How close are we to challenging City & Liverpool ?

[arunspurs]

Spurs conceded just 7 goals & scored 36 goals in last 14 PL games with 8 cleansheets.

Extrapolate over a 38 game season, that will be 19 goals conceded and 98 goals scored. City & Liverpool conceded 26 each this season , to give some perspective.

This is title winning form or if not close. But to replicate this form over a season or get close, squad needs atleast 4 new signings that improves first XI

City & Liverpool are incredible. I am not saying we will be title challengers next season but we are not as far away as most think.

Two things have to happen,

a) Conte commits & extends his deal
b) Levy & Paratici help bring 4 good first XI signings who are ready to go.

We are the only team to do a double over City this season + not to lose to Liverpool as well. So, its not like we are light years behind. Extra CL will affect us - thats where we will be impacted. Our squad needs to be strengthened. But we have the basics already. Squad knows what Conte wants - In Lloris, Romero , Dier, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Son, Kane we have the core ready. If we improve the squad with 4 quality signings, IMO, we will beat Chelsea for 3rd and would go close to City & Liverpool....with some luck in WC break season, we could give them a run for their money

 

[WiganSpur]

I think we are closer than people think. But we have to invest in creating a deep squad as 5 sub rule will be critical.

Aside from that, the only question will be if Conte can balance top level European football with league consistency.

 

[Darth Vega]

I wouldn't be surprised if next season mirrors 16/17 whereby we build a great side that falls short in the league just because of the quality of the opposition more so our own failings; essentially where Liverpool have been in recent years. They've had 97 and 92 points and finished with no title both times - which is insane when you think about it - and we had 86 to Chelsea's 93 I believe.

We'll absolutely improve with the right signings but then again so will everyone else. City got 93 points this year and they still have Haaland and Alaverz to come and they'll probably sign a left-back as well, and Liverpool will no doubt strengthen as well. We can definitely close some of the gap with the right signings but we're in an era with two immense sides.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

This will be an interesting topic come preseason. I think we all have to keep in mind that our impressive improvement was no doubt greatly aided by the lack of European football. Next season will be a much tougher test for Conte and the team not just with the extra games but also the 5 subs rule.

Ultimately tho it will come down to two things, how much money we have to spend and how good our recruitment is. In terms of the bare bones we have a world class coach and two, possibly three (I think next season Romero will be the best defender in the league) world class players. If we can have a good summer I think we would probably still fall short of the two you mention but not by much. I think we would only be another season/summer window off assuming we continue our current trajectory and everyone stays happy and committed.

 

[JerryGarcia]

It’s difficult to look beyond City next season after they signed Halland but you never know. Everything depends on our summer recruitment but due to Conte’s ability to get the most out of his players, we might be able to spend a bit more to bring in our top targets without having to worry about replacing some of the fringe players.

 

[walworthyid]

We will need to go out and get 4 or 5 top quality signings. If we do that conte stays and we can compete.

We really aren't that far away but we cannot mess about in the summer. A young striker, wing backs on both sides, a creative player in the middle that can do the other things that conte demands. We also need to upgrade on bergwijn and moura as well as bringing jn a top quality left sided centre back.

We will also need to be ruthless with outgoings. I think rodon, sanchez, winks, Doherty or royal, moura, bergwijn all need to go to free up places and raise funds.

Levy has a decision to make, does he take a chance or does he follow his instincts and be cautious? He knows what conte will demand.

 

[H-SF]

I'm not sure we will ever be able to dominate the league like these two teams unless Conte adapts his playing philosophy. See City today, 2-0 down but they absolutely strangled villa. Waves and waves of sustained pressure. It told eventually and they turned it around. Liverpool do the same. We don't press like these teams so we often let games drift even when we need a goal. See Brighton and Brentford. No doubting that Conte is a top manager and we can be a top team under him but unless we start pressing high consistently I doubt we'll win a league title in the near future.

 

[dagraham]

As others have mentioned, we will now have to balance CL football with consistency in the league and at the moment our squad is way behind top teams.

Let’s not get too carried away.

 

[Hotspur33]

I think right now, City and Liverpool are at a level that is too high for us to compete with as early as next season.
I think we could have a season similar to Chelsea, who have been, for large parts, on an island by themselves. Comfortably better than the teams chasing 4th, but not quite in the title race.

 

[Aphex]

Half a dozen top quality players that are as impactful as the likes of Kulu, Romero and Bentancur.

 

[Steffen]

I will refrain from commenting on this, as last time I was called deluded and an idiot for suggesting that we aren't that far off.
COYS!

 

[SuperSpurs69]

A handful of quality signings with some of the deadwood being shipped out and I think we will close the gap.

I can see the intensity Liverpool play at declining next season, the injuries have started to creep in again towards the end of this season and I think that's down to the way they play. They've got a core group of the squad 30 or over and the way they've been playing the last few seasons is going to catch up with you the older you get.

City will get another massive points tally next season but I think we can definitely put up a challenge and ultimately finish 2nd.

However i think the world Cup is going to play a big part in how next season finishes, with the lack of a break either side there is a big risk of players picking up injuries so a big squad will be key next season.

 

[agrdavidsfan]

They are levels above us incredible teams

 

[Yantino]

Other than the obvious areas in the first 11 that need addressing this summer, it’s the quality in depth that needs some big improvement. Our inconsistencies this season have, in my opinion been down to when we’ve lost a couple of those first teamers to injury. They are replaced by below average players and there is an obvious drop off as a result.

But I really don’t think we are miles away. With a push in the market this summer I don’t see why we can’t challenge. A World Cup in the middle of the season is going to have a huge impact on a lot of top clubs.

 

[GutBucket]

2 perfect summer transfer windows with Kane and Conte staying, and at least one or two of Gil, Sarr, White, Devine, Parrott, Scarlett developing into good rotation options.

 

[arunspurs]

There are 2 things here...

i) Getting close & competing with City & Liverpool in PL
ii) Dominating across all 4 competitions

We cannot do ii) without 5 or 6 perfect windows from here over next 3 years.

We can certainly do i) next season, if we get 4 or 5 good signings, and IF we prioritise PL to an extent

 

[HildoSpur]

At the minute we are absolutely miles off because our squad strength is nowhere near their level. Give us a few more windows like January and Conte staying however and we can get very close.

 

[wadewill]

80+ points for us next season

They will both get around 90 for seasons, unfortunately

 

[SpursLegends90]

need 6 to 8 quality signings and even then might not be enough.. the gap is huge.. get close to 80 or 85 points and i would be happy nex t year

 

[Dov67]

We didnt exactly bust the bank for Kulu and Bentancur in January. Neither were these household A-listers either.

But look at the impact they had.

As Liverpool have shown you dont need to be backed by unlimited sovereign state funds to build a phenomenal team. You just need to make more good decisions (eg Kulu) in the transfer market than bad (eg Ndombele).

2 wing backs should be the priority given their importance to how Conte likes to play, a striker and creative midfielder. A left-sided CB, yes, but I have been hugely impressed by Davies and maybe that’s not the priority given finite resources. In fact I think it will cost a lot of money for not much improvement on what Davies gives us

Liverpool took off because they got their signings right and they went for their first choices, not the cheaper second and third choice options. Let’s do that for a change and we’ll see where Conte can take us.