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Mortal Delusion

El Guepardo

Rafael Van Der Vaart
I think half of my frustration is born out of the Spurs bias delusion that is present within my DNA as a Spurs supporter.

I looked at the team yesterday, and barring the absence of creativity, I thought we had a strong team on paper. I tell people that I do not understand why Manchester United are so hyped up when we have a largely stronger first team than them, even typing that I realise it’s delusional. But, and hear me out, I would select the following team from a Manchester United/Spurs combined forces...

Lloris
Doherty
Alderweireld
Bailly
Davies
Fernandes
Van De Beek
Pogba
Lo Celso
Son
Kane

So, 4 United players in a team of 11. Yet, I must be delusional as they are a way better equipped team than us, and thought to be a certainty for top 4 by other supporters. So, what is going on?

And so, for want of Spurs to be the best team, my delusion means that I end up further frustrated as there’s a natural chasm between the expectation, and the reality. This then leads to a question of whether that expectation can ever be matched with reality, or whether as we improve, expectation improves as a parallel and then my desire for us to be successful will never fully be satiated as I will feel that we could be achieving more.

Is this the natural curse of being invested emotionally in the club that you support? That you lose focus on reality, overrate the club and it’s players, and end up disappointed with the reality?
 
I think half of my frustration is born out of the Spurs bias delusion that is present within my DNA as a Spurs supporter.

I looked at the team yesterday, and barring the absence of creativity, I thought we had a strong team on paper. I tell people that I do not understand why Manchester United are so hyped up when we have a largely stronger first team than them, even typing that I realise it’s delusional. But, and hear me out, I would select the following team from a Manchester United/Spurs combined forces...

Lloris
Doherty
Alderweireld
Bailly
Davies
Fernandes
Van De Beek
Pogba
Lo Celso
Son
Kane

So, 4 United players in a team of 11. Yet, I must be delusional as they are a way better equipped team than us, and thought to be a certainty for top 4 by other supporters. So, what is going on?

And so, for want of Spurs to be the best team, my delusion means that I end up further frustrated as there’s a natural chasm between the expectation, and the reality. This then leads to a question of whether that expectation can ever be matched with reality, or whether as we improve, expectation improves as a parallel and then my desire for us to be successful will never fully be satiated as I will feel that we could be achieving more.

Is this the natural curse of being invested emotionally in the club that you support? That you lose focus on reality, overrate the club and it’s players, and end up disappointed with the reality?

Uniteds team is better than ours now and their curve is going up, its only going to get better, the age of their group means they are at the start of their journey. Our squads coming to the end and looks bored and disillusioned

Rashford, Martial and Greenwood gives them pace on pace and energy that gives them an edge and none of them feature in your side, they would in mine but even if we took your view having that energy as a plan B compared to what we have?

I am not bias, I think where we are and the likes of Chelsea and United are now is night and day, there will be no comparison to where they finish to where we finish and whilst next season they will kick on again we will lose Kane and the better players we both rate.
 
I think half of my frustration is born out of the Spurs bias delusion that is present within my DNA as a Spurs supporter.

I looked at the team yesterday, and barring the absence of creativity, I thought we had a strong team on paper. I tell people that I do not understand why Manchester United are so hyped up when we have a largely stronger first team than them, even typing that I realise it’s delusional. But, and hear me out, I would select the following team from a Manchester United/Spurs combined forces...

Lloris
Doherty
Alderweireld
Bailly
Davies
Fernandes
Van De Beek
Pogba
Lo Celso
Son
Kane

So, 4 United players in a team of 11. Yet, I must be delusional as they are a way better equipped team than us, and thought to be a certainty for top 4 by other supporters. So, what is going on?

And so, for want of Spurs to be the best team, my delusion means that I end up further frustrated as there’s a natural chasm between the expectation, and the reality. This then leads to a question of whether that expectation can ever be matched with reality, or whether as we improve, expectation improves as a parallel and then my desire for us to be successful will never fully be satiated as I will feel that we could be achieving more.

Is this the natural curse of being invested emotionally in the club that you support? That you lose focus on reality, overrate the club and it’s players, and end up disappointed with the reality?
When I have same more time I’ll do the same but I do think you’ve overrated both spurs and United players compared to my opinion. It’s hard to not have a bias if you watch 90 mins of spurs but limited snippets of other teams.
If you put the players next to each other that you are comparing it might be more telling, I think you’ll find first X1 aside it’s the depth that is the real issue. United might have 3 7 out of 10 players for a position where we have 1 8 out of 10 and 2 5s.
This enables rotation and genuine competition for places / in game changes that can impact the game. I honestly thought we had the best x1 in the league for a while, the problem was our bench had top 6 quality so as the the players gradually tired / broke down / the quality of the team has been diluted.
If Sessegnon Lo Celso Ndombele Bergwijn can live up to their price tags that would be a start, as I feel that without them we just don’t have enough offensive options to lay a glove on organised opponents.
 
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United's fullbacks are better than ours too. Would take Wan Bisska and Shaw over our pair.

That said, I think there is a delusion bias evident in all of us so the core of your post is correct. I was looking at our side yesterday, looking at our bench and looking as GLC, Sessegnon and Gedson not in either and marvelling at our depth.
 
It’s natural to have a bias positive and negative and you will see it in this thread straight away. It’s also now more than ever a reactive driver in our culture as human beings which unfortunately drives short term views and instant positivity or negativity with very little middle ground

United have some quality players but have weaknesses too. We have quality players and some weaknesses too. That’s football

what I will say is that a team with inferior players working harder and knowing their game came and do frequently beat a side with “better” players. Hard work on and off the pitch is a pre requisite for success, and it was what was missing yesterday for example
 
Spurs United
Lloris De Gea
Doherty Wan-Bissaka
Dier Bailly
Alderweireld Maguire
Winks van de beek
Hojbjerg Pogba
Lo Celso Fernandes
Son
Martial
Kane Rashford
Lucas Greenwood

So Kane, Son and Doherty from Spurs and van de Beek, Pogba and Fernandes from Utd, the others are much of a muchness and you could argue either way on both teams.
 
Spurs United
Lloris De Gea
Doherty Wan-Bissaka
Dier Bailly
Alderweireld Maguire
Winks van de beek
Hojbjerg Pogba
Lo Celso Fernandes
Son
Martial
Kane Rashford
Lucas Greenwood

So Kane, Son and Doherty from Spurs and van de Beek, Pogba and Fernandes from Utd, the others are much of a muchness and you could argue either way on both teams.
Fair call
Of course a big thing is confidence too that hurts some players more than others
 
I think half of my frustration is born out of the Spurs bias delusion that is present within my DNA as a Spurs supporter.

I looked at the team yesterday, and barring the absence of creativity, I thought we had a strong team on paper. I tell people that I do not understand why Manchester United are so hyped up when we have a largely stronger first team than them, even typing that I realise it’s delusional. But, and hear me out, I would select the following team from a Manchester United/Spurs combined forces...

Lloris
Doherty
Alderweireld
Bailly
Davies
Fernandes
Van De Beek
Pogba

Lo Celso
Son
Kane

So, 4 United players in a team of 11. Yet, I must be delusional as they are a way better equipped team than us, and thought to be a certainty for top 4 by other supporters. So, what is going on?

And so, for want of Spurs to be the best team, my delusion means that I end up further frustrated as there’s a natural chasm between the expectation, and the reality. This then leads to a question of whether that expectation can ever be matched with reality, or whether as we improve, expectation improves as a parallel and then my desire for us to be successful will never fully be satiated as I will feel that we could be achieving more.

Is this the natural curse of being invested emotionally in the club that you support? That you lose focus on reality, overrate the club and it’s players, and end up disappointed with the reality?

I've highlighted what I think a major part of the issue is - they have three central / attacking midfielders in your lineup, we only have one - and he isn't fit. I think we had the same problem as England yesterday - defence not bad, attack outstanding on paper, but no passing midfielders (at 4, 8 OR 10) to tie them together. We need Ndombele AND Lo Celso playing to have any kind of real quality in possession.

Then as Bedford says, there's also the psychological side of things - we've been in a negative place for 12+ months, and as soon as Everton score I'd imagine that negativity immediately comes flooding back into the players' minds and bodies.
 
We have a lot of good players, we have a couple of great players, some with really good potential, and Sissoko.
We also have a coach that is very highly regarded.
What I can't see at the moment is a team, and what I haven't seen for quite a while is a squad, a team or a group of players even that are willing to go that extra yard.
We are a good on paper side.
 
Picking any of our defenders :D

Lloris, Kane and Son - that's it and even then plenty of neutrals would argue against each of those.
 
Assume that was tongue in cheek?

Or maybe you just need a little lie down? :D


No, i post on/read a message board with 000s of supporters across all clubs in Britain and a lot of people there would argue against Son Kane or Lloris ahead of their counterparts at United, atm.

Not a majority but it's not as clear cut as it once was.
 
Looking aside from this, just seen the pace and football within 2 mins for Wolves and wow.....

Even their project looks more exciting than ours
 
No, i post on/read a message board with 000s of supporters across all clubs in Britain and a lot of people there would argue against Son Kane or Lloris ahead of their counterparts at United, atm.

Not a majority but it's not as clear cut as it once was.
Of course, none of us can be 100% objective and I'm certainly not. Equally, just because a lot 'neutral' fans claim United's players in those positions are better doesn't make it so.
 
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