Strong possibility of a new cup winner

comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 31 minutes ago
There is plenty to get annoyed about regarding this season but going out of both domestic cups to last 16 CL teams is hardly one of them.

The Europa has always represented our best chance of a trophy as the 3rd place CL teams no longer drop in which has a hugely negative effect on the quality of what's left.
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Agree Pawl, losing away to CL league teams with half or more of the best team missing was not that difficult to predict. Unfortunately some of our fan base thought there was no excuse for Spurs not winning both.

comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 1 hour ago
There is plenty to get annoyed about regarding this season but going out of both domestic cups to last 16 CL teams is hardly one of them.

The Europa has always represented our best chance of a trophy as the 3rd place CL teams no longer drop in which has a hugely negative effect on the quality of what's left.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My point is not who we went out to, it's about other teams possibly picking up trophies while we still wait to do it. It just makes everything look worse for Spurs/Levy/ENIC and is another nail in the coffin of this long running failing under these owners.

I mean this will all be academic if we win the Europa, as we probably should.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 1 hour ago
There is plenty to get annoyed about regarding this season but going out of both domestic cups to last 16 CL teams is hardly one of them.

The Europa has always represented our best chance of a trophy as the 3rd place CL teams no longer drop in which has a hugely negative effect on the quality of what's left.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My point is not who we went out to, it's about other teams possibly picking up trophies while we still wait to do it. It just makes everything look worse for Spurs/Levy/ENIC and is another nail in the coffin of this long running failing under these owners.

I mean this will all be academic if we win the Europa, as we probably should.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think Ange resting players 8 days before the AZ 1st leg clearly shows that he knows what's riding on it.

Having put pressure on himself by saying he always wins a trophy in his 2nd season I fear that anything other than winning it will see him getting binned off by Levy.

It's really odd that we will either be in the CL or have no European football next season.

comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 33 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 1 hour ago
There is plenty to get annoyed about regarding this season but going out of both domestic cups to last 16 CL teams is hardly one of them.

The Europa has always represented our best chance of a trophy as the 3rd place CL teams no longer drop in which has a hugely negative effect on the quality of what's left.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My point is not who we went out to, it's about other teams possibly picking up trophies while we still wait to do it. It just makes everything look worse for Spurs/Levy/ENIC and is another nail in the coffin of this long running failing under these owners.

I mean this will all be academic if we win the Europa, as we probably should.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think Ange resting players 8 days before the AZ 1st leg clearly shows that he knows what's riding on it.

Having put pressure on himself by saying he always wins a trophy in his 2nd season I fear that anything other than winning it will see him getting binned off by Levy.

It's really odd that we will either be in the CL or have no European football next season.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
It makes an interesting question actually. How many teams have actually gone into the CL by winning the Europa while not finishing in a European qualifying position in their league? Can't be many.

Evidence for any notion that you'll win the Europa please...

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 7 minutes ago
Evidence for any notion that you'll win the Europa please...
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Yes, if we get the majority of our players back (which we are supposed to) we probably have the strongest squad of the teams in the competition. Especially this season with no CL drop downs.

No distractions it's $hit or bust.

Supporting Spurs for many years makes me stop short of saying we'll win it but we should certainly be there or there abouts.

Our likely route is:

16ko: AZ Alkmaar - 6th in Eredivisie. Good defence (GA 24 in 24 games). Average attack (GF 40 in 24)

QF: Frankfurt - 3rd in Bundesliga. Poor defensively (GA 37 in 24). Strong attack (50 in 24). On a poor run, 1 win in 5. Lost last 2.

SF - Lazio - 5th in Serie A. One of the poorer defences in the top half (GA 35 in 27). Reasonable attack (GF 49 in 27). In decent form and topped the Europa Group table.

I would expect us to get passed AZ but Frankfurt will be a tough challenge and so will Lazio. We will have to be in some decent form to stand a good chance in these as these teams are doing well in their leagues which shows quality but also means they will have confidence.

Interestingly despite our lack of a defence this season with 39 goals conceded in 13th place, that record is not that much worse than Frankfurt (3rd) who have played 3 fewer games, and Lazio(5th) who are also quite well placed. All could be open, high scoring, nerve-jangling games.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 11 hours, 36 minutes ago
comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 33 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by PawlBawron (U1055)
posted 1 hour ago
There is plenty to get annoyed about regarding this season but going out of both domestic cups to last 16 CL teams is hardly one of them.

The Europa has always represented our best chance of a trophy as the 3rd place CL teams no longer drop in which has a hugely negative effect on the quality of what's left.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My point is not who we went out to, it's about other teams possibly picking up trophies while we still wait to do it. It just makes everything look worse for Spurs/Levy/ENIC and is another nail in the coffin of this long running failing under these owners.

I mean this will all be academic if we win the Europa, as we probably should.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think Ange resting players 8 days before the AZ 1st leg clearly shows that he knows what's riding on it.

Having put pressure on himself by saying he always wins a trophy in his 2nd season I fear that anything other than winning it will see him getting binned off by Levy.

It's really odd that we will either be in the CL or have no European football next season.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
It makes an interesting question actually. How many teams have actually gone into the CL by winning the Europa while not finishing in a European qualifying position in their league? Can't be many.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Quite a few I suspect. Seville won it six times, I don't remember them finishing in a CL position to often, if ever. There are others I suspect.

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 16 hours, 54 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 7 minutes ago
Don't mind any team that isn't City winning it. It will be refreshing to see, even if it does make a mockery of us.
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Why does it make a mockery of us.

We lost to Liverpool & Villa(a) in cups. Hardly shameful even if we had fit team.
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Liverpool I get but Villa? Yes, they're a good team now but this is only because they've shown real ambition in the market with a fraction of the revenue we get. The very fact that we're considered underdogs to a team that very nearly got relegated only 3 seasons ago says everything about the direction of travel under this ownership.

Now they might face some PSR troubles further down the line. Who knows? But you can't knock their desire to make it.

comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 19 hours, 48 minutes ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 16 hours, 54 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 7 minutes ago
Don't mind any team that isn't City winning it. It will be refreshing to see, even if it does make a mockery of us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Why does it make a mockery of us.

We lost to Liverpool & Villa(a) in cups. Hardly shameful even if we had fit team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool I get but Villa? Yes, they're a good team now but this is only because they've shown real ambition in the market with a fraction of the revenue we get. The very fact that we're considered underdogs to a team that very nearly got relegated only 3 seasons ago says everything about the direction of travel under this ownership.

Now they might face some PSR troubles further down the line. Who knows? But you can't knock their desire to make it.
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Spurs lost at Villa becayae they had several players missing who would have started.

To bring up nonsense like Spurs lost to a side who nearly git relegated three seasons ago is the biggest tripe going.