Are we begining to wobble?

[Kenyan Spur]

Are you seriously saying that Vertonghen at his best this season is as good as King AT HIS BEST last season?

Are Ade and Defoe as good as last year?

VDV/Modric: is there anybody as good creatively in the squad now as they were at their best last season?

Sorry, whilst i'll be as livid as most here if we fail to get top 4 again given our position some weeks ago, it will PALE into how livid I was (and anybody else should have been) with our flop last year. I dare anybody to name another side who were top3, and had a gap of 12 points on the next gteam in Feb and still finished below that side.

Whatever flop we may perform this year wont come lose to last year given the playrs we had at out disposal.

THIS. =D>

 

[Jurgen the German]

you "seem" to be right.

Get rid of AVB NOW. :-k:-"

Where did I say that?

I've been quite clear on AVB from the start. I was unconvinced he was the right man, he's proven me wrong so far. He isn't to blame for years of futility and bottling it. However, when he makes a mistakes, it's healthy to talk it about rather than brush it under the carpet and say "it's not a big a fudge up as last year." The season is not over yet, but make no mistake, if we finish outside the top 4, it's a failure given the position we were in.

I've also been clear with my criticisms of Levy so please don't paint me as a anti AVB Spurs fan who desperately wants Harry back. Redknapp made MASSIVE mistakes, we all admit it, but just because it's not a big a collapse as last season doesn't not make it a collapse should it happen.

 

[Mumorn]

You know it's March when Wigan turn it on to survive comfortably, Spurs collapse and victims begin to talk about next year.

 

[jts1882]

Not really. In most people's eyes he has already overachieved this season. We were just starting to believe he was superhuman.

I think for your most people there was the year of transition built in, especially as we lost King, Modric and RvdV. Repeating the same result with out three star players would reasonably be considered difficult.

However, there are also a number who think anything less than what 'Arry achieved would be failure. Obviously this group ignores the loss of key players, but I'd expect them to be vocal if we finish 5th.

 

[DHSF]

Where did I say that?

I've been quite clear on AVB from the start. I was unconvinced he was the right man, he's proven me wrong so far. He isn't to blame for years of futility and bottling it. However, when he makes a mistakes, it's healthy to talk it about rather than brush it under the carpet and say "it's not a big a fudge up as last year." The season is not over yet, but make no mistake, if we finish outside the top 4, it's a failure given the position we were in.

I've also been clear with my criticisms of Levy so please don't paint me as a anti AVB Spurs fan who desperately wants Harry back. Redknapp made MASSIVE mistakes, we all admit it, but just because it's not a big a collapse as last season doesn't not make it a collapse should it happen.

This has nothing to do with AVB, yeah he fudged up today but I suppose he is playing with a squad which is devoid of much quality. We have a good first eleven but unfortunately a first elevn cannot play every game of every competition of every season. Whilst AVB may have fudged up I will also say that the players didnt look up for it today and like I said last seaosn sometimes its the players that take the blame and today was just that. Although I would also argue that some players must be fudgein knackered by now - Vert spring to mind.

I have always said that I think its more Levy than the Manager - I said it last season and said it this season. We dont strengthen when we should in areas we need and are weak at. This affects how a Manager can rotate.

People on here wanted us to take all competitions seriously or at least three of them - I suggested that our squad cannot handle that and its proven correct. Something has got to give with a squad as small and devoid of quality as ours is (ours is devoid of quality its overrated).

 

[Jurgen the German]

This has nothing to do with AVB, yeah he fudged up today but I suppose he is playing with a squad which is devoid of much quality. We have a good first eleven but unfortunately a first elevn cannot play every game of every competition of every season. Whilst AVB may have fudged up I will also say that the players didnt look up for it today and like I said last seaosn sometimes its the players that take the blame and today was just that. Although I would also argue that some players must be fudgein knackered by now - Vert spring to mind.

I have always said that I think its more Levy than the Manager - I said it last season and said it this season. We dont strengthen when we should in areas we need and are weak at. This affects how a Manager can rotate.

People on here wanted us to take all competitions seriously or at least three of them - I suggested that our squad cannot handle that and its proven correct. Something has got to give with a squad as small and devoid of quality as ours is (ours is devoid of quality its overrated).

Completely agree with that

 

[Baleforce]

I'm not sure I blame Levy either, a better striker than Defoe/Ade who would sign for Spurs, that's a mythical beast.

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

I'm not sure I blame Levy either, a better striker than Defoe/Ade who would sign for Spurs, that's a mythical beast.

Wait a second there old chap.

I think the are many more clinical strikers then defoe in the premership, i would say someone like long at wba is better, of course he does not have the fashionable name so is easy to dismiss. But he is just one example, i also think michu, benteke are better. Then of course the are players round europe who we may not know if they can do it in the premership but are if you went down a checklist of what you need from a striker far better then defoe.

I shall not comment on ade as im trying to give up swearing now im a high powered businessman. Just think the are far better strikers out there then we currently have but it is a bit like how when your comfortable in a job you do not want to strike out and try something new because it could be worse off, of course you could also be better off.

Basically we ar ein our comfort zone and it has nothing to do with money because we could get new strikers without breaking the bank.

 

[charlietheyid]

I'm not sure I blame Levy either, a better striker than Defoe/Ade who would sign for Spurs, that's a mythical beast.

I blame him. There are strikers around, he just doesnt want to spend.

 

[punk_is_back`]

Where did I say that?

I've been quite clear on AVB from the start. I was unconvinced he was the right man, he's proven me wrong so far. He isn't to blame for years of futility and bottling it. However, when he makes a mistakes, it's healthy to talk it about rather than brush it under the carpet and say "it's not a big a fudge up as last year." The season is not over yet, but make no mistake, if we finish outside the top 4, it's a failure given the position we were in.

I've also been clear with my criticisms of Levy so please don't paint me as a anti AVB Spurs fan who desperately wants Harry back. Redknapp made MASSIVE mistakes, we all admit it, but just because it's not a big a collapse as last season doesn't not make it a collapse should it happen.

The problem last year was that Redknapp wasn't really present after his court case and the England speculation. He lost sight of his priorities and the team suffered because of it, the setup we had in place didn't get the best out of the players we had. This year however, we have seen how weak our first team is, and that is due to us not strengthening in January and the summer. AVB will make errors, but you know for sure that he will work on his tactics and coaching to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

 

[Pirate55]

Wobbling seems to be somehow deeply embedded in our DNA.

I well remember SAF being asked last season when HR said we could possibly win the title (LOL) and his reply was short, sharp and pertinent "No I am not worried about Spurs, they will fall away - THEY ALWAYS DO".

Those last three words grated with me then but unfortunately have proven all too true unfortunately.

 

[superfaisty]

Kneejerking across the universe

So life as a spurs fan was becoming too easy. The team were playing well, the luck was with us, bale was scoring for fun.

But always there was that gnawing pain at the back of your mind, that voice reminding you that we are tottenham, super Tottenham, super tottenham from the lane, a team that had the ability to play some marvellous football one minute then fall apart in the next 45 minutes, to lose games so unbelievably that at no time did i ever feel that we had scored enough goals to ever feel comfortable in a game. Until this season. We seemed to have found a new steel, a new resolve to the team.

And yet the last week we've lost 3 times and suddenly the old doubts have come back full force. So who or whats to blame?

As i see it theres lots of suspects, some even the usual suspects, that dome would say we could see this coming, what i wang to know is who should take the blame for the current malaise:

1) suspect number 1 Avb- hes done some very good things this season and improved the team play over the season, but maybe its naivety maybe just lack of experience maybe hes too stubborn but tactically he's shown he can make mistakes, and his lack of rotation in some areas ie midfield and more so in other areas ie defence and gk. Also you have to question the decision to send our few if young direct back ups for our pacy wingers, on loan. Call it brave decision, call it forward thinking, as they've needed to play week in week out, but when bale and lennie are out we are a completely different team and much the weaker for it.

2) Suspect number 2 chairman levy- yep the usual suspect, surely he could've dipped his hand in his pocket and backed up the manager early on- all that fannying around with modrics transfer, and ade's, leaving us wi no time to buy moutinho, or another adequate replacement, or another striker as competition for defoe and ade. As great as he is at brinksmanship, this was the year to back the manager, get him off to a gd start. But come january and the team is doing ok and with a push could go all the way to top four finish but still missing some key ingredients like a top class finisher, cover for the wings, central midfield. What do we get instead? Holtby, a gd little player but not what we were desperately in need of.

3) suspect number 3- the strikers. Ade is a shadow of his former self, and jermain is back to his normal self scores a few then doesnt for longer. And hes 30 now surely he knows whrn to pass and when to shoot? Surely he knows not to keep hitting it at the middle of the goal where ghe keeper stands?

4) suspect number 4 - gareth bale. Yes i know if it were not for young gareth this season would be a lot worse but as many goals as hes scored this season its been to the detriment to the whole team play, ss we've looked too narrow and unbalanced at times. The move central had led more goals scored for him but the team had lost one of its key weapons, width with pace and power and a fantastic crossing ability. I know he wants to be ronaldo but he wont ever be given how one footed he is and i still believe his starting position should be the left interchanging with the rest of the forwards as necessary wihout sacrificing the team balance.

Ok so we are still fourth at the moment, and we are still one point ahead if arse win their game in hand and there's still a long way to go but wanted to get all that kneejrrking crsp off my chest to make me feel better.

So who should be taking the blame for our mini slump?

 

[90291Spur]

Re: Kneejerking across the universe

So life as a spurs fan was becoming too easy. The team were playing well, the luck was with us, bale was scoring for fun.

But always there was that gnawing pain at the back of your mind, that voice reminding you that we are tottenham, super Tottenham, super tottenham from the lane, a team that had the ability to play some marvellous football one minute then fall apart in the next 45 minutes, to lose games so unbelievably that at no time did i ever feel that we had scored enough goals to ever feel comfortable in a game. Until this season. We seemed to have found a new steel, a new resolve to the team.

And yet the last week we've lost 3 times and suddenly the old doubts have come back full force. So who or whats to blame?

As i see it theres lots of suspects, some even the usual suspects, that dome would say we could see this coming, what i wang to know is who should take the blame for the current malaise:

1) suspect number 1 Avb- hes done some very good things this season and improved the team play over the season, but maybe its naivety maybe just lack of experience maybe hes too stubborn but tactically he's shown he can make mistakes, and his lack of rotation in some areas ie midfield and more so in other areas ie defence and gk. Also you have to question the decision to send our few if young direct back ups for our pacy wingers, on loan. Call it brave decision, call it forward thinking, as they've needed to play week in week out, but when bale and lennie are out we are a completely different team and much the weaker for it.

2) Suspect number 2 chairman levy- yep the usual suspect, surely he could've dipped his hand in his pocket and backed up the manager early on- all that fannying around with modrics transfer, and ade's, leaving us wi no time to buy moutinho, or another adequate replacement, or another striker as competition for defoe and ade. As great as he is at brinksmanship, this was the year to back the manager, get him off to a gd start. But come january and the team is doing ok and with a push could go all the way to top four finish but still missing some key ingredients like a top class finisher, cover for the wings, central midfield. What do we get instead? Holtby, a gd little player but not what we were desperately in need of.

3) suspect number 3- the strikers. Ade is a shadow of his former self, and jermain is back to his normal self scores a few then doesnt for longer. And hes 30 now surely he knows whrn to pass and when to shoot? Surely he knows not to keep hitting it at the middle of the goal where ghe keeper stands?

4) suspect number 4 - gareth bale. Yes i know if it were not for young gareth this season would be a lot worse but as many goals as hes scored this season its been to the detriment to the whole team play, ss we've looked too narrow and unbalanced at times. The move central had led more goals scored for him but the team had lost one of its key weapons, width with pace and power and a fantastic crossing ability. I know he wants to be ronaldo but he wont ever be given how one footed he is and i still believe his starting position should be the left interchanging with the rest of the forwards as necessary wihout sacrificing the team balance.

Ok so we are still fourth at the moment, and we are still one point ahead if arse win their game in hand and there's still a long way to go but wanted to get all that kneejrrking crsp off my chest to make me feel better.

So who should be taking the blame for our mini slump?

The Romans.

 

[africanspurs]

we lost two league games after going some 12 or 13 unbeaten

lets lose 4 before we think everything is derailed

its the same as last season. The fact that we were taken so high above our expectation , anything lower than that illusion is seen as a failure. I would ask that hypocrites not respond but much like last season i feel that we are victims of our own sucess. AVB has taken us higher this year than we expected and now the wheel came off a tiny bit but we are stillwell ahead of schedule

calm down peeps....the season still has some games to go

 

[GLENROYID]

Tottenham Fixtures
Swansea 3
Everton 3
Chelsea 0
Emirates Marketing Project 1
Wigan 3
Southampton 3
Stoke 1
Sunderland 3

Arsenal Fixtures
Reading 3
West Brom 1
Norwich 3
Everton 1
Fulham 3
Man Utd 0
QPR 1
Wigan 3
Saudi Sportswashing Machine 1

-----
Spurs: WWLDWWDW
Arse: WDWDWLDWD

----

Spurs points: 17 - OVR: 71
Arse points: 16 - OVR: 66

----

Easy peasy!!

 

[DHSF]

we lost two league games after going some 12 or 13 unbeaten

lets lose 4 before we think everything is derailed

its the same as last season. The fact that we were taken so high above our expectation , anything lower than that illusion is seen as a failure. I would ask that hypocrites not respond but much like last season i feel that we are victims of our own sucess. AVB has taken us higher this year than we expected and now the wheel came off a tiny bit but we are stillwell ahead of schedule

calm down peeps....the season still has some games to go

We all agree and I certainly agree anyways and sai dthis in the OMT - some are confusing this performance with the end of our season - it isnt. HOWEVER what some people I think are worried about and rightly so is that our players wont exactly all of a sudden feel refreshed etc, they look knackered and unfortunately it kinda goes downhill from here on in right? if youre tired now youll be tired in a week and two and five and 12.

How I view it is that we should have learnt lessons from last year and we really didnt. Everyone thought it was Harrys court case issue and the England job that derailed our season when it took away focus of the real reason i.e. selling lots of players, loaning out players in positions and ultimately not strengthening in one or two key areas in January. We are here same time bringing up same excuses.

We have all been here and done it and seems like dejavu although too early to say.

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

We all agree and I certainly agree anyways and sai dthis in the OMT - some are confusing this performance with the end of our season - it isnt. HOWEVER what some people I think are worried about and rightly so is that our players wont exactly all of a sudden feel refreshed etc, they look knackered and unfortunately it kinda goes downhill from here on in right? if youre tired now youll be tired in a week and two and five and 12.

How I view it is that we should have learnt lessons from last year and we really didnt. Everyone thought it was Harrys court case issue and the England job that derailed our season when it took away focus of the real reason i.e. selling lots of players, loaning out players in positions and ultimately not strengthening in one or two key areas in January. We are here same time bringing up same excuses.

We have all been here and done it and seems like dejavu although too early to say.

It has been the previous 2 seasons we have fallen away, this year would make it 3. That year we were in the champs league we did fudge all after the AC milan game

 

[GLENROYID]

Chelsea have a pretty tough fixture list to be fair!!

Southampton (A)
Sunderland (H)
Tottenham (H)
victims (A)
Swansea (H)
Man Utd (A)
Aston Villa (A)
Everton (H)

That is really fudging hard, add in the fact they have Rubin Kazan H & A too, and FA cup games...

They'd do well to get 12 points from those games!

Makes me feel alot better about todays loss...

 

[DHSF]

It has been the previous 2 seasons we have fallen away, this year would make it 3. That year we were in the champs league we did fudge all after the AC milan game

True

I guess it actually shows what a good job the previous manager did. And its showing what a good job AVB has done thus far.

The thing is I cant see it changing. We will only buy when selling which means we will still have the same numbers if not quality of squad players which caused this mess int he first place. Our first 11 is super bar a striker but its our squad which wont allow AVB to rotate.

If we do get into CL next season we will HAVE to take both competitions as seriously and AVB wont be able to rest players he has done in EL.

 

[gungy]

i blame the post-it notes tactic