Season Expectations

[El Guepardo]

A) because the old manager took his eye off the ball and failed at the latter end of two seasons, refused to sign a new contract when asked and then attempted to demand more money on his own terms.


B) because players like Modric are world class and it's not just a matter of thinking 'oh i need to replace him', they don't grow on trees and unless you are unearthing a gem, which has inherent risks, they will demand rather high wages and transfer fees.



Also B) it's always possible that it was thought strengthening the whole first eleven was a better move then buying one good player.

Rather high wages and transfer fees, we sold Modric for £35m? We could have used that to replace him with a player of a more similar style and quality.

I understand what we're doing but not enjoying the style of play so far. Last season we played fantastic football, this season we are just getting outplayed albeit taking results with it at times. The new signings are all good players, in spite of the early uncertainty about Dempsey and Sig, I think both will come good.

But I still maintain top 4 has to be expected. Even if I do understand that the changes made will make it harder.

 

[johnola]

The second half f the season will be much better than the first I am sure of it.

 

[Golfball]

But the quality of the squad took a backward step so I don't see how you can use last season as a yardstick.

Then dont. Look at this season. Our squad compared to the rest, you would expect the very least to be narrowly missing out on 4th. Looking at the quality in the top 5 squads compared to the rest, anything less than 5th would be difficult for AVB to justify.

I think we will come 4th. The way I see it, we cant be much worse than we have in the first 14 games yet we find ourselves in an ok position. Kick on from here and 4th should be ours.

 

[Spursalot]

Then dont. Look at this season. Our squad compared to the rest, you would expect the very least to be narrowly missing out on 4th. Looking at the quality in the top 5 squads compared to the rest, anything less than 5th would be difficult for AVB to justify.

I think we will come 4th. The way I see it, we cant be much worse than we have in the first 14 games yet we find ourselves in an ok position. Kick on from here and 4th should be ours.

These phrases don't entirely make sense together.


You can narrowly miss out on 4th and come 6th.

 

[onlyme]

Another poll? Sheesh!!

I expect us to fight to win every game, be it FA Cup, Europa League or EPL.

 

[metalgear]

my expectation for the team we have now is 5th.
but i'm hoping that we can avoid injury and suspensions in the second half of the season to push for top four.

 

[ArcspacE]

So have Arsenal and possibly Chelsea with the loss of Drogba

Chelsea are stronger and more balanced in midfield than last season, imv and have under-performed considerably. Drogba only scored a handful of goals in the league last season (5 in 24) but his 'contribution' was largely centered around his CL/FA Cup exploits (6 in 8 games including the final)

I think that is a little unfair, the two Manchester clubs look like they are about to break away and positions from 3 to 6 are wide open. We nearly all agree that we are going to claim one of them and I do not think that it is unfair to think we are capable of taking one of the top two rather than bottom two.

Besides Bale and at a push Dembele + Vertonghen - which players in Chelsea's starting XI (or even matchday 18 squad) do you see as inferior to ours? Personally, I thknk they'd finish 8-10 points ahead of us in May

 

[ArcspacE]

I agree with you but we spent 60m pounds thats SIXTY million quid - so why do we keep using this as an excuse?

I am sure you will agree 60m is a brickload of cash

We spent the majority of that on Levy-type players though - young, with great potential and possibly a massive re-sale.

That has been our transfer strategy for most of the last decade and little appears to have changed

 

[THFC6061]

Comparing the identical results achieved in season 2012-13 with those of 2011-12, Spurs are a point down on last season going into the Fulham match...

...we beat Fulham away last season, so a win on Saturday would still leave us a point down on 2011-12.

But a win up at Everton after that would see us 2 points better off.

This is why I think Spurs should be able to get a fourth place finish this season, bearing in mind that we've got several important players who still have to come back from injury.

 

[DHSF]

We spent the majority of that on Levy-type players though - young, with great potential and possibly a massive re-sale.

That has been our transfer strategy for most of the last decade and little appears to have changed

Thew point I was trying to make with that statement was why is our squad still so weak with that amount of money being spent? Like you say Levy type players rather than AVB type players.

 

[Spursalot]

Thew point I was trying to make with that statement was why is our squad still so weak with that amount of money being spent? Like you say Levy type players rather than AVB type players.

It's not 'So weak'. It's just weaker then previously, which is expected with the monetary situation that occurred.


The options on the bench will improve massively in the coming weeks, assuming the injured players don't relapse.

 

[spitshine]

Anyone changing their expectation? I'd still be happy with 5th or 6th realistically considering we had a new manager and the change in personnel within the team
Even if we blew 4th place on the last day, he would still have done well.

 

[parklane1]

Anyone changing their expectation? I'd still be happy with 5th or 6th realistically considering we had a new manager and the change in personnel within the team
Even if we blew 4th place on the last day, he would still have done well.

No, i still believe it wil be between us and the Arse for forth place.

 

[Dicko]

At the start of the season after losing Modric, VDV and King (also Parker and Kaboul to injury) I was also just hoping for 5 or 6th with the caveat that AVB could introduce some noticible style of play and philosophy and we had some appearance of a long term plan.
I'm hoping now that he can use this first full transfer window wisely after having seen the squad up close for a few months and we can strenghten in the way that he wants.
I think finishing 4th would be huge this year, especially as I doubt that Levy would make the same mistakes of that summer last time around we finished 4th..It's a big IF but if we got fourth we really need to go all out for 1 or 2 class players that would improve us..

 

[braineclipse]

At the start of the season after losing Modric, VDV and King (also Parker and Kaboul to injury) I was also just hoping for 5 or 6th with the caveat that AVB could introduce some noticible style of play and philosophy and we had some appearance of a long term plan.
I'm hoping now that he can use this first full transfer window wisely after having seen the squad up close for a few months and we can strenghten in the way that he wants.
I think finishing 4th would be huge this year, especially as I doubt that Levy would make the same mistakes of that summer last time around we finished 4th..It's a big IF but if we got fourth we really need to go all out for 1 or 2 class players that would improve us..

If my memory serves me from the financial results released from our CL season we just about broke even.

We had a massive squad with bloated wages and solid CL bonuses, we also spent a bit in the transfer market actually (although accounting blah blah...), probably just as much the signings made in the previous two seasons being brought into the calculations.

 

[Spur of the moment]

Hands up, as a Harry man I concede AVB is exceeding my limited expectations, which were based on his record of poor man-management and precipitous decision-making at Chelsea. It seemed likely that somewhere along the lines he would also fudge us up and therefore the most we could hope for this season was consolidation in the top six.

So far so good, but he STILL has it all to do. We know only too well how brick we can be in the second half of the season/

IF he manages to get us through the inevitable New Year slump and still come out with a trophy and/or CL qualification at the other end, THEN I'll finally be ready to relinquish my anger over the manner of Harry's exit and sign up for AVB.

It'd be worth it! \o/

 

[jimmyb]

Hands up, as a Harry man I concede AVB is exceeding my limited expectations, which were based on his record of poor man-management and precipitous decision-making at Chelsea. It seemed likely that somewhere along the lines he would also fudge us up and therefore the most we could hope for this season was consolidation in the top six.

So far so good, but he STILL has it all to do. We know only too well how brick we can be in the second half of the season/

IF he manages to get us through the inevitable New Year slump and still come out with a trophy and/or CL qualification at the other end, THEN I'll finally be ready to relinquish my anger over the manner of Harry's exit and sign up for AVB.

It'd be worth it! \o/

Without wishing to reopen old wounds, what was wrong with the "manner" of Harry's dismissal, specifically?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Anyone changing their expectation? I'd still be happy with 5th or 6th realistically considering we had a new manager and the change in personnel within the team
Even if we blew 4th place on the last day, he would still have done well.

No. Still think 4th is achievable, but would be happy with 5th too. You'd be a mug to write Arsenal off, even though they have their worst squad in Wenger's tenure, until proven otherswise, I just assume they will always be in that top 4 every season. I don't see a great difference between our squad and theirs, but we still have a manager that hasn't managed a full season from start to finish in the premier league. I would feel more confident if we signed a striker or a creative midfielder, but sadly I don't think we'll get either.

 

[suffolkspur]

I was hopeful at the start of the season that even with all the changes we would at least challenge for top 4 even if we ended up falling short. Given the position we are in i think its there for the taking. I'm more confident given how the last few games have gone that we will be able to perform more consistently till the end of the season which is going to be all important. Its still very tight though, a couple of bad results will soon see us drop a few places but that's the same for all of the teams up there. I'm confident but not getting carried away (just yet).

 

[billyiddo]

in the summer i was prepared for a transitional season where we could have finished anywhere down to 6th or 7th.

right now im reasonably confident we can sustain a serious bid for CL qualification, it is tight though with ourselves Everton and the Scum all on similar points, if we were to finish more than 3 points below either of those id probably be dissapointed