King, Modric and Bale

[Jurgen the German]

Agree…for many reasons.

I'm aksing this to the entire board not just you mate, and I do agree we should have finished above Arsenal, but how much higher did people honestly expect to get considering our transfer budget, lower wage bill and inferior squad compared to United and Emirates Marketing Project?

 

[thfcsteff]

I'm aksing this to the entire board not just you mate, and I do agree we should have finished above Arsenal, but how much higher did people honestly expect to get considering our transfer budget, lower wage bill and inferior squad compared to United and Emirates Marketing Project?

I genuinely, genuinely thought 3rd was the lowest we should've finished and believed the title could have been won. We had the quality, we had the players, we had the squad…

 

[thfcsteff]

oh imagine if Defoe had scored in the 90th minute at the Etihad, or if Ekotto just let it run out for a throw in.. or King wasn't stupid!

It wasn't stupid, it was a tackle he has made superbly throughout his career. The margins are fine and Balotelli enjoyed drama. By the way, let me add 'imagine if Balotelli had been sent off for stamping at Parker's head, imagine if Lescott has been sent off for assaulting Kaboul…that was a cruel game, there again, imagine if we'd played the first-half like we played the second…sorry, I'm getting stuck in the time machine horror of that game!

 

[thfcsteff]

such a missed opportunity

Mate…that season broke my heart. I don't think I was even that gutted by Lasagnegate, and I took that pretty ****ing badly, but we threw it away in '12...

 

[90291Spur]

Mate…that season broke my heart. I don't think I was even that gutted by Lasagnegate, and I took that pretty ****ing badly, but we threw it away in '12...

THIS. We were solidly in 'new paradigm' territory, and now, well only time will tell...

 

[billyiddo]

I genuinely, genuinely thought 3rd was the lowest we should've finished and believed the title could have been won. We had the quality, we had the players, we had the squad…

I agree with that - i think we were 3rd favourites behind United and City but not by much of a distance. Should have been finishing closer to them two than to Arsenal (points wise) at the least.

 

[billyiddo]

I'm aksing this to the entire board not just you mate, and I do agree we should have finished above Arsenal, but how much higher did people honestly expect to get considering our transfer budget, lower wage bill and inferior squad compared to United and Emirates Marketing Project?

Those things don't matter once you get on the pitch, it's 11 V 11 at that stage.

We built a great team despite being somewhat handicapped in those areas and that is something Redknapp deserves a lot of credit for - playing his part in helping to build a great team despite not having the advantages of those above us. The debate in my mind is why did we under achevie - not did we...

 

[Libero]

3rd is about the best we should have finished but it is exactly where we should have finished in 2012. I think that we knew as soon as the whistle went against Fulham on the last day that Chelsea were going to end up winning the Champions League, even if it was subconciously. It was just so typically Spurs. So although it is harsh, finishing 4th was a bit of a failure because of how far in front of 4th we were when we were 3rd.

As for Diego's post of would our side beat the Liverpool one of now, I would say yes. Bale was superb for a 2nd consecutive season, we had Van der Vaart and Adebayor looking very slick plus Kaboul was outstanding the whole season. Liverpool are good but I dont rate their backline particularly and for Suarez read Bale. Would I rather Sturrdige or Adebayor.......I think Ade has a bit more about him. Overall I think our side is better throughout the team and would beat their side now.

It would be close but that side of 2011-2012 was so well balanced and I think with another decent forward to rotate with Ade and Defoe and Lloris (no knocking Brad here) in goal, we could well have won the title.

 

[a spur from swansea]

I think we underachieved with the team Harry had. It was a very very good side (first half of the season!)

Eh!!!!!......where were we when harry took over,second from bottom,and he took us nearly to the top,(defoes miss at the etihad)two years later....he's a manager not a miracle worker.......he could only done what levy gave him in the transfer market,so what did levy gave him in the january transfer window saha on a freebie........feck sake!!!

 

[diego_maradona]

Eh!!!!!......where were we when harry took over,second from bottom,and he took us nearly to the top,(defoes miss at the etihad)two years later....he's a manager not a miracle worker.......he could only done what levy gave him in the transfer market,so what did levy gave him in the january transfer window saha on a freebie........feck sake!!!

Just my opinion is all. I echo what Steff wrote above that the team were good enough as an XI to have won the title that year. I know it sounds far fetched, but we showed it throughout the first half of the season. Mentally as a club it's a massive stretch to imagine it. And its this psychological barrier that can only be broken down slowly by first qualifying regularly for the CL or a huge investment in the side which significantly heightens expectation.

But as a team, we had a fantastic balance to the side, and we had some outstanding players. Imagine if Bale and Modric were the players they are today. We'd have been in with a huge shout of winning the league this year

 

[Raziel]

Just my opinion is all. I echo what Steff wrote above that the team were good enough as an XI to have won the title that year. I know it sounds far fetched, but we showed it throughout the first half of the season. Mentally as a club it's a massive stretch to imagine it. And its this psychological barrier that can only be broken down slowly by first qualifying regularly for the CL or a huge investment in the side which significantly heightens expectation.

But as a team, we had a fantastic balance to the side, and we had some outstanding players. Imagine if Bale and Modric were the players they are today. We'd have been in with a huge shout of winning the league this year

No .. team was still unfinished (as seen by Bale's progress the following year), plus we simply did not have the experience (anywhere on or off the pitch) for a title challenge.

People often get confused/selective memory when they look back at team sheets (best example is the West Ham side that got relegated), they see a bunch of names and associate that with the players in their prime, however very really is that the case that they actually were at their prime at that point. King at his prime did not play with Modric, who in turn did not play with Bale at his prime (for Spurs)

To the OP's point and as bitch as usual fans, we have had some really great players -> King, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, VDV and probably in a few years we will say same about Verts, Lloris, Eriksen in the last decade, it actually says a bit about a club who's buying/scouting policy is often bitched about.

 

[diego_maradona]

No .. team was still unfinished (as seen by Bale's progress the following year), plus we simply did not have the experience (anywhere on or off the pitch) for a title challenge.

People often get confused/selective memory when they look back at team sheets (best example is the West Ham side that got relegated), they see a bunch of names and associate that with the players in their prime, however very really is that the case that they actually were at their prime at that point. King at his prime did not play with Modric, who in turn did not play with Bale at his prime (for Spurs)

To the OP's point and as bitch as usual fans, we have had some really great players -> King, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, VDV and probably in a few years we will say same about Verts, Lloris, Eriksen in the last decade, it actually says a bit about a club who's buying/scouting policy is often bitched about.

Challenging for the title might have been a stretch. But we were by far the better side between us and Arsenal. Finishing below them that year was a huge under achievement.

 

[billyiddo]

i think you are confusing 'unfinished' with potential to improve there Raziel - it was a perfectly balanced team we had strength and power across the board, pace, skill and raw ability. Bale Modric etc all had potential to improve but that doesn't make the team 'unfinished' - just that it would have gotten better from one season to the next had we managed to keep them together.

 

[thfcsteff]

No .. team was still unfinished (as seen by Bale's progress the following year), plus we simply did not have the experience (anywhere on or off the pitch) for a title challenge.

People often get confused/selective memory when they look back at team sheets (best example is the West Ham side that got relegated), they see a bunch of names and associate that with the players in their prime, however very really is that the case that they actually were at their prime at that point. King at his prime did not play with Modric, who in turn did not play with Bale at his prime (for Spurs)

To the OP's point and as bitch as usual fans, we have had some really great players -> King, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, VDV and probably in a few years we will say same about Verts, Lloris, Eriksen in the last decade, it actually says a bit about a club who's buying/scouting policy is often bitched about.

I'm not in the least bit confused mate. Before that season began, I felt if we kept Modders we could win it.

 

[Raziel]

I'm not in the least bit confused mate. Before that season began, I felt if we kept Modders we could win it.

And I can't see it .. not because we didn't have a good team, just too many variables, and not enough depth or experience.

We would have had to have a PL season equivalent of Cheat$ki's CL win (every chance going our way) to have had a shot, perhaps 3rd was really where we should have ended based on some of the season, can't really see anything higher was on the chart.

 

[thfcsteff]

And I can't see it .. not because we didn't have a good team, just too many variables, and not enough depth or experience.

We would have had to have a PL season equivalent of Cheat$ki's CL win (every chance going our way) to have had a shot, perhaps 3rd was really where we should have ended based on some of the season, can't really see anything higher was on the chart.

Speaking in hindsight as we are, that much is now clear …BUT had we gone to Emirates Marketing Project and played the first half like the second, we'd have won up there. And had we won up there, who knows? Had Harry kept his focus on the season, and had the FA not sacked Crapello when they did, and I believe we'd have been in with a massive shot at the title.

 

[Rorschach]

Speaking in hindsight as we are, that much is now clear …BUT had we gone to Emirates Marketing Project and played the first half like the second, we'd have won up there. And had we won up there, who knows? Had Harry kept his focus on the season, and had the FA not sacked Crapello when they did, and I believe we'd have been in with a massive shot at the title.

I blame Terry for everything

 

[Jurgen the German]

Those things don't matter once you get on the pitch, it's 11 V 11 at that stage.

We built a great team despite being somewhat handicapped in those areas and that is something Redknapp deserves a lot of credit for - playing his part in helping to build a great team despite not having the advantages of those above us. The debate in my mind is why did we under achevie - not did we...

I accept that but I think 3rd was our ceiling that season, there's no way we had a better team than the Manchester clubs and United still had the greatest manager of all time so it's beyond unrealistic to think we could/should have finished above them. With regards to finishing below Arsenal, totally agree, we missed the boat.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Eh!!!!!......where were we when harry took over,second from bottom,and he took us nearly to the top,(defoes miss at the etihad)two years later....he's a manager not a miracle worker.......he could only done what levy gave him in the transfer market,so what did levy gave him in the january transfer window saha on a freebie........feck sake!!!

This. And the previous January when all of our strikers were allergic to scoring, he still didn't give Redknapp any money for a new striker.

 

[diego_maradona]

This. And the previous January when all of our strikers were allergic to scoring, he still didn't give Redknapp any money for a new striker.

Not disputing that Levy should have invested. Doesn't change my mind that we underachieved with that side. That's not a dig at Redknapp. Well maybe a fair bit with that second half of the season. But also the players.

There are many reasons why we didn't even get near in the end. Important reasons that are massively part of the reason why teams win championships. But I'm looking at the talent and the balance that the side had.