This is the START

[NWND]

Sorry, but I don't know how there can be such positivity surrounding the club unless we're happy with being the best of the chasing pack.

I will precede this by saying that I like Poch as a man and think he's a decent manager. He's at least given our young players a chance and for that I think him. We now have more of an identity, which is massively important to me as a fan. He's also guided us to famous wins against our two biggest rivals for which I am grateful.

I don't want him gone by any means but I think the only way we ever contest for the league title in the current climate is if we bring in a Simeone or Klopp, which isn't happening. And that's depressing cos finishing 5th-8th every season, as we have for the vast majority of my lifetime, has become very dull. I know people say "that's where your revenue has you at, you should be pleased" but why should I? Say what you want, football isn't all about finances. Atletico Madrid won La Liga ahead of two behemoths without spending a fortune. Dortmund beat Bayern to consecutive titles not long back. Liverpool pushed the two richest clubs in the world all the way without investing half as much as them. We - yes we, Tottenham Hotspur - were in a position where we could have done similar. In 2011-12 we were 3rd at the turn of the year, well ahead of the rest and closing in on the top two. Then our lack of ambition cost us dearly. We brought in two over-30 squad players. We ended up 4th and missed out on Champions League football. That not only set us back that season, but in the years since aswell.

People go on about character but what constitutes character? Yes we've won alot of games this season we haven't deserved to thanks to last gasp goals. But we did so last season too? And the year before that? Under AVB. Poch hasn't done as much as people think in that regard. Our football has improved mildly this season, especially since around December/Kane's full time introduction but if we're honest only in the two big London derbies have we been amazing. And I am thankful for that as I said but I'm not sure it's enough evidence to suggest Poch is this great innovator. Arsenal are constantly crud in big away games. We need to start outplaying the lesser teams before I proclaim Poch is a GHod amongst men, rather than relying on Eriksen's long range shooting ability. It's a brilliant thing to have in our locker but it should be one of many, not the main asset.

That reads back as a very negative critique, and honestly it's not. It's just an attempt to balance out the 'we are going to be amazing' shouts and rallying cries. Don't get your hopes up. Chelsea and Emirates Marketing Project will not budge with their money, Man Utd will continue to spend and change managers until it sticks, Liverpool are getting better and better, Arsenal are Arsenal.

The chance of finishing above even one of those teams again in the next few years is unlikely. Until we get the new stadium going, we have to accept our place unfortunately. So I'm just going to enjoy watching Poch field our young players and the odd scalp of the elite clubs/our rivals in the meantime. Expecting more than that will lead to heartbreak.

Who has said we have been amazing? Nobody has said anything positive other than 'we appear to be heading in the right direction', which we didn't appear to be under AVB or Sherwood. last season.

As to this chance of 2011/2012, can people please stop rewriting history. We had a very large and capable squad. The lack of investment in the Jan window didn't lose us champions league football, our horrendous form that coincided precisely between the points of Capello leaving the England post, Redknapp being installed as favourite and Hodgson being appointed, was what did for us. Relegation form that cannot be just attributed to a lack of investment when we had such a large and capable squad.

Even if we had somehow outbid Chelsea for Cahill and signed Tevez on loan, I can't see our general malaise at that time not happening. Our entire focus as fans, the club and presumably the players were all on the 'will-he-won't-he' Harry England saga.

Oh, and the other reason we missed out on Champions League football, despite finishing 4th, which for all but one season in history was good enough to qualify? The flukiest Champions League win in history by that lot down the road in West London...but oh no, let's blame Levy. What a load of horse droppings!

 

[NWND]

He's managed competing in all competitions pretty well this year if you ask me;

Spurs:
Current League Position: 7th with 44 pts
FA Cup: Out in 4th round
League Cup: Runners Up
Europa League: Out in Round of 32

Liverpool:
Current League Position: 5th with 48 pts
FA Cup: Quarter Finals (Still in comp)
League Cup: Out in Semi Final
Europa League: Out in Round of 32

Everton:
Current League Position: 14th with 28 points
FA Cup: Out in 3rd Round
League Cup: Out in 3rd Round
Europa League: Round of 16 - Still in comp

Throw in our nearest 'Champions League Team' rivals too;

Arsenal

Current League Position: 3rd with 51 points
FA Cup: Quarter Finals (Still in comp)
League Cup: Out in 3rd round
Champions League: Out in round of 16

Man United:

Current League Position: 4th with 50 pts
FA Cup: Quarter Finals (still in comp)
League Cup: Out in 2nd Round

Looking at that, he's arguably managed competing in all competitions better than any of the managers around him.

In his first year as manager.

I know they will have to score 3 goals without reply in Monaco to have a chance, but Arsenal technically aren't out of the CL yet, are they?

 

[billyiddo]

Personally i agree that now could be the start of things coming together for us - the money invested in the academy over the years is baring fruits, we're building up our much neglected scouting network and the manager has a clear identity in how he wants to play (which the majority of players are buying in to) and he seems aware of our financial limitations (interview on Spanish radio where he comments on our lack of muscle compared to those above us - which to me suggests he isn't having the wool pulled over his eyes how some people think AVB was mislead by Levy) this all sounds to me like we're finally getting our act together from top to bottom - the summer transfer window will be interesting viewing, hopefully we will clear away the players seemingly not in the managers plans and bring in players based on their suitability to the team rather than being bargains or big names.

i don't think there's any reason why a club of our stature when on form and with every cog in the machine doing it's best can't look to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal (under Wenger) and the current Man United - obviously we're at a financial disadvantage but if we perform better as a whole than these clubs do then we can claw back the financial advantage that they have.

 

[Armenia Spur]

This season has gone (so far) so much better than I ever imagined it would. In contention for the top 6 and a final appearance ain't too shabby in my opinion. Onwards and upwards.

 

[NWND]

Personally i agree that now could be the start of things coming together for us - the money invested in the academy over the years is baring fruits, we're building up our much neglected scouting network and the manager has a clear identity in how he wants to play (which the majority of players are buying in to) and he seems aware of our financial limitations (interview on Spanish radio where he comments on our lack of muscle compared to those above us - which to me suggests he isn't having the wool pulled over his eyes how some people think AVB was mislead by Levy) this all sounds to me like we're finally getting our act together from top to bottom - the summer transfer window will be interesting viewing, hopefully we will clear away the players seemingly not in the managers plans and bring in players based on their suitability to the team rather than being bargains or big names.

i don't think there's any reason why a club of our stature when on form and with every cog in the machine doing it's best can't look to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal (under Wenger) and the current Man United - obviously we're at a financial disadvantage but if we perform better as a whole than these clubs then we can claw back the financial advantage that they have.

Think that's what Levy sees as well, he's looking for that advantage. Wenger got Arsenal punching well above their pre-Emirates weight with his scientific techniques that were ahead of their time back in the 90s and early 2000s.

I think the reason we went for Pochettino and Mitchell was that Levy saw Southampton as a club that were punching ridiculously above their weight and looking into the reason, there was Mitchell in charge of player analysis and a young coach that could encourage a team pressing ethic that could overwhelm and out perform teams that could often have bigger name players in the starting XI.

You look at Southampton's summer that they had as well with Mitchell, sold off a load of players for massive money and reinvested that money very intelligently in players that have performed equally well if not better than those they replaced.

You look at replacing Lambert with Pelle, Lallana with Tadic, bringing in Elia and Mane. They've done very well and I'm really looking forward to the first proper summer window with Mitchell, Poch and Baldini working together.

 

[FatBloke]

Who has said we have been amazing? Nobody has said anything positive other than 'we appear to be heading in the right direction', which we didn't appear to be under AVB or Sherwood. last season.

As to this chance of 2011/2012, can people please stop rewriting history. We had a very large and capable squad. The lack of investment in the Jan window didn't lose us champions league football, our horrendous form that coincided precisely between the points of Capello leaving the England post, Redknapp being installed as favourite and Hodgson being appointed, was what did for us. Relegation form that cannot be just attributed to a lack of investment when we had such a large and capable squad.

Even if we had somehow outbid Chelsea for Cahill and signed Tevez on loan, I can't see our general malaise at that time not happening. Our entire focus as fans, the club and presumably the players were all on the 'will-he-won't-he' Harry England saga.

Oh, and the other reason we missed out on Champions League football, despite finishing 4th, which for all but one season in history was good enough to qualify? The flukiest Champions League win in history by that lot down the road in West London...but oh no, let's blame Levy. What a load of horse droppings!

EXACTLY what I was about to post.

Harry Bloody Redknapp cost us CL football in the 2011/12 season. Not Levy, not Chelsea, but Redknapp. It still makes me angry. That said, I can't really hold too much against him, as he was largely responsible for getting us to that point anyway.

Big difference in me was the attitude I saw watching the match. We played like the home team. At Wembley. Against arguably one of the three best teams in world football, with the best manager, who changed their entire style purely to counter us. That they could do that at all is testament to the quality of Mourinho and his players...and possibly their week off before the final.

Rewind to the final against ManUre a few years ago. There, we played with nerves, desperately repelling attack after attack. Watching that game probably knocked a year off my life! Yesterday, we played with confidence all over the pitch -- from Walker and Rose bombing up the wings, to Mason and Bentaleb dominating midfield. Never mind that we didn't look like scoring -- that's down to a good performance from FIVE top-class defenders.

That's the biggest change I see with Poch. Attitude. Yes, it hasn't worked in all our games but, since the turn of the year, we've looked like a team that's prepared to fight the top teams.

I may retract some of that after Emirates Marketing Project beat us 5-0, of course.

 

[NWND]

EXACTLY what I was about to post.

Harry Bloody Redknapp cost us CL football in the 2011/12 season. Not Levy, not Chelsea, but Redknapp. It still makes me angry. That said, I can't really hold too much against him, as he was largely responsible for getting us to that point anyway.

Big difference in me was the attitude I saw watching the match. We played like the home team. At Wembley. Against arguably one of the three best teams in world football, with the best manager, who changed their entire style purely to counter us. That they could do that at all is testament to the quality of Mourinho and his players...and possibly their week off before the final.

Rewind to the final against ManUre a few years ago. There, we played with nerves, desperately repelling attack after attack. Watching that game probably knocked a year off my life! Yesterday, we played with confidence all over the pitch -- from Walker and Rose bombing up the wings, to Mason and Bentaleb dominating midfield. Never mind that we didn't look like scoring -- that's down to a good performance from FIVE top-class defenders.

That's the biggest change I see with Poch. Attitude. Yes, it hasn't worked in all our games but, since the turn of the year, we've looked like a team that's prepared to fight the top teams.

I may retract some of that after Emirates Marketing Project beat us 5-0, of course.

I agree. And even the early game against City at their place this year where we ended up getting d**ked 4-1, we attacked them constantly in that match and Soldado missed a penalty to make it 2-2. We took the fight to them and it wasn't a capitulation that the score line suggests. The attitude and atmosphere at the Lane are the two biggest changes for me. I think the 2nd is helped by the 1st. We no longer pass the ball aimlessly around looking to bore teams to death, or play kamikaze school-boy football like under Sherwood. We play intelligently and with intent. It doesn't always work out and we have been frustrated at times, beaten at others, but even our worst performances have been characterised by an attitude that means that even when we're not on our game we can still work hard to get something out of the match and make our own luck. We saw that perfectly against West Ham. We never gave up and it was like the Fergie under Man Utd who woudl somehow nick results out of terrible performances when they looked out for the count.

 

[glasgowspur]

EXACTLY what I was about to post.

Harry Bloody Redknapp cost us CL football in the 2011/12 season. Not Levy, not Chelsea, but Redknapp. It still makes me angry. That said, I can't really hold too much against him, as he was largely responsible for getting us to that point anyway.

Big difference in me was the attitude I saw watching the match. We played like the home team. At Wembley. Against arguably one of the three best teams in world football, with the best manager, who changed their entire style purely to counter us. That they could do that at all is testament to the quality of Mourinho and his players...and possibly their week off before the final.

Rewind to the final against ManUre a few years ago. There, we played with nerves, desperately repelling attack after attack. Watching that game probably knocked a year off my life! Yesterday, we played with confidence all over the pitch -- from Walker and Rose bombing up the wings, to Mason and Bentaleb dominating midfield. Never mind that we didn't look like scoring -- that's down to a good performance from FIVE top-class defenders.

That's the biggest change I see with Poch. Attitude. Yes, it hasn't worked in all our games but, since the turn of the year, we've looked like a team that's prepared to fight the top teams.

I may retract some of that after Emirates Marketing Project beat us 5-0, of course.

I couldn't help think about how the wide open pitch suited us and how much of a difference having our own pitch like that will make. If we can play like that at the new ground we will beat most teams I reckon.

 

[Millsy_Yiddo]

I know they will have to score 3 goals without reply in Monaco to have a chance, but Arsenal technically aren't out of the CL yet, are they?

True, wishfull thinking on my part on that one. Watch the bastards do it now..................

 

[camspur]

Let's not be bitter here they were all world class that is why they left for the biggest teams possible.

Not bitter at all there is no doubt in my mind that Carrick, Modric and Berbatov moved for monetary reasons as much as any other.

 

[camspur]

I think you've got that the wrong way round, 3 of them are world class Berbatov, Modric and Bale...

Really, which of them would make a World XI none, subs bench also probably not. To me that means they're not world class.

 

[spr83]

Really, which of them would make a World XI none, subs bench also probably not. To me that means they're not world class.

Come on, it's like saying that what ever song is the number one of British TOP 40 is definitely a good song. Value judgement...

 

[Gutter Boy]

Simeone or Klopp wouldnt turn us into Champions. That's laughable to even consider it. Mourinho wouldnt even turn us into Champions.

I think in a couple of years' time we might be able to pull off a challenge. A bit like Liverpool did last season.

I think we are a bit like Liverpool, but about 2 years behind them (though we aren't likely to fall back after our challenge because we are building broader foundations)

 

[harr1984]

Really, which of them would make a World XI none, subs bench also probably not. To me that means they're not world class.

So theres basically only one world class player per position? Ok....World class is a certain standard a player is at, there could be twenty players in a certain position at that level, there could be one...

 

[Yiddo]

Really, which of them would make a World XI none, subs bench also probably not. To me that means they're not world class.

So there are only 18 world class players in the world?

 

[SUIYHA]

Whilst I think we are still weaker than most of our rivals, Poch has done a very good job so far. We were a loooooooong way behind them all last season, bar Man Utd who spent £150m to overtake us (and they're not even that far ahead).

It's over to Levy, Baldini and Mitchell to sort things out in the summer and give Poch the chance to carry on the good work. If we are going to rely on Chadli,Townsend and Lamela as our first choice wingers again next season then we're going to struggle. If we need to rely on Soldado to come off the bench and score then we're going to struggle. If we can be smart and bring in Depay, Konoplyanka, Cabaye, Ings and Reid on the cheap whilst getting rid of some of the crap, then maybe, just maybe, we might actually achieve something next year...

 

[indianspur]

I think in a couple of years' time we might be able to pull off a challenge. A bit like Liverpool did last season.

I think we are a bit like Liverpool, but about 2 years behind them (though we aren't likely to fall back after our challenge because we are building broader foundations)

to do that we are going to have to find 40-50 extra goals from somewhere

 

[sc25]

to do that we are going to have to find 40-50 extra goals from somewhere

Yep, and hope/depend that Kane continues at a rate of 25-30 a season

 

[Gutter Boy]

Whilst I think we are still weaker than most of our rivals, Poch has done a very good job so far. We were a loooooooong way behind them all last season, bar Man Utd who spent £150m to overtake us (and they're not even that far ahead).

It's over to Levy, Baldini and Mitchell to sort things out in the summer and give Poch the chance to carry on the good work. If we are going to rely on Chadli,Townsend and Lamela as our first choice wingers again next season then we're going to struggle. If we need to rely on Soldado to come off the bench and score then we're going to struggle. If we can be smart and bring in Depay, Konoplyanka, Cabaye, Ings and Reid on the cheap whilst getting rid of some of the crap, then maybe, just maybe, we might actually achieve something next year...

Where does this Chadli attitude come from (not you specifically, but I've seen a few posts of similar nature)? He's been one of our best players this season. He's far better than Konoplyanka and I don't think Ings is at his level at this point in time either.

Lamela and Townsend are raw, but in 2 years' time I predict they will be being far more successful than Kono and probably Ings.

 

[Mumorn]

I think in a couple of years' time we might be able to pull off a challenge. A bit like Liverpool did last season.

I think we are a bit like Liverpool, but about 2 years behind them (though we aren't likely to fall back after our challenge because we are building broader foundations)

agreed. add someone like depay, a schneiderlin and add depth with players who will slot into a system and the future is large.