The beginning of the end...

[doctor stefan Freud]

Well, like I've said, if Levy has any doubts over Poch then he'll be out the door - Levy has never fcked about when he has lost faith in a manager. Given the amount of money that he had invested though, I have my doubts that he is ready to jettison Poch.

It depends. If Levy is factoring results since February as well as this season, which he almost certainly is, then like the rest of us he’s seeing a team on the decline. Add to this the fact Levy has backed Poch significantly this summer and still we seem ponderous, flat and demotivated then I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s giving serious thought to replacing Poch.

Let’s not kid ourselves: Ndombele, Lo Celso and Sessegnon are players with great potential that most decent managers would be delighted to have. Levy won’t exclusively hold on to Poch because he wanted them when other managers could develop and integrate them into our squad. In fact, Levy may be looking at Poch’s issues and worry these new acquisitions might lose their value if things continue as they are

 

[Metalhead]

It depends. If Levy is factoring results since February as well as this season, which he almost certainly is, then like the rest of us he’s seeing a team on the decline. Add to this the fact Levy has backed Poch significantly this summer and still we seem ponderous, flat and demotivated then I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s giving serious thought to replacing Poch.

Let’s not kid ourselves: Ndombele, Lo Celso and Sessegnon are players with great potential that most decent managers would be delighted to have. Levy won’t exclusively hold on to Poch because he wanted them when other managers could develop and integrate them into our squad. In fact, Levy may be looking at Poch’s issues and worry these new acquisitions might lose their value if things continue as they are

The next 5 games will be telling. Not so much the results but the performances.

 

[n17er]

Can't force a player to sign a new contract and you can't force a player out of a club on a transfer if the team that blew smoke up his arse in the first place then don't have any intention of signing him. He holds all the cards, he has fucked us over to benefit himself and his agent.

How has he fucked us over? He has completed the terms of his contract. Levy had the chance to sell him in the summer of 2018 when he wouldn’t commit to a new contract and despite offers coming in the board decided not to. I find it a little immature to suggest he has fucked us over. Are you upset that a professional footballer has decided to make a decision regarding his own life and career and not taken your personal feelings into account? We have seen countless times with the Woolwich lot that if a player hasn’t signed after getting down to two years then he isn’t going to. Levy must have realised this but dropped the ball. I suggest that the board have made a huge error and that is where you’re ire should be directed.

 

[spurs4europe]

Ali Z said:


I would not say he has lost the dressing room, I would say it is not a happy camp as I alluded to in the summer Transfer thread, unsettled players causing issues, it is an uneasy situation, the deadline can not come quick enough, not that will necessarily resolve all the issues, we also have players who will need to be replaced, when they g, whose fault it all is is anybody's guess, i guess a mixture of agents, players, levy and Poch but I don't know,.

Thanks for passing along.

So are these problems the result of Poch losing his touch or are they the culmination of a much-needed regeneration of the team being put off until now?

I'm not sure but I definitely wouldn't preclude the latter. We have been talking about squad issues for a while now; last season was Alderweireld and Rose (i just remembered below article one year ago*) and we can obviously add Eriksen to that list now too. These are key players and that's before we get on to the list of injuries that have also disrupted our squad.

The rebuild has only just started, especially given Lo Celso and Sessegnon were signed on deadline day and so are without a preseason and may not be fully fit and up to speed for a while.

So the question this leaves me with is whether there is just now too much to do and if we had started the rebuild earlier, ie last season, then while it maybe wouldn't have resolved everything it would have made it more manageable this season. Ifs, buts, and maybes.

For me, I think Poch should be given time to resolve the issues and i think given the time he will/would be able to build another great team/squad.

But equally if this malaise continues then it doesn't sound like he will have that time. That makes me sad...

Oh and lastly, I struggle with the idea of Mourinho. Yes he is a winner but there is always the risk that he does even more damage when it (inevitably) blows up, not to mention the guy never plays youth , which also seems at odds with the philosophy DL is trying to create.


*http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/index.php?threads/pochs-perspective.134156/

 

[dudu]

Regardless, are we back to being a one man team? Are we not capable of dismantling Newcastle with or without CE?

I dont get why CE’s situation is our go to excuse...

There have been plenty of games over the last 5 seasons where we haven't managed to dismantle the Newcastles of the world.

So so many.

 

[guiltyparty]

The thing is, Poch has flirted publicly with leaving on several occasions, including the whole “I’ll go if we win the champions league” weirdness. Which frankly is a weird thing to say, don’t get the excuses made for him at the time - no one else would have done that. And so then Eriksen does the whole “need a new challenge” before the final, again didn’t see anyone at Liverpool doing that.

For me now Poch doesn’t really have much high ground with the players as they all know he’ll be off soon. It felt like a big “all for one” situation previously but now everyone’s individual agendas are spilling out so I can see why it’s unsettled. But Poch has played a pretty major part in that.

 

[Japhet]

It depends. If Levy is factoring results since February as well as this season, which he almost certainly is, then like the rest of us he’s seeing a team on the decline. Add to this the fact Levy has backed Poch significantly this summer and still we seem ponderous, flat and demotivated then I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s giving serious thought to replacing Poch.

Let’s not kid ourselves: Ndombele, Lo Celso and Sessegnon are players with great potential that most decent managers would be delighted to have. Levy won’t exclusively hold on to Poch because he wanted them when other managers could develop and integrate them into our squad. In fact, Levy may be looking at Poch’s issues and worry these new acquisitions might lose their value if things continue as they are

Seriously? The players Poch was backed with have seen combined time on the pitch of around 130 minutes. One hasn't played a single minute and one has been used as a late sub. We all know it takes time to get new players bedded so citing this as an issue is ludicrous.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

The next 5 games will be telling. Not so much the results but the performances.

Absolutely- it’s the performances that count. I keep going back to how flat we were in the CL final- arguably one of the greatest occasions of our players professional careers and we bombed. You’d imagine that would be a wake up call for Poch and the team but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Like just about everyone else, I pray Poch rediscovers his verve and drive, his original philosophy and value system that made us so dangerous and exciting to watch. But how long can we sustain these wishes?

And I really don’t want Mourinho. The irony of letting go of Poch because he’s lost the dressing room and replacing him with Mourinho reeks of old Tottenham dumbfuckery

 

[Matthew]

Fuck that. Bring me back to 16/17 times

seems light years ago right?

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Seriously? The players Poch was backed with have seen combined time on the pitch of around 130 minutes. One hasn't played a single minute and one has been used as a late sub. We all know it takes time to get new players bedded so citing this as an issue is ludicrous.

Not what I meant. I mean Poch should be committed and positive if he’s got his main targets. We’re hearing he’s not

 

[Metalhead]

Absolutely- it’s the performances that count. I keep going back to how flat we were in the CL final- arguably one of the greatest occasions of our players professional careers and we bombed. You’d imagine that would be a wake up call for Poch and the team but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Like just about everyone else, I pray Poch rediscovers his verve and drive, his original philosophy and value system that made us so dangerous and exciting to watch. But how long can we sustain these wishes?

And I really don’t want Mourinho. The irony of letting go of Poch because he’s lost the dressing room and replacing him with Mourinho reeks of old Tottenham dumbfuckery

Exactly and good, energetic performances will solve the issue with the stadium atmosphere too. I agree with you about Mourinho. He isn't a Levy type manager at all.

 

[dudu]

seems light years ago right?

Start of that season

1st game - drew away 1-1 everton - drew level at 59' with a lamela goal.

2nd game - won at Home 1-0 palace, Wanyama scored 83rd-minute

 

[Jimbobfury]

Look at our injuries, Son just back from suspension. Yes we may have only won 4 of last 15 games, but we still made the Champions League again. Once the uncertainty around Christian and Toby is resolved, then you will see the team push on...let's all hope that is sooner rather than later and they both sign new contracts!

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

Well personally i see excuses...a bad workman....

Give a workman a pick and shovel and ask them to build the Shard and then say that workman is blaming his tools.

Since we signed CE which other player of his type have we signed ? Maybe that answers your question. You seem very willing to blame Poch and give a completely free pass to his boss. I don’t.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

How has he fucked us over? He has completed the terms of his contract. Levy had the chance to sell him in the summer of 2018 when he wouldn’t commit to a new contract and despite offers coming in the board decided not to. I find it a little immature to suggest he has fucked us over. Are you upset that a professional footballer has decided to make a decision regarding his own life and career and not taken your personal feelings into account? We have seen countless times with the Woolwich lot that if a player hasn’t signed after getting down to two years then he isn’t going to. Levy must have realised this but dropped the ball. I suggest that the board have made a huge error and that is where you’re ire should be directed.

Keep telling yourself that.

 

[Gassin's finest]

 

[hakano]

The myth that we didn't buy anyone because Levy couldn't be bothered

Rubbish. Why are you making stuff up. He mis-read it, it didn’t play out as he expected. No one has said he couldn’t be bothered.

 

[Gbspurs]

We have to give Poch the benefit of the doubt. Get the window shut, get everyone fit and back from injury and let's see if we can hit out usual good form around Christmas.

On a personal level I find the Vertonghen situation bemusing but you have to believe that as Poch is closer to things than we are that he is best informed to make these decisions.

 

[Spurrific]

I reckon morale is down, Poch might still be reeling from the CL final. Feel like that fucked him up a lot. There doesn't seem to be the squad unity we normally have, I don't think Poch is managing the players well.

 

[Gassin's finest]

We have to give Poch the benefit of the doubt. Get the window shut, get everyone fit and back from injury and let's see if we can hit out usual good form around Christmas.

On a personal level I find the Vertonghen situation bemusing but you have to believe that as Poch is closer to things than we are that he is best informed to make these decisions.

It's not like he hasn't earned it.