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What the pundits say

Feck me - he said since Billy Nic's days!!

http://talksport.com/football/exclu...ttenham-team-bill-nicholson-days-160121182060

Exclusive - Graeme Souness: 'This might be the best Tottenham team since the Bill Nicholson days'

Graeme Souness believes something special could be brewing at Tottenham.

The Scot was an apprentice at White Hart Lane during Bill Nicholson’s illustrious reign, which included a historic league and FA Cup double.

And Souness, who went on to become a Rangers and Liverpool legend, believes the current Spurs squad under Mauricio Pochettino is the best he has seen since the Nicholson era.

Pochettino’s men are currently fourth in the Premier League, just five points adrift of top spot, and are being billed as serious title challengers by many.

Speaking on the Hawksbee and Jacobs show, Souness said of Tottenham: “They don’t look flimsy.

“They look like a team that will withstand disappointment. I watched them lose to Saudi Sportswashing Machine and they bounced back from that.

“I like Tottenham. They look like a team - from the goalkeeper [Hugo Lloris], who I think is outstanding, to Harry Kane up front. In between they have got strength in depth.

“I think this might be the best Tottenham [team] since the Bill Nicholson days.”


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/exclu...cholson-days-160121182060#LpbFThZhOpcUjyLa.99
 
Thanks very much for the welcoming, Gents.
And thanks especially to Milo for closing the "We're crap away" thread, any depressive will tell you that facing facts is rarely much fun.
Cheers Kandi1977 for the link. I'm in a part of rural Greece with broadband speeds slower than Michael Carrick running uphill, but will give it a try asap.
 
http://www.espnfc.com/club/tottenha...tottenham-are-premier-league-title-contenders

Tottenham are Premier League title contenders in this most open of seasons
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Mauricio Pochettino is not concerned with Tottenham Hotspurs' proximity to Arsenal in the Premier League table.
One phrase crops up time and time again whenever old pros gather to talk about Tottenham Hotspur: they "flatter to deceive."

After all, even when they had Gareth Bale and Luka Modric in the team, Spurs' famous Lilywhite shirts were nowhere to be seen in the title race. They were specialists in finishing fourth or fifth, at a respectable distance from the real action.

When Bale went to Madrid for a mountain of money, the club's supermarket trolley dash to buy replacements yielded too many duds -- perhaps symbolised by the misfiring Roberto Soldado.

But something special is happening at White Hart Lane these days, and you sense a first title since Bill Nicholson's "Glory, Glory" days of 1961 is not out of the question. While attention has rightly been focused on Leicester City's astounding season, Spurs have been able to fly under the radar.

The initial disinterest was understandable. Spurs started with a defeat at Manchester United and failed to win any of their first four games. Cynics were wondering if Harry Kane, after his heroics in front of goal last season, was a one-season wonder as he failed to hit the target in the first eight games.

That theory was blown to bits as Kane ran riot with nine goals in six games in the autumn.

Suddenly, we noticed that manager Mauricio Pochettino's gifted young team had got to mid-December losing only one game. A once-erratic team had become more reliable and resilient while developing a useful mean streak. Spurs have won their past five games, scoring 16 and conceding only three.

Pochettino had converted skyscraper defender Eric Dier into a revelation as a holding midfielder, as witnessed by his England call-up in that position.

Likewise, the manager's punt on a third-tier kid called Dele Alli from MK Dons was looking like the bargain of the year. So far Alli has delivered seven goals and become a YouTube sensation with his volley at Crystal Palace.

The signing of Belgian international Toby Alderweireld gave an iffy defence exactly what it needed: an organiser and leader.

With Kane flying, the top-class Hugo Lloris in goal and much-improved form from Moussa Dembele and previous misfit Erik Lamela, Tottenham were looking a very good outfit.

The only worries have been a subdued season from playmaker Christian Eriksen and injuries to Ryan Mason and Jan Vertonghen.

A 3-0 win at Norwich on Tuesday made it three wins on the bounce in the league and lifted Spurs above rivals Arsenal into third place.

This is still a young side and there might be the odd slipup, but they carry the fearlessness of youth and a growing belief that they can lift the trophy in this most open of seasons. Spurs' trip to Emirates Marketing Project on Feb. 14 and the derby at home to Arsenal on March 5 look like pivotal games.

Tottenham have the talent if they have the nerve and stomach for the fight.
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http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...th-marcelo-bielsa-s-perfect-mix-a6856351.html

Tottenham vs Watford: How Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino learnt to win titles with Marcelo Bielsa's 'perfect mix'

Pochettino was just 18 when Bielsa became Newell’s manager in 1990 but he already owed his career to him
A group of hungry youngsters, with a smattering of seniors, running opponents into the ground, on behalf of their driven young Argentine manager, in pursuit of the title. This, roughly, is Mauricio Pochettino’s (above, left) Tottenham Hotspur, who host Watford this afternoon, hoping to drag themselves even nearer the summit.

But that is also a description Marcelo Bielsa’s (above, right) Newell’s Old Boys, double Argentine champions of the early 1990s, with a teenage Pochettino at centre-back, the formative football experience of his life.

This was 25 years ago but it was the last time Pochettino was involved in a title race, either as a player or coach. Now that his Spurs side are threatening to have their best season for just as long, Pochettino sees the parallels between these two sides.

Less money for signings as we build stadium, says Pochettino
“When we won the titles, and reached the final of the Copa Libertadores, we were very similar to the squad that we have now,” Pochettino said at his press conference on Thursday afternoon. “In terms of the average age of the squad, and in the balance between younger and experienced players. There were very good youngsters – like me – and very good experienced players. A similar balance, a similar project.”

Pochettino was just 18 when Bielsa became Newell’s manager in 1990 but he already owed his career to him. Bielsa had been in charge of Newell’s youth system before then, driving around Argentina in his Fiat 147 on a meticulous search for young talent. He had been tipped off about the 13-year-old Pochettino, so showed up at his house in the small town of Murphy at 2am one Monday morning. Bielsa demanded to see the sleeping boy’s legs, declared them to be the legs of a footballer, and signed him.

When Bielsa took over the Newell’s first team in 1990, he already had the guaranteed loyalty of the youngsters, like Pochettino, whom he had signed and then coached in the reserve teams. The older players had to be convinced, but they were quickly won over by Bielsa’s unique training regime, built around short, intense sessions and detailed study of their opponents.
“When Marcelo took over there was a radical change, he brought a new revolution,” says Juan Manuel Llop, Pochettino’s senior centre-back partner, in Jonathan Wilson’s forthcoming history of Argentine football, Angels with Dirty Faces. "We quickly realised he was the best thing that could have happened to Newell’s, and supported him with our eyes closed. We knew that his ideas would make us win.”

That is just what happened. The Argentine league is split into two halves, the Apertura in the first 19 games of the season, and the Clausura for the second half. In the Apertura in 1990, after a slow start, Newell’s eventually ran away with it, the young and old players – such as Llop, or Tata Martino - bonded by their loyalty to Bielsa and his methods. They played fast, committed, imaginative football, harnessing their youthful athleticism and the vision of their coach. When they were on it no-one could live with them.

The team struggled to maintain the same intensity the next year, despite beating Boca Juniors in a tie to decide the overall champion of the 1990-91 season. But in 1991-92 they surged back with even more power, winning the Clausura title as well as performing heroically in the Copa Libertadores.

Newell’s won a famous semi-final against Colombian side America de Cali, taking a penalty shoot-out 11-10, sparking a near-riot. Pochettino’s team-mate Eduardo Berizzo had his head cut open by a battery thrown from the stands. When they reached the final, against Sao Paulo, in front of 105,000 Brazilian fans, they took it to penalties again, but lost. Bielsa resigned and the team disintegrated but they remain one of the legendary Argentine teams of the modern era.

Pochettino, looking back, would not be too drawn on individual comparisons between that team and this one. He would not say which Newell’s striker was most like Harry Kane, nor which Spurs defender was the new Pochettino. In this comparison he is the new Bielsa, of course, not that he would ever say that.

But the broader point stands. There is a lot of time and distance between these two teams, but they are built along similar lines and principles. Pochettino learned about football at Newell’s and is now building his own team at Tottenham, with the same ambition.

“If you have hunger, if you have energy, if you have potential and if you show that you have enough quality, it is perfect,” said Pochettino. “And if you have some good team-mates, who give you good advice. I remember my first title with Newell’s Old Boys, because I was 18 years old. If you have a good balance between younger and experienced players, it is a perfect mix to achieve big things.”
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"He would not say which Newell’s striker was most like Harry Kane, nor which Spurs defender was the new Pochettino."

I think Alli is most like Pochettino not in style of play or position but in character.
 
The bloke from a betting company was on talksport earlier giving the title odds and only listed Leicester (fav) City and Woolwich which seems indicative of the way that we are not mentioned....I really like this and think it actually does us a favour.

If United or Chelsea, or even Liverpool, were where Leicester are we'd very much be the underdog crashing the party - the role that Leicester have been given whilst the expectation is still very much on CIty or Woolwich - we're quietly and comfortably under the radar.
 
Was listening to a discussion on Talk Radio over here in Ireland, and they were assessing the chances of different teams winning the league. Spent a while on Leicester (which is to be expected and I don't begrudge Leicester at all - winning 3-1 at City has forced me to consider them serious contenders - and I was convinced they were going to drop off after Christmas). Then they talked about Emirates Marketing Project; and again it was a natural segue given they'd just lost to Leicester. After that they discussed Arsenal. At this point I'm thinking "Ohhhhkaaaayy... I guess Arsenal did play today, so maybe that's it". After that they went to Man Utd and finished with whether or not Liverpool might conceivably put in a later challenge for the title.

Now, I get that Man Utd and Liverpool are far better supported on this side of the Irish Sea than Spurs are. But they literally didn't even mention Spurs - currently in second spot and in great form. I'm not upset that we're still very much under the radar. But it's definitely a little bit irritating that so many people simply don't view us as even having an outside chance. I mean, PaddyPower has us at 9/2, with United at 40/1 and Liverpool at 500/1... so to not even get mentioned? Meh.
 
Don't get your knickers twisted in a knot @DublinSpur . I just posted in another thread that on NBC today when asked if Manure would make top 4, both pundits said probably yes. What they failed to say was at whose expense, but seeing Leicester 12 pts ahead if Manure and Scum and City "untouchable", it could only mean they thought we'd be the odd team out. Unless their math is weak and they thought that 5 teams can make up the top 4.

But you know what, I like this. Make them eat their words in the end, although even if there's a game left and we're 4 pts clear, they still won't be giving us a chance for the title!
 
Perhaps they've seen the instructions issued to the match day officals? Love the Wenger view that Flamini had been fouled and it should have been a freekick to them, you just can't buy refs like that (oh no you can)!
 
It really is very strange. I still don't think we'll win it, and I fear we will be overtaken by both Arse and City, but it's puzzling that we're constantly overlooked more or less completely.

Two thirds of the season gone, we're second, we've got the best goal difference, and it's fully deserved. It's not a fluke that we are where we are - of course this is a very strange season, but we're up there, with only Leicester better. And maybe that's the problem, that there's only room for one small-team-doing-well story in the media, and that's all Leicester, obviously.

I don't really mind, and I'm happy for Leicester to take the pressure, but I admit to being slightly annoyed too...
 
Robbo said:
It really is very strange. I still don't think we'll win it, and I fear we will be overtaken by both Arse and City, but it's puzzling that we're constantly overlooked more or less completely.

Two thirds of the season gone, we're second, we've got the best goal difference, and it's fully deserved. It's not a fluke that we are where we are - of course this is a very strange season, but we're up there, with only Leicester better. And maybe that's the problem, that there's only room for one small-team-doing-well story in the media, and that's all Leicester, obviously.

I don't really mind, and I'm happy for Leicester to take the pressure, but I admit to being slightly annoyed too...
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It used to bug me, but now I dont mind being ignored. But in to be fair them, bar the odd time, we do tend to fall away when we look in a good position so its only natural for them to think 'Spurs will fall away as normal'.
I like to think that this season we will finally lose the that tag. My big concern will be those matches in April, they will be tough, and should we struggle and it costs us a place in the Top 4 they will all have been proved right and we will continue to be tagged as 'bottle jobs'.

As I say I dont think we will fail, this side is fast becoming one of the best Spurs teams I have had the pleasure to watch.
 
Robbo said:
It really is very strange. I still don't think we'll win it, and I fear we will be overtaken by both Arse and City, but it's puzzling that we're constantly overlooked more or less completely.

Two thirds of the season gone, we're second, we've got the best goal difference, and it's fully deserved. It's not a fluke that we are where we are - of course this is a very strange season, but we're up there, with only Leicester better. And maybe that's the problem, that there's only room for one small-team-doing-well story in the media, and that's all Leicester, obviously.

I don't really mind, and I'm happy for Leicester to take the pressure, but I admit to being slightly annoyed too...
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We're not a small team though, that's the issue. We're one of the top 6 teams in the past 6-7 years. We're no one-season-wonder Leicester.
 
paxtonwolf said:
It used to bug me, but now I dont mind being ignored. But in to be fair them, bar the odd time, we do tend to fall away when we look in a good position so its only natural for them to think 'Spurs will fall away as normal'.
I like to think that this season we will finally lose the that tag. My big concern will be those matches in April, they will be tough, and should we struggle and it costs us a place in the Top 4 they will all have been proved right and we will continue to be tagged as 'bottle jobs'.

As I say I dont think we will fail, this side is fast becoming one of the best Spurs teams I have had the pleasure to watch.
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Re April, Most of the teams we play in our last 5 games will have nothing to play for so mentally will already be on their summer hols
 
alekaras said:
We're not a small team though, that's the issue. We're one of the top 6 teams in the past 6-7 years. We're no one-season-wonder Leicester.
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Agreed on that of course, although I think we're still seen as such by many - there's been too many years of mediocrity before our recent relative success. Just look at Liverpool, they've been dogbrick for the most part of the last decade, but are still flying high in the media from their history and Istanbul.

Although maybe it could also be a case of us neither being one of the media darlings/Sky four/lottery winners nor a small team punching significantly above their weight? We're just a well run, well performing, well behaved club doing good with a bunch of relatively unknown and uncontroversial youngsters in our side, none of who are big money signings, big names or big egos.

Maybe our story simply isn't interesting enough because it won't sell as much as the spectacles of other clubs.
 
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