If you don't play well- don't lose! Rose saves the day.

Matt, I agree that three games is too early to judge the prospects for this campaign.....so I decided to look at the last ten games, 3 this term, 7 last.

During that time we have P10, W3 D5, L2, 14 points, scoring 16 and conceding 13, GD 3.

The real worry for me is that sort of form leaves us a long way off of last season, like 17 points worse. We paid the price last year from such an exhausting campaign, tailing off badly, and have started in a not dissimilar vein. Players that are clearly struggling - Eric, Harry, Deli, look so completely knackered to me.

If you make a simple sum, add a tired squad to extra Sky cash, that to me = spend on fresh legs, yet net net we will not be spending sweet FA, compared to all our major rivals. Now whilst that is no surprise, to maintain our edge without spending silly money means that if we were to spend £50-60m, then recover £25-30m, so net £25-30m, that is table stakes for refreshing a decidedly thin and tired squad.

That's where I just cannot understand the DL approach. We are two years away from a 60,000 seater stadium(in theory). You have to bridge the gap between now and the squad you will need to push for CL on a permanent basis. Yet we have teams that finished below us Manure, Chelski, ThePool already threatening to expose our lack of a sensible investment plan......a really worry for me.

COYS

 

If memory serves think we had only two points at this stage last season..
Bit early to be panicking just yet. We've been bang average thus far but still unbeaten and well placed. Think we were one of the most represented sides at the Euros so many players still behind preseason wise and son went to the Olympics. I'm expecting two signings at least and either Kane Jansen will soon find the net.

 

Interesting views from all to be fair. I don't think anyone is 'panicking' per se but I can certainly understand people's frustrations. We simply need to be beating such rivals at home. I suppose the fear is that we have drawn 2 out of our 3 PL fixtures and this was the issue last season; too many points dropped from draws! If we want to improve, this can't happen this season, it just can't.

Yesterday was a poor performance, no getting away from it. However, we took a point against a well drilled team and, one that has all but finalised their transfer activity - something Levy might take on board one day. It's clear that it has its advantages, for most.

Tactically, IMO Kane has to spearhead the attack and isn't as effective in the hole. Anyhow, we move on and learn.

TRANSFERS
There are plenty of rumours kicking around today. I think it is safe to say Mason and Nacer will be sold, with the possibility of an additional £25m for Son coming its way too. Personally, I can't see Son going just yet and I would persevere with him for another season.

In terms of acquisitions, N'Koudou and Isco would be on point. How likely though!? We need bodies, otherwise the squad will be too thin when we are hit with injuries, suspensions etc. Let's hope some pace and quality is brought in eh.

COYS

 

Hi
Good article from Spurs fan NY.
Is Vertongen slow to understand English or the amended rules of the game.
We will concede a penalty everytime there is corner for the opposition if Mike dean referees our games.
He seems to be the weakest link in our defence especially when dealing with aerial balls.
Poch should rather place him on the goalline.
Spurs are really terrible at the moment. Hope there is improvement as we approach the group stages of the Champions league.

 

My gripe at the moment is we have little to zero options other than hope the 1st team plays well and stays fit.
50% of our games were drawn or lost in the Prem last year and this was during a good campaign when we were playing well.
Many fans got giddy besides the league being so poor and lost a grip on reality.

We finished in the CL places and have a Campaign set out ahead of us, with arguably a favourable draw.
With the increase in demand of quality and chance to kick on/cement our top 4 status what have we really done to ensure we will be up there challenging again this year?

Janssen and Wanyama look solid signings but wheres the flair/creativity/pace/quality?

With last seasons 3 top scorers looking way off the pace and form but undroppable because there's no one with more than a training games experience between them, how can we genuinely be looking to kick on this season?

Poch looks to have alienated many of the squad for a favourable close knit group (which is fine for his style/philosophy) but we look desperately short now of options which with the demands he puts on the 1st team will only result in burn out or flatness which we are worryingly seeing already 3 games in to a new season.

Yes there has been improvement in attitude and work rate of team but lets be fair this has only looked a markable improvement from the AvB, Baldini, Tim hangover and ghosts of 90s past.
We may out run oppositions, we may have a tighter defence, we may have a striker that scores 20+ consistently but we're still celebrating knicking draws when we should've been home and hosed for all the stats except 1.
Which screams that going forward we do not have enough quality, or the right approach.

We've all sat in the stands/home/pub etc and been frustrated at this constant coming inside, slow play anywhere in final 3rd, sideways/backwards passing from positive positions, lack of getting the ball or bodies in the danger areas.

The high press Poch played at saints always seemed in evidence when i saw them play, for us it seems laboured imo. Which is either a tactical or personnel issue which must be worked out because this seems to be getting flatter and more predictable by the game for me.

Poch has been saying 2/3 more signings well where are they?
Ming has played this once before when we had CL qualification and chance to consolidate it and he sat on his hands then too and we all know how that panned out.

This is not an over reaction to 3 games its an observation of what i can see of history repeating itself.

 

I'm glad some have understood my post,I just wanted to point out the fact we are still looking for the spark that ignites the season, as Felon pointed out other teams read our game plan with ease,plus we are close to the end of the window and still no wide man or a play maker,we have now let go most of our second eleven squad player's so we fill it with the kids,fair play they are good but a 1st team they are not,so where are the back up's for our main spine??you can see how we have problems without Dembele,if he gets a knock what then? Levy must act now or we will be back where we started last year..COYS

 

Wherever we observe our boys, we know what we are seeing is not right.

I'm no expert, but in my own way, over 50 plus years, I've come to get a sense of what is going right and what is not. I'm not a coach nor was I ever coached. I just played a bit, watched a lot.

On the business side I know I don't know the numbers, but I understand financially what makes sense, even if I'm not on the inside.

I've watched at least 10,12 even, transfer windows of note and we've failed to get it right on many of them. Not me, not the fans, possibly the manager, certainly the Chairman. It's no contest. Okay so I've got no skin in the game, but being risk averse might just come back to bite him in the bum. But he is ever so thick skinned and doesn't really concern himself with what we think and feel.

To me this isn't difficult. We need another striker, a wingman, a creative midfield player. Now. We need to play Wimmer first choice as difficult as it may be. I'm a Verts fan, but he's second choice. I can see it. Many can. Poch must see it. Okay Wimmer's injured, but when he is not, do it. Show you've got balls MP.

I fretted in the past about what we didn't do when we should be buying to push on. 20/20 hindsight tells me I was more right than wrong. You know what, those who understand these things, from the terraces, pubs and settees around know they were more right than wrong.

The Chairman thinks otherwise, or is so think skinned that he just doesn't react to any of this. I can understand this. Not easily, but when you're wed to the owners daughter, I guess you might view these matters differently. Of course he does. At the end of the day he is the Boss, or close to being that. That he may not be right all the time is absolutely true. We know that. DL you're the boss, but please, please look at what's in front of you. Look at the last 10 games. Rewind the Euros and watch our Boys. For once don't go with your instincts, just imagine you've been given a credit card with no limit. Spend, spend, spend.......

Please DL and have a good rest of Bank Holiday Monday, likewise Spurs fans everywhere. Don't you just love them.

COYS

 

Nail on the head Felon, the worry is Levy hasn't learnt from the last time we had a CL campaign. That season we had the perfect opportunity to cement a top 4 position (for seasons to come) and didn't carry out the necessary transfer activity. It was quantity over quality, thus a bloated squad of somewhat mediocre players! Change of strategy Mr Levy, please.

It is time to learn this time around, especially with the new stadium on its way; we will be looking to maximise revenue through sponsorship and forthcoming naming rights deals etc. Therefore the club/board should be doing everything possible to ensure we are at Europe's top table and bringing in the necessary quality to compete NOW.

 

Not been critical of levy and poch for a long time but to here the comments from poch yesterday that we need a player like Mane
A) hello thank took for that we have recognised this for a long time
B) why haven't we signed one yet
C) and finally could we not have signed mane in the first place.

 

You couldn't make it up Big Fran, could you....Hey Ho.

 

New's of another one gone Chadli,and it seem's Son might be on his way,if this continues will we have enough player's to put a team out at Stoke!!!,Levy wants his wallet full to bursting before he will even consider letting a pound note leave it!!!!If reports are half true we are back in for Zaha this has to be a joke,Bufal could have been ours but instead to Southamton we offer CL and he selects them a good club yes but to compare with CL NO!!We will be left with Dross again and we will burn out all our top player's,ruin our chance's of CL next term.Do not forget Levy has a pay rise bonus every time we get a profit.I do not like the way this is heading.....COYS