative slant about our results and point to previous 'Spursy' seasons so it can justify their self wallowing when in truth no one really knows what's going to happen come May...But if you calm down and look at the table...based on current form there's no reason to believe that we are not good enough to finish in the top four.

the fact we're currently in 4th doesn't necessarily suggest we're good enough to finish there. I'm simply saying I'm not sure that we are, and I've given my reasons. other teams punching above their weight shouldn't really have any bearing on what we do, if we do our job while 3 of our usual rivals don't, then we should clinch Top 4 with our eyes closed. on that basis, I can't really agree that we're doing well to be in 4th so far, as it's about the minimum that should be expected given the circumstances.

no-one is ignoring the Christmas form, but the fact that we've failed to win over half of our games this far into the season also cannot be ignored, particularly when some of the same failings keep being repeated. this isn't doom-mongering or wallowing, it's just common sense. you claim there's no reason to believe we won't finish in the Top 4, but that's just burying your head in the sand. at this point, there are reasons both to believe that we will and that we won't. to claim any different is just self-delusion.

 

[Hazardousman]

Bottling isn't having the best goal difference in the league.

Bottling isn't going 16 games unbeaten

Bottling isn't bouncing back to go on a winning streak when we lose a game.

Sorry to say this, this team doesn't lack bottle, the fucking fans do.

We bottled it against Leicester, I don't know how that can be disputed really, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, personally I think both the fans and the players lack bottle, the atmosphere as the lane the other night was full of nerves. I do agree I don't think this is the "spursy" side of old but we have a young team and I question if they believe in themselves enough, I guess we will find out at the end of the season because we have enough quality for top four IMO.

 

[Shadydan]

the fact we're currently in 4th doesn't necessarily suggest we're good enough to finish there. I'm simply saying I'm not sure that we are, and I've given my reasons. other teams punching above their weight shouldn't really have any bearing on what we do, if we do our job while 3 of our usual rivals don't, then we should clinch Top 4 with our eyes closed. on that basis, I can't really agree that we're doing well to be in 4th so far, as it's about the minimum that should be expected given the circumstances.

no-one is ignoring the Christmas form, but the fact that we've failed to win over half of our games this far into the season also cannot be ignored, particularly when some of the same failings keep being repeated. this isn't doom-mongering or wallowing, it's just common sense. you claim there's no reason to believe we won't finish in the Top 4, but that's just burying your head in the sand. at this point, there are reasons both to believe that we will and that we won't. to claim any different is just self-delusion.

Okay so if we're not good enough for 4th despite sitting in 4th place the question is who is good enough for 4th place, Man Utd (who you said were having a shit season) Liverpool (same for them) Chelsea (them too) Are West Ham? Who because by your reckoning if not us then someone has to?

You're contradicting yourself...if you said other teams punching above their weight should have no bearing on us, then why mention Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea, your logic means they shouldn't have any bearing on us either but at the same time you said we should be taking advantage as they are underachieving (which we are anyway). You can look at it both ways we ought to focus on ourselves and try and take each game as it comes but at the same time those teams are still our rivals and we need them to slip up.

At the end of each round your points tally tells you if you are good enough to be sitting in that position and if we're sitting in 4th that kinda tells you we are good enough and deserve to be in 4th at the moment. My claim in finishing in the top four is based on current form your claim of not being able to finish in the top four is based self pity. We are currently 4th ffs it's not as if we are 6th and some way off the top four, it's not as if we've not shown that we are capable of beating and outplaying teams on the pitch, we are 4th by merit because we are currently....the 4th best team in the league, there's no science to it.

We bottled it against Leicester, I don't know how that can be disputed really, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, personally I think both the fans and the players lack bottle, the atmosphere as the lane the other night was full of nerves. I do agree I don't think this is the "spursy" side of old but we have a young team and I question if they believe in themselves enough, I guess we will find out at the end of the season because we have enough quality for top four IMO.

That's not called bottling, bottling is when you're in the lead or in a position of power and we throw it away, we weren't winning against Leicester, we didn't throw it away, we played well against a good side and were undone by a set piece. We didn't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory because we weren't winning the match. That is not bottling and even so losing a match against a tough opponent doesn't suddenly mean we're a team of legends.

 

[Basil Brush]

Newcastle doing their job early. Big game between Manure and Scousers. Hopefully a draw but would take a scousers win.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Newcastle doing their job early. Big game between Manure and Scousers. Hopefully a draw but would take a scousers win.

If only we could be more like Newcastle.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

I'm real, I don't live in lala land where everything is amazing. We have issues we have played these lot three times and can't beat them yet knowing how they will play. Lets be honest here we are nowhere near top 4 quality and wont get it.

 

[Sweech]

Under Poch we've never had more than a 3 game winning streak. That needs to change too hopefully starting tomorrow.

Under any manager of your choice no team in this league has won more than 5 in a row this year.

Perspective.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

If only we could be more like Newcastle.

Before I rate that post, I'm just checking that you were indeed being wonderfully sarcastic?