What do we do now?

(Or try to stay in the top 4 at minimal cost and maximum customer fees).

ShaunL84 said:

Was Joe Lewis even at the ground tonight?

If Pochettino doesn't get a net spend of £200 million in the Summer, the owners need to go.

Click to expand...

What if the owner had been at the ground tonight and we still lost? What if he then provided a net spend of just £190 million? Would he still need to go?

What if we all continued to pluck random numbers off the top off our head and ask non-sensical questions in an attempt to assert definite conclusions about the future of the club?

What if...? ?

TheSpillage said:

What if the owner had been at the ground tonight and we still lost? What if he then provided a net spend of just £190 million? Would he still need to go?

What if we all continued to pluck random numbers off the top off our head and ask non-sensical questions in an attempt to assert definite conclusions about the future of the club?

What if...? ?

Click to expand...

Liverpool's owners were there tonight. Roman attends games, he was in Baku on Thursday.

Arsenal's owner (Kroenke) didn't attend the game, and neither did Joe Lewis.

Spot the pattern.

ShaunL84 said:

Liverpool's owners were there tonight. Roman attends games, he was in Baku on Thursday.

Arsenal's owner (Kroenke) didn't attend the game, and neither did Joe Lewis.

Spot the pattern.

Click to expand...

Wait. Are you honestly telling me that the reason we lost tonight is because our owners weren’t there, but Liverpool’s were? ?

freeeki said:

In reality, we got to the final far too early. I have no doubt that Poch and Levy’s long term plan at the start of the season would have said that we shouldn’t have been getting to CL finals for another 3-4 years.

It’s been a great experience in terms of showing us what we can achieve, and giving us valuable European final experience.

But this was never meant to be our night, or our year. I’m sure of it. It was a lucky and enjoyable fluke which will hopefully have many positive outcomes for years to come.

It’s also shown Pochettino which of his players turn up when it matters, and which don’t. I’ve seen nothing in the last 6 months to suggest the likes of Alli and Eriksen can’t be upgraded, and tonight solidified that for me. I’m sure Poch saw it too.

We’re good. We’re very good. But we’re a few years and a few hundred million quid away from really competing at the moment, and that’s fine.

From here we need to be brave. We need to be unafraid to let players go who have hit their ceiling, and be bold in the transfer market. It’s time to take risks and spend the big bucks when we need to, and be aware that some big money players won’t come good.

We need to meet the asking prices for players like Ndombele, Lo Celso, De Ligt and not have a repeat of the absolute shambles which was the Grealish saga last summer.

The future is very bright but this summer is the most crucial in our history. Levy has to get this right. It’s non-negotiable now. If we don’t, Pool and City will get too far ahead to ever be caught.

As for us fans, we just need to buckle in and enjoy the ride.

Click to expand...

f*cking yes mate.


I'm just about in bed in a town on the outskirts of Madrid.


I was listening to the fighting cock podcast a few weeks back when they talked about Colin murray and stephen warnock being on the pod. As scousers, they have a mentality of 'there is only us'.

Much as Liverpool always have been and will probably continue to be by far my most hated club, even I'll admit we could stand to learn a bit of that to move forward. I'm bored of arsenal, chelsea or whoever tries to poke fun at us or attempt to force a rivalry and fail like West Ham.

Doing things our own way has been good for us so far and I fully agree with your post that we go even further and become ruthless with selling good players in order to achieve an even greater good.

We've done ridiculously well to go this far so early, despite what the media and the rival fans say.

I hope phase 2 kicks in hard this summer. No, I won't say 'it's our most important window ever.' because it's not and that's a very overused phrase.

But I would love to, Liverpool style, just upgrade and plug gaps to the best of our abilities and financial limits without the hesitation we've had in more recent windows. I'm not saying take silly risks on expensive players, but to be a bit more committed to targets who are likely to really build a truly competitive side.

was Lewis not beside levy? I’m sure I saw him

Three words:

We

Go

Again

rez9000 said:

Three words:

We

Go

Again

Click to expand...

Fuck yeah

'We go again' is a meaningless phrase. Of course we do that. Everyone does that.

Liverpool will 'go again'. City and Chelsea will 'go again'.

popstar7 said:

'We go again' is a meaningless phrase. Of course we do that. Everyone does that.

Liverpool will 'go again'. City and Chelsea will 'go again'.

Click to expand...

Arsenal won’t though, they didn’t qualify.

The fact that Alderweireld is probably going to leave tells you everything you need to know about Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy's ambition.

If we want to become Champions of Europe, you don't let players like that leave.

The fucking excuses that we can't afford them is a load of bollocks. We're one of the richest clubs in the world.

popstar7 said:

'We'll go again' is a meaningless phrase. Of course we do that. Everyone does that.

Liverpool will 'go again'. City and Chelsea will 'go again'.

Click to expand...

Of course it’s meaningless. Football is bloody meaningless. “I hope we win next time” is meaningless - everyone says that. “Let’s buy some good players” is meaningless - everyone says that too. “Come on you Spurs” is essentially meaningless. But we all say it because we care, and if we didn’t: then what’s the point!?

TheSpillage said:

Of course it’s meaningless. Football is bloody meaningless. “I hope we win next time” is meaningless - everyone says that. “Let’s buy some good players” is meaningless - everyone says that too. “Come on you Spurs” is essentially meaningless. But we all say it because we care, and if we didn’t: then what’s the point!?

Click to expand...

Sorry, I’m a bit drunk and very sad

freeeki said:

In reality, we got to the final far too early. I have no doubt that Poch and Levy’s long term plan at the start of the season would have said that we shouldn’t have been getting to CL finals for another 3-4 years.

It’s been a great experience in terms of showing us what we can achieve, and giving us valuable European final experience.

But this was never meant to be our night, or our year. I’m sure of it. It was a lucky and enjoyable fluke which will hopefully have many positive outcomes for years to come.

It’s also shown Pochettino which of his players turn up when it matters, and which don’t. I’ve seen nothing in the last 6 months to suggest the likes of Alli and Eriksen can’t be upgraded, and tonight solidified that for me. I’m sure Poch saw it too.

We’re good. We’re very good. But we’re a few years and a few hundred million quid away from really competing at the moment, and that’s fine.

From here we need to be brave. We need to be unafraid to let players go who have hit their ceiling, and be bold in the transfer market. It’s time to take risks and spend the big bucks when we need to, and be aware that some big money players won’t come good.

We need to meet the asking prices for players like Ndombele, Lo Celso, De Ligt and not have a repeat of the absolute shambles which was the Grealish saga last summer.

The future is very bright but this summer is the most crucial in our history. Levy has to get this right. It’s non-negotiable now. If we don’t, Pool and City will get too far ahead to ever be caught.

As for us fans, we just need to buckle in and enjoy the ride.

Click to expand...

Spot on. I think your right here @freeeki as 5 year plans go we are at the end of that first phase of a few 5 year plans and this one was perhaps too early.

I watched Poch's post match presser and he was very calm and poisitive. There were questions on his future and the clubs future plans that he would not be drawn on. He said there will be time to talk and now was the time to be calm.

I've been a fan for a fucking long time. Some unlucky people dont live as long as I've been a fan to be honest. The one thing that makes me so positive is that we are seeing real growth and impreovement in performance in all areas of the club, both on and off the field. Yes it seems incremental in real time but it is not. A new stadium, new training facilites, consistent top 4 finishes, a champions league final. Amazing stuff. And all of this done without a home and playing all our games away effectively. How many clubs would achieve this playing most of the last two seasons away?

I think we need to stay calm as Poch says and move on to the next phase. The future is looking bright. Change is painful and loss is terrible but if you have a plan to deal with it and move on, focus and progress towards the next milestone, then it isnt bad at all.

Lets get this loss out of our system and move on. This has been an amazing season already even before the CL final. The club is in good hands and on a good positive trajectory.

We have a great mananger an excellent core group of players. If we can retain them then we can only get better.

jolegend said:

I’m not in a good place right now.

I’ve supported this club through thick and thin. For context, I’ve seen Andy Sinton, Stuart Nethercott, Paulo Tramazzani, Timotee Atouba, Mbuelo Mabizela, Kazayuki Toda, Antony Gardner and Hossam Ghaly all wear the great white and blue. I have also seen Teddy Sheringham, David Ginola, Ledley King, Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov, Luka Modric, Rafa Van Der Vaart and Gareth Bale. And Michael Dawson. I fucking loved Michael Dawson.

I am lucky. My Dad chose Spurs. He chose Spurs for me. He hugged me tonight and said ‘I’m sorry’. Its not his fault. I’m Spurs. Its my blood. I’d have chosen them anyway. And I would not change it for the world. I remember my first game he took me to at White Hart Lane. It was Spurs v Villa in 96 and Bosnich did the nazi salute. What a dickhead. But Allan Nielsen got the winner and that was that. A love affair began and will never end.

I have never been more proud to be a Spurs fan than I have this past month. I am 29 years old. My eyes have not seen the Glory but those wins against Man City and Ajax will stay with me for as long as I live.

My wife is 12 weeks pregnant after 18 months and 3 rounds of IVF treatment and 1 miscarriage. Yesterday, seeing the positive scan was the best day of my life but I already know that every day for the next 6 months will be tense and stressful. Following the good news yesterday, this evening was supposed to be the icing on the cake.

I’ve never liked fucking icing.

But I will regale my child (I hope!) about those nights in Manchester and Amsterdam. Absolute magic. He/She has there football life set out for them already...they are Spurs and they don’t even know it.

I am emotional. I suppose for many reasons. My personal life is all a bit weird. Months and months of tension and pressure and pain. My escape was Spurs. As it has been, I suppose, my entire life. But my escape has been even crazier. Just when I need stability, Spurs reach the the Champions League final!? What is that all about!? We are Spurs and that shouldn’t happen. But it did...and I love it.

I am proud. I love this club. Each and every one of us is lucky. We have THE best stadium in world football. We have a history and tradition that in itself is an echo of Glory. Supporting Spurs is much more than just following a football club. There are highs and lows and positives and negatives and hope and joy and sadness and despair. It’s life wrapped in to one.

I started this thread to rant. And I am still angry. I still don’t think it was a penalty. I am still fuming at the abject performances of Alli and Eriksen. Look at my posts in the match thread...I am not proud of those but I stand by them. I want the best for the club. I want the best for us. And I want the best for my child.

But my thoughts on how we achieve greatness and how we can learn from tonight can wait.

I fucking Iove Spurs.

Bring on next season you bastards!

Click to expand...

Very interesting post mate and from an age and supporting spurs perspective you’re fairly similar to me. I’m in Madrid now and have spent over £1k to get here, to see us concede that dubious unlucky penalty in the first minute and to go on to fight but ultimately lose AGAIN, it is really hard to take. That is mainly because it’s been a long and expensive journey to get to Madrid lots of emotional energy and money invested and yet again when push comes to shove and a trophy is on the line, we lose.

On one hand I see all the positives like the new stadium, training ground and huge progress we’ve made under poch but on the other hand I just can’t see what we are likely to actually win anytime soon. Money has ruined the game and unless we now invest big in the playing squad we will still come up short, this team will now get dismantled bit by bit, Hugo is 30+ an May soon enough look for a new challenge, same with Toby & Jan, Rose May go up north, Wanyama is crocked, Eriksen is off to madrid and if we don’t win something soon then Kane’s head will be turned.

I love supporting spurs and have enjoyed some amazing matches and moments but ultimately supporting us for 30 years have seen us win just two league cups and come up short so very many times, it becomes hard to keep picking yourself up off the floor to be honest but good old spurs keep attracting us back year after year.

Prem: city and lpool are almost unstoppable and I’m sure the other top6 + eve and wolves will improve next year so league is really so unlikely, we should’ve won it the year Leicester did but we weren’t good enough then and when we were good enough Chelsea had a freak incredible season under conte, now city and lpool are miles ahead and I can’t see us pulling off a 100pt season anytime soon.
Fa cup: it’s possible but poch prioritises the league and CL which is why we don’t seem to properly challenge for this
Champions League: only 7 British teams have ever even made it to the final I believe : Celtic forest lpool man.u Chelsea arsenal spurs, if we had a chance it was this season, Madrid Barca Bayern June atheltico city lpool PSG etc etc will all be stronger next season and really can’t see us getting this far again without serious investment.
That leaves the league cup which really will any of even care if we win it, I would as we need to bloody win something but again poch won’t prioritise it so can’t see it happening.

I know we are going places but it just seems no matter how lucky we get or hard we try we just don’t get over the line and to be honest it’s very hard to keep believing.

Probably the fact it’s 3am and it’s been a long boozy day adds to the negativity but honestly without rosetinted glasses on do we really see us Winning anything anytime soon? Not a criticism of us but money has kind of ruined the game really.

It also puts it in perspective how much emotion and energy we put into spurs when perhaps really some other things and people should take more precident, all the best with the pregnancy by the way .

If we are to seriously step up to the next level now we need to improve the following:
Trippier!
CM x2
Dele
Kane back-up

Tough day but COYS.

Well I’m trying to sleep in the car in a sweat box of a car park. Then I need to eat. Then football can fuck off for abit.

riggi said:

Well I’m trying to sleep in the car in a sweat box of a car park. Then I need to eat. Then football can fuck off for abit.

Click to expand...

I predict JJ will pop up with some juicy ITK in the morning and you’ll be all over it.

It’s like fucking crack.

freeeki said:

I predict JJ will pop up with some juicy ITK in the morning and you’ll be all over it.

It’s like fucking crack.

Click to expand...

the only way to make me smile the whole of next week is the announcement that we;ve signed Bale, Lo Celso, NDombele, Sess and Bergwin.

M.I.B. said:

One good thing. The legend that is Steve Perryman was on my train home to Crawley. Got a handshake after all these years. Top bloke. He was gutted too.

Click to expand...

Sod off was he?! What time train and what station from? Went to Three Bridges from Victoria at 23.06. That would have been class.

fishhhandaricecake said:

Very interesting post mate and from an age and supporting spurs perspective you’re fairly similar to me. I’m in Madrid now and have spent over £1k to get here, to see us concede that dubious unlucky penalty in the first minute and to go on to fight but ultimately lose AGAIN, it is really hard to take. That is mainly because it’s been a long and expensive journey to get to Madrid lots of emotional energy and money invested and yet again when push comes to shove and a trophy is on the line, we lose.

On one hand I see all the positives like the new stadium, training ground and huge progress we’ve made under poch but on the other hand I just can’t see what we are likely to actually win anytime soon. Money has ruined the game and unless we now invest big in the playing squad we will still come up short, this team will now get dismantled bit by bit, Hugo is 30+ an May soon enough look for a new challenge, same with Toby & Jan, Rose May go up north, Wanyama is crocked, Eriksen is off to madrid and if we don’t win something soon then Kane’s head will be turned.

I love supporting spurs and have enjoyed some amazing matches and moments but ultimately supporting us for 30 years have seen us win just two league cups and come up short so very many times, it becomes hard to keep picking yourself up off the floor to be honest but good old spurs keep attracting us back year after year.

Prem: city and lpool are almost unstoppable and I’m sure the other top6 + eve and wolves will improve next year so league is really so unlikely, we should’ve won it the year Leicester did but we weren’t good enough then and when we were good enough Chelsea had a freak incredible season under conte, now city and lpool are miles ahead and I can’t see us pulling off a 100pt season anytime soon.
Fa cup: it’s possible but poch prioritises the league and CL which is why we don’t seem to properly challenge for this
Champions League: only 7 British teams have ever even made it to the final I believe : Celtic forest lpool man.u Chelsea arsenal spurs, if we had a chance it was this season, Madrid Barca Bayern June atheltico city lpool PSG etc etc will all be stronger next season and really can’t see us getting this far again without serious investment.
That leaves the league cup which really will any of even care if we win it, I would as we need to bloody win something but again poch won’t prioritise it so can’t see it happening.

I know we are going places but it just seems no matter how lucky we get or hard we try we just don’t get over the line and to be honest it’s very hard to keep believing.

Probably the fact it’s 3am and it’s been a long boozy day adds to the negativity but honestly without rosetinted glasses on do we really see us Winning anything anytime soon? Not a criticism of us but money has kind of ruined the game really.

It also puts it in perspective how much emotion and energy we put into spurs when perhaps really some other things and people should take more precident, all the best with the pregnancy by the way .

If we are to seriously step up to the next level now we need to improve the following:
Trippier!
CM x2
Dele
Kane back-up

Tough day but COYS.

Click to expand...

Villa too I'm sure. COYS!