Breaking into the top 4

[hellava_tough]

It's certainly not rocket science the idea that Spurs need to displace one of the existing top 4 sides, to claim that coveted Champions League place. This being the case, I pose to you, the lads and ladies of SpursCommunity, the following:

1) Which is the most likely team to be knocked out of the top 4, and why?

2) When will Spurs finish in the top 4 (e.g. next season, 3 year's time, etc)?

NOTE: The above assumes that the EPL will still be granted 4 places for the Champions League in the future.

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are all gettable next season if we have a successful summer of transfers.

If we aim for 2nd then 3rd or 4th would have an echo of glory in its failure.

 

[nickspurs]

1) Everyone thought it was A5sena1 this season but we've been proved wrong and I think they will be stronger next season just through experience and a couple of reinforcements. ManUSA's squad is awesome and Chelski's has depth plus more spending firepower. My vote goes to Liverpool - they lack world class players to complement Stevie G and Torres. Hopefully with their shambolic ownership situation they'll be a lack of funds, managerial change/uncertainty and hopefully a player reluctance to sign for them.

2) With a couple of decent signings I don't see why it can't be us next season. I just have this feeling that Ramos is greedily absorbing all this prem knowledge in this training season and that he'll be tactically good enough to know how to beat most teams next season. I think we can be as good as Everton and I don't fear anyone else to be honest. Of course I am an eternal Spurs optimist but that's just my thoughts.

 

[PT]

I don't think it's necessarily what players we or any of the present incumbants bring in, it's more like how the respective managers get the teams playing.

On our day we can beat anyone but we are not consistent. The same applies to the remaining fifteen clubs in and around us, all the way down to the bottom three. It's what makes our league so competitive.

Granted, some astute signings will provide freshness, competition, drive, morale boosting, incentives and belief but it will be the binding of the team to play as a team week in and week out that is the widely known secret.

 

[DC_Boy]

I never thought we'd get CL this season (my prediction was 7th)

and at this moment I don't think we'll get CL next season

If we get in good keeper CB and mid, plus maybe a LB depending on Bale's return, then I might change my mind

this assumes we're keeping all our stars BTW - if we sell Berbs or JJ or whoever then we have to replace them too

 

[senseispab]

no chance. 5th or 6th and a couple of decent cup runs would be fine for next season.

 

[Tequila]

I never thought we'd get CL this season (my prediction was 7th)

and at this moment I don't think we'll get CL next season

If we get in good keeper CB and mid, plus maybe a LB depending on Bale's return, then I might change my mind

this assumes we're keeping all our stars BTW - if we sell Berbs or JJ or whoever then we have to replace them too

I remember talking to you about this during pre season last year, i also said 7th, boy that was a long way off wasent it?

As for next year, well we have taken 2 steps back this year, theres doubts over players who got us into 5th, lennon, jenas, chimbonda, all of whom could be on the way out and have lost value this year.

Berbatov was always going this summer, and this season has only reinforced his desire im sure.

I rate Ramos but i cant see anything higher than 8th next year, cos its more ripping out key players and trying to replace them all over again, then taking time to gel etc.

So 8th next year, and liverpool are the weak link of the top 4.

 

[milkman]

deffo wont be Manu who lose the last CL spot.

most likely to be Chelsea for me.

 

[DC_Boy]

I rememebr talking to you about this during pre season last year, i also said 7th, boy that was a long way off wasent it?
.

Tequila - glad you remember it and do you remember the people who said we were being too pessismistic and how it was all going to come right in the lge - well it didn't did it- in fact we were optimistic -

but compared to all those gung ho 'top 4/5 people' we were a lot more accurate- and it wasn't just some spurs fans who went OTT - much of the media (what's new) went well OTT about us

 

[fortworthspur]

Arsenal or Liverpool. Arsenal lacks depth and we're seeing that now late in the season. Liverpool has even bigger problems, but alas, not bigger than ours.

Chelski will get better simply by firing Grant.

I agree that a CL spot next year is a long shot unless we spend a ton in the summer and they all hit it big.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

The Woolwich have recently started to show cracks and one of the most evident recently is how small their squad is. As FWS says above, once you're past the first choice midfield they haven't got anything like the same depth and their defence isn't far behind. Senderos is a disaster zone.

Liverpool are starting to find some form and, considering the age and skills of the squad they've built over the last few months, i'd put them even less likely than Chelsea to get dumped outside the top four.

Most likely to go is still Woolwich for me though, but it's totally dependant on the summer trading - all it will take is one or two brilliant signings to any number of teams or, adversely, one dumb bit of trading by another, and everything's on it's head.

 

[Kendall]

Depends on who Chelsea lose. loads of speculation over Drogba and Lampard.

 

[claw_diddy]

Arsenal as they dont seem to want to spend, spend, spend like us, Pool, Manu and Chelsea.

When will it be, well maybe next season but it wont be Spurs taking their place. We need to get back into top 6 contention first, and it that would be a great achievement after our transitional year.

 

[N10toN17]

Finishing in the top four is not the be all some think it is, so what if we did finish 4th next year, it would only really mean something if we can stay there. Everton, the barcodes and Leeds have all been there and couldn't stay, that's the key.

The weakest link is undoubtedly Liverpool and there's no guarantee yet that they'll get it this year. They are miles off Chelsea and Manusa as the table shows and are actually nearer to the rest of us. Add in the ownership fiasco and general in fighting and they have problems that a cup run in the CL is not going to gloss over, in fact they remind me of us back in the early 90's. In fighting at boardroom level will trickle down and give them problems imo.

For us to break the top four next year is going to need Juande to do some seriously shrewd business over the summer, if he manages it and we get off to a flier next year, you never know.

I'd be happy with a top six next year, a much better goal against column and another cup win.

 

[DC_Boy]

hi N10 - good points

Certainly one thing some people get wrong (I'm not saying anyone on this thread - but in general) is that finishing top 4 next season or any one season is the same as breaking into the 'big 4'

As you rightly say Everton and others have done the former, not the latter

The Big 4 are that because of their overall performance in the past 10 years or more, their cup wins as well as their lge positions

 

[don1]

if we keep hold of berba and add a few more well then we will have a chance of taking it from liverpool or arsenal we have to give it a big go next season

 

[michaelden]

Next season we can only afford to lose 4 games and draw no more than 7. From a points total of (38 x 3 = 114) 114 that allows us to drop 26 leaving a season total of 88. That should win us the title :up:

So we can lose away to ManUtd, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bolton. A few draws sprinkled in and we win the League.

;-)

 

[N10toN17]

hi N10 - good points

Certainly one thing some people get wrong (I'm not saying anyone on this thread - but in general) is that finishing top 4 next season or any one season is the same as breaking into the 'big 4'

As you rightly say Everton and others have done the former, not the latter

The Big 4 are that because of their overall performance in the past 10 years or more, their cup wins as well as their lge positions

Hi DC, I definately prefer breaking the top four via winning cups and getting the winning mentality running through the club, and even if we failed in getting there or got there but then faded away again at least we have the shiny pots to look back on and enjoy.

These are not mutually exclusive things, the top four win alot of trophies and in Chelscums recent case they started lifting cups first before breaking into the top four on a regular basis and eventually winning the title, the scum did the same under graham winning cups first. Good players are attracted to clubs and managers who lift trophies and is the main reason why I'm hopeful for the summer that Juande can attract players because he has the habit of lifting cups which players in the main want to do as well.

You've got me rambling again. :grin:

 

[N10toN17]

Next season we can only afford to lose 4 games and draw no more than 7. From a points total of (38 x 3 = 114) 114 that allows us to drop 26 leaving a season total of 88. That should win us the title :up:

So we can lose away to ManUtd, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bolton. A few draws sprinkled in and we win the League.

;-)

We won't lose away at Bolton next year.

Mainly because we won't be playing them. :wink:

I think your right 88 points will probably win the league. Eek

 

[SpurSince57]

The main reason for this all-fired desperation to break into the top four seems to be CL football, so that we can 'test ourselves against the best'. We already have the opportunity to do that at least eight times in the domestic season. If we were to get into the CL our opponents in the qualifying round would be sides we're quite as likely to meet in the UEFA Cup. Whoopydoop! We can play Slavia or Besiktas again!

It would certainly be nice, but I wouldn't swap fourth place next season for another trophy, even if it's 'only' the Carling Cup again.