We are totally underprepared

[dimiSpur]

Firstly in relation to spending £50m: not net spend. Big difference.

Secondly, no of course not. £23m is a lot of money. The issue I have was you thinking it's not.



It seems people are unable to distinguish between certain clubs signing players, and us signing a striker. Who's bought a striker this window? Just how many have moved? Who are they? Were we in for any of them? The only one I can think of is Vucinic, and then again I'm not sure how interested we actually were. Teams aren't selling. If they're not selling we're not buying. Because they're demanding silly fees that we can't honestly afford.

Teams have strengthened - yes. But have they needed strikers? Gervinho may be one, but is he the sort of striker we are interested in having?



You're coming from a standpoint where you think Levy is intentionally trying to hurt the club. Which is fucking ridiculous. Therefore most of what you write, yes comes across frustrated, but also smacks of pointing the finger for pointing the finger's sake.

Were we unfit? We played on Thursday? Could make a difference? Could it be we're lacking in sharpness? Perhaps. Although, after watching Thursday night, would you say that's right?

Are you not giving Manchester United enough credit? Of course you're not. You honestly thought we'd get a result? I didn't. We haven't for 20 years. So who's out of kilter here, is it me? Or is it you?

Where have I said Levy is trying to hurt us? If you're not reading what I'm writing properly and jumping to assumptions because you have a paranoia set in your mind that some posters are out to "get Levy".

I think Levy is making a mistake. That's all. Can that not happen? Must you think I mean he's incapable of making mistakes and automatically be led to believe I think he's purposely harming us?

I mean for fucks sake. As if I mean't that.

 

[dimiSpur]

Hang on hang on hang on....

In the past two seasons we've stagnated?

Really?

Have we?

Or have we qualified for the Champions League in one season then gone on a great run in the Champions League season whilst only missing out on 4th due to the ridiculous spending of our nearest rivals?

Jesus if you think we've stagnated in the last two seasons I dread to think what you'd be like if you were an Everton or a Villa fan. Or in fact a Spurs fan pre-Levy.

Whilst I agree we have not stagnated in the last 2 seasons, in fact that's a ridiculous comment, I wouldn't ever say the reason we missed out on 4th was due to Man City's ridiculous spending. We dropped points against opposition we shouldn't have dropped points against and we failed to address the same problem we never addressed in the summer of 2010 and the same problem we haven't addressed thus far in this summer's window.

Just because Villa & Everton have gone backward, doesn't mean we have to be thankful we aint signed a player!

 

[Stoof]

Where have I said Levy is trying to hurt us? If you're not reading what I'm writing properly and jumping to assumptions because you have a paranoia set in your mind that some posters are out to "get Levy".

I think Levy is making a mistake. That's all. Can that not happen? Must you think I mean he's incapable of making mistakes and automatically be led to believe I think he's purposely harming us?

I mean for fucks sake. As if I mean't that.

What I mean (and please correct me, because I wouldn't [genuinely] want to get the wrong idea):

You think that Levy doesn't want to deal these deals that would obviously benefit the club.

You believe he's not trying to do the best he can for the club.

You believe that by "failing" in the last 3 transfer windows to get a striker, he's letting the club down.

Do you not think that if a deal was there he would do it? One that made business sense. To think the opposite would be exactly what I said, because that's the only other alternative.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Nev's Prediction

If we lose the next two/three games, fans will be calling for Redknapp to go. Just like Jol and Ramos he will pay for a disruptive transfer window with his job.

For me, Jol lost his job because Comolli bought Kaboul, Bent and Boateng. None of them ready to play in the first team. The Ramos dealings by Levy also undermined Jol within the squad.

Ramos lost his job because we sold Berbatov and didn't buy a replacement in time.

Yes they both had faults, but the major reason they went were terrible starts to a premier league season because of a poorly handled transfer window.

This is why Levy's last minute deals worry me. I remember the damage they can cause.

 

[Stoof]

Nev's Prediction

If we lose the next two/three games, fans will be calling for Redknapp to go. Just like Jol and Ramos he will pay for a disruptive transfer window with his job.

For me, Jol lost his job because Comolli sold Carrick and bought Kaboul, Bent and Boateng. None of them ready to play in the first team.

Ramos lost his job because we sold Berbatov and didn't buy a replacement in time.

Yes they both had faults, but the major reason they went were terrible starts to a premier league season because of a poorly handled transfer window.

This is why Levy's last minute deals worry me. I remember the damage they can cause.

It's a very good point, but all can be distinguished from now - simply because of the system in place.

Berbatov was last minute, but Kaboul, Bent and Boateng weren't at all.

Jol wrongly lost his job.

Ramos was an awful coach for us. He just was.

I understand the sentiment; as I said, it's a very good point.

But immediately, last year, we signed Rafa and he was a hit.

 

[talkshowhost86]

No one's demanding the club spend 100m on one player. Fans do want the club to address an issue which has been an issue for over a year.

Answer me this though, on January 31st, when Daniel Levy offered £35m of Sergio Aguero and similar sums for other strikers, was that a lie then? Assuming we don't have the cash as you say we probably dont, what was he doing bidding wheelbarrows worth of money?

I suppose the thinking then was that we did have the Champions League money to come so we could spend that whereas we now have to be more careful because we don't have that bumper payment to come.

Maybe they also had information that Rossi wouldn't be demanding silly wages.

To be honest I don't know and I've never hidden the fact that it was a daft move from Levy to wait that long to make that bid.

 

[jimmy-jojo]

Nev's Prediction

If we lose the next two/three games, fans will be calling for Redknapp to go. Just like Jol and Ramos he will pay for a disruptive transfer window with his job.

For me, Jol lost his job because Comolli bought Kaboul, Bent and Boateng. None of them ready to play in the first team. The Ramos dealings by Levy also undermined Jol within the squad.

Ramos lost his job because we sold Berbatov and didn't buy a replacement in time.

Yes they both had faults, but the major reason they went were terrible starts to a premier league season because of a poorly handled transfer window.

This is why Levy's last minute deals worry me. I remember the damage they can cause.

Exactly.

 

[dimiSpur]

What I mean (and please correct me, because I wouldn't [genuinely] want to get the wrong idea):

You think that Levy doesn't want to deal these deals that would obviously benefit the club.

You believe he's not trying to do the best he can for the club.

You believe that by "failing" in the last 3 transfer windows to get a striker, he's letting the club down.

Do you not think that if a deal was there he would do it? One that made business sense. To think the opposite would be exactly what I said, because that's the only other alternative.

What I mean is that I think Levy's excessive money-saving attitude in these deals is costing us. We we're a quoted a price for Luis Suarez of just over £20m. We fucked about initially and offered £12m. (apparently)

We had a chance earlier in this window (apparently) to sign the young Brazilian lad Leandro. We again, messed about for 3-4m each way, and ended pissing them off, thus wasting time which got Barca interested, and now Interacional can demand over £20m because they know Barca had (maybe still have) a confirmed interest.

I'm not saying Levy is doing anything on purpose, but I think that he's become so obsessed with saving money in deals, that it's costing us signing a striker. In 90% of deals, I'm glad we have a chairman that won't be taken for a ride, but there's times when you want your man, you have to fork out.

TSH argued we may not have that money. Well then I stress again, why did he offer £35m for Aguero? We obviously do have the money. For whatever reason it is, it's harming us. I'm not saying he's doing it on purpose, I'm saying he can't see he's making an obvious mistake.

We seem to be dillying around not sure who to buy, and by the time we make up our mind the prices go up. We're not firm in the market.

 

[dimiSpur]

I suppose the thinking then was that we did have the Champions League money to come so we could spend that whereas we now have to be more careful because we don't have that bumper payment to come.

Maybe they also had information that Rossi wouldn't be demanding silly wages.

To be honest I don't know and I've never hidden the fact that it was a daft move from Levy to wait that long to make that bid.

He wouldn't have offered £35m on a risk of making the CL. We know Levy doesn't risk things like that. It means there was then at least, a strong transfer kitty. Seing how we haven't bought anyone since, I would assume he's either spent the money elsewhere, or we've still got a hefty war chest, that we are unwilling to fork out like Liverpool have. And I applaud that! But not all the time. We should have had a main target this window, a gettable one, and made sure we got him nice and early.

Now we're resorting to Adebayor on loan. Don't get me wrong he's great, but you can tell from Harry's face he isn't the main target he had in the window. Harry's main target was Rossi I think. Rossi is expensive this year. Last year we could have had him for £17m.

Indecisiveness cost us.

 

[ThorntonSpur]

if we were totally unprepared we would not have beaten hearts five nil. we would not have matched utd for 60minutes and at times outplayed them.

last night we had 21 attempts at OT with 13 on target, sadly we did not score. . It will be interesting as the season progresses to see the stats of other sides at OT.

goals change games. if lennon and pulled back to VDv instead of thumping the ball at evra WE MAY HAVE gone one up. there kids may have folded and we may have ended up winning three nil. alas it did not happen that way. they scored. Before his goal welbeck was less than average, Cleverly was not bossing the game and anderson was average.

the goal raised their confidence.

yes we had nico and jake as a cm pairing - who would you have had to start considering those on the bench were coming back from injuries?

the step up is 30 mill plus. a lot of cash for a club with 36k ground and no sugar daddy.

aguero debut half a dozen touches 2 goals world class against bolton missed sitters is he now shit. NO its football.

defoe looks sharp and seems to be rising to the challenge of the anticipated striker arrival.

we will finish 4th with this squad. be prepared to keep the faith, time will tell my friend

 

[jimmy-jojo]

But immediately, last year, we signed Rafa and he was a hit.

Without looking through the archives, my gut feeling is that Rafa's last day transfer is very much the exception to the rule for us.

Anyone know how many of our deadline day deals have gone on to be considered a success?

 

[talkshowhost86]

He wouldn't have offered £35m on a risk of making the CL. We know Levy doesn't risk things like that. It means there was then at least, a strong transfer kitty. Seing how we haven't bought anyone since, I would assume he's either spent the money elsewhere, or we've still got a hefty war chest, that we are unwilling to fork out like Liverpool have. And I applaud that! But not all the time. We should have had a main target this window, a gettable one, and made sure we got him nice and early.

Now we're resorting to Adebayor on loan. Don't get me wrong he's great, but you can tell from Harry's face he isn't the main target he had in the window. Harry's main target was Rossi I think. Rossi is expensive this year. Last year we could have had him for £17m.

Indecisiveness cost us.

Quite possibly yes (although nobody actually knows who's indecisiveness).

None of that means that everything is Levy's fault, or Harry's fault etc etc. As has been said people are making out as if we haven't been trying to sign players when that is quite clearly bollocks of the highest order.

Plus, and I can't believe I'm saying this again, we have to get rid of players first and if we can't sell them then we can't buy players. If people don't want our players then what exactly are we supposed to do?

 

[dimiSpur]

if we were totally unprepared we would not have beaten hearts five nil. we would not have matched utd for 60minutes and at times outplayed them.

last night we had 21 attempts at OT with 13 on target, sadly we did not score. . It will be interesting as the season progresses to see the stats of other sides at OT.

goals change games. if lennon and pulled back to VDv instead of thumping the ball at evra WE MAY HAVE gone one up. there kids may have folded and we may have ended up winning three nil. alas it did not happen that way. they scored. Before his goal welbeck was less than average, Cleverly was not bossing the game and anderson was average.

the goal raised their confidence.

yes we had nico and jake as a cm pairing - who would you have had to start considering those on the bench were coming back from injuries?

the step up is 30 mill plus. a lot of cash for a club with 36k ground and no sugar daddy.

aguero debut half a dozen touches 2 goals world class against bolton missed sitters is he now shit. NO its football.

defoe looks sharp and seems to be rising to the challenge of the anticipated striker arrival.

we will finish 4th with this squad. be prepared to keep the faith, time will tell my friend

If we can add Adebayor and Diarra and keep Luka, I agree. As it stands, it's debateable, and the only reason we can possibly finish 4th with the current squad is because Liverpool we're behind us already and are playing catch up, and Arsenal have deteriorated massively.

What people must understand is I'm not trying to say anyone is doing anything to hurt us on purpose. I'm saying for one reason or the other, we are massively underprepared for the start of the season.

We don't know if our best CM will stay, we don't know if we will sign a striker (Adebayor apparently not as done as some ITK's suggested last week), we don't know what's going on with injuries, as we have a list so long we have to call the NHS in and we seem to be knackered in the first game.

You can't use the Hearts game as a fitness-o-meter. Hearts were abysmal. You said it yourself, for 60 minutes we did well. After that we tired. I could understand it had it been the 75th minute we faded or the 80th, but with over a quarter of the match to go, to literally fold, when aspiriing to be a top 4 side, isn't good enough.

 

[jimmy-jojo]

Plus, and I can't believe I'm saying this again, we have to get rid of players first and if we can't sell them then we can't buy players. If people don't want our players then what exactly are we supposed to do?

I don't think it's that other clubs don't want our players...it is that they don't want our players at the prices we are demanding.

 

[PT]

Two identically fit teams - one with the ball and endlessly knocking it from one to t'other - endlessly - the other team chasing, chasing, losing shape, chasing - tiring, tiring, knackered...

 

[talkshowhost86]

If we can add Adebayor and Diarra and keep Luka, I agree. As it stands, it's debateable, and the only reason we can possibly finish 4th with the current squad is because Liverpool we're behind us already and are playing catch up, and Arsenal have deteriorated massively.

What people must understand is I'm not trying to say anyone is doing anything to hurt us on purpose. I'm saying for one reason or the other, we are massively underprepared for the start of the season.

We don't know if our best CM will stay, we don't know if we will sign a striker (Adebayor apparently not as done as some ITK's suggested last week), we don't know what's going on with injuries, as we have a list so long we have to call the NHS in and we seem to be knackered in the first game.

You can't use the Hearts game as a fitness-o-meter. Hearts were abysmal. You said it yourself, for 60 minutes we did well. After that we tired. I could understand it had it been the 75th minute we faded or the 80th, but with over a quarter of the match to go, to literally fold, when aspiriing to be a top 4 side, isn't good enough.

And you can't use a defeat away against the Champions when we have a long injury list to say we're not prepared for the season.

Sorry Dimi but it seems like you want to both have your cake and smash yourself in the face with it.

 

[dimiSpur]

Quite possibly yes (although nobody actually knows who's indecisiveness).

None of that means that everything is Levy's fault, or Harry's fault etc etc. As has been said people are making out as if we haven't been trying to sign players when that is quite clearly bollocks of the highest order.

Plus, and I can't believe I'm saying this again, we have to get rid of players first and if we can't sell them then we can't buy players. If people don't want our players then what exactly are we supposed to do?

We are going in circles. We literally agree, but you can't see it.

We are trying to sign players, I'm not disputing that. It's how. I just feel in terms of the massive hole in our squad, and to show Luka the ambition Levy harps on we have at the Club, he and Harry should have identified a main target and signed it.

We need to get rid I agree. But when people come in for them, from what we are hearing, takers are few and far between, and we aint really making things easy by asking for a lot of money. We we're quoted to be askign £20m for Crouch and Palacios. That's mad. Giovani begged to go to Sevilla. For 2m euros we are holding out for him to choose Udinese.

It's this slow, long drawn out process that goes on in all transfers regarding Spurs over the last year, that make us an unnattractive club to do business with, and why we're being fucked about.

 

[NEVILLEB]

The only problem with VDV is that he doesnt have a natural strike partner.

Why? Because Redknapp hadn't planned to buy him. We'd missed on all our striking targets and he became a last minute bargain.

He is a fantastic player but he isn't what we needed last year. For all the good he does we would have benefitted more as a team if we'd just signed the striker we needed.

Last years goal drought is mostly because none of Defoe, Crouch and Pav are capable or happy playing on their own.

I'm delighted to have him but it distracted some fans from the fact that we still hadn't fixed a problem we'd noticed the season before.

 

[dimiSpur]

And you can't use a defeat away against the Champions when we have a long injury list to say we're not prepared for the season.

Sorry Dimi but it seems like you want to both have your cake and smash yourself in the face with it.

Did we or did we not all think at the start of the window "We're bound to go mad on the last day of the window" ?

That's what I'm using the Man United game for. I'm saying we went there without any CM's knowing we would do so abotu a week beforehand. And we we're in negotiations for Diarra. Maybe we could have hurried that one up and got him in before Friday, so that he could have played some part in that match.

 

[ThorntonSpur]

If we can add Adebayor and Diarra and keep Luka, I agree. As it stands, it's debateable, and the only reason we can possibly finish 4th with the current squad is because Liverpool we're behind us already and are playing catch up, and Arsenal have deteriorated massively.

What people must understand is I'm not trying to say anyone is doing anything to hurt us on purpose. I'm saying for one reason or the other, we are massively underprepared for the start of the season.

We don't know if our best CM will stay, we don't know if we will sign a striker (Adebayor apparently not as done as some ITK's suggested last week), we don't know what's going on with injuries, as we have a list so long we have to call the NHS in and we seem to be knackered in the first game.

You can't use the Hearts game as a fitness-o-meter. Hearts were abysmal. You said it yourself, for 60 minutes we did well. After that we tired. I could understand it had it been the 75th minute we faded or the 80th, but with over a quarter of the match to go, to literally fold, when aspiriing to be a top 4 side, isn't good enough.

i don't we tired until last 10, i think the subs were wrong we had no pace in CM or desire which livermore had, we went for it when we went down but did not have the sandro quality to cover the back four. when walker went off we should IMHO put kaboul at RB and brought on Bassong and jenas should ahve come on for Livermore with Pav for bale or VDV.

remember when we won the double man utd 2 spurs 0 so not all is lost:wink: