Race for The Top 10

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

They are getting linked with some quality players. Werner, Sancho etc

Not in January they’re not.

 

[rossdapep]

Signing players that more than likely need time to adapt and settle isn’t going to solve any problems we have this season.

Probably not unless they are experienced players. Van Dijk made an immediate impact at Liverpool and there have been many others. Although I don't expect this club to go out and buy this kind of player.

At the very least we should be bringing in 2 who can hit the ground running for next season and I think we should be raiding the Championship for a few (Bogle, Eze,
Godfrey - when Norwich go down, etc).

A Soumare type signing would likely not get up to speed quickly if signed in January so I agree with that respect. We're not going to change our operative ways and spend 60m on, for example, Ndidi midseason, as we don't do those signings like Liverpool did. But we can certainly do other things to make pre season a little more smoother.

 

[Spurslove]

Reckon we will finish 2nd

Many more performances like we put up against Chelsea, and we're more likely to finish 2nd bottom.

.

 

[Dillspur]

Probably not unless they are experienced players. Van Dijk made an immediate impact at Liverpool and there have been many others. Although I don't expect this club to go out and buy this kind of player.

At the very least we should be bringing in 2 who can hit the ground running for next season and I think we should be raiding the Championship for a few (Bogle, Eze,
Godfrey - when Norwich go down, etc).

A Soumare type signing would likely not get up to speed quickly if signed in January so I agree with that respect. We're not going to change our operative ways and spend 60m on, for example, Ndidi midseason, as we don't do those signings like Liverpool did. But we can certainly do other things to make pre season a little more smoother.

My memory is a little fuzzy, but I certainly don't remember VVD having an immediate impact, didn't they lose a lot of the games he started at the beginning of his Pool career? I don't think he really made an impact until the next season

 

[rossdapep]

My memory is a little fuzzy, but I certainly don't remember VVD having an immediate impact, didn't they lose a lot of the games he started at the beginning of his Pool career? I don't think he really made an impact until the next season

They got to the CL final. They did lose some games but they looked better defensively

 

[popstar7]

We don't have the luxury of dropping out for a season. The quality of the improvements we all want to see will depend directly on the €100m we made from last year's CL run and the €60m we've already earned this season. Being in the CL is what will attract the kind of replacements we need. And the money that comes from it funds their transfers fees and pays them what they're worth.

The CL will always tend towards a closed shop, shovelling ever more cash to the biggest clubs from biggest leagues under the threat of those clubs setting up their own competition and becoming a genuine closed shop. At the moment, as far as the world is concerned, we're the imposters who had an unbelievable run to the final and didn't show up, we're Harry Kane and we're Heung min-Son. That's about it. We don't have the status that Chelsea and Arsenal have by being regulars over the last 15-20 years.

To change that perception I'd say we need to be qualifying and doing well every season for the next five years. Clubs like Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Inter can afford to drop out for a season or two because they can count on finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th in their domestic leagues pretty quickly. And if there ever is a breakaway competition those clubs would be part of it because of their domestic status and support. Neither is automatically true for us.

We have our foot in the door but we're not in the room yet. If we become regulars and spend the money generated wisely it becomes a virtuous circle. If we miss out, 2016-19 could very easily become just a blip when the stars aligned and a great manager and team overperformed like Valencia or Leverkusen or Porto in the early-2000s.

 

[homer hotspur]

I think we are very much an outside bet for top 4 now. We got away with it last season but we don't have a points lead this season . Man Utd and Chelsea both look better than us. We would have to win the return games to boost our chances and that seems unlikely. Wolves are also playing far better than us but may get bogged down in the Europa. Shef utd are exceeding all expectations but it would be a sorry state if they finish above us over 38 matches. There are still plenty of games left but , based on the current state of all involved, I can't see us higher than 6th.

 

[popstar7]

Us, Wolves and United have picked up significantly over the last four or five weeks but still regularly dropping points. Who’s to say any of us will suddenly click and start winning week in week out? Maybe none of the three do and all end up on something like 65 points.

Chelsea's situation is a bit disguised because they've stayed fourth but if they don't start winning games soon they'll be caught and overtaken. How does their February look btw?

Leicester (A)
ManU (H)
Tottenham (H)
Bayern Munich (A)

Conclusion: We've as good a chance as anyone.

 

[homer hotspur]

Us, Wolves and United have picked up significantly over the last four or five weeks but still regularly dropping points. Whose to say any of us will suddenly click and start winning week in week out? Maybe none of the three do and all end up on something like 65 points.

Chelsea's situation is a bit disguised because they've stayed fourth but if they don't start winning games soon they'll be caught and overtaken. How does their February look btw?

Leicester (A)
ManU (H)
Tottenham (H)
Bayern Munich (A)

Conclusion: We've as good a chance as anyone.

Agreed it's wide open for 4th place and that includes Arsenal but we look the least cohesive team at the moment ,with major issues in midfield and defence, whilst others seem to be on the up

 

[dagraham]

Sounds obvious, but we have no chance of top four unless we cut out the basic, big mistakes we are making at least once a game. Both collectively and individually.

It’s hard to win football matches on a consistent basis if you keep doing it.

 

[hellava_tough]

We don't have the luxury of dropping out for a season. The quality of the improvements we all want to see will depend directly on the £100m we made from last year's CL run and the £60m we've already earned this season. Being in the CL is what will attract the kind of replacements we need. And the money that comes from it funds their transfers fees and pays them what they're worth.

The CL will always tend towards a closed shop, shovelling ever more cash to the biggest clubs from biggest leagues under the threat of those clubs setting up their own competition and becoming a genuine closed shop. At the moment, as far as the world is concerned, we're the imposters who had an unbelievable run to the final and didn't show up, we're Harry Kane and we're Heung min-Son. That's about it. We don't have the status that Chelsea and Arsenal have by being regulars over the last 15-20 years.

To change that perception I'd say we need to be qualifying and doing well every season for the next five years. Clubs like Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Inter can afford to drop out for a season or two because they can count on finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th in their domestic leagues pretty quickly. And if there ever is a breakaway competition those clubs would be part of it because of their domestic status and support. Neither is automatically true for us.

We have our foot in the door but we're not in the room yet. If we become regulars and spend the money generated wisely it becomes a virtuous circle. If we miss out, 2016-19 could very easily become just a blip when the stars aligned and a great manager and team overperformed like Valencia or Leverkusen or Porto in the early-2000s.

I'll always have a sneaking suspicion that we underperformed during those seasons and probably should have won something.

...could be wrong though.

 

[dtxspurs]

The worst part about not getting top 4 will be the transfer excuses in the Summer. I genuinely think not getting top 4 would be a really bad thing for the club. It also just goes to show the deterioration of this team. Two title challenges with little to no significant investment, poor recruiting and falling out of the top 4. We're fucking Arsenal all over again but we have nothing to show for it.

 

[nasescoba1985]

Chelsea or United look the most likely for 4th. We drop far to many points and never take advantage.

 

[EastLondonYid]

A season out of the champions league might do us good in respect of Levy realising this squad is done and a rebuild is necessary, especially defensive areas, time to get the cheque book out Danny and I mean top quality not numbers

 

[YiddoTom90]

A season out of the champions league might do us good in respect of Levy realising this squad is done and a rebuild is necessary, especially defensive areas, time to get the cheque book out Danny.

andddd back to reality.

 

[dagraham]

A season out of the champions league might do us good in respect of Levy realising this squad is done and a rebuild is necessary, especially defensive areas, time to get the cheque book out Danny.

As long as there’s bums on seats in the stadium I’m not sure it will resonate that much with ENIC.

 

[EastLondonYid]

As long as there’s bums on seats in the stadium I’m not sure it will resonate that much with ENIC.

Bums on seats isn't where the real big money is so I disagree, it's champions league money and World exposure, so bums on seats isn't enough

 

[Seafordian Spurs]

Have to hope we go deep in the CL this season to offset earning fuck all from Europa next season.

In fact, I'm sure Levy has considered this. Ridiculous to think we have devine right to be in CL every year with our wage structure.

 

[hellava_tough]

Would be nice, just for once, to splash 200m odd in the transfer window

Oh well...

 

[For the love of Spurs]

The worst part about not getting top 4 will be the transfer excuses in the Summer. I genuinely think not getting top 4 would be a really bad thing for the club. It also just goes to show the deterioration of this team. Two title challenges with little to no significant investment, poor recruiting and falling out of the top 4. We're fucking Arsenal all over again but we have nothing to show for it.

There will be excuses either way top 4 or not. Maybe the fax machine broke down again.