Race for The Top 10

[spursfan77]

IF?

we can all play that game

if Rose had been more alert, or Sanchez 2 foot higher, or Mike Dean had given a penalty we might have got a point or even beat Newcastle

if Rose never acted stupidly v Arsenal we would have gone in 2-0 at halftime, and might have won, or the ref that gives pushing a player in the back as a foul in the area then Kane gets a chance to make it 3-2

if VAR had used the same lines they used for Salah's goal on Sunday, we would have been 2-0 up away to Leicester

if Lloris punches the ball clear then no 1 knows the Brighton score

if Rose had made an attempt to try and make a header then Watford might not have taken the lead

if Toby had got out of 1st gear he might have been there to help Aurier v Liverpool

if Gomes hadn't broken his foot, the ref would have stayed with just a yellow, and with XI men we might have held on


or do the if's only count to make it even more negative for you

Bad luck and poor defensive mistakes from players. When that happens, like in his first season with us, you need to get rid of the players. When you look back through games they’ve been won and lost on such fine margins. But if we could score more goals then we wouldn’t have been as affected. I think the problem lies at the attacking end.

 

[dudu]

I agree but eually you can say if Son’s goal had been given against Leicester and we hadn’t of thrown the arsenal game away we’d have another 5 points and Leicester 3 less. The table would look quite different then. It’s fine margins but those results may of given the team impetus to get better results elsewhere.

I hadn’t realised it, but a poster said yesterday we hadn’t scored more than 2 in a league game since the Palace match, that’s a serious problem. I thought it was keeping goals out that was the problem but it’s not scoring that’s actually fucking us over.

Pretty sure Liverpool have only scored more than 2 once in the same period.

 

[spursfan77]

Pretty sure Liverpool have only scored more than 2 once in the same period.

Ok, I didn’t know that. They don’t have the defence there though that’s got the potential to make a defensive mistake nearly every time they are attacked (Eg. Rose and Aurier). That’s the difference. We need to score more goals because our defence isn’t as good as theirs.

Basically we need to improve all over! But we all know that.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

I agree but eually you can say if Son’s goal had been given against Leicester and we hadn’t of thrown the arsenal game away we’d have another 5 points and Leicester 3 less. The table would look quite different then. It’s fine margins but those results may of given the team impetus to get better results elsewhere.

I hadn’t realised it, but a poster said yesterday we hadn’t scored more than 2 in a league game since the Palace match, that’s a serious problem. I thought it was keeping goals out that was the problem but it’s not scoring that’s actually fucking us over.

We are being hindered because we essentially have no foundations or solidity, which puts more pressure on the attack to take any chances they get as they know we won't keep a clean sheet. This leads to poor decision making, lack of confidence and snatching. Added to that we have no quality at fullbacks to aid transitions and provide overlap quality and we have no DM to actually protect the back 4 and create a balance and measure of control in the midfield.

These factors are playing a major part in stifling our attack.

For example, if you stuck Pereira, Chilwell, van Dijk and Fabinho in our team in the key positions we are lacking, I guarantee we would see an immediate improvement in attack. The team would have solid foundations, balance and quality at fullback, creating a more cohesive team.

 

[spursfan77]

We are being hindered because we essentially have no foundations or solidity, which puts more pressure on the attack to take any chances they get as they know we won't keep a clean sheet. This leads to poor decision making, lack of confidence and snatching. Added to that we have no quality at fullbacks to aid transitions and provide overlap quality and we have no DM to actually protect the back 4 and create a balance and measure of control in the midfield.

These factors are playing a major part in stifling our attack.

For example, if you stuck Pereira, Chilwell, van Dijk and Fabinho in our team in the key positions we are lacking, I guarantee we would see an immediate improvement in attack. The team would have solid foundations, balance and quality at fullback, creating a more cohesive team.

Yep and this is what I suspect Poch will have told Levy. If Levy agrees and says he will go out and get these players then Poch isn’t going anywhere. But for Poch to see those players he has to win games with this group, which he isn’t doing. It’s a really shit situation for everyone to be in and one that could of easily been avoided if both the chairman and manager had got together and started rebuilding in the summer of 2018 rather than dithering and sitting on their hands.

 

[dudu]

Ok, I didn’t know that. They don’t have the defence there though that’s got the potential to make a defensive mistake nearly every time they are attacked (Eg. Rose and Aurier). That’s the difference. We need to score more goals because our defence isn’t as good as theirs.

Basically we need to improve all over! But we all know that.

Essentially, we absolutely do.

I think your original point still stands though but it doesn't need to even go the extreme of scoring more than 2 goals.

Scoring just 2 goals a match would have seen 3 1-1 draws turn into 3 wins, an extra 6 points.

Even the best teams will concede a goal against anyone. Lpool only have 1 clean sheet in the league I believe.

 

[Larryfromthelane]

Can we change the title to the race for the top 6? Set some realistic goals and we wont be so disappointed

 

[worcestersauce]

This season we have drawn five games at this time last year we hadn't drawn a single game, small margins I guess but this year we just aren't getting that extra few percent that got us the winner last year. Those extra points would put us right up there with the top four.

 

[spursfan77]

This season we have drawn five games at this time last year we hadn't drawn a single game, small margins I guess but this year we just aren't getting that extra few percent that got us the winner last year. Those extra points would put us right up there with the top four.

I wonder how much a completely misfiring Eriksen has to do with those wins last season being draws this campaign?

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Pretty sure Liverpool have only scored more than 2 once in the same period.

That’s only part of the story. Another way to look at it (in more detail) is that Liverpool repeatedly has grinded out those 2-1 wins all the time. Tottenham has scored two goals in one game once since mid-September. Of course you don’t need to score more if you enjoy one goal wins most weeks. But Tottenham has a goals scoring issue now, regardless of Liverpool’s stats.

 

[dudu]

That’s only part of the story. Another way to look at it (in more detail) is that Liverpool repeatedly has grinded out those 2-1 wins all the time. Tottenham has scored two goals in one game once since mid-September. Of course you don’t need to score more if you enjoy one goal wins most weeks. But Tottenham has a goals scoring issue now, regardless of Liverpool’s stats.

Agreed, went on to say the same thing in a few posts time.

 

[Lighty64]

you've brought a lot more IFS to the table.
And my 'If' is much more in line with how the performances have been.

well just select any 2 you like but they are all valid

JJ mentioned on twitter that the players are shot, and that’s a good possible reason we aren’t playing with pace, it might be the reason why.

 

[Lighty64]

Bad luck and poor defensive mistakes from players. When that happens, like in his first season with us, you need to get rid of the players. When you look back through games they’ve been won and lost on such fine margins. But if we could score more goals then we wouldn’t have been as affected. I think the problem lies at the attacking end.

i think it’s a case of both, and we just don’t have the spine we used to have, it’s damaged both Toby and Jan are slower, the main spine of Dier/wanyama Dembele are missing, and without wingbacks we aren’t making the space plus him looking disinterested for Eriksen

 

[archiewasking]

If it wasn't for that turn around at Villa and somehow scraping a point at City we'd be in turmoil.

Looking at our last 7 games

Won 1
Drawn 3
Lost 3
GF 7
GA 11
PTS 6

It's relegation form, it's relegation performances and whilst some are scoffing at it, relegation could be a genuine possibility if we don't pull our fingers out.

I agree with most of that. The key thing for me is the goals scored. Yes, we've shipped a fair few. But the teams that go down generally can't score at all. I hope and pray we'll be alright, whoever is in charge. And we have been pretty wasteful in front of goal at times; if we can just nail a couple of results, we will be able to start looking up, not over our shoulders. And playing no wantaways.

 

[Lighty64]

Yep and this is what I suspect Poch will have told Levy. If Levy agrees and says he will go out and get these players then Poch isn’t going anywhere. But for Poch to see those players he has to win games with this group, which he isn’t doing. It’s a really shit situation for everyone to be in and one that could of easily been avoided if both the chairman and manager had got together and started rebuilding in the summer of 2018 rather than dithering and sitting on their hands.

not just 2018, 1 extra body of better quality compared to the likes of N'jie, N'koudou, Janssen and even Sissoko, and transfers in 2018 would have helped just keep the squad fresher. I didn't realise till a few weeks back that Moura is Poch's only January transfer since he has been with us

 

[tototoner]

 

[jondy1]

Fucking hilarious ? ??

 

[Yiddo100]

Can we change the title to the race for the top 6? Set some realistic goals and we wont be so disappointed

What was it Bill Nicholson said, “It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory.”

 

[tototoner]

Fucking hilarious ? ??

Yeah i thought so, I got sent it by WhatsApp from a Liverpool fan mate, I tried to find it online but couldn't so just posted it on twitter so I could share here, it's so not funny if you're a Spurs fan, but so fucking funny.

 

[Larryfromthelane]

What was it Bill Nicholson said, “It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory.”

Considering where we are, Id say top 6 is am ambitious target