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What the pundits & media are saying about us

shoggy33

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2007
1,360
4,546
The flaw IMO is when fans assume that no improvement will be generated by any of the changes in all the big teams.
If we look at incoming managers and players for City, United, Chelsea, and Liverpool, changes will drastically pay off for at the very least one of those clubs. We are not up against positive effects from change in all those clubs, but we will have to combat great improvements compared to last season from some of all the changes in teams around us.

I don't think anyone is assuming that there will be no improvement..... Chelsea especially were so poor that they are almost certain to get better. However, are we not likely to improve as well? Same group of young players with an extra years experience, talented young manager with an extra year under his belt, not having to travel to the arsehole of nowhere every every other Thursday to play on some agricultural pitch, and significant reinforcements in key areas which should be bring the best out of our existing players. The league will be very competitive but we are as strong as anybody in my opinion.
 

Everlasting Seconds

Well-Known Member
Jan 9, 2014
14,914
26,616
I don't think anyone is assuming that there will be no improvement..... Chelsea especially were so poor that they are almost certain to get better. However, are we not likely to improve as well? Same group of young players with an extra years experience, talented young manager with an extra year under his belt, not having to travel to the arsehole of nowhere every every other Thursday to play on some agricultural pitch, and significant reinforcements in key areas which should be bring the best out of our existing players. The league will be very competitive but we are as strong as anybody in my opinion.
I think we'll have to be very happy with a spot among top 4, settling for a slightly reduced overall league performance compared to last year. That can actually be a step in the right direction long term.
 

archiewasking

Waiting for silverware..........
Jul 5, 2004
7,903
11,818
I don't like pundits who say we'll do really well as they put pressure on us. And I don't like the ones who say we won't get top 4 as they're just a bunch of Sky 5 loving, anti-Spurs *****s.
 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,415
34,196


1470680479297.jpg
 

Chilli

Well-Known Member
Dec 4, 2006
573
612
I don't like pundits who say we'll do really well as they put pressure on us. And I don't like the ones who say we won't get top 4 as they're just a bunch of Sky 5 loving, anti-Spurs *****s.

Yeah I have the same sort of problam. I prefer us to stay under the radar so to speak but it does wind me up a bit that Merson has one of most promising and consistent teams finishing sixth??

It just goes to show that most of these so called experts, know absolutely fuck all.
 

Khilari

Plumber. Sort of.
Jun 19, 2008
3,461
5,287
I think we'll have to be very happy with a spot among top 4, settling for a slightly reduced overall league performance compared to last year. That can actually be a step in the right direction long term.
I think we had this very same outlook last summer and surprised everyone (including ourselves) when we were in a "two-team title tilt".

It's clear that one of the things we shared with Leicester (the only other side in the top 5 who would say they had a good season) is that the whole team unit we formed was tight and the players fought for each other. I think when there's a lot of quality in the league meaning everyone can beat everyone (unlike the Scottish, Dutch, Italian or even Spanish leagues for instance), it's these things that help separate sides at the end. When one or two teams possess player quality far beyond everyone else, then I think money splashed alone can get you by, as used to be the case in the Liverpool and Man Utd dominant years.

So given the above, top 4 is what I think we should achieve at a minimum providing luck favours us (e.g. injuries, fixture congestion) but given the lessons we learned from last season and keeping the squad together, if we are somewhere in touch with the top 4 come Xmas and the top 2 come March-April, we could have another title run in.
 

Everlasting Seconds

Well-Known Member
Jan 9, 2014
14,914
26,616
I think we had this very same outlook last summer and surprised everyone (including ourselves) when we were in a "two-team title tilt".

It's clear that one of the things we shared with Leicester (the only other side in the top 5 who would say they had a good season) is that the whole team unit we formed was tight and the players fought for each other. I think when there's a lot of quality in the league meaning everyone can beat everyone (unlike the Scottish, Dutch, Italian or even Spanish leagues for instance), it's these things that help separate sides at the end. When one or two teams possess player quality far beyond everyone else, then I think money splashed alone can get you by, as used to be the case in the Liverpool and Man Utd dominant years.

So given the above, top 4 is what I think we should achieve at a minimum providing luck favours us (e.g. injuries, fixture congestion) but given the lessons we learned from last season and keeping the squad together, if we are somewhere in touch with the top 4 come Xmas and the top 2 come March-April, we could have another title run in.
Most naturally.
The way last season developed, we were basically nailed on for top four by February, and top 3 by April (?).
Next season, I think the question about top 4 will be determined way later in the season this time around, more teams will fight
it out. We must be prepared that even a great season for us might lead to a less flabbergasting league position. There is nothing wrong with that.
 

yiddopaul

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2005
3,460
6,750
Yeah I have the same sort of problam. I prefer us to stay under the radar so to speak but it does wind me up a bit that Merson has one of most promising and consistent teams finishing sixth??

It just goes to show that most of these so called experts, know absolutely fuck all.
To be fair though, if you had to put your life savings on it, you would probably be tempted to put the two Manc teams and Chelsea in the top 4, plus Arsenal do seem to continually get that last 4th place. It's one thing having a bit of a flutter at the bookies, but you'd be crazy to put something serious against any of the said teams not making top 4. Of course Spurs are right up there, in with a very good chance of getting top 4.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
18,106
45,030
Most naturally.
The way last season developed, we were basically nailed on for top four by February, and top 3 by April (?).
Next season, I think the question about top 4 will be determined way later in the season this time around, more teams will fight
it out. We must be prepared that even a great season for us might lead to a less flabbergasting league position. There is nothing wrong with that.

As the league has become more competitive in the past decade, a process that accelerated dramatically last season, people are going to have to become accustomed to the fact that we now have a functioning "top 6" that is likely to be invaded, in most years, by 2 or 3 clubs from the rest of the league.

The main implication, as I have been writing for a couple of years, is that no club can rely upon perennial qualification for the Champions League. Liverpool, Man Utd and now Chelsea have found this out the hard way. Different clubs will make up the top 4 from season to season.

Surely this is a good thing. There's a possible future where any one of 10 clubs can have a few years at or near the top, perhaps win one Championship and have 2-3 seasons in the CL, then fade away again. The major clubs in Manchester, Liverpool and London will be there or thereabouts, but each one will have occasional declines and then will rise again.

The same applies to us [edit: and to all of the other top-8 clubs]. A realistic ambition is to compete in the CL 3-5 times in any decade, perhaps win the league once or twice, or perhaps not, and win a cup every 5-10 years. The objective is to be in there with a chance more years than not. That's what we need to stay excited about Spurs: to be competitive.
 
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Khilari

Plumber. Sort of.
Jun 19, 2008
3,461
5,287
As the league has become more competitive in the past decade, a process that accelerated dramatically last season, people are going to have to become accustomed to the fact that we now have a functioning "top 6" that is likely to be invaded, in most years, by 2 or 3 clubs from the rest of the league.

The main implication, as I have been writing for a couple of years, is that no club can rely upon perennial qualification for the Champions League. Liverpool, Man Utd and now Chelsea have found this out the hard way. Different clubs will make up the top 4 from season to season.

Surely this is a good thing. There's a possible future where any one of 10 clubs can have a few years at or near the top, perhaps win one Championship and have 2-3 seasons in the CL, then fade away again. The major clubs in Manchester, Liverpool and London will be there or thereabouts, but each one will have occasional declines and then will rise again.

The same applies to us. A realistic ambition is to compete in the CL 3-5 times in any decade, perhaps win the league once or twice, or perhaps not, and win a cup every 5-10 years. The objective is to be in there with a chance more years than not. That's what we need to stay excited about Spurs: to be competitive.
Are you sure you're a Spurs fan...?

As a Spurs fan I won't be happy with the above. I need for us to win the league once in my lifetime then continue to win it and a few league and couple trebles thrown in every year with the occasional Champions' League victories every 3-5 years.

I need for us to win every match by astounding margins whilst playing amazing attacking "famous five" type football and beat The Scum home and away every year. This all needs to take place in the best stadium in the world. And Lloris needs to score. Yes. And the team needs to made up of world class players all from our world class academy. Net spend £0. "They're all our owwwwn, all our owwwwn, the Tottenham Team are all home growwwwn." And with all the money saved, Levy will have had a successful hair transplant. And Ledley will be our assistant manager with Gaza our midfield coach and Klinsmann our forwards coach.

Now we're talking. And LeScum will get relegated to the Lada South London Sector 4 division where my Sunday League side beats them.

THIS is ambition that will stop me bitch-whining every season. Your version is far too similar to real life to be consistent with Tottenham Theology.

Ok, I'm done for now, over to you.
 

Trix

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2004
19,694
332,142
The league is Liverpool's to lose

No European football
Klopp
Incredible attacking players
Other sides rebuilding with new managers

Anything top 4 will please me

Why are people ridiculing this post. I just checked the thread title again, and it does say it's the pundits thread. I know some of you are down on the guy but Imo this is the perfect thread to post what he thinks will happen this season.








@Drexl, you are Lawro, right? :confused:
 

Spurs1960

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2011
2,424
1,220

What we need is a table of tipster performances so we can judge their prediction ability.

My Chelsea mate told me Chelsea would not finish in the Top 10 before the season started, how many tipsters predicted they would finish outside the top 4? Tipsters don't take into account problems, new managers, new playing systems and how long they take to master, they assume everyone is at their best.

I wouldn't put Merson in a Top Six and wouldn't give much weight to his opinion, Jamie Carragher neither, or Lawrenson.
 
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