Morning all.
Great win yesterday, one we should be proud of considering this mini injury crisis we currently face.
Getting straight to the point, one thing I see on this board a lot from opposition fans is "you won't finish top 4", some of it is just banter, to get a reaction, but I think most who say it genuinely believe that it would be a stick to beat us with if we didn't get it.
Now, I'd be disappointed if we didn't, because of where we are in the table now and the fact we've finished 3rd, 2nd and 3rd, but I'm not too blinded to see that we still cannot say that we SHOULD be finishing top 4. There are 4 other teams with (arguably) better teams than us (Pool, City, Chelsea, Utd). Any one of those who fail to even finish in the top 4 given their spending, size, wages and recent history of winning leagues, trophies and getting to CL finals should be taking a very long hard look at themselves for letting a club who didn't spend a penny, don't even have a 'home' stadium, and who's record transfer fees and highest earners are less than half of theirs. How on earth could anyone have a dig at us if we fail to finish above any of these clubs?
Even Arsenal have much higher wages and transfer fees than us. I'm probably sounding like an Arsenal fan of around 10 years ago. The difference? 10 years before they were in that position, they were winning leagues and going unbeaten for whole seasons. We've come into this position from mid table mediocrity at best.
Mourning said finishing 2nd with no trophies in 17/18 was one of his best achievements. This is after spending God knows how much on Pogba, Lukaku, Sanchez etc. We did the same the season before, spending about 1/8 of thaf amoumt.
Chelsea spent yet another £50 million in the summer, are about to sign a striker on loan that we wouldn't have a prayer in signing (wages) and took Napoli's Manager despite being in the Europa League. It beggars belief how they are (at the moment) yet again behind us.
Just a bit of realism.
Our Expectations vs Other Teams
posted on 21/1/19
comment by KLS (U1695)
posted 8 minutes ago
I don’t really understand the point of the article.
Spurs didn’t spend any money in the last summer window and that’s because they’ve put all the money into the ground and that’s fine and understandable.
Let’s not pretend that they are getting by on players who have come through the academy though.
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Its not really to do with buying. LFC lose their front three and they're reliant on Origi or Sturridge, we lose ours and we are reliant on Llorente and Lucas.
Both clubs probably need upgraded backup, what they have can do a job but its as much about how the loss of such key players affects the way the team normally plays. You saw in the FA Cup vs Wolves, LFCs backup forwards were poor but the team lacked the dynamic fast style of play that the first choice bring.
posted on 21/1/19
comment by kneerash-23 Cara Gold (U6876)
posted 14 minutes ago
Spurs have done well to get to where you are with what has been spent.
Problem is it's becoming quite clear that you've hit your peak and if you don't spend big you won't get to the point fo being serious contenders.
Take Liverpool and Spurs, for the past few years Spurs were the better side, finished ahead of Liverpool in the league and when you balanced up the squads Spurs were overall a bit better.
But we recognized that the first 11 needed strengthening, went out and spnt 75 million on a wprld class centre back, 60 odd million on a top keeper, and then 40 or whatever on Fabinho, 3 players who have vastly improved our first 11.
It takes that level of spending in the current market to close the gap to the very top. We have jumped ahead of Spurs now and this is evident in us being 9 point sclear of you despite this being your best league season ever I'm sure? And also us going to the CL final last year.
It's great to see Spurs crash the old top 4 party ,and you've done it thr right, thing is currently you have enough to win the FA cup, you need to spend lots to get to the point of being a real title or CL challenger.
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Spurs do need to spend. I do not think the club are adverse to that, but the players have to be the right sort. We have said repeatedly we will not buy for the sake of buying...Look at how LFC dealt with VVD. Wanted their man, and waited another window to get him, didnt panic. Spurs take this approach too, and this is made more necessary by our financial situation where we cannot afford to waste money on average players or stop-gaps.
I'd say an upgrade on Trippier or Aurier, Wanyama and Llorente is essential in the near future. Janssen surplus to requirements. We will unlikley replace until these guys are sold to keep both our transfer spend and wages within the necessary levels.
posted on 21/1/19
comment by groovyduringthewar (U1054)
posted 46 minutes ago
Is there a top three trophy to be won know.
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No but top three gets you CL football, finish 5th doesn`t. I remember when you lot used to be all over us because you had CL football. It was like your holy grail.
posted on 21/1/19
The bottom line is Spurs are still competing in three cup competitions despite all the injuries. Liverpool as soon as they had to use the squad players collapsed like a pack of cards in two cup competitions. Leave it to you to decide who has the best squad.
posted on 21/1/19
Let's be honest, we where 20 seconds away from countless articles about how Levy is to blame, no investment, Winks is 5h1te, constantly passes the ball sideways, Llorente is a joke, etc etc.
Now, late goal, no bigee, everything is great, Winks is the reincarnation of Frank Lampard, we can manage, etc etc.
Will change again when Chelsea send them crashing out of the league cup.😀
posted on 21/1/19
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 1 minute ago
The bottom line is Spurs are still competing in three cup competitions despite all the injuries. Liverpool as soon as they had to use the squad players collapsed like a pack of cards in two cup competitions. Leave it to you to decide who has the best squad.
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Spurs have lost 6 games in 23 PL games, Liverpool have lost 6 in 66 PL games, and reached a CL final along the way.
So I'm guessing Liverpool.😀
posted on 21/1/19
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 8 minutes ago
Let's be honest, we where 20 seconds away from countless articles about how Levy is to blame, no investment, Winks is 5h1te, constantly passes the ball sideways, Llorente is a joke, etc etc.
Now, late goal, no bigee, everything is great, Winks is the reincarnation of Frank Lampard, we can manage, etc etc.
Will change again when Chelsea send them crashing out of the league cup.😀
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No one will disagree that Llorente is sheite, win lose or draw
posted on 21/1/19
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by kneerash-23 Cara Gold (U6876)
posted 14 minutes ago
Spurs have done well to get to where you are with what has been spent.
Problem is it's becoming quite clear that you've hit your peak and if you don't spend big you won't get to the point fo being serious contenders.
Take Liverpool and Spurs, for the past few years Spurs were the better side, finished ahead of Liverpool in the league and when you balanced up the squads Spurs were overall a bit better.
But we recognized that the first 11 needed strengthening, went out and spnt 75 million on a wprld class centre back, 60 odd million on a top keeper, and then 40 or whatever on Fabinho, 3 players who have vastly improved our first 11.
It takes that level of spending in the current market to close the gap to the very top. We have jumped ahead of Spurs now and this is evident in us being 9 point sclear of you despite this being your best league season ever I'm sure? And also us going to the CL final last year.
It's great to see Spurs crash the old top 4 party ,and you've done it thr right, thing is currently you have enough to win the FA cup, you need to spend lots to get to the point of being a real title or CL challenger.
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Spurs do need to spend. I do not think the club are adverse to that, but the players have to be the right sort. We have said repeatedly we will not buy for the sake of buying...Look at how LFC dealt with VVD. Wanted their man, and waited another window to get him, didnt panic. Spurs take this approach too, and this is made more necessary by our financial situation where we cannot afford to waste money on average players or stop-gaps.
I'd say an upgrade on Trippier or Aurier, Wanyama and Llorente is essential in the near future. Janssen surplus to requirements. We will unlikley replace until these guys are sold to keep both our transfer spend and wages within the necessary levels.
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Fully agree mate, what I think Spurs need to buy now is 2-3 players who come straight into your first 11, or at least are banging on the door to start every week, that boosts your first 11 and the overall squad.
And you're right about not spending for the sake of it, you can defo see Poch is all about that, lots of managers would have paniced in the summer and just bought, but Poch wasn't able to get who he wanted to was happy to work with what he's got, we did same with VVD and it's worked out well for us.
posted on 21/1/19
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 2 hours, 41 minutes ago
comment by (Kash) I'm the Mane (U1108)
posted 7 minutes ago
You have spent money. It’s been spent on the worlds most expensive stadium.
Not others teams fault that they have had there house in order.
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Yet still Spurs finish as a top three club every season.
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I dont think you know what 'every' means.
posted on 21/1/19
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 3 hours, 9 minutes ago
Let's be honest, we where 20 seconds away from countless articles about how Levy is to blame, no investment, Winks is 5h1te, constantly passes the ball sideways, Llorente is a joke, etc etc.
Now, late goal, no bigee, everything is great, Winks is the reincarnation of Frank Lampard, we can manage, etc etc.
Will change again when Chelsea send them crashing out of the league cup.😀
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Sigh...
Comments like this are just so tiresome and one of the worst things about this site but I'll bite nevertheless...
Some blame should be attached to Levy because we all know that while we have a very good first elev, there is little back up for injuries or other absences.
Llorente is rubbish, we knew that before yesterday and regardless of yesterday's result.
Wnks is a good player who can move the ball quickly but he's not a goalscorer and nobody expects him to do Alli's job. He's played more than he probably should have in the last few months but this is obviously down to injuries to Dembele (when he was here), Wanyama and Dier. I don't know anyone who rates him to that ridiculously high level he is just a good young player.
That's three minutes of my life I'll never get back.