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Re-assessing our aims for the season

We were **** today but season ain't over. I think Poch needs to ditch players like Lamela and Ade st am who are not effective .

I would also suggest back to basics 44 ****ing 2. I don't totally blame Poch as the players we have are overrated garbage...
 
i'm delighted that we wont be qualifying for the europa next year, yet another sunday crapfest after a thursday game even with all the rotations, finishing 5th/6th has only hindered us
 
I still have faith we will finish 6-8. The results so far haven't been what I expected but our consistency has been. It's very frustrating at the moment but you can't expect the players to pick up poch ideas overnight, plus he will need at least another window to bring in players that fit his system.

After Xmas we can start to really judge poch, remember AVB first season we got a result at old Trafford then really kicked on fingers crossed for another result like that
 
We are an average team....aside from Lloris which of our squad would get anywhere near Man C/Chelsea/Liverpool/Arsenal/Man Utd first XI at the moment? Can you name many who would improve Everton's first XI and based purely on form I wouldn't pick many above the Southampton and Spammers teams.

I think we should prioritise the cup competitions and hope we dont get dragged into a relegation scrap as there's clearly no fight whatsoever in the squad. Hopefully we can get rid of some of the deadwood in January and start to build a team that not only buy into Poch's philosophy but the general philosophy that you join a club, do what your manager asks you to do and don't go crying to your agent if you get picked in the wrong position or left out of the team.

I'd started to come around to the idea that being in the Europa League is better than not being in it but actually the statistics (poor subsequent league results and half empty stadiums) are speaking for themselves. It might be a purely phsycological but lets not be in it next season and see what happens. Of course I want to win a trophy but that aside I'd quite happily finish 10th rather than 6th if it means not playing in Europa next season.
 
Poch is our manager. We therefore need to back him. As a result, aims for this season in my view are:

1) Develop a way of playing - by this I mean a system whereby the team play better than the sum of the parts
2) Poch to be allowed to the scope to change the squad such that by the start of next season he's shifted the players he doesnt want and brought in people who he does
3) Hopefully have a decent cup run, perhaps getting to a final, in order to create some optimism amongst fans
4) League - slightly irrelevant given this is a transitional season however Poch should be able to get top 8, even if this is a transitional season
 
Armchair Expert said:
What should be our aims then now that we know roughly where we stand?

I don't think many of us are surprised at how we are struggling, the team is woeful.

If, in 2010 ish when we were good, we came up against a team containing Dier at right back, todays Kaboul, Rose, Mason, Capoue, this Lamela, Chadli and disinterested Ade, then looked at the options on the bench, we would have expected to absolutely steam roll them.

Our only consistently good performer with genuinely quality is Lloris.

I think at the start of the season most were hoping for top 6, maybe a cup run, maybe finally doing something in the EL.

What do we want/expect now?

I can't help but feel we have regressed right back to the Summer of Santini/Jol/Arnsean. We are literally starting from scratch again. All semblence of our quality side has completely dissipated.

So realistically, where do we hope to finish? To be honest, if we can et top ten I would take that now. I think we are clearly better than QPR and Burnley, probably Palace and Stoke. Who else?

Yep, I'd take top 10 and a crack at a cup. I can't remember last time we had a method of play and a philosophy, but if Poch could insert either or before the end of the season that would be most welcome.

Honestly, our team this season is no better than Aston Villa sides from the recent past.

I'm hoping for top 10 and a Hull style cup run, but I think we could be looking at anything as low as 12th.

The regression is truly shocking, but has been a sure and steady process.

Predictions?
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Just got back from the match, and you have almost read my mind with the above post. Bang on the money.

Many of you will say it is just a knee-jerk, frankly we are all entitled to our opinions, but I said it after the WBA match and one flukey win against Southampton has not changed my mind.
This truly is the worst squad I have watched since before Jol got here and right now I cannot believe mow much we have regressed in such a short time.

Re-assessing my aim for the season.....f#ckin staying up right now, I am just thankful there are three worse teams than us.
 
DHSF said:
We were **** today but season ain't over. I think Poch needs to ditch players like Lamela and Ade st am who are not effective .

I would also suggest back to basics 44 ****ing 2. I don't totally blame Poch as the players we have are overrated garbage...
Click to expand...

Welcome to my world. Another spot on post imo
 
4th - 70 points
5th - 62 points
4th - 69 points

To those who keep saying we're going backwards and have regressed badly:

5th - 72 points
6th - 69 points

With City spending freely and Liverpool clawing their way back, are we really supposed to be doing much better? What if our improvements are simply negated by other clubs having more money to spend?

We'll end up somewhere between 60 and 70 points this season as well and probably in 5th or 6th, 7th at a stretch. There's too much quality in this squad not to. Soton and West Ham will be 7th/8th at best.
 
Jordinho said:
4th - 70 points
5th - 62 points
4th - 69 points

To those who keep saying we're going backwards and have regressed badly:

5th - 72 points
6th - 69 points

With City spending freely and Liverpool clawing their way back, are we really supposed to be doing much better? What if our improvements are simply negated by other clubs having more money to spend?

We'll end up somewhere between 60 and 70 points this season as well and probably in 5th or 6th, 7th at a stretch. There's too much quality in this squad not to. Soton and West Ham will be 7th/8th at best.
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I hear what you are saying, but frankly I dont care where Southampton and West Ham finish, just where Tottenham finish.
I never thought we would be battling the Top 3 and always knew we were up against it trying to keep up with the big boys.
What worries me most is just our general play, most of the time we look clueless. 4-1 defeats to City I can take, even 3-0 home defeats to a team like Liverpool, what I cant hack is limp home defeats to teams such as WBA and Saudi Sportswashing Machine

So if you offered me 60pts right now, I would bite both your hands off never mind just one
 
Mr_B said:
i'm delighted that we wont be qualifying for the europa next year, yet another sunday crapfest after a thursday game even with all the rotations, finishing 5th/6th has only hindered us
Click to expand...

This Thursday/Sunday complaint is bogus. What about the trams that play CL Tuesday or Wednesday then play Saturday or Sunday? Unless you feel we shouldn't strve for CL football either.
 
There is a very c0cky Gooner at work I had a bet with in pre-season; he said we'd finish no higher than 7th.

So I bet him £100 that we would.

So this season as long as we finish 6th I'll be happy....
 
Would be delighted with top 6 and a good cup run in the FA, maybe a final and break our semi final jinx/bottling streak.

There are currently 6 teams who I'd say are better than us;

Chelsea
Emirates Marketing Project
United
Scum
Liverpool
Everton

Plus you have Soton and W Ham who are playing really well. Nothing against Poch as it's too early to judge him, I just don't think our players our that good. When Danny Rose has been one of your better players this season then you know you have problems.
 
90291Spur said:
This Thursday/Sunday complaint is bogus. What about the trams that play CL Tuesday or Wednesday then play Saturday or Sunday? Unless you feel we shouldn't strve for CL football either.
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Half of the games in the CL are on Tuesdays so you do get an extra day's rest at the very. Regardless of the Europa League (which I feel is a poor comptetition until you get to the quarters), I just hate Sunday games, Sundays are for relaxing and doing **** all, not feeling depressed after a typical shower from Spurs.
 
Jordinho said:
4th - 70 points
5th - 62 points
4th - 69 points

To those who keep saying we're going backwards and have regressed badly:

5th - 72 points
6th - 69 points

With City spending freely and Liverpool clawing their way back, are we really supposed to be doing much better? What if our improvements are simply negated by other clubs having more money to spend?

We'll end up somewhere between 60 and 70 points this season as well and probably in 5th or 6th, 7th at a stretch. There's too much quality in this squad not to. Soton and West Ham will be 7th/8th at best.
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to why you are underrating/not worried about Soton and West Ham. Everyone said the same about Saudi Sportswashing Machine in 2012, they ended up having the chance to finish 3rd on the final day of the season.
 
Jurgen the German said:
Would be delighted with top 6 and a good cup run in the FA, maybe a final and break our semi final jinx/bottling streak.

There are currently 6 teams who I'd say are better than us;

Chelsea
Emirates Marketing Project
United
Scum
Liverpool
Everton

Plus you have Soton and W Ham who are playing really well. Nothing against Poch as it's too early to judge him, I just don't think our players our that good. When Danny Rose has been one of your better players this season then you know you have problems.
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I agree about most of that list, but Everton, I feel, will burn out sooner or later imo; te reason I made my bet!

They have an aging backline and defensively have a lot of "Wigan" days. I'd put them in a good bet for winning a cup though
 
Jurgen the German said:
I'm curious as to why you are underrating/not worried about Soton and West Ham. Everyone said the same about Saudi Sportswashing Machine in 2012, they ended up having the chance to finish 3rd on the final day of the season.
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Saudi Sportswashing Machine had a REALLY good team. I think Southampton could go the distance, but not West Ham imv.
 
Mumorn said:
outsmarted? Pardews team couldnt even get a kick in the first half. Pardew making two subs and our defence not being able to mark players isn't being outsmarted. Who would you replace the non perfoming players with? Other non performing players? We aren't playing narrow, we only look narrow because the full backs aren't providing width, Rose is, Dier isn't because its not his game. We are playing slow because we have no one in midfield who can play, I saw a few times in the firstt half some nice quick intricate play between Eriksen, Chadli and Lamela. But these three and perhaps Soldado are the only four players in a squad of 25 who can play like that. Its a squad that Poch has inherited, hopefully he gets to put his vision on things and gets ones in he needs to really make it work.
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Go watch the game again

- Saudi Sportswashing Machine were absolutely there for the taking in the first half, yet we played at a pedestrian pace.
- It was obvious that despite his midweek fun, Lamela was not being effective, nor was Ade (who basically had to have the ball hit his head, because if he has to move a yard for it, its too much)
- Dier was not providing with, therefore Chadli/Lamela IS a problem.
- What the **** were we doing with Capoue on, really we are going to play a DM against a side so out of form at home?
- What the **** are subs supposed to do with 10 and 7 minutes left?

Pardew saw the setup, responded, and even countered our subs (yes, even super late sub Lennon, Pardew opted for double cover on so we wouldn't get width).

I'm sorry, today's loss had nothing to do with Levy/DoF/player quality.

It's about a manager who picked his favorites (Ade/Lamela), used a system that required width from FBs knowing we only have one real FB, failed to get the side playing with tempo/urgency/motivation. Same manager saw his side/plan fall to side, saw opposition manager make half time double sub which was immediately effective, yet we did nothing for a further 30 odd minutes.

A very poor and concerning day at the office for Poch, I'm not calling for his head, but I'm not giving him the out excuse of not his side **** either ..
 
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