What's new

Race for The Top 10

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,907
78,646
We're not going to sign anyone in January, no idea why people continually get their hopes up.
You're highly likely to be right but you shouldn't be. The club should be investing heavily not reacting to everything all the time. It's got us in this mess and it'll help get us out of it....and if Levy thinks he can do the same Mourinho then he's massively wrong.
 

spurs mental

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2007
25,075
49,234
As long as we can sort out the calamitous defence we'll be ok. We are starting to create more chances and need to just take them. We will be ok.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
You're highly likely to be right but you shouldn't be. The club should be investing heavily not reacting to everything all the time. It's got us in this mess and it'll help get us out of it....and if Levy thinks he can do the same Mourinho then he's massively wrong.

I agree with all of this but that doesn't make it any more probable, people just need to set their expectations better...they won't though and we're gonna have the same old people moaning come 30 days time that we haven't bought anyone in.
 

Monkey boy

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2011
6,381
17,040
Close the thread, we are so shit right now that we have no chance of finishing in the top 4. We can’t control a game and can’t defend to save our lives.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Close the thread, we are so shit right now that we have no chance of finishing in the top 4. We can’t control a game and can’t defend to save our lives.

Funny that we were getting 2nd place around 12 hours ago :LOL:
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
We're not going to sign anyone in January, no idea why people continually get their hopes up.
You’re possibly right but we need to start rebuilding sooner, rather than later. To only be active in one out of four windows would be the most self destructive way to manage a club with aspirations to be one of the best in the country
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
I think we need to not fixate so much on a top four finish right now. Accept this as another transitional season, but one where we prioritise the integration of new players like Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Ndombele- I’d even get Jack Clark back and start giving him minutes.

Take the pressure off of Mourinho so he doesn’t have to keep playing Eriksen in the hope of snatching points and just concentrate on building for the future. It feels pointless playing him when we have other players that could be developing and integrating by having his game time and he’s not Modric level of quality to simply leave out the squad.

Additionally, we should ensure we identify and secure key signings early, so Mourinho knows exactly what type of players are here for next season, and he can start planning the team dynamics around that in training and matches where possible.

The rebuild for next season needs to start now, and if we can secure either two fullbacks (rb/lb) or one fullback and one specialist CDM in the January window then that’s a great start. We’re so bereft of quality fullbacks that Vertonghen and Aurier can continue to have inconsistent games without there being suitable replacements. And you could lump Rose into that category too if he was even considered match worthy, which doesn’t seem the case at the moment.

Whoever is to blame for the disastrous blank summer/ January windows of the 2018-19 season is immaterial now, given that this is supposed to be the beginning of a new era, but the club absolutely has to get recruitment right. If that means spending more than they usually do to secure the right names, then so be it. I’m not suggesting lavish spending-
God forbid- but paying a bit more to get the deal done quicker would be a good start.

Given my thoughts about not prioritising a top four finish this season, it’s only logical I think the signing of players like Matic pointless. I’d rather us go for a younger CDM like Berge, someone with an engine as well as technical and tactical smarts. Matic would be a very short term solution to a very demanding problem. Plus he’d clog up the squad and siphon off some of our valuable transfer/wage budget
 

Misfit

President of The Niles Crane Fanclub
May 7, 2006
21,016
34,214
Steady the ship, top 6 finish, maybe even a cheeky run in the cup if we get favourable draws. Not expecting enything more than that. All a bit of a low key mess.
 

Legacy

SC Supporter
Mar 29, 2007
2,878
6,280
Close the thread, we are so shit right now that we have no chance of finishing in the top 4. We can’t control a game and can’t defend to save our lives.
Chelsea have lost to West Ham, Bournemouth, Everton and Southampton in the last 30 days alone.
Man Utd have lost to West Ham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Watford.
Wolves and Sheff Utd are performing well, but I doubt they have the squad depth to keep up this level of performance all season, especially for Wolves who have the knockout rounds of the Europa League coming up.

There is absolutely no reason to suggest we have no chance of finishing in the top 4. Especially as our two biggest rivals for the position have incredibly inexperienced managers, which will be telling in the latter parts of the season.
 
Last edited:

stormfly

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
4,584
11,990
I would accept a transnational year and a top 6 finish if the other top teams were bang in form but with Arse, Man Utd and Chelsea being inconsistent and average (just like us) it would feel like a failure if we missed out on the top 4. It is there for the taking.
 

1882andallthat

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2009
2,821
4,157
Chelsea have lost to West Ham, Bournemouth, Everton and Southampton in the last 30 days alone.
Man Utd have lost to West Ham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Watford.
Wolves and Sheff Utd are performing well, but I doubt they have the squad depth to keep up this level of performance all season, especially for Wolves who have the knockout rounds of the Europa League coming up.

There is absolutely no reason to suggest we have no chance of finishing in the top 4. Especially as our two biggest rivals for the position have incredibly inexperienced managers, which will be telling in the latter parts of the season.
You can highlight Man Utd and Chelsea dropping points against the likes of Watford and Newcastle and Everton and Bournemouth et al but we have done similar, so it could come down to 4th place being a bit of a lottery, in much the same way as it did last year, when we staggered over the line because Utd and Arsenal were just a tiny bit more inconsistent, but one things for sure, if we do not recruit in key positions most notably in the FB positions and the DM position at the very least that's the only hope we have to cling onto, that we will somehow have the 4th place fall into our lap by those two continuing to falter all season whilst Wolves and Sheff Utd fall away and we falter just that little bit less.

Most of us are realistic enough to realise that we are not going to go on a run of consistency such as picking up 25-27 points out of 30 as an example to actively sieze a top 4 spot whilst we don't replace inefficiencies in these key positions, if Mourinho and Levy come to a combined decision that we don't strengthen in January, then what will happen will be the following.
1. We won't be able to string more than 2 to 3 wins together before we are undone and lose or drop points as a result of key defensive lapses by the FB's or we are overrun in midfield as the lack of a competent DM leaves our fragile defence exposed time after time.
2. These same frailties will pop up at the wrong time to get us knocked out of one of the rounds of the CL and FA Cup.

So yes,if we don't get active in Jan, then all we've got to hang onto this season is the hope that ALL of Chelsea, Sheff Utd,Man Utd, and Wolves do the same to be gifted top 4.

If Mourinho and Levy and some ofthe fans can't see that with the current squad we have then they all have their head in the clouds and they are living in denial. If Mourinho and Levy firmly believe that this not the case with this current squad and they are firmly focused on top 4 and possibly a cup, without strengthening and this is their strategy, and we fail to achieve these aims, knowing what is plainly obvious already then this current strategy borders on negligence.

If they pursue this line, then the only conclusion they could logically have come to is that we are building for the future, and buys and acquisitions and sales will take place in the summer and beyond and unless we completely luck out by everyone else slipping up in all competitions we are getting sweet FA from this season other than maybe a top 5th to 9th position. I hope I'm wrong but it's my realistic assessment of where we are at with the current squad we have.
 
Last edited:

Doctor Dinkey

Legacy Fan
Jul 6, 2013
3,591
8,687
We can't achieve top 4 without recruitment. And tbh I wouldn't want to. We are very poor at the moment and if we luck out and stumble into next year's CL because Chelsea, or whoever, keep self-destructing, it gives Levy an excuse not to improve the squad. I want a change in playing personnel and am happy to miss out on Europe altogether if it means that forces the chairman's hand.
If Levy is hoping that Mourinho can achieve big things with only minimal investment, I think we've seen enough in the past few weeks to indicate that this would be a doomed strategy.
 

dbspurs

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2005
1,781
3,416
But an upgrade on Aurier has to be the easiest, most affordable scouting brief we've had in years.

In terms of defensive ability we only need to scour the Sunday League to find a right back better than Aurier. ??

Maybe someone on SC could do the scouting ??
 

GutBucket

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2013
6,808
11,492
Chelsea will probably spend money in January and we won't, it will be tough for us and we lost a 6 pointer vs them.
 

JUSTINSIGNAL

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2008
15,980
48,499
You're highly likely to be right but you shouldn't be. The club should be investing heavily not reacting to everything all the time. It's got us in this mess and it'll help get us out of it....and if Levy thinks he can do the same Mourinho then he's massively wrong.

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