glorygloryeze
Tom Huddlestone
So do people think we will finish in the top 6?
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The Run-in...
- Thread starter billyiddo
- Start date
Pirate55
The Last Man Standing 17/18
Let's stop deluding ourselves people. We are not in the top five teams in the PL at present.
Let's just use the rest of this season to see if we can devise a methodology of breaking down teams that come to defend. This Achilles heel will keep coming back to haunt us otherwise. Timmy found a way to do it, now Poch must too.
Let's just use the rest of this season to see if we can devise a methodology of breaking down teams that come to defend. This Achilles heel will keep coming back to haunt us otherwise. Timmy found a way to do it, now Poch must too.
sc25
Banned
Our rivals? Nah, they are on a mini run. Or they will fall away. New manager, they lost players, and all that. Btw, not disagreeing.
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a spur from swansea
Naybet
6th....i said this back in August....but if we lose to Southampton next month,7th be on the cards.
Mumorn
Vic Buckingham
I'll even be happy with 7th. This season was a season for the players to show and prove why they deserve to play top flight football for this great club. We've seen some show they want it from the likes of Rose, Kane, Bentaleb, Mason etc but we've obviously then got those like Chiriches, Capoue, Paulinho etc.
Next season, we will hopefully be backing Poch in getting rid of these players (Hopefully not pricing these players out of moves elsewhere) - and either implementing some youth in their place or opt with experienced winners who suit the overall style we're looking to implement.
We got to a cup final, battered Arsenal, decimated Chelsea and have looked pleasing at times. My expectations were happily exceeded. Roll on the next few months.
Next season, we will hopefully be backing Poch in getting rid of these players (Hopefully not pricing these players out of moves elsewhere) - and either implementing some youth in their place or opt with experienced winners who suit the overall style we're looking to implement.
We got to a cup final, battered Arsenal, decimated Chelsea and have looked pleasing at times. My expectations were happily exceeded. Roll on the next few months.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
Agree. This season was about turning around ship that had gone off course.
Now we've got direction, resilience, player-fan connection and the youngest most exciting squad in the league. That's a great achievement for Poch's first 9 months in the job. As long as we get back in EL, I'll be very happy
I don't think we'll sign 'winners' per se. It doesn't fit our financial model, doesn't tandem with Poch's emphasis on team-spirit, and then there's the issue of older players not being able to play our tempo (only 1 outfield player over 25 - Verts - in our team of late)
Bedfordspurs
Mark Falco
My mates are an incredibly negative bunch generally and love to moan... However even they see the progress that's been made.
We clearly have a playing structure now that's mirrored throughout the age range. We're promoting the youth who seem to give a brick (a rarity in the club normally). I believe we have identified who we don't want anymore and I assume who we need in to improve the squad.
The only negatives i see at the moment is the lack of leadership on the pitch and the fact that we won't finish higher than last season imo.
But I'm enjoying the football again and is love trophies like we all would but at least the football is improved
We clearly have a playing structure now that's mirrored throughout the age range. We're promoting the youth who seem to give a brick (a rarity in the club normally). I believe we have identified who we don't want anymore and I assume who we need in to improve the squad.
The only negatives i see at the moment is the lack of leadership on the pitch and the fact that we won't finish higher than last season imo.
But I'm enjoying the football again and is love trophies like we all would but at least the football is improved
Ehhhh comon geeza... I'm all for optimism and I'm well aware you see no wrong in Pochettino whatsoever, even his negatives you try turning into a positive (great loyalty!!) but you can't seriously think that shirley?
Kane is very talented and I think will go on to be a regular 15/20 goal a season man earning interest from the big clubs in the country not least cos he's English.
Bentaleb is another I am very keen on even though he currently makes costly errors in big games, I see him ironing those out overtime and becoming a £20m midfielder.
But apart from those it's hard to be too optimistic about the youth in our first team squad. I'll give Dier a chance cos he's young and centreback is a difficult position to master at his age but he doesn't strike me as someone who has too much potential. Mason I love the effect he has had on us but he's severely limited. Townsend even more so.
Of those five who I consider young Kane and arguably Bentaleb are the only two who will probably be top eight Premier League regulars later in their career.
However I am very hopeful of our youth setup ATM, they are digging out some real talent. Pochettino and Levy between them need to ensure we bear the fruits of that particular labor.
Jurgen the German
Erik Thorstvedt
A ship that still managed to finish 6th in the league. Let's not rewrite history, we had some shocking results, but the two managers collectively still managed to get us into a respectable league position.
indospurs
Young-Pyo Lee
Let's re-learn how to defend and keep clean sheets shall we ? We seriously derailed after losing to Liverpool, we were on a high at the time, Kane was scoring for fun, thank GHod he still is. It'd be a great result to finish top 6 IMO, Poch has shown improvements in how we play, but we still need more leaders on the pitch, still too many mercenaries or those being carried, I feel.
Exactly 6/7 is where we belong, midfield five simply not good enough and our manager is inflexible to any sort of change of tactics, also the five teams above us are simply better than us.
Armchair Expert
Vedran Corluka
I really hope we finish sixth. That will have exceeded all my expectations and crucially, imo, would secure EL again. We should always always aim to be in Europe.
Its clear the rotating didn't work. Those coming in were just not good enough, our rhythm was lost and we ended up with nothing after going for everything. Trying to rest up ahead of Chelsea, whilst understandable was risky, as no matter how fresh we were they were still going to be massive favorites regardless.
Slightly worrying is that I''m beginning to question players I previously wasn't: I had suspicions about Chadli's work rate for example; and it appears to be going in the wrong direction. I don't know if its connected to his sad news with his father, but its a trend that needs arresting.
Its also time for the Townsend experiment to stop. He has had plenty long enough and just looks rubbish to be frank. He doesn't even compensate by putting in a great defensive shift. With the current Chadli and Townsend in the side, we aren't a pressing team, we are deprived of our first line of defense. Its been going on too long and wrecks our whole philosophy.
Having said that, I'm also largely delighted with the season. The squad needs some surgery in the Summer: Paulinho, Soldado, Townsend need moving on for starters. I'd like to see some more of Stambouli in the final matches. It was disappointing that when we came to rotate that Paulinho got the nod, not Benji. However, you have to give a 17 million 'asset' every chance I suppose, and that must have been Paulinho's last chance. He, like Townsend, is nowhere near.
If, if, if we can get 6th it'll have been a great season. If we finish behind Saints its obviously going to be tinged with disappointment (but nonetheless positive on the whole).
Its clear the rotating didn't work. Those coming in were just not good enough, our rhythm was lost and we ended up with nothing after going for everything. Trying to rest up ahead of Chelsea, whilst understandable was risky, as no matter how fresh we were they were still going to be massive favorites regardless.
Slightly worrying is that I''m beginning to question players I previously wasn't: I had suspicions about Chadli's work rate for example; and it appears to be going in the wrong direction. I don't know if its connected to his sad news with his father, but its a trend that needs arresting.
Its also time for the Townsend experiment to stop. He has had plenty long enough and just looks rubbish to be frank. He doesn't even compensate by putting in a great defensive shift. With the current Chadli and Townsend in the side, we aren't a pressing team, we are deprived of our first line of defense. Its been going on too long and wrecks our whole philosophy.
Having said that, I'm also largely delighted with the season. The squad needs some surgery in the Summer: Paulinho, Soldado, Townsend need moving on for starters. I'd like to see some more of Stambouli in the final matches. It was disappointing that when we came to rotate that Paulinho got the nod, not Benji. However, you have to give a 17 million 'asset' every chance I suppose, and that must have been Paulinho's last chance. He, like Townsend, is nowhere near.
If, if, if we can get 6th it'll have been a great season. If we finish behind Saints its obviously going to be tinged with disappointment (but nonetheless positive on the whole).
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
Kane is the best forward England has produced since Sheringham and Shearer. Mason will IMO be Gerrard's heir in England's CM (next to Henderson), and I think Dier and Stone will be England's CB partnership for most of the next decade. And Bentaleb I expect will be at Madrid within 3-4 seasons.
I was thinking more Onomah, Winks, Oduwa, Pritchard, Alli, Yahaya, Veljkovic, 2CV and Kyle Walker II etc though. They are supposed to be the real golden generation.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
6th is our default position. We are the 6th richest club, have the 6th biggest wage bill. The chasing pack - Everton, Swansea, Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Southampton, West Ham - are a long way behind and don't have the infrastructure or resources to put up a sustained challenge. We should be finishing 6th without even trying.
I know Poch will likely hit this minimum (the same as Timmeh and 1 place behind AVB's 5th), but the thing that has changed is the direction. We now have a vision, a system and the progress is obvious; whereas 12 months ago we were lost and careering.
Mumorn
Vic Buckingham
I think you're overrating both Kane and Mason. Kane isn't better than Sturridge. Mason isn't even a central midfielder. Eric Dier has a long way to go before being even good enough for England. I can't remember the last time he had a good match for 90 minutes at centre half, seems to always have a mistake in him.
We have good youth coming through and I am excited seeing them on Wednesday and hopefully get to a final they have deserved this season.
Steviejman
Andy Turner
yes it would be nice to finish no lower than 6th , but the question is do we really need the Europa leaque again or would we have a better season without it?
Mumorn
Vic Buckingham
Depends on the managers plans. If he is looking to get rid of the likes of Paulinho, Chiriches, Adebayor etc and bring in players who will be looking to fight for the club, work hard within his system and philosophy, Europa League could be worth it next year, they would be better players to rely upon then the previous players mentioned who don't even care too much about the club. Plus, it's great to see some of the youngsters, Kane for example flourished in the competition. We could also see the likes of Onomah in and around the squad next year and it would be a good competition for him to be involved in.
WestBerkshire
Noé Pamarot
6th would be a brilliant effort considering the mess out squad is in. We have 6 or 7 senior players who are totally out of the first team reckoning and poch was basically dealt a brick hand when made to go a whole season with one centre forward capable of playing premier league football. Massive overhaul needed in summer unfortunately with kaboul chireces paulinho capoue soldado adebayor all likely to leave. Personally hope pritchard alli and one other come in to full this void while we then go out to buy 3 premier league proven players then we can really push on.
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
I still think we have a chance to finish in the top 4. Not particularly likely perhaps, but we still have a chance imo.
Mumorn
Vic Buckingham
Whilst mathematically possible, we have a chance. We still have an easier run in than Man Utd, Liverpool and even Southampton. If we win at the weekend for example and Man Utd and Liverpool draw with eachother, then the gap between us and top four drops down to 4 points. Man Utd then next month have to play Emirates Marketing Project, Chelsea and Everton away. Liverpool then have Arsenal away following playing Man Utd. We have Burnley, which will be difficult but a win there with Liverpool potentially dropping points and we are right back in it.
Pressure will be on them teams, more so than us I believe. If anything, when watching Premier League, never say never. From Aguerooooooooo in the 93rd minute or a Dwight Gayle double shooting down Liverpool. You cannot underestimate the unpredictability of this league.