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After three seasons of improvement under
martin Jol, another season of improvement would have Spurs in a Champions
League place but success would see silverware coming to To achieve either objective Spurs need: • to greatly reduce the number of goals conceded, • to beat a number of the current ‘top four teams’ and • The players to step up to the mark and raise the level of their performance and commitment. No longer can we use the excuse – ‘my young team’ – it’s now a team with experienced Premiership players, many of them regular internationals – so it’s time for Robinson, Keane, Jenas and others to show their best form against the top teams and not be content with their ‘unlucky losers’ tag from last season. I’m looking for Spurs to make a statement of their intent for the season with a dominant, winning performance at Sunderland rather than going to the Stadium of Light more in hope than with a belief that they can win there. A manager, players and teams only get so
much time to make that break through and it’s now time for Tottenham
Hotspur to take it. Read more stuff from Pat Healy, leader of the "The new signings have looked on what we've seen so far to be an upgrade on what we al ready have. Bent the best known of them could be the man we need up front. Hopefully he'll be a fox in the box and a great goal scorer rather than a scorer of great goals. We still however lack the quality and steel in the middle of the field to compete and win regularly against the big teams. Zokora and Jenas are really gonna have to step with their games if we are to push for on and get a CL place and win a trophy. Unless the midfield is strengthened I feel 5th or even 6th and a couple of good cup runs will be our destiny" Jolyon writes… Despite the weather it has been flip-flops for me all summer - one minute I'm convinced we're destined for the glory-lite of a top four finish, the next the glass ceiling is still there but the shit is surging up below us as the new money lets even Citeh look like a massive club in the transfer market. None of the new signings is an obvious duffer but it all feels like a bit of fumbling in the dark rather than the transfer window money-shot we've all been watching for. If you really pushed me for a definite prediction I'd say top twenty for sure. Meatloaf/Preston Spurs
writes… I’m impressed with the signings so far. This is our best chance to break into the top 4 this season (I say that every year!!! ) I think we'll win one of the cups this year as well & as long as we get a good start, not like last season & get some points of top 4 I'll be happy. Eric Mallia of the Hope: We do not succumb to the weight and pressures of expectation and it all goes tits up by Xmas. But that's the pessimist in me. I just hope we continue to progress. I genuinely believe we have a great chance to nick 4th spot and CL. But if not, then a Uefa Cup or a FA Cup will be brilliant and provide for some memorable, delirious scenes the world over (well, at least for the 60 or 70 of us at www.spursinhongkong.com). Here's hoping for many, many late nights and early mornings! Fear: The slow and painful demise of Ledley - the guy just does not deserve all this bad luck. The probable departure of the new King of WHL - Berba - for me the best centre forward we've seen for 30 years, if we fail to get in CL spot. Still unable to beat the Filth home or away. |
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Hans Meekers writes… On paper we look better equipped than last season. And on paper I'd say 5th again, but things are never straight forward (then again 5th again would be an achievement as someone posted on FTL Spurs haven't finished in the top 5 for 3 consecutive seasons for 44 YEARS) We can end lower than 5th though. Bit of a sticky patch here or there, injuries to key players at the wrong time and we might not be able to fight the rest off. Who that might be is anyone's guess. Villa, who look more and more like the Spammers, and that's not just the colours? Everton? Big spenders Citeh? Or even the Spammers that should be in the fizzy pop league? And then there's the annual surprise package à la Reading last term. But if things go to plan we should have enough in our locker to keep that bunch behind us. Top 4? It ain't getting any easier. The structural fraud that is called CL (and that's not mentioning bent refs) makes it more and more difficult to attract the right players. Most European leagues are becoming less and less attractive as it's always the same old same old that finish in the top places. And So who knows? Fingers crossed for yet another roller coaster ride that is following the mighty Tottenham Hotspur. The first game of the season is already a
very important one. Top of the table in a couple of weeks? Hope springs eternal doesn't it? Then again, this is Tottenham Hotspur we're talking about and nothing ever is simple..... Brian Enos writes… Spurs have been the Premiership's cruiser
weight champions two times running. To
finally break through to the heavyweight division and Champions League glory,
they'll need to earn at least 2 points each from Greg Meyer writes… " " " My trips to WHL this year are because of Berbatov and King. Sublime skill (Movie Star good looks as well ) and Rolls Royce defending. No not entirely exclusive but with Ghod gone , well you know what I mean. Mind there is the excitement of Taarabt and Kaboul. Oh and I think a victory over Arsenal looms invitingly. Cheers and Glasses raised at a Kent Pub.... Greg Meyer. coys. " " " Read more stuff from Greg on his topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-greg.htm Jurgen Boltz writes … As for the season ahead, I am probably
stating the obvious when I say that there is a chance to rob Arsenal of the
fourth UEFA Champions League spot with the squad that Spurs right now (and
the Gunners not anymore). The thing that still upsets me most about
Spurs is the f*cking attitude problem in all but a handful of games (against
the big boys). THFC have had reasonably good teams in several years that I
can remember, but these underperforming, lazy sods just can’t be arsed
in too many games. And it’s this zhite attitude that gets to me as a
paying customer more than anything else. Okay, they can’t compete
purely on money grounds with Man Utd and Chelsea and perhaps one or two
others now ( So whether it is Defoe plus Keane or
Berbatov plus Bent or whatever constellation – I don’t give a
monkey’s anymore, as I don’t spend my hard earned dosh to go to That, to me, is the overriding concern for this and coming seasons as I keep watching from the distance to see what I may (or may not) miss. Martin Rees writes… Optimism. A dangerous word in the vocabulary of any Yid. Its likely to bite you back, in the 'ass, before long. Positive mental outlook is something which should have been outlawed from us, long ago. However its (frighteningly) rearing its ugly head again. We really could do well this coming season, and I must admit that things are looking good. Jol has been able to bed into the role and start to build for now and the future. In Churchillian terms, lets hope its more of 'The End of the Beginning', rather than the 'Beginning of the End'. I have great faith in Jol. I hope the Dutchman can be our greatest since Bill Nick Oystein Haugen writes … We’ve bought Bent, Kaboul, Bale, Boateng and Taarabt (on a permanent deal) so far this season. Bent has already made an impression and scored a few goals in our pre-season friendlies against poor opposition. Hopefully he’ll form a lethal strike force with Berbatov, Defoe and Keane and will win us lots of points. Kaboul and Bale are young and talented but time will tell how they’ll cope with the Premier League. Taarabt has continued to show that he is a great talent and we’ll probably see more and more of him as longer the season goes. Our aim to buy young and talented is great and Commoli has done fairly good in that department, BUT he has failed miserably if we go another transfer window without strengthening in two critical areas, which is very disappointing!! Think everyone knows that, especially, our left side of midfield needs strengthening We can’t go another season playing Lennon or Tainio out left (Taarabt later in the season). We also need a quality addition(s) in central midfield for cover for Zokora and Jenas. Time is running out and it will be a disaster if we have to settle for panic buys on the last day of the transfer window again. I think we’ll be the nearly team again and finish 5th with our squad we have today. Our squad is better than last season, but so is a lot of other teams behind us. It’s going to be a long and hard season. Hopefully we can get a trophy in one of the cups......... We are now facing in to a football season where if we finish anything less than 4th and it will be considered a failure and the inevitable churlish "Jol Out" nonsense. We must be advancing if this is now our stance. The league will be won by Manure with Grahame Howells writes… Thus far I am eating humble pie with regard to the extent that Levi/Enic has backed Jol in the transfer market - Bale, Kaboul and Bent have injected more quality to the squad. There remains the question of balance n the left hand side, maybe more important given Lennon’s absence at the start of the season, but we were never going to play with 2 out and out wingers, so it may be a moot point. Taarabt has looked as though he may fulfil the expectations that have been heaped upon him and Boateng could similarly develop, but we remain without, imvho, the midfield guv’nor needed to boss games. Big season, therefore, for Jol and a decent start (without King and Lennon) will be critical. Goal scoring – as last year – should not be an issue and Jol has been stating the obvious in terms of goals conceded. It has to happen sometime, so here’s praying that we finish above the filth and thereby land ourselves a CL place. Geordie writes… The season ahead promises to be an interesting one. In typical Tottenham style just as we are progressing and looking to make 5th place our own or even gate crash 4th, massive club takeovers take place and now some 'outsiders' are looking pretty handy. Although things wont happen overnight and our advantage is we have been progressing well over the past few seasons now and the core of our team remains the same. Still nothing is guaranteed and we will need to get off to a good start and remain pretty consistent throughout the season to avoid looking over our shoulder. I think we have bought quite well in the summer, although I'm disappointed we have not brought in a top quality left sided player and feel we could have aimed higher in general. We have four top draw forwards at the club and my concern is not giving them a top draw service. Why we did not go for Petrov is a mystery to me especially at 4.5mil which is peanuts compared to some of the other transfers this summer. I can only assume wages or injury prone are the reasons, I hope we don't regret it. We will need to learn from our mistakes last season (that includes Jol) and be prepared to take a chance now and then as well as killing teams off instead of defending a lead. All in all though we are getting there and this season will be good test for us. Silverware is coming......will it be this season or next? Martin Cloake writes… I don't go along with the current wisdom which says we can't win this and that because the top places are a closed shop, it's all about money etc etc. We have a very good squad, some exciting talents, and we can be good to watch as well as effective. We play the same teams as everyone else, on the same pitches, and use the same number of players. And if you really want to talk about money, we've spent quite a lot this summer. So, it's in our hands. Win a Cup? Win the League? Why not? I never go to a game or approach a competition thinking we should lose, so why should anyone else at the club? It's up to you, you Lilywhites, to play the Tottenham way. Read more stuff from Martin on his topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-martinc.htm Anthony “Cockney” Ronan
writes… I (unlike you Mr Doom n Gloom Duggan!) am looking forward too this season as it means I have another excuse to go on the piss! Once we beat the scum and don’t get relegated I don’t give a rats arse as I am sick to death of my whole week being ruined by those over paid prima donnas who don’t give a feck about me or the club I love. Rant over, blimey I’m starting to sound like Doom n Gloom himself! Richard Vickery writes… Have we got a defence who will not leak
more than 30 goals? Last season we leaked over 50 and we can not break into
the top 4 that way. Although we scored plenty of goals last year we still
need to score more - it will take 65 to break into top four. Other than that
I will not pass judgement until I see them against Chris Biggs writes… The summer signings have been something of
a mixed bag: a raw but promising left back, an over-priced striker when we
already have 3 brilliant strikers; yet another central midfielder; STILL no
answer to our left side of midfield problem and the dross such as Mido and
Murphy continue to remain on the payroll. Berbatov though looks like
remaining and the squad, whilst lop sided in certain positions has a greater
depth than any bar We have the nucleus of a good side and it is to be hoped that Jol picks a settled side and does not rotate too much. Pre-season games have seen Keane playing as an attacking midfielder in an effort to accommodate Berbatov and Bent. Against all but the weakest teams such, this formation surely risks leaving us over run in midfield and exposed at the back. Keane is not a midfielder and should not be played there. The significant outlay by sides such as However, Arsen*l’s relative decline; Henry and Dein’s departures and the uncertainty over Wenger’s futures make this our best chance yet of qualifying for the CL and putting another nail in their coffin. There is more than just bragging rights at stake. Arsen*l are one of the ‘big four’ and their financial footing is based on CL qualification every year. By depriving them of this and at the same time obtaining all the trappings that come with being in the CL we can take a massive step towards cementing our position in the top five clubs in the country. On this basis we simply must qualify for the CL. We have the talent; it is Jol’s job to utilise it effectively and ensure we build on the last two seasons. I live in hope, if not yet expectation. Read more stuff from Chirs on his topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-chrisb.htm John Carpenter writes… Like the rest of us hoping to achieve a top 4 place but despite again being amongst the top spenders I feel the missing link of strengthening the midfield has been overlooked. This will be our downfall again in reaching the holy grail of a CL spot.. fancy us though for some UEFA silverware ! Mark Lemmon writes… Personally, I'm really looking forward to
the season ahead, with top five finishes in the last two seasons I really
feel we're knocking on the door of the top four, although if we are realistic
and look at the points difference between 4th and 5th in both these seasons
there is quite a gap to close. On a
more positive note, I don't think the Goons have strengthened well this
summer, while we have, and that must be the impetus for us to push for that
4th spot. The top 3 places will be
harder to achieve in the coming season - we need to build on last season with
the strong squad we have now and finish fourth get into the champions league
and then keep our best players...I would be worried about loosing Berba if we
finished outside the top four this season.
I think it was important that we held on to Chimbonda this summer,
with Chelski in the hunt for a right-back, it would have sent out the wrong
message if we'd sold one of our key men and after watching him on Saturday
against Torino, his importance to us was clear. My only worry is that we still don't seem
to have sorted our left side of midfield problem, I hope Bale will give us
the same attacking full-back strength that Chim does down the right but who
is BMJ going to put in front of him...at the moment it looks like Steed will
be the man. Its a shame we didn't
manage to persuade Pederson to leave Chiefy
writes… hopes-silverware of any description, Bayern Munich away in the UEFA cup, beating arsenal home or away, fewer people in the bricklayers, and a hope that stewards concentrate on the real problem at football matches-people who spend the game taking pictures with phone/camera. day-tripper mentality. Lob them out. fears:-another season of losing to the
'top 4' in league or cup. having to phone the ticket office about anything at
any stage in the season. and my biggest fear...that they continue to
implement some of the ridiculous pricing for the cup games...short-term
attitude which will back fire as we go forward... Alex writes… Ledley injured what a surprise… Still not signing the players we need really – no left midfielder, Darren Bent a good player but we didn’t really need him certainly not at 17mil…as long as its Robbie Keane that suffers and not Defoe then I can live with it. Lots of promising youngsters – promising or excuses in the making…? Wonder who will be this years Ghaly / Murphy (the zhitbags!) … I’m thinking Huddlestone / Malbranque. KPB looks good hair wise if nothing else. Biggest positive for me this pre season has been Taarabt.. he looks the business – which means Jol wont play him. No where near 4th – easily 5th Mile King writes… We need to hit the ground running… Read more stuff from Mike on his topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-mikeking.htm Jacob
Goldberg writes… Time will tell, but can't help but feeling
£39m would have been better invested in 2 world-class players with experience
rather than the way Spurs have approached it. Jol is even making excuses
before kick-off in today’s papers moaning how young his team is and
"for the future". I can only assume the transfer policy is actually
dictated by the self-serving board - insisting on recruiting young players
with definite sell-on value. We've missed the boat here - Eventually the
extra revenue from " Shane
O’ Sullivan writes… Well here we are again, another season dawns. What will the next 9 months hold ?? Hopefully: A top 4 finish, A trophy of some description, Go unbeaten at home, Much better defensive record, The emergence of a true leader, The arrival of a proven guv'ner to run the team from the middle of the park, Shaun Wright-Phillips, No injury scares, Positive signing in Jan (if needed) Realistically: Most likely 5th (maybe 6th or 4th), A couple of semi-finals or a final defeat, Loose a least 3 home games, Expect the defence to improve on last season (Man City conceded 10 or 12 less goals than us - outrageous), No change in leadership - too many hiders, Ledley is struggling to be fit for September (Christmas in Spurs language), Panic buys (i.e. Rocha, Murphy) in January In a nut shell: 5th – PL, Semis – FAC, Semis – UEFA, Semis - LC Hope to God we do better than the above, Berbatov won't hang around for long if we don't break top 4. Fingers crossed eh ?? Mario writes… The pressure is on. New striker, mid-field general and defender all sign for club hoping for that coveted fourth spot. Yes, Arsenal have it all to do. Another fifth place would not be a disaster, (fourth ideal) for Spurs. A cup win would ease the pain if we don't. European football again for season 08/09. Read more stuff from Mario on his topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-mario.htm Will Dyson writes… Unfortunately I have nothing particularly witty or insightful to say! (that has never stopped topspurs in the past – ed) I DO know that I can’t remember the last time I felt so nervous and apprehensive approaching a new season though…. Ridiculous as it sounds, I can’t stand hearing so many people tipping us for a top four finish. Perhaps it’s the result of the years of mediocrity, of false dawns, of media hostility/media apathy and of my own resulting lowered expectations…. Suddenly it’s “Anything but a top four finish will be a failure”. I’m excited and scared stupid! The scared stupid part is unfamiliar (for pre-season anyway)…. As far back as I can remember (early 80’s) my hopes for Spurs in terms of success always seem to have been “top six and a good cup run”. During my first eleven years as a fan (80-81 to 90-91) that occurred seven times by my reckoning….. the following 14 years? One league cup win and a few semi-finals….. so the last two seasons have been f*cking fantastic by comparison and this one should be even better. I’ve never been more confident in us winning a trophy than I am right now……. so why do I feel sick whenever I think about the Premiership? Is it self-preservation in case it all goes horribly wrong? And anyway, would “only” fifth place and a trophy be a disaster? A failure? How about fifth place and no trophy despite two, or even three semi-finals? It would still fit in with what I termed as a successful season when I was seven years old….. I’m sure it will all pass once the season gets underway….. you just know that THFC PLC will do something to tear these rose-tinted specs from my face, remind me of my place in modern day football (a living, breathing cash dispenser, a nuisance who should be replaced as soon as possible with a compliant franchise consumer/brand customer) and I can get back to worrying about other, far more important, things! Come on you Spurs…… Freemo writes… I'm appreciative of the board backing Martin Jol by spending serious money. I'm still concerned that we lack a real playmaker in the Hoddle, Gazza, Blanchflower mould... and a left winger, but this time we have not been shopping in the bargain basement. The season to come is going to prove tough. By spending that money, the heat is on BMJ - only a trophy will do and we MUST be in or VERY close to the top four at the very least this year. Second seasons are notoriously difficult for strikers, but I reckon Berbs has the class to rise above that. I am excited and looking forward to this season more than any I can remember in recent years. Laurence Coss writes … As every season comes round, Spurs fans near and far ask the perennial question ‘Is this the year when it all comes together?’. Well, first things first, I don’t know the answer to that one, but all the signs are at least pointing in the right direction. The acquisition of Bale, Bent, Kaboul and Boateng, have certainly given us a shot in the arm, but it is keeping hold of prized asset Dimitar Berbatov that will have gladdened all the White Hart Lane faithful. With a forward line of Berbatov, Keane, Bent and Defoe, we should be amongst the goals. Hopefully we will also prove more of a challenge on the road this term, as both Berbatov and Bent have the pace and ability to take the play to the opposing defenders. Bale should give us options on the left and will hopefully slot a few free-kicks away, which has been an area of concern for more than a couple of seasons now. Kaboul should also add to our central defensive wall, especially as Ledley is worryingly injured again. So if Jol can solve the away day blues and he can resolve the porous and sometimes brittle midfield, then and only then we might be in for a season to remember. Europe again looks like the best bet, but a cup win is long over due and if we can crack the consistency code, we might even nip into the Champions League, but a couple of teams above us would have to have an absolute stinker of a season…Here’s hoping. Whatever happens, lets enjoy the ride….Come on you Spurs, make our 125th anniversary one big old party. Read more stuff from Laurence on his
topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-lcoss.htm And more detailed articles from Sean Morley (Click here for the Sean Morley Column at TOPSPURS) For me the preview of the coming football season can be summed up by Tour De France of 2007. Except that in Premiership terms there are no dope tests and the cheats can be seen to prosper, even when they have been caught. In cycling, you suspect that the winners are doped or cheating in some way, but remain innocent until proven guilty. Whilst public attention is fixed on the elite group competing for the yellow jersey at the front, in the background there is a large group of riders in the peloton, all bunched together, none of whom you will have ever heard of, with no idea of why they bother to compete. That is until the news one day you find out the financial rewards they get for finishing absolutely nowhere make it all worthwhile. The same rewards that mean that even the also-rans are not averse to a little bit of chicanery and cheating themselves. Turning that analogy to football, the fact
that West Ham are allowed to be kicking off in the Premier League for 2007/08
sums up everything about the competition and English Football at the top
table that you should ever need to know. If you add to that the Amnesty
International report on the new The cycling analogy continued, and ignoring the ethical dilemma of allowing West Ham to be in the race at all , the league remains an uneven competition, in which the elite runners are financially doped, and the rest are trying to stay in the bunch of the peleton, to simply ensure they keep their place on the Premiership money ground round. The media will spin you the line to
suggest a club that has spent £x millions will automatically lead to an
expectation of success. For instance Spurs and West Ham have spent heavily
this summer, whereas Arsenal and According to the last published Deloitte Report, for 2005/06, the wage bill for the top 6 payers was Arsenal - £83m Tottenham- £41m 05/06 as you may recall was the season
that Spurs finished 5th in Carrick's last season and might have finished 4th
but for some allegedly dodgy lasagna. However do you notice any correlation
between the wage level and the performances on the pitch? It's quite an
accurate barometer of the playing strength of a club that, (Newcastle Utd
apart, whom seem to have taken over the mantle of the most under-performing
club from Spurs in recent years) the more you spend on wages, the more
success you will have. Simply
concentrating on the amount of money spent on transfer fees is a red herring.
Man Utd bought only Carrick and won the league last season. Michael Ballack
came on a free to If the 'elite' clubs can afford to spend more in wages than Spurs can even take through the tills off the pitch, then what really are the long terms prospects for Spurs? The influx of the new money from foreign TV has seen it go straight into the players and agents bank accounts, with most of the PL clubs seemingly hellbent to break the £40m barrier on spending in the summer, and therefore spending all of their new found wealth. Hopefully, this will serve to increase the strength of the squads throughout the league, and make the Premiership less predictable and less of a procession for the top teams. But looking at the deals that have been done, it seems that the majority of clubs have brought in quantity rather than quality, and this season will be more of the same. Which in a roundabout way bring me onto Spurs and the preview for the coming season. Spurs have continued their general policy of buying young, buying for the future and generally buying well (Danny Murphy apart). We have welcomed a batch of new, young players the most notable being Darren Bent, and still with a month to run in the transfer merry-go round. The club has almost got rid of the Mr Hossam Ghali for a profit (well done that man!) and Mido seems set to follow him out of the door, once his agent realizes he is representing Mido the Spurs player and not the Egyptian Dimitar Berbatov, and asks for a realistic wage accordingly. All in all, the club has strengthened the squad, if not the first team, and I therefore look forward to another season of steady progress, looking towards the top end rather than the bottom of the table (which hasn't always been the case in recent years). One of the best previews I have seen to date gave the opinion that Spurs finishing 5th last season was greatly under-rated, given the demands of the fixture list upon an injury ravaged squad, which can be contrasted with the seaon before, and gives me hope for the coming season. It will be interesting to see how Everton will cope with the increased demands of the fixture list. The fundamental weaknesses within the team remain. We still do not possess a quality left sided midfield player who will screen the left full back and we still need to fill in on the left with Lennon or Malbranque, who will no doubt remain unconvincing there. We still lack a quality midfielder or two to in the mould of Carrick to play as a proper Defensive Midfielder and provide a creative spark from midfield. It seems we will have another season of passing it sideways and back until the ball ends up at the feet of Lennon or Berbatov to spark something, or for ENO to shoot from 890 yards. It seems we also need to find a replacement for Ledley, who physically may no longer be up to the demands of top flight football over a full season. Maybe Kabloul will be that man. The policy of buying 21 year old central defenders is ok for the future, but it doesn't count for much at the times you need the experienced heads on the pitch, when your 21 year old is marking Drogba and/or Shevchenko. The plus points are that with Arsenal
selling off anyone who earns more than the minimum wage (whatever that is for
a PL footballer these days), by using the wage bill guide set out above as a
barometer of strength, the
indications are the top 3 will be Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool. What order
they finish in is of little interest to me or probably anyone without access
to the propaganda of Sky. The goons
could surprise everybody in Sky land, but I don't think they will. The sale
of Henry was a superb bit of business for Spurs, as a message of their
current ambition. As this is typed, they remain too lightweight especially in
central defence. Any serious injuries to one or all of Van Persie, Fabregas
and Toure/ Gallas should scupper their season. Which leaves the possibility
that Spurs can realistically challenge for 4th, along with the usual suspects
in the peleton of Blackburn, Everton, Villa, The bookies, normally a reliable guide for the truth, have Spurs at 80-1 for the title. These are the odds for the fifth best team, a team that is apparently stronger than the year before. Last year it was 50-1, so that probably tells a tale all by itself. It looks like I won't be booking a title winning celebratory party in May just yet then. Off the field, my preview is limited to 2
things. The die-hard Spurs fans amongst football attending public have become
markedly less important and less wanted by the club. This season, with the
all the foreign TV money rolling in, the club need us less and less and the
club made their view of the importance of the Spurs support to them perfectly
clear by their lack of negotiation over the season ticket prices. So expect
some more stunts like the UEFA Cup ticketing arrangements last season to
upset you all, and to encourage more of the corporate and casual football
tourists to attend (as they spend more in the club shop and are happy to
queue jump at £300 a pop for tickets at the new Scumbury). Secondly, the club
will be sold on, as soon as the right opportunity presents itself, or as soon
as the new fugitive from Amnesty International rolls up on My hopes for the season are therefore limited, for that is what the modern premiership has reduced my view of Spurs to; • To see Spurs develop and continue the style of play seen from the end of February last season • To see Berbatov continue to be one of the players in the league to see, to witness him drive Spurs forward and develop into a true Spurs legend. • To see Spurs have a good cup season - and hopefully get to the UEFA Cup final. • To double Arsenal in the league • To continue my boycott of the Spurs marketing and merchandising, to recoup the extra £1.28 per match that the club wanted off me so badly when they raised the season ticket price. • To maintain what enthusiasm I have left so that I will want to bother to renew the season ticket next season Good luck for the season. May it be one to remember Colin Ashby (Click here for the Colin Ashby Column at TOPSPURS) Personally I cannot wait for next week,
and the TV game against For the past two seasons we have achieved our best in the Premier league since it started, just missing out on fourth two seasons ago on the last game of the season. In hindsight that was not such a bad thing, going into the champions league so soon would not have been good for us last year, we have consolidated and are now better equipped. We have a young side that is working well together, the staff has created a good competitive atmosphere at the club and in the main they all appear very happy. It will be difficult to go up a place this season, I make no bones about that, it would be easier to drop a place or two especially with the money that is being splashed around in the league this close season. However we have virtually the same team as last year, and the additions have been to the squad, maybe with the exception of Bent. Strengthening the back up, giving options for places can only make us stronger and better. In spite of a number of comments on sites
about Robbo, I still think he is The mid field was disrupted by injuries and illness. Zokora starting after playing in the World Cup had to adapt to the Prem League and then he suffered a bout of debilitating Malaria, which does take time to recover from. Jenas was out injured for a long spell and Tainio was also out almost every other week, Huddlestone went missing at a crucial time and Malbranque was a late starter. Not saying we won’t have injuries this year but the playing options for the middle are terrific, and adding Boateng and Taarabt to that midfield are very positive steps. Up front we had three strikers who found the net regularly, and we have now added a fourth. The striking options are up there with the best in this league this season. Mourinho has said it, Two ex Arsenal players – Merson and Sansom have said it, ex Spurs Ferdinand and Sherwood have said it, they all expect Spurs to be challenging, it is no longer a top four it is a top five. I am sure that any team when looking at the fixture list will not be relishing playing Tottenham this season and will be looking for damage limitation. It has been LONG LONG TIME SINCE I have felt this about Spurs. I first started supporting them back in 1952, then the glory days of 61 and 62 and apart from the fleeting seasons when Burkinshaw was in charge, we have a good manager and a good squad with a sound base. BRING IT ON!!!! Greg Meyer’s Kent Pub (Click here for the Greg Meyer Column at TOPSPURS) Summer weather means enthusiastic beer
garden attendance at Pub The Banker Cautiously optimistic about Spurs
prospects and not so interest rates. Money has been splashed along current
banking guidelines. Code for seemingly judiciously and wisely spent if that
ever applies in the world of football. Echoing a common theme amongst many of
those polled seems some needed attention to the aft section of the HMS
Hotspurs has been attempted. Essentially the new lads have not a lot of sea
miles up but cannot doubt the expected quality of Bale and Kaboul. A
sensitive area and one others polled had strong views on. Another Berbatov
fan and given his banking roots in The Tranmere Accountant Appointed to moderate the Poll, more to do with his professional trait of moderation in another area of consumption, nevertheless he thinks the figures add up regards Darren Bent. Alongside Man U surely the most feared attack in the Premier. Now can or have the shipwrights been able to plug last seasons leaky boat. Only 5 others let in more goals than us. A confident yes . Perhaps he drinks more than we think. Certainly not as much as another polled. The Lawyer In one word ... King. In more words apart from retaining the Bulgarian Devil the absence of our Rolls Royce is the most significant summer news. Shorter rather than longer we hope, his spell in the sick bay equates with defensive fragility and potentially more fatal leakages. Fatal to top four hopes perhaps but perchance that potential may prove misplaced. If the potential of Younes Kaboul blossoms quickly then given Chimbonda, Dawson plus another potential flowering (Bale ) then perhaps Robbo will be inspired to block the problematic thirty yarders as well. Kaboul is certainly not straight off the docks. From the renowned Academy Auxerre with Champs League experience who knows. Certainly has an impressive goal strike. That South African shot, clocked at 97 mph unofficially by the nearby tv camera man, was astonishing. Made more astonishing by the great camera work of the aforementioned stopwatch holder. Hopefully an adjustment of 3 inches when next sighted in the Premiership means his first of some to come. Despite generous offers of unlimited
libation from Pub The Lennon factor seems to be a recurrent theme ... This time perhaps the Taarabt factor. Remember the first coming involved the sight of terrified defenders ( particularly one Monsieur Flamini ). Pace and ambition born of youth to take defenders on. Whilst not as blessed with pace careful Jol management of young Adel may achieve some terrifying creativity. With Aaron sidelined early on width and pace are in shorter supply. More thoughts galore but Mine Host has managed a break in the serving traffic Mine Host In another one word. Berbatov. Ever since
his first sighting him in the flesh at Charlton away and that sublime turn
and goal then the B word has been paramount with our hotelier. The coming of
Bent and his great early form all goes easily with a beer salesman. Hard to
stay away from that Tottenham heritage of attacking football. Just ask Mr.
Blanchflower. No coincidence that twas today back in 1620 that the Mayflower
set sail for And so to a summation of sorts from our man of letters... The Journalist Its official we are aiming for third! Even the Lawyer's Arsenal Mate has come on board. We retained, they lost a Talisman. Otherwise if Spurs can stem the largesse, not to be confused with lasagna, at the back then why not. Our inability to win against the top four
away last year meant no breaking the glass ceiling. This season come the
evening of Sunday 7 October significant progress beating to windward should
have been made. Results our way again On balance, not easy given today's venue,
we have potentially almost caught Tequila sunrises and false dawns are certainly off the menu ...
And Lastly…Jim Duggan The waiting is nearly over and the most over-hyped summer of the most over-hyped league is about to begin at the weekend. It has been a pre-season of contradictions, where levels of activity seem to have been at an all time high but then again, nothing fundamental is likely to change when it comes to picking the podium places. Where big money is being spent but on players who do not always appear to have ability commensurate with the price tag, where all the games will appear to be tight, desperate affairs of points over panache but somehow its always the same teams winning often irrespective of how they play & a pre-season where everyone is talking Tottenham up and Arsenal down but you know its never going to be as simple as that. I’m finding it difficult to have firm opinions about Spurs as almost every topic up for debate can be read in two or more ways depending on the mindset brought to the argument. Should Spurs be happy with another ‘top-of-the-crap’ Glory-Lite 5th and a few semi finals or should fans of one of the world’s top 15 richest clubs expect to see it appearing in its Continents premier competition? And that’s even before considering something lower than 5th a topic which appears strangely absent from many discussions given the relative proximity of 6th and 4th. This is Jol’s “difficult third album” season where high expectations have been matched with high spending and everyone from Levy downwards deep down know that Spurs have to deliver this season. Talk of young players, talk of this times next year are not really gonna wash anymore. Spurs have finished 5th in the last two seasons bagging 65 and 60 points respectively, two of the top three 38 game a season premiership finishes for the club. Yet there have been times during what should have been a relatively golden period of sizable dissent in the ranks of the customers, firstly at the unconvincing performances in 2005/6 and then of negative performances which both did not sit right with the spirit of the club and were tactical blunders which cost Spurs points. The good thing is that these issues came to a head last season and were eventually resolved by the management and players with a strong end to the season both in terms of results (8 wins, 3 draws in the last 12 games) but also in the performances which at long last were convincing based on good football. The test for Jol this season is to have the strength of character to persist with and develop the positive football, where the response to Spurs going one up in a game is to score a second and not circle the wagons. I’m hopeful and mostly convinced the penny has dropped but it there are still lingering doubts that this approach is not his natural way. With nearly two-thirds of Jol’s league games with Spurs ending as draws or settled by the odd goal, Spurs are a lot closer to 6th than 4th and another 5th place season while competing for a sustained period in the cups may be as good as Spurs are at the moment. For me, whether this is acceptable is down to whether Spurs give it a go and are positive. If they do this and come up short, so be it but if Spurs are going to be all about playing to defend a 1-0 leads, being England U21, being nothing special with a chip on its shoulder over former glories… you can’t love what you don’t respect. Given the way Spurs finished last season, its only fair to give Jol the benefit of the doubt and hope that he has the courage of Lord Percy himself to take Spurs into battle rather than the indecisive ninny Lord Percy in Blackadder. Summer Signings – “All that money spent, and Spurs still don’t have a left sided option” Spurs went into this summer needing a target man striker, a left back as ever and probably most importantly a left sided midfielder to balance the side – something which has been missing at Spurs for years. As yet, admittedly with a decent bit of the window to go – no left sided player unless Bale is going to be played further up the pitch which at the current time does not seem likely. If Spurs do go into September without a quality (not young, not British but quality) left sided option that does more than balance on his left peg, it will be a major mistake as it restricts the whole balance of the side. I may have been harsh on Bent by describing him as another Chris Armstrong but for £16m are we really being unreasonable in wanting a top quality international striker with Champions league experience for that sort of dough? Bale, Kaboul and even Boateng are again long on price and short on top level experience but all three look decent prospects – although the promise of them being top prospects will mean very little if they can’t cut it straight away and Spurs give up too much ground too early, but then I suppose that is the same for any new signing and the additional price you pay for wholesale changes each summer. Spurs have failed to land a transfer fee this summer and could do with moving on Murphy, Routledge and Rocha for reasons of ability, and Mido and Ghaly who have the ability to be decent squad members but are not part of the future at Spurs. Its great news that Berbatov has stayed and Lennon’s injury will also save him from a transfer so it can be judged as a great winger or a flash in the pan. Spurs Squad Spurs are well stocked in good goalkeepers. Robbo did not have his best season last year, a bit wobbly from a less than convincing World Cup compounded by Gary Neville’s schoolboy error of doing a back pass inline with the goal, but his form picked up with the rest of the Spurs side towards the end of the season and hopefully it is back to stay. Even in top form, Robbo does have weaknesses in his game, he does not come for crosses and one or two slightly surprising long shots beat him last season but that is who he is and something we should just accept and get on with it. Robbo seems a good player to have around the team in terms of a positive mentality and in an age of players who its difficult to give a toss about, he seems to be one of the more likeable ones. As backup, Spurs have the best reserve keeper in the league in Cerny and hopefully he will remain content will his role as understudy plus early cup games for a few years yet. The absence of Ledley King up until
October and lets face it probably a bit longer is very damaging for Spurs who
managed to win 52% of the matches he played compared to 35% when he was
absent, but also for the player who has managed in only 2 of his 7 full
seasons to play more than 75% of the league matches. Turning 27 later this
autumn with an injury record like that and the persistent rumours about you
know what, you have to worry that Spurs have seen the best of one of the
finest players to grace WHL in my four decades. Without Ledders, its going to
be Dawson and Kaboul which is laced with uncertainty on how the latter fits
in with Spurs and the EPL. Although Kaboul looks a tad overpriced, he has the
scope to be very good and fingers crossed it goes well for him as
“Ramon” Rocha and Gardner who seems destined not to fulfill the
promise of his youth otherwise. Like Robbo in goal, Every Spurs left back is going to look a
bit iffy until they play with a dedicated left sided midfielder and Bale
steps into the hot seat this season where Wipey and BAE have failed to
convince in the previous two season. It’s a tough ask for a young lad
with a big price tag and hopefully he’ll settle in quickly as Spurs
can’t afford any passengers in any positions. BAE and especially Wipey
are decent enough and I’ve always wondered whether natural leftie Spurs have a number of excellent midfielders – Zokora and Jenas the engine room of the midfield, the flying Lennon on the wing, the guile of Malbranque, the graft of Tainio and potential of Huddlestone, Taarabt and Boateng. The key to this lot is finding the balance and then ensuring it keeps going forward after Spurs score, and with the range of abilities it gives Jol plenty of tactical options for different formations should he have the imagination. On to the forward line, and the good players just keep coming. Berbatov was all gold last season and was getting better as the season progressed. He should have an even better year this season but may find defenders target him a bit more due to his lofty reputation. Keane has scored 84 goals in his Spurs career which has blossomed from an individualist to a real team player and although Defoe does not feel the same player who dazzled in his first 12 months at Spurs, he still has a fine goal record considering nearly a third of all his appearances are from the bench. Despite being Spurs record signing, Bent will most likely have to work his way into the side (another reason to think Spurs paid well over the odds as how many other record signings come into a club as third or poss. fourth best in their position) but all concern over Bent’s fee should be forgotten now and its how he does for Spurs which is important and if he can return a similar ratio of EPL goals which he got for Charlton, he could be the fourth striker Spurs were looking for. Mido could be a good player is nowhere near having the right mental focus unfortunately. All in all, it’s a very strong squad with no real wallys (Rocha, Murphy maybe), no disliked players apart from Ghaly who although unlucky to get so much abuse from the fans last season, has really let himself down since and Mido who is a shocking waste of talent. The question is whether it’s a
better squad than I may have got overly worried that the
likes of Villa, and Citeh were closing in on Spurs – they won’t.
West Ham and Noocarsul should close the gap but not sufficiently to worry
Spurs and with the likelihood of Bolton and Reading dropping away, it will
probably be old rivals | |