Nowhere close to Liverpool in 2019 but we probably were as good or even better than the Chelsea team that won the league in 2017 in the second half of the season. I think we started the season a bit slowly while they went on something like a 13 game winning streak (until we beat them in January) so they had enough distance between us to see it out.
-
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
Ange in or out?
- Thread starter Yiddo
- Start date
Bishop
Jimmy Neighbour
I think 11 for 11 we were a match for Chelsea but what they had over us was a depth of quality in their squad that we came nowhere close to.
Like you say they started that season really well and even with our 14 out of 15 win run, they just didn't really drop any points so we couldnt catch them. Really annoying because that season we really, really clicked, but no depth.
Wasting your breath mate, look at the replies
- Poch was right man, right place, right club and did amazing things for us, including connecting the fans with club in a way that is rare
- He didn't get us over the line unfortunately despite getting close
Was the squad thin? yes, was the stadium timing brick? yes, was the impact of lack of squad refresh a thing? yes
However
- What really happened is we got the timing of form/runs off, I know at least once (might have been twice), where we won the most points in calendar year of any team (but not league season), and obviously we got to finals and 2nd.
- And the argument about squad depth, player skills level, etc. really don't stand up to losing the league to Leicester (and yes, all caveats included)
It was a great time but unfortunately an almost time not final results and Poch has to own part of that, and nothing post his Spurs career has changed that outstanding question.
But to tie it back to this thread .. Ange isn't even getting us to base level at this point.
Bedfordspurs
Terry Naylor
I have never watched it back
At the game we huffed and puffed a lot
Bedfordspurs
Terry Naylor
Wasn’t that the season they started badly and conte changed the tactics after the arsenal defeat
Jurgen the German
Willie Hall
It was. And they won something like 13 games in a row that essentially won them the league. IIRC we ended their winning run but they had the advantage of no European football.
glorygloryeze
Steffen Freund
Two things:
1) if "Losing to Leicester" is the stick to beat him with for that season, then how much should we berate the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project about how Leicester won that freak league that season? We were NEVER listed as favourites at the beginning of that season to even get into the top 4, let alone be in a title race and we were never leading the table at any point (save for some minutes at home to Arsenal when we were leading before Leicester would have played what would have been their game in hand over us). So no-one can really say we 'threw away the league that season'. There may be a stick or two to hold against Poch, but that can't be one of them imo
2) Whether you or anyone likes the fact or not, Poch was and still has been our greatest league manager in the Premier League. No manager we have employed since has got close in terms of highest level or consistency. That may as much be a reflection on the limitations of our ownership as anything. But fact is, we'd be lucky to be able to re-employ Poch now (and i'm one that doesn't want him to come back)
Bedfordspurs
Terry Naylor
It was almost a record until we beat them at WHL
Dele with identical headers
Muttley
Steve Hodge
There was also the extreme temperature and humidity that evening. It was brutal playing conditions for the players from what I remember.
Bedfordspurs
Terry Naylor
It was about 39 degrees as we walked up to the stadium
One team was better prepared for it than the other
Exactly what I told @Yiddo .. people won't listen
Yes, Leicester is the stick that can't be excused out (final against Pool, whoever else we lost the league to, less so. ok), has nothing to do with the Scum, Chelsea, whoever. It was an opportunity (not an expectation, or us being favorites), an opportunity to take advantage of a moment that happened, and we didn't.
Point 2 doesn't change point 1, and this is the lack of nuance in conversations, no one is saying Poch was brick, no one was saying what he did wasn't amazing, however the best team of our PL era and our best manager (your words) failed (yes, failed) to make that final step across the line that would truly have been greatness, and everyone at the club has to bear that .. including Poch
Yep ..
People not agreeing with you isn't them not listening.
We weren't a title challenging team at that point, we finished on 70 points? That puts us breaking the top 4 about 50% of the time in any given normal season - the fact the league played out the way it did doesn't make us a better team than we were at that stage.
It's a real strange angle to spin.
We weren't a title challenging team at that point, we finished on 70 points? That puts us breaking the top 4 about 50% of the time in any given normal season - the fact the league played out the way it did doesn't make us a better team than we were at that stage.
It's a real strange angle to spin.
Last edited:
Bishop
Jimmy Neighbour
We weren't a team ready to challenge is the point being made. Everyone forgets we were the closest challengers by default. For much of that season Arsenal and Emirates Marketing Project were actually the teams who were fighting for the title but both fell away and Leicester were just still there. We had top 4 form not title winning form but that put us as closer Leicester. Arsenal are the real team who bottled the league they were 1st in Feb 1st.
We had a better team the Leicester and a better manager, and a moment, an opportunity .. that's all
Form doesn't change that, IIRC that season has been put through hundreds of simulations and almost never does the result end up with Leicester winning. This club and manager have to own some component of that ..
The point about people not listening is say "Poch" and anything that is critique afterwards, no matter how balanced is just shot down. The fact that people are trying to make out Leicester had anything close to a comparable team or manager is so OTT.
Leicester played well above their level in a freak season - i don't think anyone is saying they had a comparable team and that's part of the reason why the angle is redundant. Be like saying you've failed because you didn't earn as much money last year as the man who won the lottery.
thfcsteff
Vic Buckingham
Yet you're still not applying context.
No home stadium for nearly two seasons
Minimal budget
In the Chelsea season, opponants with no European football whatsoever
The team who really lost the title to Leicester were the Goons. They were up there for longer. We were growing, and actually exceeded our growth by even being in the mix. Leicester (of course) also had no European football.
Man for man, it is arguable that Harry Redknapp had the best Spurs side in the PL era. Bale, Modric, King, VdV, Gallas, Defoe, Lennon were all top drawer.
Personally? I think Poch's side was excellent with Eriksen, Kane, Dele, Walker, Verts, Toby, Dier, but it's up for debate.
Failure is a very subjective word and relies wholly on how you quantify success and what context that quantification occurs in.
glorygloryeze
Steffen Freund
As @billyiddo says, just because people disagree with a statement (such as yours or @Yiddo ) doesn't mean people are 'not listening'.
If anyone is going to throw muck at the face/reputation of the club's best PL manager (at least more muck than others like Jol, Redknapp, Jose etc) then at least be prepared to have some records set straight.
When was the last Spurs manager that 'took an opportunity' in the way you claim Poch didn't?
I'll rest my case there...