What the pundits & media are saying about us

One way of looking at this next season is that last season we really got our High Press/extreme effort system working . You could argue we were the biggest club to do so . Lower teams all had their versions of this .The previous top 4 were not on this particular bus , still going with the 'buy expensive players' route ...

...and look what happened . The top teams' expensive players had no room to be effective . Numerous banana skins all over the shop and a different top 4 at the end .

This season Liverpool are now clearly on the High press/extreme effort bus...but also have some excellent players plus no Europe. They would look , according to this perspective , to be challengers .

The other big teams are still concentrating on the expensive individuals system . They love this system because they can win by outspending everyone using it and have bought so much success over the years . However its shown to be shaky vs the all out assault /pressing game that is becoming more common . So maybe more woe for the usual high spenders .

With regard to us , our system will be less of a surprise than last year , but should ensure we remain near the top .

slartibartfast said:

This is the same Maurinho who led Chelsea to relegation form with his ego.
That ego is still there. Throw in Ibrohimovic with his ego and a petulant Pogba and I think we're gonna see a huge shit storm if things don't go rosey. Can see Rooney spitting his dummy out as well.
Can't wait.
It may all go great for them but I think it'll end in tears.
Anything could happen this season. I think us, Citae, Manure, Chelscum, Arse are all capable of winning it but equally as likely to finish 5th or 6th.
I don't see Liverpool in the top 4 let alone winning it.
Gonna be interesting. Can't wait.

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I agree.
With Ibrahimovic, I'm sure he would have been put through his paces by their medical staff, but I can't help thinking that most of us over a certain age will have seen players at 34/35 who start a season looking fit as a fiddle but just all of a sudden seem totally off the pace and very shortly afterwards their top level career is over. I'm amazed that no-one at United seems to have considered this. Usually a club their size, with their expectations and so much financially riding on getting back into the elite (and, let's face it, that does mean CL) wouldn't place so much on a player his age. He is a massive star, but I normally wouldn't expect him to be a Plan B, probably coming off the bench, behind a striker at his peak.

It is very high risk, given his age and the unique pace, intensity and unforgiving nature of the BPL.

beats1 said:

Heres the thing we didnt get a high points total last season, for us to get top 4 this season imo if we emulate last season we wont do it

Last season was the statistical anomaly.

We have to improve to make top 4

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Yeah...only there are several reasons why we will almost certainly improve.

When you analyze it, we had a pathetic points total from the first and last four games in a way that it is easily believable for that not to be repeated. For the first four, we were massively unlucky to lose at United, and then it looked like we were struggling to get our confidence back which I suspect, ultimately meant the lads getting fully in tune again with Poch's ways. Coming so soon in his second season, with identifiably his own squad for the first time, I suspect doubt crept in. We took 3 points from 12 - and in the three subsequent draws it wouldn't really have taken much to win - especially if we were in the form we were in once we got into full flow. I still think the pen against Stoke was harsh, for instance.

And then there was the last for games. We were under immense (and IMHO unfair) pressure. We hit the woodwork 3 times against the Baggies when a goal up - it is not hard to imagine us taking 3 points from that one if just one of those had gone in. And I honestly think the final three games, more particularly the last two were less about actual physical tiredness than it was about us being at a peak psychological plateau that was impossible to maintain once the title was beyond us. It wasn't a deliberate drop but it was inevitable under the circumstances. We took 2 points from 12 in these last four games. I really don't think it takes much stretch of the imagination to see us gaining far more if one of those shots off the woodwork against the Baggies had gone in.

So, really, that is 5 points from 24, from two periods that aren't just poor form but actually, identifiably, anomalous. Going by the our standard form for the rest of the season, we would be justified in expecting 16 points from these eight games.

Obviously, nothing ever goes so uniform than that, and there always will be scope for a dip in form for one reason for another, but I think you can easily see why I am labelling these 8 games as totally anomalous.

TheHood said:

A more competitive league does not translate into Chelsea spending most of the season in the bottom half of table. Jose didn't find himself out of a job simply because the likes of Southampton and Leciester had the seasons they did. The same applied to the likes of United and City as well. Both clubs had lame duck mangers who were hindering their respective clubs potential. There is a multitude of factors that effected the elite clubs last seasons, many of which have now been removed. It's naive to suggest that we didn't benefit from that last season and equally naive to believe that those clubs resolving many of those issues doesn't posr a threat to us this season.

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Or........there is yet another period of upheaval/transition at the moneyed clubs and an even greater weight of expectation that simply cannot be fulfilled by all of them, with a far more competitive league below them meaning that their prior dominance is over for good.

IMO the way quite a few...pundits...are writing us off to be quite laughable, TBH.

I mean, looks at this season review:

http://www.express.co.uk/pictures/s...-17-sportgalleries/Mauricio-Pochettino-156114

It's like: Spurs had the best goal keeper and defence in the league, a great midfield, a great supporting attack, and the golden boot winner, they've bought well...I think they'll struggle to replicate their form of last season (with no analysis). 6th.

I exaggerate a touch, but WTF! We've only finished lower than 5th once in the last seven years, including three top 4 finishes. There's no reason to imagine us going backwards and plenty of solid reasons to see us improving. But just without any further analysis, we are going to finish as low as we have done in the last decade, barring the Wandery Ramos debacle and its aftermath - because every one of the managers and players signed by Citeh, United, Chelsea, ArseAnal (wait a cotton-picking minute...signings???) and Liverpool (of course) is going to be a mahoosive success. LoL.

pablo73 said:

Look forward to bumping this post later in the season. Ridiculously negative outlook

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I reckon we’ll definitely finish top half

Pundits see big signings as the only way a team can improve from season to season, the idea that a young squad would improve purely via experience is a foreign concept to them.

SpurinChicago said:

My only worry with the optimism pervading the opinions of pundits and supporters is the reaction if things do not start off well. A significant sector of our support tends to look for someone to blame. That someone is almost invariably the manager. Failing to live up to heightened expectations leads us to chop and change. So I am expecting a top 7 finish and remaining patient with Poch's plan. Hope more pundits have us finishing outside the top four. Predictions have absolutely no bearing on league finish.

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I think I bucked the trend somewhat last summer. I said that we would improve, and even though we didn't need top four to have a successful season, just to see evidence of progress in Poch's game-plan being implemented and greater cohesion in our exciting young group of players, I thought we could make top four anyway. Not optimism, just analysis, and not something I was depending on for improvement - just thought we could. Our young lads were going to be better for the year's experience, the year's maturity, greater cohesion and a more unified squad, and some strategic signings that I thought would be good signings. At the same time, I just didn't buy this facile assumption that every one of the signings made by the top four and Liverpool (definitely a top eight side LoL) were going to be wonderfully brilliantly great.

And that is exactly how I see it again this season. I think some folk are underestimating how good our side is because the erstwhile top four/Liverpool didn't all have great seasons. At that average age, I think they will just plain improve just for being a year older. Last season was filled with massive, and often difficult, experiences, and they will learn from those experiences. We will have another year to build up cohesion due to our relative stability. Our young manager will be older and more experienced. And IMHO we haven't spent massively but we have spent very, very shrewdly, and those signings should improve us in ways that are almost dead certs. At the same time, our rivals are all lacking in stability, and all (apart from the Goons), and banking on a high risk route to improvement that could equally see them flopping.

Besides, there is also what I am going to call the failure factor - the expectations aren't generally sky-high for us, so hanging around fifth for a good part of the season isn't going to put that much pressure on us. Our rivals, on the other hand, will be relying on big signings hitting the ground running and managers without, or with limit, experience of coping with the intensity and competitiveness of the BPL. There are four of them, plus LiverScouse, plus us, plus maybe a surprise contender or two, who could all be pushing the top four places. That leaves so much scope for at least three, and maybe more, not hitting the top two or three spots with a decent part of the season gone, where this would lead to massive pressure due to the expectations. Indeed, it is impossible for five to get those two or three spots. So this is very likely going to affect at least a couple of them. Leading to more pressure and less stability, while we can just keep rolling along.

I will still be happy with a season I can see as good even if it means missing out of top four - but IMHO anyone writing us off is making a pretty big mistake.

StartingPrice said:

IMO the way quite a few...pundits...are writing us off to be quite laughable, TBH.

I mean, looks at this season review:

http://www.express.co.uk/pictures/s...-17-sportgalleries/Mauricio-Pochettino-156114

It's like: Spurs had the best goal keeper and defence in the league, a great defence, a great supporting attack, and the golden boot winner, they've bought well...I think they'll struggle to replicate their form of last season (will no analysis). 6th.

I exaggerate a touch, but WTF! We've only finished lower than 5th once in the last seven years, including three top 4 finishes. There's no reason to imagine us going backwards and plenty of solid reasons to see us improving. But just without any further analysis, we are going to finish as low as we have done in the last decade, barring the Wandery Ramos debacle and its aftermath - because every one of the managers and players signed by Citeh, United, Chelsea, ArseAnal (wait a cotton-picking minute...signings???) and Liverpool (of course) is going to be a mahoosive success. LoL.

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As I mentioned earlier in the thread, it's not about us going backwards - but it's absolutely possible that other teams are moving forward at a faster rate than us. City and United have reacted to underwhelming seasons by bringing in the best two managers in world football and a ton of established stars who should improve them - yeah, it's no guarantee of success, but to write it off just because it's not certain is stupid, because in all likelihood those teams will be much better this year. Liverpool are IMO still an inferior side to us despite their improvements, but having a clear schedule due to a lack of European football could make a big difference. Arsenal are Arsenal, they'll be there or thereabouts the same as usual. We've also got Champions League football which could cause us problems in the league.

So yeah...there's every reason to believe we'll do well again this season, but it's hugely precious to start describing a prediction of sixth place as 'laughable'. It's absolutely possible that we end up sixth this season without having a bad year because the big sides that underperformed last year have all taken big steps to rectify the issues, and while I think we'll do better than sixth - I'd like to think that we'd have enough to out-do Liverpool and that Chelsea won't improve so much that a CL spot becomes a formality for them, so fourth behind City/United/Arsenal would be my prediction - it's not an unreasonable opinion. From an objective point of view, we're the team out of the 'big six' most likely to do worse than last season, because of the additional CL football.

am_yisrael_chai said:

Or........there is yet another period of upheaval/transition at the moneyed clubs and an even greater weight of expectation that simply cannot be fulfilled by all of them, with a far more competitive league below them meaning that their prior dominance is over for good.

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It will never be over for good, their capacity far exceeds the rest and the fact that United has the ability to break the world fee record in such a weakend state is ample demonstration of that. Last season we saw City, Chelsea and United all significantly underachieve. The likelihood of this happening again is extremely slim, one club maybe all no, especially when all of them have appointed some of top managers in the game.

Disconosebleed said:

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, it's not about us going backwards - but it's absolutely possible that other teams are moving forward at a faster rate than us. City and United have reacted to underwhelming seasons by bringing in the best two managers in world football and a ton of established stars who should improve them - yeah, it's no guarantee of success, but to write it off just because it's not certain is stupid, because in all likelihood those teams will be much better this year. Liverpool are IMO still an inferior side to us despite their improvements, but having a clear schedule due to a lack of European football could make a big difference. Arsenal are Arsenal, they'll be there or thereabouts the same as usual. We've also got Champions League football which could cause us problems in the league.

So yeah...there's every reason to believe we'll do well again this season, but it's hugely precious to start describing a prediction of sixth place as 'laughable'. It's absolutely possible that we end up sixth this season without having a bad year because the big sides that underperformed last year have all taken big steps to rectify the issues, and while I think we'll do better than sixth - I'd like to think that we'd have enough to out-do Liverpool and that Chelsea won't improve so much that a CL spot becomes a formality for them, so fourth behind City/United/Arsenal would be my prediction - it's not an unreasonable opinion. From an objective point of view, we're the team out of the 'big six' most likely to do worse than last season, because of the additional CL football.

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See my post above, I'm not saying anything lower than fourth would be failure, and I'm not saying anyone saying we could finish sixth is laughable (whoever said that, ti wasn't me). I think that the progress of our rivals is dependent on many uncertain variables, and so I think there are several teams that can occupy any of the top six or seven places.

I don't think we will just stand still, I think there are good solid reasons to see improvement from us as almost certain (almost, but not absolute). Our rivals, on the other hand, could improve at a greater rate than us, but they could also completely flop. There is also the failure factor (see my explanation of what I call the failure factor, in the post above yours).

I also don't believe our performances were that dependent on the rivals under performing - their failure to accrue more points may have been, but not our points total. Also, again, as explained above, our first and last four games weren't really representative of who we really are now as a team - 5 points from 24!

But don't forget, most of our rivals have to catch up to where we were last season and how much we will improve this - that is quite a lot of improvement for Citeh, United, Chelsea and LiverScouse. Mourinho knows the BPL, but has other potential reasons to fail. Klopp half knows it, but, frankly, never showed last season that he can actually cope with the intensity and competitiveness of the BPL (he didn't really improve in terms of position on where they were when he took over, and he sure as well lost the type of leads and games that big name, big reputation overseas managers often lose because they can't cope with that competitiveness and intensity. And Conte/Guardiola have reputations as big as any in the game, but have never had to cope with that intensity and competitiveness of the BPL. And that competitiveness is getting greater with all of the money sloshing about.

So, just to repeat, I largely agree with you - it won't be a disaster to finish outside the top four, there is scope for that to happen, it can happen even if we perform well and have a good season. It is an incredibly difficult season to call - especially without all the summer transfer business done. And all of the top six and a few other clubs could finish in any permutation in the top six or seven places. But I do think the scope for us improving is more certain than our rivals. I do think some folk are underestimating how good our team is. I do think that base level of good plus the almost certainty of improvement presents a higher level of improvement for our rivals than some are calculating. I do believe the failure factor means that some of our rivals will be under intense pressure and struggle more than some are anticipating. And, therefore, I do think there is good scope for us to slip into one of the top four places.

StartingPrice said:

See my post above, I'm not saying anything lower than fourth would be failure, and I'm not saying anyone saying we could finish sixth is laughable (whoever said that, ti wasn't me). I think that the progress of our rivals is dependent on many uncertain variables, and so I think there are several teams that can occupy any of the top six or seven places.

I don't think we will just stand still, I think there are good solid reasons to see improvement from us as almost certain (almost, but not absolute). Our rivals, on the other hand, could improve at a greater rate than us, but they could also completely flop. There is also the failure factor (see my explanation of what I call the failure factor, in the post above yours).

I also don't believe our performances were that dependent on the rivals under performing - their failure to accrue more points may have been, but not our points total. Also, again, as explained above, our first and last four games weren't really representative of who we really are now as a team - 5 points from 24!

But don't forget, most of our rivals have to catch up to where we were last season and how much we will improve this - that is quite a lot of improvement for Citeh, United, Chelsea and LiverScouse. Mourinho knows the BPL, but has other potential reasons to fail. Klopp half knows it, but, frankly, never showed last season that he can actually cope with the intensity and competitiveness of the BPL (he didn't really improve in terms of position on where they were when he took over, and he sure as well lost the type of leads and games that big name, big reputation overseas managers often lose because they can't cope with that competitiveness and intensity. And Conte/Guardiola have reputations as big as any in the game, but have never had to cope with that intensity and competitiveness of the BPL. And that competitiveness is getting greater with all of the money sloshing about.

So, just to repeat, I largely agree with you - it won't be a disaster to finish outside the top four, there is scope for that to happen, it can happen even if we perform well and have a good season. It is an incredibly difficult season to call - especially without all the summer transfer business done. And all of the top six and a few other clubs could finish in any permutation in the top six or seven places. But I do think the scope for us improving is more certain than our rivals. I do think some folk are underestimating how good our team is. I do think that base level of good plus the almost certainty of improvement presents a higher level of improvement for our rivals than some are calculating. I do believe the failure factor means that some of our rivals will be under intense pressure and struggle more than some are anticipating. And, therefore, I do think there is good scope for us to slip into one of the top four places.

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In a way we're not even competing with United, Arsenal etc driectly. It's all about PPG. If we can raise ours high enough, then it doesn't matter what others do. Of course we have to play them twice, but as we've seen from the likes of Mourinho and Fergie, if you are a strong team and in form, you tend to neutralise those games and take draws.

I don't know what I'm waffling about really, but in the end we've just got to keep accruing points.

danielneeds said:

In a way we're not even competing with United, Arsenal etc driectly. It's all about PPG. If we can raise ours high enough, then it doesn't matter what others do. Of course we have to play them twice, but as we've seen from the likes of Mourinho and Fergie, if you are a strong team and in form, you tend to neutralise those games and take draws.

I don't know what I'm waffling about really, but in the end we've just got to keep accruing points.

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I know what you mean.

I said in another thread, and it is more a reminder for folk who have forgotten rather than a big revelation - but Liverpool regularly beat United in the years that United were dominating English football.

In regard to last season, we lost three points to United we shouldn't have. We dropped four points to the Goons when we were better than them home and away. We dropped four points to the Chavs thank to Maureen's spoiling tactics at the lane, and their disgraceful behavior before (thanks to the FA) and at the start (thanks to Clatty) at the Bridge. We got what we deserved against Citeh - not least because it evened up some grossly disproportionate reffing performances in recent years, and we dropped four points to the Mickeys. And, as said above, our first and last four games gave us an anomalously low points haul. Can't really see that much of our points haul (which could, and probably should have been greater) resting on their poor form.

We just have to take one game at a time, with a team that is well capable of getting points off any of our rivals.

StartingPrice said:

Yeah...only there are several reasons why we will almost certainly improve.

When you analyze it, we had a pathetic points total from the first and last four games in a way that it is easily believable for that not to be repeated. For the first four, we were massively unlucky to lose at United, and then it looked like we were struggling to get our confidence back which I suspect, ultimately meant the lads getting fully in tune again with Poch's ways. Coming so soon in his second season, with identifiably his own squad for the first time, I suspect doubt crept in. We took 3 points from 12 - and in the three subsequent draws it wouldn't really have taken much to win - especially if we were in the form we were in once we got into full flow. I still think the pen against Stoke was harsh, for instance.

And then there was the last for games. We were under immense (and IMHO unfair) pressure. We hit the woodwork 3 times against the Baggies when a goal up - it is not hard to imagine us taking 3 points from that one if just one of those had gone in. And I honestly think the final three games, more particularly the last two were less about actual physical tiredness than it was about us being at a peak psychological plateau that was impossible to maintain once the title was beyond us. It wasn't a deliberate drop but it was inevitable under the circumstances. We took 2 points from 12 in these last four games. I really don't think it takes much stretch of the imagination to see us gaining far more if one of those shots off the woodwork against the Baggies had gone in.

So, really, that is 5 points from 24, from two periods that aren't just poor form but actually, identifiably, anomalous. Going by the our standard form for the rest of the season, we would be justified in expecting 16 points from these eight games.

Obviously, nothing ever goes so uniform than that, and there always will be scope for a dip in form for one reason for another, but I think you can easily see why I am labelling these 8 games as totally anomalous.

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Sorry, but this is utter nonsense. "if this, if that, if the other". Every team can use that excuse.Title winning sides don't make those kind of mistakes. They get enough points so that when those games come along they still have a buffer.

We had a great season last season. But the start and finish meant that we fell short and it's not "we could've", it's "this is what we did". The end of the season was simply not good enough, especially against Newcastle, and it's criminal that we ended up in third position after being in second for the majority of the season. There are no anomalies in shipping five goals to a relegated side. That's just inexcusably sleepwalking through a game. Poch knows it. I don't see why some fans can't accept it.

Let's take off the rose tinted specs and have measured expectations for this coming season. If we get fourth it'll be a good year.

I'm sorry, but you appear to have totally misunderstood the meaning of my post.

MyNameIsNicolaBerti said:

Sorry, but this is utter nonsense.

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You think it is nonsense. I think it is an acute interpretation and you have totally failed to understand it. In my favour, I am highly trained at interpreting large amounts of data, coordinating findings from any number of academic departments and I also have a long connection with football, and pay close attention to it. Perhaps you have equally powerful reasons for believing your assertion that it is nonsense is correct, in which case, fair play. Just bear in mind, I don't believe you have actually understood at all what I am saying.

"if this, if that, if the other".

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Where, exactly, did I say this. I offered an interpretation as to why things happened. I also suggested that we are a different team now and so this season (i.e. not last season) I wouldn't automatically envisage us taking 5 points from 24 in the first and last 4 games. Though, of course, I don't actually know that...it is speculation, which is mostly what we do on this site. I said "When you analyze it, we had a pathetic points total from the first and last four games in a way that it is easily believable for that not to be repeated." I hope now that I have emphasised this portion of text from the start of the post you are quoting, that this will be clearer.

Every team can use that excuse.

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I never made any excuses. I am not trying to justify the fact that we didn't win the league. Again, if you thought that was my purpose, the misinterpretation is your own. I offered an explanation as to why, IMHO, we dropped those points (in some cases rather easily), and contrasted it to our present (i.e. right now) state in order to suggested that in the forthcoming (i.e not last) season we may not (i.s. potentially, not definitively) give those points up so easily.

Title winning sides don't make those kind of mistakes. They get enough points so that when those games come along they still have a buffer.

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No, I know. I do not need your elucidation on this. We didn't win the league. I haven't got confused. I was contrasting what actually happened last season with the current state of the team. Sorry if that confused you.

We had a great season last season. But the start and finish meant that we fell short and it's not "we could've", it's "this is what we did".

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Yes we did. Yes I know. We didn't win the league and a large part in that was because we took five points from the first and last 4 games (8 games in total). Again, I never said we could've have, we would have.

The end of the season was simply not good enough, especially against Newcastle, and it's criminal that we ended up in third position after being in second for the majority of the season. There are no anomalies in shipping five goals to a relegated side. That's just inexcusably sleepwalking through a game.

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I never said it was good enough. If this is your real gripe and you think I was trying to justify it, again, you have misunderstood my post. Oh, and BTW, I was as devastated as anyone that that happened. But if you don't understand that elite level athletes competing for major prizes get into a psychological zone and when the prize has gone often involuntarily lose that edge then perhaps you should do some more reading and thinking on the matter. Because they do and IMHO that is exactly what happened. Further, if you honestly believe that, when we were a goal up against West Brom and then hit the woodwork three times, one of those shots going in wouldn't have affected everything that subsequently happened, including the potential retention of the psychological edge our players were operating on, then I fear you need a crash-course in Chaos Theory. Sorry, but there it is.

Poch knows it. I don't see why some fans can't accept it.

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Again, I don't see what it is that I don't know. I know what Poch said, I know he was livid...I was furiously devastated myself. That doesn't mean we can't analyse the causes after the event. Does it? And I don't know what it is you think I haven't accepted. I'm not living in denial, wandering around with a THFC title winners 2015/16 tattoo on my forehead. It happened, I accepted it...I am also capable of drawing conclusions as to why it happened. I don't demand that everyone accepts it - but if you are going to criticise it, please ensure you have understood what I am saying first.

Let's take off the rose tinted specs and have measured expectations for this coming season.

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I don't wear rose-tinted glasses. It is always the last resort of those trying to discredit someone, claiming they are wearing rose tinted glasses. I could equally tell you to take the understanding inhibitor off. I made an analysis of events after they happened and then related it to the coming season. How do you need to be wearing rose tinted glasses in order to see that elite level sport people competing for major prizes can drop off involuntarily in performance when that prize has gone? How do you need to be wearing rose tinted glasses in order to see that young sportsmen adopting to a system that requires total faith in the manager and total belief can be knocked back by a set-back, especially one that was importunate?

And my expectations for this season are just fine. I have stated them in other posts above. Perhaps you didn't read them. I believe we can have a good season and not finish in the top four. I believe we can finish in any one of the spots down to six, as could the other teams because it is an extremely difficult league to call for the reasons given in my other posts. I would be happy with us finishing 4th. Don't see why you are accusing me of any different.

If we get fourth it'll be a good year.

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See above.

And again, please try to respond to what I have actually said because I most certainly wasn't bleating that we could have won the league and were just unlucky. That seems to be the type of post you are responding to and it is way off the mark.

And just to get this back on track, as it is what the pundits are saying - Graeme Souey Souness thinks United will win the league followed by Citeh and us and the Goons will fill the other two top four positions:

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/07/graeme-souness-predicts-premier-league-top-four/?

Ghodd thinks we will struggle to juggle CL and BPL...and the Goons are marginal favourites for the title

Good job he's a bit of a loon

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/07/glenn-hoddle-speaks-about-arsenal-and-tottenham/?

StartingPrice said:

Ghodd thinks we will struggle to juggle CL and BPL...and the Goons are marginal favourites for the title

Good job he's a bit of a loon

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/07/glenn-hoddle-speaks-about-arsenal-and-tottenham/?

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See, I think that is dumb.

Poch actually started to prepare for this last season - when he played very strong teams in Europa. A lot of people thought we should have rotated more heavily last year. But we don't have an old squad that needs days to recover. I imagine we will rotate the FBs, and 1-2 other players - just like last season. Kane won't have to go 90 minutes in any game if he is looking tired.

LexingtonSpurs said:

See, I think that is dumb.

Poch actually started to prepare for this last season - when he played very strong teams in Europa. A lot of people thought we should have rotated more heavily last year. But we don't have an old squad that needs days to recover. I imagine we will rotate the FBs, and 1-2 other players - just like last season. Kane won't have to go 90 minutes in any game if he is looking tired.

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I think the Dortmund game was the only EL game many watched of ours, so everyone seems to assume we rotated the entire 11 for all the Europa games, when we really didn't.

Sweech said:

I think the Dortmund game was the only EL game many watched of ours, so everyone seems to assume we rotated the entire 11 for all the Europa games, when we really didn't.

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Frankly I think our squad need some depth in CM and attack. Mason and Caroll just cannot play Dembele position and its like fitting a square peg in a round hole. We should rotate the players but we need a quality bench. Right now it is still not convincing given Janssen only had one season of dutch top flight and Njie had a decent season with Lyon two season ago while injured last yr as back up. Even GKN had only one yr of top flight in Ligue 1...... and he wasn't Marseilles best player.

The only proven quality was Wanyama who had 3 season of top flight under his belt.... so if I am a pundit, I will not be convince if spurs can go far in UCL or sustain a challenge for the title. No doubt our starting eleven is one of the strongest in Europe but I cant say about the bench esp for CM position. Just look at the profile of players that Dortmund and Athletico are buying and compared to ours...... so I think our potential is limited due to the bench or should I say limited funds.