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Fourth - who are we going to beat to it?
- Thread starter Pirate55
- Start date
Cochise
Steve Carr
Honestly, if we can keep up the pace with Liverpool to the end of March I think we have a very good chance. I can definately see them dropping points. That said, the gooners look likely to have a heavy injury list and Liverpool might play them at the right time to get a result, Flamini with a red card tonight will be missing and I don't see anyone else doing a decent job at protecting their back line.
I think tonight's Merseyside derby game highlighted the fickleness of football fans if anything. When Liverpool drew with Villa a few of our lads wrote them off (despite still being in 4th) by stating stuff like 'they are knackered and will drop off' now, not acknowledging the reason they dropped points in that game was they went in too attacking against a good counter-attacking side.
I can't see them going away, they have two of the five best strikers in the league and a very good support cast, once they have their injured defenders back they will be tighter there. Then again I talk about fickleness, I've maintained all season Everton will be right up there in the battle for fourth but after tonight I'm not so sure! They were truly poor, outplayed and to top if off had their best striker injured (potentially long term). They will need that Traore chap (I've never rated him) to hit the ground running or they will fall away. Not to mention it won't be easy for them to pick themselves up after tonight.
As for Man Utd, did anyone seriously see them dropping points tonight? I ruled them out of the 4th place battle but after signing Mata it would be silly to not change my mind. Them and Liverpool have the best teams of the challengers, if we're to keep pace we're going to have to remain supremely consistent (and could do with a top attacker coming in, though I shan't hold my breath on that).
Delighted to see l'**** drop points but St Mary's is a tough place to go. However a red card for Flamini, injury to Ramsey with all these big games on the horizon could well knock them off course. If they lose at Anfield in a week or two they may be dragged back in to the race for fourth. Football is awesome!
I can't see them going away, they have two of the five best strikers in the league and a very good support cast, once they have their injured defenders back they will be tighter there. Then again I talk about fickleness, I've maintained all season Everton will be right up there in the battle for fourth but after tonight I'm not so sure! They were truly poor, outplayed and to top if off had their best striker injured (potentially long term). They will need that Traore chap (I've never rated him) to hit the ground running or they will fall away. Not to mention it won't be easy for them to pick themselves up after tonight.
As for Man Utd, did anyone seriously see them dropping points tonight? I ruled them out of the 4th place battle but after signing Mata it would be silly to not change my mind. Them and Liverpool have the best teams of the challengers, if we're to keep pace we're going to have to remain supremely consistent (and could do with a top attacker coming in, though I shan't hold my breath on that).
Delighted to see l'**** drop points but St Mary's is a tough place to go. However a red card for Flamini, injury to Ramsey with all these big games on the horizon could well knock them off course. If they lose at Anfield in a week or two they may be dragged back in to the race for fourth. Football is awesome!
Robbo
Les Ferdinand
Great, isn't it! Will be an exciting and nerve wrecking few months for quite a few teams' supporters now. Still fear we'll end up as low as sixth, behind United and Liverpool, but I'd be surprised if we don't see a slump in form for the latter - hopefully we've already had our slump before Christmas this year!
Millsy_Yiddo
Naybet
I would have to agree, their first choice (I'm assuming) a front 4 of Mata, Rooney, RVP and Januzaj (Or however it's spelt) is scarey. Although admittedly I keep saying Liverpool are going to drop of but they still aren't showing any signs of it.
Think I've personally thrown in the towel with regards to finishing 4th this season after the last two nights unfortunately. The gulf in quality between Liverpool and ourselves is massive and United will only improve with Mata there.
Hope we finish above Everton at least. Lukaku's out for a while, their backup is that donkey on loan from Monaco, Lacina Traore.
Hope we finish above Everton at least. Lukaku's out for a while, their backup is that donkey on loan from Monaco, Lacina Traore.
spurs' magna carter
Ronnie Rosenthal
I don't know why but I haven't given up, something just tells me we're really not out of it.
SteveAWOL
Colin Calderwood
I still believe we're in with a decent shout of snagging that 4th place, so long as we continue to beat the teams outside of the Top 8...
As ultimately it was too many slip ups against those teams we were expected to beat last season that cost us 4th spot:
As ultimately it was too many slip ups against those teams we were expected to beat last season that cost us 4th spot:
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Hully
Tony Parks
Let's just see what happens when we are able to pick a full strength team. I'd agree the Liverpool side that played against Everton is stronger than the side we had out last night. But that is nowhere near our best 11.
Ultimately I think the difference between us will be us having to play EL games. Liverpool can throw everything at the league.
Mosquito_Coasting
Jonathan Woodgate
We're still in it but we are outsiders to Liverpool. Would be hilarious if we finished above them considering they are so much more cohesive than us.
Astonished by that Liverpol comment! Yes they play more as a team (due to being more settled) and don't have the EL but man for man I think our best 11 is a good bit better than theirs.
I share your view re Man U though and expect them to come 4th with us and Liverpool very close to each other in 5th/6th
Cochise
Steve Carr
I'm not sure what to think regarding fourth. Last year I felt we didn't really deserve it with the football we were playing, in the last few weeks under TS I have felt our football was improving. Ultimately though on footballing merits Liverpool deserve it, this may be a bitter pill to swallow, but our defending and general play at times isn't deserving of UCL.
7percent
Pascal Chimbonda
I still think we can do it. It is a massive task though.
I'm glad we've already played United twice and picked up points from them, wouldn't fancy our chances against United now they have Mata and RVP is back.
The game against Liverpool in March is massive. If we're still in touching distance a win there would be incredible.
The bookies have us at 11/4 to finish in the top four, with United on 2/1 and Liverpool on 4/6. It is a massive ask but we're still in the race.
I'm still hoping for a gooner collapse soon.. [-o<
I'm glad we've already played United twice and picked up points from them, wouldn't fancy our chances against United now they have Mata and RVP is back.
The game against Liverpool in March is massive. If we're still in touching distance a win there would be incredible.
The bookies have us at 11/4 to finish in the top four, with United on 2/1 and Liverpool on 4/6. It is a massive ask but we're still in the race.
I'm still hoping for a gooner collapse soon.. [-o<
spurs' magna carter
Ronnie Rosenthal
Very good read in today's Standard, also posted in the Sherwood thread.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...still-too-good-to-be-counted-out-9096361.html
Flattened Tottenham are still too good to be counted out
James Olley
Published: 30 January 2014
Updated: 13:27, 30 January 2014
This was not the first heavy defeat Tottenham have suffered this season but in contrast to previous beatings, a fighting spirit remained against Emirates Marketing Project that suggests they are capable of recovering.
The obvious contrast is with November’s reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium. City were rampant as they have so often been this campaign but it was the total lack of conviction and concentration in Spurs’s play that alarmed the club’s hierarchy so deeply.
That performance was replicated as Liverpool ran riot at White Hart Lane three weeks later. They looked almost to have given up and Andre Villas-Boas subsequently paid the price.
City condemned Tottenham to a third hammering last night but the home side’s refusal to yield to a superior team will encourage Tim Sherwood to believe the reinvigoration he has overseen is not about to disappear.
Spurs should simply draw a line under this and move on. City are threatening to remove all doubt about this season’s title race by reproducing their devastating home form on the road. Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool should be deeply concerned.
City are playing so well that trying to analyse Tottenham’s performance almost seems a spurious exercise. Their numbers are absurd: Manuel Pellegrini’s side are now unbeaten in 20 matches in all competitions, scoring 69 goals in the process.
On 14 occasions, they have scored more than four goals in a game. In eight matches, they have scored five or more. On a night when Chelsea laboured to a 0-0 draw against West Ham across town, the contrast with City’s free-flowing football was stark.
Even an injury to Sergio Aguero, who was magnificent in tandem with David Silva before a hamstring strain curtailed his evening, seems unlikely to check their progress.
After all, Alvaro Negredo sat on the bench as Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic bagged themselves a goal apiece in Aguero’s absence.
Yaya Toure also limped off in the 64th minute but the depth of City’s squad is staggering, especially when considering that James Milner, Samir Nasri and Javi Garcia were not even in the matchday squad.
There were some senior figures at Tottenham who genuinely believed a title challenge was within their grasp this season after signing seven new players to offset the loss of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. Such a view is surely held no longer. Spurs have improved the variety in their squad but City have invested hundreds of millions to lavishly assemble a group capable of challenging on all fronts with an expansive playing style. That is exactly what they look like doing.
The club’s latest financial figures revealed another loss — this time of £51.6million — taking it to around £400m in four years; Sheikh Mansour has put £1billion into the club up until May 2013.
These numbers are also absurd. Inevitably there will be a correlation. Tottenham needed to be at their very best and perhaps the absence of four key players of their own in Younes Kaboul, Paulinho, Jan Vertonghen and Sandro put the task beyond them.
Nabil Bentaleb is a promising talent but he is not yet ready to counter the might of City and Toure in particular. Few players are. This result will not define Spurs’s season but what might is consistent repetition of their resilience in the face of adversity.
City could have been out of sight during a mesmeric opening 30 minutes which Tottenham spent mostly chasing shadows. Despite Aguero’s wonderfully taken 15th-minute opener, Spurs gradually cleared their heads and began to get a footing in the match.
Michael Dawson had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside flag before Danny Rose was adjudged to have fouled Dzeko in the box just after the restart.
Referee Andre Marriner seemed content to give a corner but assistant Scott Ledger indicated it was a penalty and a red card followed. Once Toure converted, the game as a contest was effectively over, certainly so when Dzeko added a third two minutes later.
But Spurs, under-resourced and under the cosh, somehow rallied. Etienne Capoue converted from a corner and briefly they looked capable of making City uncomfortable despite their numerical advantage.
Late goals from Jovetic and Vincent Kompany were harsh on Spurs.
Sherwood said: “Once we went down to 10 men, it was over as a spectacle. But I thought at 3-1 we showed real spirit, kept going and I didn’t think there was any chance of seeing a capitulation like we saw at the Etihad. Unfortunately we leaked a few goals at the death which is really disappointing.
“It is a defeat but it is only three points. We have to get this out of our minds quickly, go to Hull and get our confidence back. Hopefully it isn’t too much of a dent.”
It shouldn’t be. Fourth place remains just three points away and this is only the first League defeat under Sherwood’s management. He must galvanise his team and is right to stick to his attacking style, however much this result may demand, superficially at least, a rethink.
“Without question, City are the champions of the League,” said Sherwood. “Unfortunately for everyone they play, they don’t score one and shut up shop. They keep coming at you.
“Very rarely do you see a team go and put everyone behind the ball and get a result. They end up taking punches and get knocked out in the end. A club like Tottenham should never go with that mentality in my opinion.”
Tottenham took a brutal punch here last night but it does not have to be a knockout blow.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...still-too-good-to-be-counted-out-9096361.html
Flattened Tottenham are still too good to be counted out
James Olley
Published: 30 January 2014
Updated: 13:27, 30 January 2014
This was not the first heavy defeat Tottenham have suffered this season but in contrast to previous beatings, a fighting spirit remained against Emirates Marketing Project that suggests they are capable of recovering.
The obvious contrast is with November’s reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium. City were rampant as they have so often been this campaign but it was the total lack of conviction and concentration in Spurs’s play that alarmed the club’s hierarchy so deeply.
That performance was replicated as Liverpool ran riot at White Hart Lane three weeks later. They looked almost to have given up and Andre Villas-Boas subsequently paid the price.
City condemned Tottenham to a third hammering last night but the home side’s refusal to yield to a superior team will encourage Tim Sherwood to believe the reinvigoration he has overseen is not about to disappear.
Spurs should simply draw a line under this and move on. City are threatening to remove all doubt about this season’s title race by reproducing their devastating home form on the road. Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool should be deeply concerned.
City are playing so well that trying to analyse Tottenham’s performance almost seems a spurious exercise. Their numbers are absurd: Manuel Pellegrini’s side are now unbeaten in 20 matches in all competitions, scoring 69 goals in the process.
On 14 occasions, they have scored more than four goals in a game. In eight matches, they have scored five or more. On a night when Chelsea laboured to a 0-0 draw against West Ham across town, the contrast with City’s free-flowing football was stark.
Even an injury to Sergio Aguero, who was magnificent in tandem with David Silva before a hamstring strain curtailed his evening, seems unlikely to check their progress.
After all, Alvaro Negredo sat on the bench as Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic bagged themselves a goal apiece in Aguero’s absence.
Yaya Toure also limped off in the 64th minute but the depth of City’s squad is staggering, especially when considering that James Milner, Samir Nasri and Javi Garcia were not even in the matchday squad.
There were some senior figures at Tottenham who genuinely believed a title challenge was within their grasp this season after signing seven new players to offset the loss of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. Such a view is surely held no longer. Spurs have improved the variety in their squad but City have invested hundreds of millions to lavishly assemble a group capable of challenging on all fronts with an expansive playing style. That is exactly what they look like doing.
The club’s latest financial figures revealed another loss — this time of £51.6million — taking it to around £400m in four years; Sheikh Mansour has put £1billion into the club up until May 2013.
These numbers are also absurd. Inevitably there will be a correlation. Tottenham needed to be at their very best and perhaps the absence of four key players of their own in Younes Kaboul, Paulinho, Jan Vertonghen and Sandro put the task beyond them.
Nabil Bentaleb is a promising talent but he is not yet ready to counter the might of City and Toure in particular. Few players are. This result will not define Spurs’s season but what might is consistent repetition of their resilience in the face of adversity.
City could have been out of sight during a mesmeric opening 30 minutes which Tottenham spent mostly chasing shadows. Despite Aguero’s wonderfully taken 15th-minute opener, Spurs gradually cleared their heads and began to get a footing in the match.
Michael Dawson had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside flag before Danny Rose was adjudged to have fouled Dzeko in the box just after the restart.
Referee Andre Marriner seemed content to give a corner but assistant Scott Ledger indicated it was a penalty and a red card followed. Once Toure converted, the game as a contest was effectively over, certainly so when Dzeko added a third two minutes later.
But Spurs, under-resourced and under the cosh, somehow rallied. Etienne Capoue converted from a corner and briefly they looked capable of making City uncomfortable despite their numerical advantage.
Late goals from Jovetic and Vincent Kompany were harsh on Spurs.
Sherwood said: “Once we went down to 10 men, it was over as a spectacle. But I thought at 3-1 we showed real spirit, kept going and I didn’t think there was any chance of seeing a capitulation like we saw at the Etihad. Unfortunately we leaked a few goals at the death which is really disappointing.
“It is a defeat but it is only three points. We have to get this out of our minds quickly, go to Hull and get our confidence back. Hopefully it isn’t too much of a dent.”
It shouldn’t be. Fourth place remains just three points away and this is only the first League defeat under Sherwood’s management. He must galvanise his team and is right to stick to his attacking style, however much this result may demand, superficially at least, a rethink.
“Without question, City are the champions of the League,” said Sherwood. “Unfortunately for everyone they play, they don’t score one and shut up shop. They keep coming at you.
“Very rarely do you see a team go and put everyone behind the ball and get a result. They end up taking punches and get knocked out in the end. A club like Tottenham should never go with that mentality in my opinion.”
Tottenham took a brutal punch here last night but it does not have to be a knockout blow.
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