POLL: Optimistic for the new season? Optmisitic (YES) or Pessimistic (NO)?

[cliff jones]

In between. Pessimistic that we can improve on last season, in terms of league position, cup runs or playing style.

Optimistic two or three of the kids will develop really well this season. And while the windows still ajar there's still hope of a signing or two.

 

[StartingPrice]

Beyond merely the voting options, I just don't think we can have an informed discussion of the outlook for the season until the questions hanging over the squad have been answered. This is an interesting thread for sure and I'm glad you've started it, all I'm saying is that we'll all be able to weigh in from a better vantage point once the window has closed.

And that is your prerogative - but that is why I put the Don't Know option in. And, as said, I do feel that an informed discussion can be had - I have informed my opinion with the belief (that may well turn out to be erroneous) that we absolutely will make more signings and, partly based on the ones we have made so far, they will be good squad signings.

I wanted to get the get the poll done before the first game, and especially state my own opinion, on the basis that I wanted to nail my colours to the mast now so as to avoid an accusation that I had waited until the TW was closed, I had seen who we signed, and I had seen how we performed for the first month, before saying I was optimistic. If other folk want to do that that is fine and I don't censure them for it, it's just exactly what I wanted to do and why.

And, TBH, I still think you couldjust vote Don't Know and then qualify it with a post that you personally don't feel happy making a decision until you see that we have made new signings (or not) before the TW closes, and who those signings are (or aren't).

 

[shelfboy68]

Im optimisic that we will be ok but must address these problem areas first, and i wish we didnt have to struggle for a game or two whilst we wait.
But in short i reckon we will do well this year coys.

 

[dontcallme]

I've voted inbetween as I don't believe we have enough to finish above any of the top four but I do believe we can compete better in the cups and maintain 5th place.

I also believe we'll make a couple of positive acquisitions before the end of the transfer window so we will be stronger than we currently are.

I'm interested to see how the young players do and believe we'll look good as the season progresses.

 

[NEVILLEB]

StartingPrice was super optimistic under AVB too.

Personally I'd agree with him this time. Expectations are now low and there is time to settle in these young players.

 

[TH1239]

This is the strongest Prem in history. Clubs like Swansea and Palace, because of the television deal, can spend heavily on wages to bring in players that would likely get into our first XI, too.

If we fail to add at least two more players like Alderweireld, who can step in and compete for a starting spot, we'll finish lower than 5th for sure. Mix in injuries, 4 competitions, Pochettino's pressing tactics, the pressure at home with our fans, and we could finish below 6th, too.

It's absolutely imperative to spend and buy established players in the next three weeks. This isn't 2008 or even 2012 anymore where teams outside the top 6 have zero financial spending power. Stand still and put all your faith on internal growth and you could end up with a nasty surprise if players stagnate.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

The problem with finishing 6th is we face losing our best players as the next crop come through. And we go back to square one. How about sign the 3-4 players that give us a real chance of getting top four and bring this club champs league football as we look to move into a new stadium ? It was the same last season when top four was begging to be taken yet we didn't buy when we needed to. Same old this year. So close but same old Spurs

Question- Do you honestly think we could get into the Top 4 above City, Arsenal, Chelsea and United with the huge investments they have made? If so, which club, and how would we do it?

 

[yankspurs]

I'm a pessimist by nature but whenever Goat is a poll option, I have to vote Goat. It's a rule. I am verrrrry pessimistic on the season. We didnt really improve at all this summer while all clubs around us did. Im expecting 7th.

 

[StartingPrice]

No.

Because we don't have the money to compete with the big boys. At best we get a few starlets that shine and will most likely get sold when bigger clubs come in. Nothing will change until the Stadium is built. Wouldn't be shocked if ENIC then sold us.

Well, that is the big question, isn't it.

Can we circumvent the fact that there are five clubs who can outspend us/pay more wages than us by invest in the youth system or is that a forlorn hope until we have the same moneys as them? It has been going on on this forum in one form or another for a while now.

Personally, I see so much promise from our approach. I don't know that we will overtake any/all of the top four until we have the stadium paid off (or even ever). But it is certainly better than pining for a multi-billionaire owner, spending more than what we have which is much less than what they have just to stand still (in all probability), or holding our cock(erel)s and whistling dixie while doing nothing IMHO. And I like that approach, anyway, as I am a football supporter as well as a Spurs fan.

As to your assertion that we will just develop a few starlets and then sell them, I am not sure that that is so. It depends on the opinions and attitudes of the starlets and how many of them there are. As stated several times over the last several years, I think we have a cracking youth set-up staffed with many fantastic options. And, to take Harry Kane as an example: he is sensible, he knows he won't be hitting his peak until he is 26ish, and he is a genuine 100% Spurs fan who desperately wants to achieve success with our club. Under those circumstances, I see no reason, other than love of money, why he shouldn't look at the fantastic young team around him, being fully aware of the quality below having come through the youth set-up, look at the tremendous facilities and think to himself that he can afford to give it five years to see if we have a team to match his ambitions - by which time the ground will have been finished two years and this exciting young squad reached maturity. if he does that and we are still way off the pace, I wouldn't blaming him for moving on - preferably overseas. Given the home-grown and often fan derived nature of our youth I see no reason why the rest wouldn't flow his lead. They'd hardly be paupers on our wages even in the interim. And if he/they move for money, hell mend them.

As for ENIC, so what. I am not a supporter of ENIC FC, I am a supporter of THFC. If ENIC move on after giving us a great youth set-up, great training facilities and a great new stadium, what do I care, All I care about is that the resources are there for us to compete at the top end of the table - something that drastically disappeared thanks to Mr Scholar.

 

[StartingPrice]

I've voted inbetween as I don't believe we have enough to finish above any of the top four but I do believe we can compete better in the cups and maintain 5th place.

I also believe we'll make a couple of positive acquisitions before the end of the transfer window so we will be stronger than we currently are.

I'm interested to see how the young players do and believe we'll look good as the season progresses.

Well, that's a different issue, really, isn't it DCM - just what a good season is. Because I would agree almost word for word with your post and class that as optimism. I am hopeful of fourth without really thinking we will do it (much as I said last season). The important thing for me is finishing fifth/above Liverpool, which I think we can do, performing well in the cups, and maybe winning one, and looking much better as a team with our exciting young squad. I also expect us to make some positive additions between now and the TW closing. I would call that a good season and optimistic that it can happen.

So, really, you are one of us, you just won't admit it

 

[StartingPrice]

I've voted inbetween as I don't believe we have enough to finish above any of the top four but I do believe we can compete better in the cups and maintain 5th place.

I also believe we'll make a couple of positive acquisitions before the end of the transfer window so we will be stronger than we currently are.

I'm interested to see how the young players do and believe we'll look good as the season progresses.

Well, that's a different issue, really, isn't it DCM - just what a good season is. Because I would agree almost word for word with your post and class that as optimism. I am hopeful of fourth without really thinking we will do it (much as I said last season). The important thing for me is finishing fifth/above Liverpool, which I think we can do, performing well in the cups, and maybe winning one, and looking much better as a team with our exciting young squad. I also expect us to make some positive additions between now and the TW closing. I would call that a good season and optimistic that it can happen.

So, really, you are one of us, you just won't admit it

 

[StartingPrice]

StartingPrice was super optimistic under AVB too.

Personally I'd agree with him this time. Expectations are now low and there is time to settle in these young players.

In the interests of fairness, I should also point out that Nev was super-pessimistic when I said we would finish in the top four and above Liverpool the first season we did so. He has been super-pessimistic every year we have finished 5th or 4th. And, indeed, he is so pessimistic that he can't recognise that the sixth best financed team finishing fifth or fourth is punching above our weight or, incredibly, that it is netter than skirting around a relegation fight (as we did several times in the nineties).

Further in the interests of fairness, I should also point out that one of the main reasons I was super optimistic (think i was just optimistic, really LoL) under AVB was because he stated publicly that he was exactly au fait with the maximisation of our youth policy* (that I have been a keen apologist of for the last decade) and we did finish with our highest ever points total in his first season in charge.

Anyway, welcome back Neville...which you should take to mean I am taking you off ignore pending your playing fair -

 

[dontcallme]

Well, that's a different issue, really, isn't it DCM - just what a good season is. Because I would agree almost word for word with your post and class that as optimism. I am hopeful of fourth without really thinking we will do it (much as I said last season). The important thing for me is finishing fifth/above Liverpool, which I think we can do, performing well in the cups, and maybe winning one, and looking much better as a team with our exciting young squad. I also expect us to make some positive additions between now and the TW closing. I would call that a good season and optimistic that it can happen.

So, really, you are one of us, you just won't admit it

I pretty much am with you.

I guess my point is your optimism is based on how much you want. There are some fans who genuinely think we should spend money and be challenging for the title. For them finishing 4th is not good enough so they are pessimistic.

For me I see genuine improvement on the way both with the players we have and the ones I believe we'll buy. I guess I sit on the fence because I don't believe we'll actually we'll improve on last season's finishing position despite being better.

 

[slartibartfast]

I didn't think we did optimistic as Spurs fans
Surprised to see so many are.
Have no idea why.
WE'RE DOOMED.
DOOMED I TELL YOU lol.
Relax, only joking.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

I don't have any expectations for domestic cups and the league at all. Last season i said from start to finish that we'd end 5th.
This season, I'll postpone my judgement until after the transfer window. But I'm not supremely optimistic. Top top that, I fear Arsenal might nail PL this season.

I think we should go all out in EL, and play in Basel. That's what I really want.

 

[Sevens]

I'm not optimistic but like the last few seasons I think the quality of the league is poor. So even if we have a bad year we shouldn't finish no lower than 6th or 7th.

The main reason I am not optimistic is that I despise 4-2-3-1. You need exceptional players to make it work. We don't have exceptional players.

 

[iluvsteffenfreund]

Question- Do you honestly think we could get into the Top 4 above City, Arsenal, Chelsea and United with the huge investments they have made? If so, which club, and how would we do it?

Yes. How far were UTD ahead of us last year and on today's showing ? It frustrates me coz we all know what we need yet it doesn't get done. We are crying out for forwards and defensive minded midfielders yet we have started the season without either. Unacceptable

 

[NEVILLEB]

In the interests of fairness, I should also point out that Nev was super-pessimistic when I said we would finish in the top four and above Liverpool the first season we did so. He has been super-pessimistic every year we have finished 5th or 4th. And, indeed, he is so pessimistic that he can't recognise that the sixth best financed team finishing fifth or fourth is punching above our weight or, incredibly, that it is netter than skirting around a relegation fight (as we did several times in the nineties).

Further in the interests of fairness, I should also point out that one of the main reasons I was super optimistic (think i was just optimistic, really LoL) under AVB was because he stated publicly that he was exactly au fait with the maximisation of our youth policy* (that I have been a keen apologist of for the last decade) and we did finish with our highest ever points total in his first season in charge.

Anyway, welcome back Neville...which you should take to mean I am taking you off ignore pending your playing fair -

There's being optimistic and then there's being delusional.

You've been shown by history to be delusional.

 

[dondo]

I'm quite negative ATM but with 2 new right type signing I would be optimistic,
With a pacey attacking option ( berahino ) and a quality DM (?) we could compete for the top 4

 

[Pauleta01]

Feeling really positive! A lot of the media negativity around us at the moment (particularly commentators today!) is not really justified all based on lack of transfers in. What happened to moulding a team? champ manager mentality has reached the commentators who were all part of teams that were built gradually over years (Ferdinand, Hoddle etc.) This does not happen with 6 new additions every window. We are a fast energetic team and the quality will develop. We already have our next crop of stars in our midst, Kane and Alli (he is going to be our next big name player ala Bale). We just need a quality CM for the team now (much like Parker a few years back) and a couple of forward options with pace and I believe we will develop into a top side. What we have the moment is unrivalled in the modern era with the number of players we have developed, Everyone moans about Levy's net spend obsession, but it would not have been net spend if we had to buy Kane, Mason and Bentaleb (although the latter did look like he was worth £40 per game let alone his reported £40k per week).

Football is becoming more and more a sport for players between 23 and 28 and we are primed for the next 5 years if we keep this nucleus together. Utd were not great today and if you changed Chadli with a player with Pace we would have won, there was no real outlet!