If we don't finish in the top 4...

[theShiznit]

If we don't get top 4 (still think we will )
Then I cannot believe AVB will put as much stock in next year's Europa League, Plus I don't believe Levy will allow the glaring squad holes to continue any longer (maybe that's wishful thinking though) And he must then back the manager.

We are a Moutinho (or another creative CM) an AMF/RWF and a top lone striker away from quite a team IMO.

 

[TheGreenLily]

@HotspurFC1950

Why a doh rating when you know I am correct, all successful teams don't just have big squads, they have more importantly, big squads that are "balanced"... correct?

 

[TheGreenLily]

Ok.

Well we did, didn't we?

Ade was unfit/injured, leaving only Defoe as Kane went to Norwich and we had Gomes, Lloris, Freidel and Cudicini for goalies.

Doesn't sound very balanced to me.

 

[TheGreenLily]

If we don't get top 4 (still think we will )
Then I cannot believe AVB will put as much stock in next year's Europa League, Plus I don't believe Levy will allow the glaring squad holes to continue any longer (maybe that's wishful thinking though) And he must then back the manager.

We are a Moutinho (or another creative CM) an AMF/RWF and a top lone striker away from quite a team IMO.

Agree, but lets not forget cover for the likes of RB, LB, Bale and the cover for the top lone striker as well. Seeing as both Ade and Defoe have proved this season that are simply not good enough.

 

[HotspurFC1950]

@HotspurFC1950

Why a doh rating when you know I am correct, all successful teams don't just have big squads, they have more importantly, big squads that are "balanced"... correct?

Error.

 

[theShiznit]

Agree, but lets not forget cover for the likes of RB, LB, Bale and the cover for the top lone striker as well. Seeing as both Ade and Defoe have proved this season that are simply not good enough.

I think Danny Rose has proved more than adequate cover at Sunderland.
Adam Smith is a player I like and you Have Kaboul who could also do a job at RB.

Could also sign a player who can play in any of the front positions (as well as a specialist lone striker)

 

[Oshi]

If we don't get top 4 we will have to endure a summer of bullshit, dick waving, ball bashing and general media ****ery over our best players. This will be incredibly boring after approximately 6minutes.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

Sigurdsson is a goalscoring midfielder. .

When was that?

 

[OmarsComing]

I'll be pretty fucking gutted if we missed out on a top four spot, considering our two biggest rivals ever have beaten us to it, again.

But at the beginning of the season, I thought to myself that this would be a transitional season and I would have been happy with a top 6 finish.

 

[RichSpur58]

It is about a balanced squad, I mean ffs, we started the season with 4 goalies and one fit striker.

Then people wonder why I complain.

 

[only1waddle]

If we don't finish in the top 4... our financial wizard can stop the delusions that he can "spot a player" and get back to balancing the books, get a proper DOF in, you know, one with a football background..

 

[alex3]

If we don't finish in the top 4... our financial wizard can stop the delusions that he can "spot a player" and get back to balancing the books, get a proper DOF in, you know, one with a football background..

well with the new stadium thats what were probably gonna do with top 4

 

[SpursSince1980]

I would like to clarify something, in case it wasn't conveyed in my original post:
By no means was I contemplating a defeatist posture. Nor, prematurely penning a posthumous obit for our team. Just sharing with my fellow Spurs supporters how different I feel this year about our fight for fourth.
Totally agree that finishing fifth hardly helps us keep up with the Joneses. But, I believe we really have a solid core of players, and by keeping Bale, we only need one or two to push us to the upper echelons. I have no fear that we'll lose anyone of significance. So, by that logic, if we do lose out, it will be a bummer, but not a damning indictment on the future of our club.
Like most, I will be sick about not getting in to the CL.... but not because we won't be able to sign the A-listers. Nah. I'll be sick, because I want to see us play CL football.

 

[Syn_13]

I said at the beginning of the season we'd finish 5th, so I won't be disappointed if we do. Earlier this afternoon Adrian Durham was saying how it'd be a "massive failure" for AVB if we don't get 4th this year. I simply cannot agree. Although Bale has been better this year than last he was still a great player last year and we had 2 other amazing players in VDV and Modric that we haven't replaced. In terms of overall quality the squad is about the same, if not slightly worse, than last year.

Redknapp did a brilliant job for us the last few years. Could he have done better last year? Definitely. Am I upset and angry at him for not doing so? Not at all, he's done well enough for the club during his tenure. Has AVB done better than HR? In some ways yes and in others no, it's pretty much balanced out, IMHO.

In many ways yes, we should've had top 4 in the bag this year, but I'm sure our rivals would be saying exactly the same. Chelsea particularly so, they've massively underachieved with the squad they have and the money they've spent on it. They will be devestated to miss out on top 4, no doubt. Arsenal still spend more than us, have a higher reputation, better facilities and a more proven manager and a team roughly level in quality to ours. They by rights should achieve more than us also and will be very disappointed if they don't reach top 4 as it's always been a given for them in the Wenger era.

As a result I don't think it's shameful if we miss out. AVB has done a good job trying to develop a squad, that's lost key members, into something very different from what he took over. His whole philosophy and ethos differs entirely from Redknapp's and it's hard to convey that across to players that aren't used to it. We've had the customary injuries, can't use it as an excuse too much as others get them too, but we've also had yet another lacklustre transfer window in January.

What I am disappointed with however, is missing out on a Europa League title. I'm convinced it would've been entirely winnable this year, we have a good enough squad to do so and a manager who took it more seriously than last year. So if we miss out on top 4 then that would've been really nice to fall back on. Some would argue better a trophy than the CL spot, and I wouldn't disagree as the game is about glory, as we all know.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

We are no worse than last year, as are Arsenal, but Chelsea are considerably better and they are the ones who are blocking our route to top 4. If Chelsea had repeated last years results, then we would be home and dry for a top 4 position.

The difference between Chelsea and us is that they splashed the cash on Hazard, Oscar and Ba, whilst we shopped for bargains with the likes of Holtby, Dempsey and Siguardsson. I know that they have cash to burn, but we are probably regretting not splashing big money for a decent striker, as that may have allowed us to get above both Chelsea and Arsenal.

 

[Spursidol]

...I will be bummed... but... not forlorn. The reason for this is simple, really; I don't fear for the future of our club. I don't think if we miss out we'll end up offloading our best players -- including Bale. He is likely to stay when all is said and done.

Last year, I was more scared of not getting CL qualification, then I was excited about getting in. The reason being, is that I knew it would directly lead to Luka and probably VdV leaving.

Feels very different this time around. I'd be thrilled to qualify. But not disconsolate if we don't. I believe that even if we were only to sign a striker this summer, that would be okay. With the likes of Rose, Townsend, Kaboul and Sandro returning from loans and injuries, it will provide us with depth and quality, in the areas where we need some help.

Avb has done a good job with the lot he has in his first year. Next year we'll be even better -- CL or not.

Good OP.

I agree, 5th is not a disaster and arguably an improvement on where we were.

We sold Modric (who definitely wanted to go, we had no choice), VDV (mixture between marital problems and AVB possibly not desperate to keep him) and King's retirement. However we did get in Lloris (great keeper), Vertonghen (in PL team of the year) and Dembele (a rock as CM), which would have been a decent set of replacements (not like for like I know).....what has been a problem for us has been long term injuries to Sandro and Kaboul and the non goal scoring form of Adebayor - all three being beyond expectation (we might have feared for one long term injury but two plus Ade's goalscoring - no).

I'm pretty confident Bale will stay next season.

So that means we are pretty sorted in most positions (with wing cover from Townsend - which we have been crying out for a long time) except for a forward or two - which simplifies the buying fir the season.

A creative midfielder would be nice - but with Huddlestone and Carroll may not be essential.

AVB seems to have a problem with BAE at LB, but if he goes we could get by with Rose (or if AVB wants a more experienced LB, then the money from BAE should buy a sensible purchase)

Bentley is also finally at the end of his contract - with a £16m fee and wages over the last 5 years he's probably cost us £30m+ so great to have the deadwood finally under control. That just leaves Gomes as the unwanted first team player

Whilst Spurs fans are concious of where our squad is thin - we don't always appreciate how thin others are. Would you want Arsenal's goalkeepers. Either of ours would walk into their team. Would you want any of Arsenal's defenders over ours - doubt it.

Lets put it this way, with a new manager with 3 games to go we are in charge of our destiny - Arsenal are not. If we win all 3 games they cannot qualiify fior CL whatever they do. That is a good position to be in.

 

[ThorntonSpur]

ive seen myself as positive and a tad optimistic. I thought third was a possibility at the start of the season.

its all about consistency and to have dropped 5 points against wigan 4 Norwich, 3 Newcastle 2 qpr shows inconsistency. its likely that 2 of these sides will be relegated . 14 points against relegation fodder. erase that inconsistency and we will be a threat to the title in fact we would go into tonights game 6 points behind united if that was the case .