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Mark Astaire 15th August 2011 - Spurs need to come of age and forget
Champions League hangover What is the best way to get
over not qualifying for the Champions League? Go out and grab another bite at
the competition. Last season was an absolute
roller coaster…the Champions League adventure was beyond expectations, even
if our league form dipped as a result. We seemed to be treading water towards
the end, but that victory at Anfield certainly gave
the season a nice end of term gloss. Each summer is filled with
speculation about who is joining and more worryingly, who is going. On the
latter point, it is crucial that we hang on, for at least one more year, to
the key performers. Who knows, if we do, then we might get back into
Champions League on merit. Transfer speculation is always associated with
Spurs, but my concern is never who we are linked with, as that always seems
like a conveyor belt of tittle-tattle, more so the slowness and delay in
obtaining new signatures. We always seem to leave it so late…why? We know the
areas in which we need improvement and maybe if we gambled or were bolder, we
could snatch those courted by our rivals. I watched the friendly
against Bilbao the other day, and even though it was a friendly, it was
obvious that playing one upfront is not going to work. A two pronged attack
has to be the standard. Last season began with a
let’s wait and see how we cope with Champions League football, now it has to
be how will we cope without. Surely, if we are ambition as a club, then the
pain of missing out should (forgive the pun) Spurs us on. Yes, the Europa League is a secondary event, but it is still a
trophy and we don’t have the luxury of treating anything as a mere cast off. The postponement of
Saturday’s game was a frustration, but in the bigger scheme of things, surely
there are local residents and business people in Tottenham who have been
truly suffering of late. The club have a big opportunity this season of
rekindling a community spirit in this much deprived area, and as a club, we
need to show that a club thrives not on balance sheets alone, but as a focal
point for fans everywhere to place a smile on our faces and raise the spirits
at times when we are feeling low Follow Laurence Coss this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-lcoss.htm
Shortish and sweetish, my hopes and fears for the season: Hopes: Modric stays, we
buy a striker who scores, we take the Europa
seriously, we have a go at getting back in the top four, we win a cup and
Harry doesn’t think we’re all stupid for not being happy with standing still. Fears: We leave it all
until the last minute in the transfer window to get a bargain and end up with
nobody (please explain how we had £35m in January to buy a centre forward and
now we need to offload first?), Bale turns out to be the softest Welshman in
the country’s history and spends the season injured, anymore players get the
Defoe and Lennon whinging affliction, any of those feral toe rags running
around at the moment torch the Lane!! On the QT, I think with a
settled squad we will do ok if we can consistently convert
chances........................ Follow Woodo this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-woodo.htm
I think the Spurs players
will deep down feel frustrated about the lack of Champions League football
and probably realise that without any additional external source of finance
or “sugar daddy” the club has probably reached a glass ceiling in what it can
achieve. Certain results on the pitch will reflect this (that rainy Wednesday
night in Bolton, when some players can’t be bothered half as much as the fans
supporting them). If the Europa
League was taken a bit more seriously, then this would be an obvious prize to
go for, because if a UEFA Cup win in the 1980s was a
tremendous achievement it is not obvious why this current competition
shouldn’t deserve a full squad instead of the B list of players – which
Redknapp is at least alluding to. You play in a competition to win it, or
else why bother? Squad-wise not much has
happened in the summer so far, but if Modric stays
he will probably start sulking and become another Berbatov.
I am sure a striker will arrive before long and some squad players will go.
Overall Spurs will again qualify for the Europa
League next season, and at this point in time it is something the club should
be proud of because it is an achievement in the context of current spending
power. Not all owners can expect to win trophies, and some will go home
crying – then perhaps throw their toys out of the pram. Tottenham will always
flatter to deceive – it’s part of this club’s
culture – but a Coventry or Middlesbrough it is not. Be happy with what’s
currently on offer; no need to reach for the anti-depressants. Jürgen from Belsize Park This time last year I threw
my natural curmudgeonly tendences to the winds and
was cautiously optimistic.. This year the Modric saga has cast a pall over the proceedings obscuring
banking, MP, journalistic and police corruption. Better PR is the modern
answer to all these things. If Harry, Levy and Kevin
Bond ever get their stories in alignment. we
might just stand a chance of starting
the new season with our soldiers facing in the right direction. I note in
passing that at the time of writing Modric and Bale
are still with us, and Harry; but on the downside Keane, Bentley, and all our
strikers. I am not hopeful about Modric in the long term or even the very short term when
it comes to it. No body is indispensible of course but as a statement of
intent retaining him is important. Signing a new striker or two underpins all
my comments this year but the signs are not good. Anyway I can sense your
impatience and mumblings of 'Get on with it Jimmy' so here goes. Who knows what will happen
in the cups but it would be nice to see some youngsters get a chance. If we do as well in the Europa as we did in the Champions' League or even
slightly better it will keep the fans amused on Thursday nights. But 'Oh how
are the mighty fallen' from the triumphs of last year. In the league we will do
well to finish in the top six given the spending power and the inclination to
upgrade amongst our rivals. We didn't do it last year due to a less then
impressive end to the season and the poor record of at least three of our frontmen. Last year we had some
brilliant performances against top teams in Europe and the Premiership but
our challenge petered out on all fronts. What signs are there of an improvement
this year? Not many I'm afraid So given a tough opening to
the season, the injuries to a number of players and the general clouds of
anxiety and controversy hanging over us, well me anyway I can see us
struggling to get amongst the leaders from midtable.
2pts from 8 and
the demise of Harry is unlikely but it could look pretty bleak at the end of
September. As Mona Lott used to say
(ask your grandad) 'It's being so
cheerful as keeps me going'. So this year I am verging on the cautiously
pessimistic. But that's just between me and you and
'Topspurs'. Down the pub I'm hot for
Top Four. Jimmy G2 Follow Jimmy G2 this
season at his Topspurs column: http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-jimmyg2.htm
I have to say that this
close season was probably the most frustrating for me for years. Performance
apart, in past years we had the entertainment of new arrivals, new players to
look forward to and generally a touch of optimism before the kick-off. This terms it is different. The thing is that as
supporters of an established Premier League force, we are not looking forward
to decent season anymore. We are looking forward to top class season, with
glory, cup silverware and Champions League football next year. We all know
where we are at the moment and we are aware, what are areas for improvement.
We know it but so far we are helplessly looking at the almost empty pot of
new arrivals and a worryingly high number of deadwood
we're trying to get rid of. The frustration grows as the solution to our
problems is rather simple - get rid of the trash, purchase one or two top
class strikers, add another proven center back and
potentially some other quality addition in midfield (and in goal...) and we
are ready to compete with everyone. Unfortunately, it is easier said than
done. Also, the whole Modric saga adds insult to
injury. In theory the successful
team should have the squad pretty much complete by the beginning of pre
season. New players should have time to get into the team, practice with new
colleagues, get the required fitness level. The
sooner you reinforcements on board, the quicker you benefit from them. And
where we are 1,5 weeks before kick-off? In goal we
have a grandad and calamity Brazilian, we have virtually
no striker that would guarantee something more than 10 goals per season, we
still have average players on high salaries, who do not want to sacrifice
their wages and London glamour for first team football elsewhere. The future
does not look bright... What do I expect from the
season? I expect top four football and successful cup runs. What do I
predict? I predict a false start that will cause some panic buys before the
end of shopping window. I think eventually we will be somewhere close to the
top but we might again finish slightly below expectations because we were not
able to execute the plan of transformation from "top class wannabies" to "top class". Krzysztof Runowski At risk of being labelled
the eternal, and naive, optimistic I'm going to say "why not?"
again. Look at our squad and ask yourself how many you would swap for those
in the squads of the four teams that finished above us last season. Remember
the quality of the football we played at times last season. And then tell me
why it's not realistic to have a crack at the title. It's true we've got the Europa League to deal with. But our top-four rivals have
the Champions League. So let's not hear too much about fixture congestion or
distraction – we're all on the same stretch of water if the not the same
luxury yacht. And we have specific
issues. What will happen to Harry Redknapp is one, his impending court case a
big issue but also his tendency – despite the good he has without doubt done
– to wind up sections of the club's support with some daft comments and
over-enthusiastic self-promotion. And the Luka Modric
situation will be interesting. It was great to hear the warm reception he got
at the last pre-season friendly, and hopefully we can get to the season and
just get on. Daniel Levy has been absolutely right to block the sale, as much
because of the effect it would have on the rest of the squad as anything, but let's not
forget just how influential Luka can be for the team. The problem will come if,
after all the summer hype, Luka's performance drops for more than the odd
game. The crowd will be quick to get on his back, the pressure will grow, and
no good will come of it for Spurs. So we need Luka to focus and the crowd to
see the bigger picture. If Spurs are not in contention by Christmas, expect a
sale. I said we have a good
squad, but it's obvious we need an out and out striker, a guaranteed goalscorer. It's not as easy as just picking anme and
lodging a bid, but with the season only days away there's still no striker and
you do wonder about Spurs and leaving things late. Another quality, reliable
central defender would also be wise - Gallas may
not fill as much of the gap as he did last season. It seems as difficult for
Spurs to make a signing in time for the season to start as it does for them
to get the shirts on sale in the club shop in time. It's a very strange
recurring problem that seems only to effect Spurs. The tough start this year,
not made easier by the Europa 'Battle of Britain'
tie, is tough enough - we needed all cylinders firing for it. Slow starts as
we make the final squad adjustments have cost us before – let's hope the
apparent inability to realise the season starts before the end of the
transfer window doesn't cost us vital points again. There should still be
plenty to watch – not least Gareth Bale. He is a truly thrilling player to
watch, one who makes every sit up that little bit more when he's on the ball.
One of the better squads in the League, the opportunity to focus on the big
prize… once again, it's up to you, you Lilywhites. Follow Martin Cloake this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-martinc.htm
Personally i think SPURS are going to struggle this year, SPURS
could do with getting rid of the deadwood like Hutton, Keane, Jenas etc,etc Probably top 6 is the best
SPURS can hope for but Winng a cup would be nice
especially the Europa Cup. COME ON YOU SPURS Johnny Meatloaf,
Preston Spurs As the years go by, the
time that elapses between the time when the Spurs voxpop community give their views on all things Spurs
seems to spin around faster and faster. Soon it will be like a monty python sketch where we have the optimistic start of
the season meeting just before the end of season party. No change there you
might think given a slow start to a season. With the lack of any
serious signings at the time of writing it is hard to avoid the doomongering, gnashing of teeth, rabid depression and
frankly suicidal Spurs fans. I can only say that some of you need to lighten
up, and if following Spurs makes you so miserable you need to take a step
back and find something less boring instead. As for this season: the
economic realities are that this is a league of mini-leagues. It consists of
the top 3, the next 3, the mediocre 6, and the bottom 8 fighting relegation.
The 3 teams at the top of the table are out of reach, certainly financially.
Spurs cannot compete with them and if they tried, either you the fans would
have to agree to pay around £10,000 each for your season ticket, (one that on
average costs £1,000 now) or it would kill the club. In that situation, the
ability to take them on and challenge the rich 3 is a decent outcome. The
next 3 are the teams that Spurs are in competition with, and of those (being
Liverpool and Arsenal), Spurs are the weakest financially, so
anything above 6th represents a decent return. IF and a big if, things go
well, Spurs could challenge the top 3 and challenge for the title. The last
couple of seasons have shown that with a full-strength team on the pitch,
with a fair wind and if Spurs can avoid the Clattenberg
effect, the club can beat the dross and can also take on, beat and compete
with the best. However, over the course of a season it’s not just about the
first XI, it’s about luck, avoiding injuries and having the correct
mentality. Much maligned he may be, but I do give credit Harry for seeking to
change the mentality of the club. The club seem more prepared to dig in for a
win (with the best record for winning points from a losing position last
season) and it is now rarer to see Spurs horror shows away from home, where
the players fail to show and where it’s better to watch the second half from
the bar. It remains clear that new
signings are needed, with a quality striker and a decent CB to provide a
reliable cover for King whilst we wait for Caulker to mature. It is
frustrating that no new names have been signed for these crucial positions as
yet, but then again, it is a mad market when players like Andy Carroll and
Jordan Henderson cost in excess of £50m. To put things into some context,
Spurs season ticket holders contribute around £25m -£30m to the coffers of
the club each year through ticket sales and merchandising. That would struggle
to cover the cost of Dzeko, would not pay for Aguero and would need 2 years of payments to be able to
afford Torres. It’s a new season and there
is the usual hope, expectation and the almost certainty of disappointment. I
expect Spurs to finish between 5th and 8th. I hope however the club has a
fantastic season and it’s always better to travel in hope than in expectation Sean Morley Follow Sean Morley
this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-seanmorley.htm
What a campaign it was last
season. This season will be different. The Europa
will put different demands on the squad. How they cope will depend on how
Harry juggles the demands of the league, league and FA cups and Europe. With some, departures
needed to make way for the new signings, it looks like it will be a last
minute scramble again. Players (I use the term loosley)
that need to go are: Hutton, Crouch, Keane, Bassong, Kranjcar,
Santos, Jenas, Bentley and Gomes. So, we need another striker
(who can score goals), another central defender (who doesn't get injured at
the drop of a hat) and a right back.
Where will we finish?
Putting games beyond teams and making sure that we win games against teams
that are struggling will help. Liverpool, Arsenal and ourselves
will be going for that fourth spot. Even with playing on a Thursday and
Sunday (if we get through) we must be knocking on the door of fourth place
and a good start to the season is a must. It will be a hard, long season and
I predict a 6th place finish. Fanzine legend Mario Sergides At the time of writing, we
have signed Brad Friedel, a promising youngster
from Barcelona and a good young prospect from African football. The tabloids
have linked to us to Diarra at Real Madrid, Llorente from Saturday's visitors Athletic Bilbao, Chris
Samba from Blackburn and even Joey Barton who is not flavour of the month up
in the North East at the current time. Harry has spoken of not
wanting to wait until the midnight hour before we seal a transfer (a la Van der Vaart last season), but has
pointed out it is not easy finding players better than those already in the
squad. We apparently need to sell before we can buy and those
squad members maybe surplus to requirements would have to be shifted
at a realistic price to interested clubs so that we do not start the campaign
with players on high salaries who have no real future with the club still on
our payroll. (For example, we would need to take a big cut in price on the money
we forked out when we bought Bentley if we are to sell him). As a supporter, I
unfortunately have no say over the comings and goings of the club, but I am
remaining positive that we will see a couple of additions before the window
shuts at the end of this month. Redknapp has said with the Thursday night
games in the Europa league, that he sees these as
having a big impact on our League season and expects to use youngsters like
Livermore and Townsend quite regularly in the European games. It will be interesting
to see what transpires if we have a good run in this competition and end up
getting the final whether he starts playing our big guns in it later in the
season when the Premiership and Champions league spots start gaining extra
significance come April and May. So............predictions
for 2011/12? A lot of this rides on us getting a 20
goal a season front man, whether Modric stays, how
well the back four plays, Ledley's knee/groin etc
holding out. Sandro was a revelation last season,
and I expect him to step up to the plate this year and become a mainstay of
the side, Bale will be even more tightly marked this year, with even more
sides doubling up on him to nullify his impact on matches, so he will need to
adjust his game- the way he and Lennon swap wings during games shows he has
already made strides to get round this problem. JD will have a point to prove
after what was for him a poor if injury ravaged season last time out and
there will be no one more pleased than me if he comes out all guns blazing
and scores a hatful. I am going to go for us finishing 5th again (the Man
U/Chelsea/Man City and Liverpool quartet being who I see finishing above us), the Gooners will struggle if Fabregas and Nasri jump ship
and I think we will finish above them. The domestic cups very much depends on
Harrys team selection, with numerous matches ahead
of us in the Europa League, and the Premier League
a known priority I think he will play our kids in the home cup competitions
as well. Us to have a good run in the Europa League
but I don't think we'll win it, but I am not going to do a Hansen and say
that we'll win nothing with kids............... Follow Richard Pymont this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-richard.htm
Well, that time of the year
again. The first game just around the corner with hopes for next season fueled over the football-less summer – hence the cry “and
now you’re gonna believe us, we’re gonna win the league …” Or, maybe not. The general
mood under Spurs fans is a sense of groundhog day. We are still faced with
seeing Crouch, Pav, Defoe and Keane as our cutting
edge and past experience will show that to have been (to put it kindly)
somewhat blunt. Activity in the window thus far has been to sign a 40 year
old keeper to keep Gomes and Cudicini company, plus
a young striker prospect from Africa! Guess it is all about
expectations, and last terms CL adventure will have whetted appetites for
more (and not just from Modric). It is never worth
looking backwards and moaning about missed opportunities but one has to
question the transfer policy of the club as we are now into a third window
without addressing the most obvious needs. Levy still has time to pull another
VDV rabbit out of the hat, but it would have been good to have had any
upgrades on board well before the start of August, so I am not holding my
breath. Given that the blue team in
mancland is still trying to collect as many
strikers as they can, while totally destroying the wage structure of the
game, the red half has done their business early, and even the bin-dippers
have brought in fresh blood (albeit at what looks like a ridiculous cost), as
Arry is quick to point out, it will be tough to
make top 4 this coming season. Maybe he was right when he advised last term
that “this is as good as it gets at Spurs”, but then again he may have been
thinking that he only has a few months before England or the Old Bill come
calling! Top 6 has to be the minimum
for a squad that could/should have made top3/4 last time around – even
allowing for the activity of the competition and a new bright young manager
in West London. We have to remember that we won away at the Filth and at Anfield last term but lost too many points to teams at
the wrong end of the table that we should have crushed. The key to doing
better than just top 6? - at least 1 decent striker on the
same wavelength as VDV and Luka - a tad more cover in CM in front of
the back 4 - a regular CB combination that isn’t cobbled
together in the physio-room on a Friday afternoon - balancing the requirements of
Thursday night UEFA matches with the bread and butter of the league better
than last term. Come On You Spurs Grahame Howells It is 10 days before the
start of the season and normally I am getting a little excited by now.
However this year it all seems a bit flat. The thing is after we missed out
on Champions League qualification, I was still buoyant, I was pleased with
the way we bounced back from this disappointment to win at Anfield and against Birmingham, and although the Europa League is a clear second best after the Champions
League, seeing off Liverpool and grabbing at least some kind of European
football, was reason enough to be cheerful. Modric of course changed all that, just days after being awarded the
Spurs members player of the year, and with Spurs deity seemingly his, he
decided that this and a six year contract was not enough and that we would
surely understand that his dream was always to play for the Chelsea
mercenaries (a club where
incidentally, any Tom, Dick and Harry can get still get a season ticket {no
waiting list here for this “big” club, despite all their success in recent
years} check out their website). So
instead of keeping our squad and adding a “marquee” signing or two, we have
had the long, boring, saga of the will-he-or won’t-he-stay-kind, played out
on the back pages. To be honest I have
lost a bit of interest in the whole sorry episode. I lost something in my
“fan-player relationship” in 2001 when Sol Campbell hot-footed it to the
Goons, despite his denials to the contrary throughout his final spurs
campaign. Nothing that a footballer does now surprises me. They want the
worship and adulation of fans as well as the security of long contracts, but
of course, it is just a job to them, so if a better offer comes along, it’s
“Do viđenja”. The other thing that is
depressing is Man City. Now that they have landed a Champions League place,
they are here to stay (at least until the Qataris get bored). It is another
team we struggle to compete with, and another team that will entice our
better players with a more lucrative job offering if they see fit. Yes, I can
see Bale/Van Der Vaart/ Modric (if he is still here) delete as applicable getting
“dreams” about City in summer 2012. So all we have signed thus
far, is a 40 year old keeper, who may not even be our starting No 1 and a
couple of promising teenagers. Harry keeps moaning about wages (what happened
to his wheeler-dealer tag?), we still have lots of players, that are clearly
surplus to requirements that we struggling to move on (Hutton, Dos Santos, Jenas, Bentley, Keane, Palacios….) and all of the top 4
clubs plus Liverpool appear to be strengthening (although frankly I have not
been impressed with the Liverpool signings – most of them seem the type of
players we used to sign around the turn of the century – except with a lot
more noughts added). So do we have to accept
that 5th is the best we can realistically obtain? How long can we keep
getting capacity crowds and aspire to the new 60,000 home, once the reality
dawns on us, that the last couple of seasons are as good as it gets? I think with the squad we
have we should comfortably finish in the top 6. I would love us to win the FA
cup, but it is over 20 years since we last lifted it, perhaps even this is
becoming an unrealistic ambition. I would probably settle for any silverware,
particularly if we get to nab something while the Goons flounder again. Oh well, the carnival
starts again soon and I will still be watching the show, like I have for too
many years now, habits are hard to break.
I’m off on holiday for a week (I still organise holidays around the
season, sad as that is) maybe we will have landed a super star or two by the
time I get back (and no, Adebayor or Barton, do not
count!). Any way enough of my ramblings, enjoy the season and Up the Spurs! Follow Robby Boy
Sumner this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-rbs.htm
Wake me when Man U and
Chelsea release their grip at the top. Brian Think there are 2
alternatives for the team at White Hart Lane - slower lane and faster lane. Slower lane is the team and
the finances well run, as at present, at the present stadium. Realistically
we should go for silverware in the FA and League Cups, and perhaps the Europa League, and try and win one or more of these. Top
4 League finishes and entry to the Champions League will be occasional rather
than regular. Faster lane means
investment in a new stadium, almost certainly at White Hart Lane and the land
to the north - once the Olympic Stadium appeals are finally over. The big financial
issue here is that the new investment will probably need to exceed the
current value of the club. Its current valuation is around £250m and the new
stadium costs anything between £250 and 400m. If we were able to borrow from
banks the debt would exceed the value of the club, and the interest charges
would consume much of the additional match revenue. If we go by way of a
share issue it could mean the current owner ending up with about half of the
new asset, and perhaps losing control - unless the owner himself buys the
additional shares. A way forward would be for
the current owner to buy the additional shares and complete the stadium
project - the club would be more saleable then and he could realise his
investment. Selling at present with everything in a state of flux is perhaps
not the best time. Arsenal, with its modern stadium, is currently valued at
around £730m - so Spurs would be good value at under that price and with the
new stadium. If the stadium was
completed with minimal new exernal debt, then the
additional match revenue should allow us to compete regularly at the highest
level in the future. There are basically 2
choices - stick or twist. Either choice is valid, but before long a decision
needs to be made and importantly the fans need to know what the future plans
are. I think we'll all continue to support Spurs whatever happens, but it
would be good to concentrate on the football and get out of the current state
of limbo. Follow Chris Gray
this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-chrisgray.htm
After supporting Spurs for
over 50 years now, one would think I would be used to the close season, but I
still check every day for any titbit or rumour about who
we may be signing and of course anticipating the kick off to the new season.
So roll on the thirteenth of August. Last season was good ,
could have been very good if our strikers had managed to do the business a
few more times. When you actually look at the stats we were quite close to
the top four, so I have faith that we can be up there again. Alright we need
a new striker or two, but who’s to say a new face will instantly be a success
and put the ball in the onion bag on a regular basis? I like continuity of
playing staff, with just a little bit of tinkering, I don’t like wholesale
changes. However, and at the time of writing this, it is anybody’s guess as
to who will be coming in , if anyone at all? We have drawn Hearts in the
Europa league? I have read Harry’s
thoughts on this competition, but it could be a money earner and we need as
much of that as possible to sustain any consistency in the Premier league, so
although he may blood some of the youngsters later in the competition, I
would like a serious approach made to the first round matches, and we can
proceed to the latter stages. So what happens if we
cannot get any new strikers? I cannot
believe Crouch, Defoe and Co will be as barren in the goal scoring department
as they were last season, a fitter Van der Vaart, and Bale to provide the assists, surely they will score more
this campaign? Sentimentality and loyalty play no role in the modern game,
squads are made up of mercenaries plying their trade, and the best will move
on to the highest bidder. This could apply to Modric
and Bale, not only is it the big bucks in the pay packet but also the chance
to win medals and titles, so it is something we have to live with. To hold on
to them and attract others we have to increase our status in all aspects, and
that is not a short term process. We have a good squad, too
big by many standards and needs an element of pruning, then maybe some of the
up and coming youngsters will get to show what they are made of, but no one
can say we are boring. Some people say we will be a threat to the top four,
whoever make up that number. I think we can be part
of that group. All we will need then is a
nice big stadium to ply our trade and entertain. Follow Colin Ashby
this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-colin.htm
United to win the league
despite appearances of not being as good as they once were. Chelsea to be
powerful and quite dull. City to not quite gel as a team but have enough
quality for a top 4 spot. Arsenal to be pretty pretty
but fall short of a serious challenge for anything. Spurs and Liverpool
battling it out for best of the rest. Villa to be moaning about their manager
by November. Stoke, Bolton, Fulham winning some, losing some and drawing
loads. Everton top ten. Newcastle lower mid. A
promoted side to get off to a flyer and then get relegated. Repeat every 12
months. Diamond White It's always difficult to
give opinions on expectations for the season when the manager and director
haven't even finished their wheeler-dealing. After a fantastic escapade
in the CL last season, we now have an opportunity to make further progress in
europe, giving a good run-out to the younger
elements of the squad. Good to see young Kyle Walker stating his ambitions
recently in the Evening Standard. His desire to have an extended run in the
first team, will only aid his development after recent full senior call-ups. The lack of activity to
date in the problem-positions shouldn't detract from the fact that we still
have some exciting youth at the club. And wouldn't it be nice to see some of
them flourish? The current transfer
thinking is that we may get Christopher Samba (a welcome addition should he
join – we need to establish a regular partnership at the back) and with David
Bentley heading in the opposite direction, we kill two birds with one stone. The news that Emmanuel Adebayor may now be a Spurs player will be greeted with
mixed views from Spurs fans. He is a good target man and
all round striker, that we have lacked for some
time. He's a bit like a combination of Crouch and Defoe's better qualities.
And if Crouch does depart for Stoke with Wilson Palacios, we may have done
some successful last minute bargaining. If it's true that Man City
have subsidised his wages in order to facilitate the move, even better for us
in the 'Top 4' battle. The squad is strong and the
manager is keen to prove his abilities, with the end of season providing an
opportunity for Harry to leave Spurs on a high as he waltzes into the murky
corridors of the FA. A good result for us this
season would obviously be to get a top 4 place with that ever possible FA or
League Cup to boot. That's what we should be aiming for, but it would also be
nice to pick up the european trophy we'll contest
this season. If we can do that then
it'll be easier at the end of the season to retain our better players,
including Modric whose attitude has called his
commitment to the club into question. There is the possibility that Spurs in
their current state could be the ideal seed to plant for a talented, world
class manager. Whomever that may be will be a
subject of debate come the end of the season. But it must include keeping our
best players – Modric, Bale, Lennon. The start being delayed by
recent events is unfortunate as well, but it does give the squad more time to
gel before our big K.O., which just so happens to be an away trip to another
war-torn part of the country, Manchester. The street violence seen
around parts of London this past week has shocked and provoked a wider debate
about our society, its values and direction. Could the recent events
actually act as a catalyst to re-ignite the ambition of redeveloping the White
Hart Lane area? I sincerely hope that we once and for all end the farce that
has been the Stratford gamble and concentrate on the original plan, which
must have been viable, otherwise the club wouldn't
have bought up the required land, commissioned the planners and architects. But whatever the ups and
downs this season, it will be a very competitive league. Those teams around
us may have spent more money in the scramble for positions, but with these
new additions, it may just be that we re-assert ourselves as a serious club,
with serious ambition... Follow Dan Wetzels this season at his Topspurs column http://www.topspurs.com/thfccol-danw.htm
Spurs start this season as
one of the eight best teams in Europe after the magnificent CL run last year
and on the back of three consecutive seasons in the top 8, the first since
81/2-83/4 and before that 71/2-73/4, another season of European football,
financially ok, a squad stuffed full of class international players with the
most successful manager in recent times at the helm. But instead of an air of
contentment with the hope of pushing on to grab another top
four finish for another crack at the Champions League, there are long
faces all around. Some worried that its all about to
go downhill, others worried that its not good enough no matter what, (both a
factor of the individuals psychology) but almost everyone desperate for Spurs
to sign a new striker or two. The need for a striker is
shown in the past two league performances 2010/11 p38 W16 D14 L8 F55 A46 pts62 biggest win 4-2, GD +9 2009/10 p38 W21 D7 L10 F67 A41 pts70 biggest win 9-1, GD +26 In simple terms, in 09/10
Spurs won more games by scoring more goals. In 10/11, Spurs had the added
burden of a long and exhilarating CL campaign which took its toll towards in
second half of the season and the extra goal to nick a win that arrived the
previous year was absent. In between Spurs winning in
Milan against AC and the QF exit against Madrid, Spurs lost to Blackpool, and
drew with Wolves, Wigan and West Ham. 3 points from 12 when it really should
have been 10/12 from 12 and 69/72 points to equal or surpass the previous
season. However injuries and the volume of high profile matches took their
toll which is only to be expected. To add a little context,
these two league performances were the first and third best in the 19 years
of the EPL so last year was no disaster but in looking to get back to a 70+
point season, a few more goals while keeping it tight at the back seems the
logical place to improve the team. It’s a nuisance that the
transfer window stays open for 10% of the EPL season with four games
scheduled to be completed before Spurs do all their business in the
afternoon/evening of the last day – our clubs owners love a bargain. Spurs have already snapped
up a couple of small deals
- an excellent signing in Brad Friedel
as cover/challenge for Gomes who ended last season under a cloud. Friedel is not young and seemed to be losing a little bit
of his brilliance last season but a top class keeper at best and our
respected foe and nemesis from the 2002 League Cup Final. I expect Gomes to
get the nod at the start of the season but would not be worried about having Friedel in his place, with a longer term solution
developed over the next 18 months. Spurs signed someone from Barcelona who no
doubt will be on loan somewhere in the championship and lost forever before
long but also signed Souleymane Coulibaly
who was a smash hit at the U17 world cup and could be anything in time. All
deals done so far represent good business which keeps the club going forward
but selected high profile improvements are required. As mentioned a number of
times before, Spurs do business on value – buying a player worth £10m if available
for £5m and not going into the market and looking for players for specific
positions. This is how a club of Spurs size and ownership structure can
compete on a sustainable level. This is how VdV
ended up at Spurs - £8m was very cheap, and then it was up to the manager to
fit him in. VdV was an excellent signing in every
respect, esp in the first half of the season which
ended with 13 league goals. However there is a suspicion that when he plays, its difficult for others to score. The normally prolific
Defoe who went from 31(3)apps 18 goals in 09/10 to
16(5)apps 4 goals in 10/11, Crouch went from 8 league goals to 4 with similar
number of games. Pav managed an increased goals
return with more opportunities but entering his fourth season at Spurs fails
to convince as a Torres/Drogba, Tevez
or Rooney type which lead the line in the elite teams (but would be my first
choice off the bench though and is a smart player). Where Spurs get this high
class striker is open to debate and its ironic that Spurs record signing
would be ideal to play up front on his own with VdV
in his favoured role … had Spurs not sold him back in 2009. The record
signing remains Darren Bent. Who Spurs get to play up
front will probably be who becomes available on 31 August and will be fitted
in without a pre-season. Lets hope its not another
Frazer Campbell or Gregorz ‘Piano Man’ Raziak when the crème du menthe have been snapped up
earlier in the window. That would be very disappointing having also missed
the January 2011 window when the shortcomings in this area were obvious but
apparently no decent players were around. And another centre back is
also a priority. Going the other way, the Modric saga has rumbled on over the summer. Levy very
quickly stated he was going nowhere and aside from the Kevin Bond comments
that everyone has a price, it seems to have quietened down in recent weeks.
That said, Berbatov went at the last minute and
uncertainty will remain despite all the words. Personally, I think every
player does have a price and for the right dough, Spurs should never be blind
to the right deal for the long term of the club. Fans have become
simultaneously over clingy about some players – remember they all sign from
somewhere else in the first place and are just journeymen on the premier
league gravy train -
and too dismissive at a whim of others who are perceived as no
good for whatever reason. There are host of other
players that fans have lost patience with but scanning through the squad
list, virtually all are useful squad members who can come in and do a job and
hopefully most will be retained and chip in when required. Those that should
be on their way are Keane who sullied his 122 record by coming back and not
being able to perform to his previous high standards and Bentley, who at the
time looked a great signing but has for the most part been disappointing.
Hopefully Spurs could find someone better than Bassong and Alnwick really should be somewhere else a long time ago, esp now Spurs have five first team keepers Of the changes to the
regular first teamers last season – possibly Friedel
in goal but most Spurs fans are looking forward to Walker at full back after
his excellent displays for Villa. Elsewhere the team, injuries aside, should
be pretty much as last season, and as such have a very good chance of another
good league finish, esp if Bale and Modric can stay fit and have someone up the front to
score the goals. Spurs have a potentially
tricky opening with two CL teams and Liverpool in the first six games,
fixtures last season which produced 1 win 4 draws and the usual defeat at OT.
Three wins and a couple of draws would be a good start but again its not hard to see plenty of draws in the opening games.
Arsenal in week 7 is not any easier but a run of cannon fodder from then
until Chelsea just before Christmas should be sufficient to see Spurs 32pts +
by the time of the usual win at Carrow Road on
Boxing day. A good indication of how Spurs are progressing is the goal
difference which should be 0.5+ per game. Hopefully, there will be no
adverse reaction from the vocal sections of the crowd who find all sorts of
esoteric reasons to dislike Redknapp if things are a bit sticky at the start,
as if they do a Ramos/Hoddle/Jol/Gross and sack
after 6 or less games of a new season (and Santini
11 games), it could be a very long time before Spurs become complacent at
“only” finishing 5th with someone new. I think Redknapp is great,
he has a passion for football, Spurs play good stuff and have a great record
of wins under him – really, what is there to dislike and I will be pretty
disappointed if he is replaced anytime soon. As for expectations this
year – I’d love it if Spurs really gave that Europa
League a good go. Sure it’s a pain having 17 extra games including the final,
nearly half a season extra, but it would be great to see Spurs lift another
European trophy after nearly 30 years. Having done so well in the CL, winning
a group with the holders in it, there should be no one to fear in the Europa but I’m sure it will be placed very much as 2nd or
even 3rd objective of a strong league campaign and CL football again in
2012/13 which I understand in the modern context is where football is at. The
domestic cups look a long way down the agenda and again could be sacrificed
for other objectives as last season. Man
U were
probably the weakest and least convincing winners of the EPL in its history
and look vulnerable this year. A Chelsea side with Drogba
recovered from Malaria and Torres scoring should have a great chance of the
title this year assuming the young manager has the bottle for the big league.
Arsenal have previously bounced back from a number of setbacks but if Fabregas goes, along with Nasri
and Wenger, into his 60s looking ever more disillusioned, they may start
slipping back. Man City have blown a load more dough but take away Tevez from that team and they along with Liverpool who finished strongly last season and
possibly Arsenal dropping back will be fighting with Spurs for
3rd/4th/5th/6th Nice to see QPR back but
the promoted teams look a bit light and the established EPL midtable which is full of decent sides with good players
look set for another year of consolidation with none looking particularly
like to push much above 55 points to challenge the top 6 Harry Redknapp has an
average of 1.71 points per game over his 106 EPL matches for Spurs. Rolled
out over the whole season this is 65 points and if Spurs could achieve that
it will be a good season and start to equal 4 consecutive top 8 finishes in
the 80s and before that in the 60s. A factor well worth remembering when
framing expectations – this is Spurs, the 4th best at this, the 5th best at
that etc and most noticeably in spending power, where wages paid have a great
correlation to teams final finishing position. Dropping below 60 points
would represent a backward step but equally anything 70 points or over will
almost definitely see Spurs back in the CL and have a good crack at the title
which will represent a great season Whatever happens, lets hope
its entertaining and successful for Spurs Jim Duggan, TOPSPURS http://www.topspurs.com/jmdview.htm
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