Given the despair at the moment I wonder where people think we will finish

[StartingPrice]

Begginning of the season i was convinced Spurs had just as good chance as anyone for top 4 but after the window closing and the 2 Spurs games I've watched on T'interwebs, I think Arsenal have edged in front as favourites for 4th now.

Only my humble opinion, but I think some (not all or lots of) Spurs fans are really under-estimating how big an impact losing King, VDV and inparticular Modric will have on the teams level of performance this season.

Their 3 absolutely top top players and I don't think the replacements brought in are close to their quality yet (although this could change given time for them to develop as players as they are young which is a positive thing). I could say loads on this but I think this briefly sums my thinking on why I've come to my predictions without boring anyone.

On top of the squad being a bit weaker imho, you also, like L'pool, have brought in a bright young Manager with a clear vision for the team moving forwards, and both teams will take time to adjust to this and it will maybe be next season when performances of the teams will be as good as they can be.

Arsenal have lost RVP, but in Podolski they have brought in a good, poaching forward who is a good finisher, and from what I seen at Anfield last Sunday, he will definitely score goals, moreso than people realise. On top of this Cazorla is a great player, I was gutted when it emerged they were getting him, he is a fantastic advanced playmaker who will get goals and lots of assists.

Giroud I'm not sure on. His movement is good and he makes really clever runs but he snatches at finishing them similar to Suarez and he seems to lack mental strength and compsure, but with Walcott available, and Wiltshare to come back, I think they'll do well even if Girouid doesn't light the league up this season.

I would say now, that Arsenal have the 4th best squad and Spurs the 5th best squad so thats where I expect them to finsih now but I also think Everton are going to be the Dark Horse that surprises everyone and could be in the mix for 4th finishing a lot higher than people expect. They have brought in some really good players and have lots of goals in them now.

I think we'll come 8th or 9th but this season is already a write off and was only ever going to be a transitonal year anyway so I'm not too gutted about it, just want to see some top football like we seen against City and FC Gomel, and I'll be happy enough.

No, no-one is underestimating the loss of Modric at all. Ledley King is a loss, but the Ledley King who could suddenly appear in the team at a seconds notice, causing disruption, uncertainty and the prevention of a settled back line, while his battle with fitness was inevitably swinging against him and his perfromances were tailing off alarmingly in the last half of last season - cutting the umbilical may actually prove to be a blessing in disguise (much as it pains me to say it). Similarly, VDV is a gifted player, but there were frequent threads on here asking what we had to sacrifice to play him. Frankly, he wasn't able to finish a match, and every time he was subbed/injured we had to shift to a completely different formation. As it is, with Adebayor absent or lacking match fitness, no Parker and Sandro looking really jaded from his Olympic experiences, no Dempsey, and Dembele only playing in one half, we have managed to score in every match. Arsenal, on the other hand, had their business done early enough, and their new players available from game one, and have only managed to score in one match and that was...well...I don't you need me to tell you the present state of play at Anfield.

I wouldn't say anything was cut-and-dried ATM, either one or both could fall away just like Cheslea last season. But, as things stand, I don't agree with much of your analysis at all.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

I think 7-10. Without Modric we are half the team we were. He was the difference between us being Top 4 and Top 10.

I pretty much agree with this.... Top 4 to top 8 without a world class midfielder!!! I hope we're both wrong and Modric was not as good as we both thought he was

 

[Mikegold]

How was Modric the difference when the 1 year we got Champs league he broke his leg!

I understand we lost 3 good players, but as people have pointed out, I would say Vertoghen is already better than King last year and will get better as the season goes on. King WAS incredible and I loved him, last season however, he was poor. Not his fault, but he was.

If we eventually move to 4-3-3 VDV position becomes non-existent, and as people have said he can't last a game, and causes disruption. His goals and assists will be countered with Dempsey who was 4th top goalscorer last year behind Aguero, Van Persie and Rooney (I think).

ANd yes Modric is brilliant, but like I said, we finished 4th and got champs league when he broke his leg, and in a 4-3-3 with Dembele playing, we're in a better position without him then we were before.

THE REAL ISSUE for why we might not get 4th is Bale being shit, or Ade getting injured, or the fact Kaboul is out for 4 months.

However, I've said it before, who is supposingly finishing above us? The only realistic team I can see is Arsenal, and they have only scored 1 goal this season. We've scored in every game, so our lack of Modric equalling our lack of chances hasn't happened. The reason we haven't won is shocking defence, nothign to do with Modric.

 

[doowaa]

I said top 4. Here's why. I love tottenham and want to see good things happen for us. We have a great squad, we have got our slump out of the way, good teams start slowly then get ripping and lastly I'm an optimist who doesn't see only the bad stuff leading knees to jerk accordingly.

COYS

 

[CrazyG2]

I's a long way to go but i think top 4. Despite our aweful start last year we still got top 4 last year and that was with our terrible post Christmas form. Once the team has had time to gel, Ade is upfront (and fit)and our style of play is properly established results will improve.

 

[Zammo]

Still think we have at least the 4th best squad in the league.

 

[stormfly]

Teams that will finish above us are: man c, man u and Chelsea. Teams that have a good chance of finishing above us: arse. Teams that could finish above us: Newcastle, Everton and maybe Liverpool. So at worst we could be 8th but probably be 5th/4th

 

[parklane1]

Still think we have at least the 4th best squad in the league.

So do i.

 

[mill]

Sad thing is we've missed an oppotunity to improve the squad and push on from the chasing pack

 

[parklane1]

We have improved the squad.

 

[DIEHARD]

My head and heart say league but thats because i love spurs. Its a bit like new parents thinking their new ugly son is the greatest looking kid in the world when in fact the kid is an ugly fucker who got the short straw in the looks stakes when God was handing them out.

 

[StartingPrice]

Sad thing is we've missed an oppotunity to improve the squad and push on from the chasing pack

That is something that only time will tell.

Folk said we hadn't strengthened the squad when we sold Berbatov - abd bought in Bale, Modric and Kaboul...and Devid Bentley