spurspinter1
Pat van den Hauwe
Just when “Own Goal” has gone missing for us as well, typical.
-
Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara
The Limp Struggle to Sneak into the top 4 2021/22
- Thread starter Jordinho
- Start date
Just when “Own Goal” has gone missing for us as well, typical.
AjaxDeSuperYids
Drama queen
Wham putting out a second string team today, so if they are doing that in this game they will definitely be doing the same against the goons.
So goons got to play chelsea reserves and wham reserves.
So all comes down to us winning all games bar pool away and goons dropping points at Saudi Sportswashing Machine.
Seems extremely unlikely.
So goons got to play chelsea reserves and wham reserves.
So all comes down to us winning all games bar pool away and goons dropping points at Saudi Sportswashing Machine.
Seems extremely unlikely.
Little bit of an exaggeration. Chelsea rested about 4 key players I agree, West Ham are resting Rice, Antonio and Lanzini. Leicester rested a few yesterday too (Vardy, Barnes, Perreira plus you can debate which of a few others are first choice).
AjaxDeSuperYids
Drama queen
Bowen is also on the bench, so all the players that make them what they are.
How would we get on without romero, bentancur, son and kane
El Guepardo
Rafael Van Der Vaart
Bowen is also on the bench, so all the players that make them what they are.
How would we get on without romero, bentancur, son and kane
Would we do much worse than we have in our last two matches?
Bullet
Colin Calderwood
I turned that game on earlier, Bowen was battling for the ball with Soucek, then Rice cut out a ball up the wing and they said how good Rice was, then Cheatski scored.Bowen is also on the bench, so all the players that make them what they are.
How would we get on without romero, bentancur, son and kane
Mosquito_Coasting
Gerry Armstrong
Dawson red card means they will have 0 CBs against Arsenal.
90sSpursBook
Erik Edman
London derbies - particularly away from home have been a real problem. Across the 5 away games we have drawn 1 and lost 4 scoring just 1 goal. Our combined Xg is only 2.51.
Yiddo
Jack Jull
We now have the harder set of fixtures, our big players are not turning up when it matters and Arsenal have found form. I can’t see us getting it.
Still got to play Burnley who could be fighting for their life's, Liverpool who have to win and Arsenal who want it more.
The Leicester draw on Sunday and Arsenal beating West Ham B team will all but confirm this. The sooner the better imo, having Spurs get our hopes up just to disappoint again is not good for the old ticker.
Still got to play Burnley who could be fighting for their life's, Liverpool who have to win and Arsenal who want it more.
The Leicester draw on Sunday and Arsenal beating West Ham B team will all but confirm this. The sooner the better imo, having Spurs get our hopes up just to disappoint again is not good for the old ticker.
Finney Is Back
Andy Thompson
If looking at the season on the whole, finishing 5th or 6th is better than I expected before the season started and is likely to see us getting back into the Europa League instead of the Conference League which is good a step up for the club in terms of finances and exposure.
It will seem frustrating because of what has happened with other teams such as Man Utd having massively imploded this season, Chelsea being far worse than expected (other than when they play us) and teams like Leicester and West Ham, who were better than us last season stuttering somewhat this season. This meant that 4th (or even 3rd) place was there for the taking for us this season. It was going to be hard to do when writing off the season before it started by hiring a manager like Nuno, but after finally actually getting in a decent manager a quarter of the way into the season it became possible.
Unfortunately, one of the few reasonable upper midtable teams from last season, got their act together this year, found some consistency and now look favourites to finish above us. The fact that the particular upper midtable team is Arsenal makes things particularly galling, but I think we should ignore that when it comes to the end of the season and just look at our own fortunes compared to the season before and assess whether or not we are heading in the right direction.
Of course it's not over yet and we could still nab 4th place (though we could also slip to 7th or 8th) and I really hope that we can find some spirit in these next 5 games to go out and perform, take the game to the opposition and grab that 4th place as (assuming the chairman allows it) we might then be in a good position to go out and get 4 new players for the first team as well as a 2 or 3 more for the squad so that we're in an even better position to challenge next year.
It will seem frustrating because of what has happened with other teams such as Man Utd having massively imploded this season, Chelsea being far worse than expected (other than when they play us) and teams like Leicester and West Ham, who were better than us last season stuttering somewhat this season. This meant that 4th (or even 3rd) place was there for the taking for us this season. It was going to be hard to do when writing off the season before it started by hiring a manager like Nuno, but after finally actually getting in a decent manager a quarter of the way into the season it became possible.
Unfortunately, one of the few reasonable upper midtable teams from last season, got their act together this year, found some consistency and now look favourites to finish above us. The fact that the particular upper midtable team is Arsenal makes things particularly galling, but I think we should ignore that when it comes to the end of the season and just look at our own fortunes compared to the season before and assess whether or not we are heading in the right direction.
Of course it's not over yet and we could still nab 4th place (though we could also slip to 7th or 8th) and I really hope that we can find some spirit in these next 5 games to go out and perform, take the game to the opposition and grab that 4th place as (assuming the chairman allows it) we might then be in a good position to go out and get 4 new players for the first team as well as a 2 or 3 more for the squad so that we're in an even better position to challenge next year.
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
5th or 6th looking more likely now after Brighton and Brentford. But 4th is still definitely on. Need to get back to winning ways and better performances though, which after the recent games seems a bit less likely.
Top 4 seems massive this season. Can only wait and see, but certainly feels like a massive difference right now.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
I'm not sure about that. Chelsea and United are in big declines, and Arsenal are probably winning the battle but losing the war against us.
I'd fancy us for a fairly comfortable 3rd next season, so long as we don't end up with Rodgers managing us by August (i.e. neither Conte or Poch).
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Just think it will make it easier to keep Conte, easier to keep Kane and make more money available to strengthen the team.
For all the comments from some on here about Arsenal comfortable winning their remaining games, bar the NLD, the Leeds performance last night should again cast doubt on that. Its 11 points from the last 6 games from them now. Saudi Sportswashing Machine have been on the up too. Still think that with those two, plus West Ham (even with European distraction and CB issue) plus Everton probably needing a result last game of the season gives enough doubt about them winning 3 of those games let alone 4. Question is can we rebound?
Last edited:
90sSpursBook
Erik Edman
I am mostly at peace with a 5th place finish - I think anything lower at this point would be a problem. As @Finney Is Back articulated so well it is mostly the fact that it is Arsenal that will pip us to that will hurt. However, we've finished above them for 5 years in a row - for the first time in our history (albeit the last couple of years has felt like they finished below us) - and if it doesn't happen this year it will happen again soon. You also have to remember that they've had no european football to juggle and are 18 months further along a process led by a manager whose ability may still be questionable but has been backed and has a decent crop of young talented players to have built a team around.
I also question what value being in the champions league will have for us next season anyway.
1. Apart from Ndombele and Van Der Vaart I'm not sure we've ever signed a stellar player that we wouldn't have bought had we not been in the CL; in fact nearly all of our best signings in the last decade have come in summers that we've been outside of the CL.
2. Conte has famously struggled with domestic and midweek european competitions; therefore I don't expect us to get far in the CL next season anyway and even if we do it is likely to have a detrimental impact on our league performance. I think having made definite progress this season we need to prioritise our league performance next season (add 5-10% to the points tally) .
Therefore its only the intangibles (prestige, banter) and the financial income (which we as a fan base are not going to gain from) that will really have any impact.
I think the links to Conte and Kane's future being explicitly associated with finishing 4th are massive red herrings. Conte may very well want to go (to PSG) but I don't think it will matter whether we're 4th or 5th. Likewise I simply don't see Kane moving this summer regardless as there won't be a credible option for him.
Agree with @Finney Is Back that 5th/6th is par for us.
I also question what value being in the champions league will have for us next season anyway.
1. Apart from Ndombele and Van Der Vaart I'm not sure we've ever signed a stellar player that we wouldn't have bought had we not been in the CL; in fact nearly all of our best signings in the last decade have come in summers that we've been outside of the CL.
2. Conte has famously struggled with domestic and midweek european competitions; therefore I don't expect us to get far in the CL next season anyway and even if we do it is likely to have a detrimental impact on our league performance. I think having made definite progress this season we need to prioritise our league performance next season (add 5-10% to the points tally) .
Therefore its only the intangibles (prestige, banter) and the financial income (which we as a fan base are not going to gain from) that will really have any impact.
I think the links to Conte and Kane's future being explicitly associated with finishing 4th are massive red herrings. Conte may very well want to go (to PSG) but I don't think it will matter whether we're 4th or 5th. Likewise I simply don't see Kane moving this summer regardless as there won't be a credible option for him.
Agree with @Finney Is Back that 5th/6th is par for us.
5th/6th is certain par for us. Utd should have finished above us given all the cash they've spent.
Then its us, Arese, Leicester, maybe even West Ham who you would have argued at the start of the season would have been close to each other from 5th down
The bit I dont agree with you on though is importance of CL:
- very helpful in attracting players
- much more cash (the fact that the fans wont benefit from it is irrelevant)
- helpful in keeping Kane
- stops Arsenal getting the CL cash and benefit in attracting players
- coefficient points, which will help in future seasons...
etc
I wouldnt be too bothered about CL performances next year if we do make it - just getting there helps the rebuild
Bullet
Colin Calderwood
What?
Finances enable a better squad, which fans benefit from.
Getting CL will be a big boost to our spending pot*
*But I expect us to waste a lot of that cash i.e. it doesn't matter too much if you have £Xm or £2Xm to spend on a right back, you just need to identify the right player and £Xm should give us 10 good options to pick from.
paxtonwolf
Tony Marchi
After tonight West Ham have a chance of finishing above United. 3pts behind, game behind, far better GD.
I would like to believe Moyes can't just gamble on winning the Europe League, so will at least send a team out on Sunday with a chance of at least trying to get a point to still have a shot at 6th place and EL next season
I would like to believe Moyes can't just gamble on winning the Europe League, so will at least send a team out on Sunday with a chance of at least trying to get a point to still have a shot at 6th place and EL next season
Dicko
Paul Stalteri
Clutching at straws but I like it!
paxtonwolf
Tony Marchi
Needs must