Shortly after our current record holder (spurs goals) left the team, spurs won the UEFA Cup. The omens are good!
You've put into words exactly what I've thought on many an occasion over the past 3-4 years. There is no question we weren't 'meant' to be serious title contenders playing in a semi-demolished stadium. Levy knew from day 1 (as did most fans) that the new stadium build would severely hamper our ability to strengthen the side. Thanks to extremely prudent financial planning, we were able to avoid the issues that plagued Arsenal for well over a decade after their move to the Emirates, but still - the stadium build was always going to hit, and hard. I still maintain this is one of the main reasons we were happy to let Walker leave - we simply needed the money! We also weren't 'meant' to compete in a CL final at the end of a season largely played at Wembley. Poch had us a minimum 2-3 years 'ahead of schedule' and as a result at the dawn of our maiden season in the new stadium, we were by default 2-3 years behind schedule in terms of recruitment. I don't know a single fan who would argue with this, including Poch himself. We then suffered further setbacks due to the first chapter of this 2-3 year rebuild bringing the Three Stooges to the club for £130m, money time and effort now totally down the drain. And then Covid added another year to the rebuild schedule which by my reckoning meant by the dawn of the 2021/22 season we were essentially in need of a 4 year rebuild. Oh and by the way, by 'rebuild' I mean 'getting the team back to where it was in 2017 which is competing for major trophies'. Under Conte and Paratici, we probably jumped a step and knocked a year off of that last season but the single biggest problem so far is that Levy keeps appointing managers who have never overseen a rebuild in their entire careers without an open chequebook. People argue that Conte spent relatively little during his time at Juve, which is true, but then again he inherited a defence of Buffon, Barzagli, Chiellini and Bonucci all in their prime, with a midfield controlled by Pirlo and Marchisio. So he hardly needed to 'rebuild' anything, only really adding Vidal and Vucinic to take them to the next level. Because of this, progress is unpredictable and unstable. We can take a step forward but then just as easily take two steps back, because neither the manager nor the recruitment structure is (yet) set up to deliver steady progress - progress which may be slower and harder to spot, but ultimately much sturdier and more sustainable.
Makes you wonder if signing Richarlison was not just to add depth but be an eventual replacement for Kane. I know, I know… we’re ****ed
Republic of Ireland U19 midfielder Justin Ferizaj is training with us this week. The fact he;s training with us less than a week after turning 18 does make it look uncannily like we're trying to game HG status, but that's a discussion to have if he signs for us off the back of this week And yes, he does have a Wikipedia page - and a Spurcat-approved hairstyle please log in to view this image
Paratici should be (and I think is) doing the rebuild. Conte's job is to get the best out of the current squad. Whether or not he is doing that depends heavily on how good you think the current squad is. Personally I think it is fifth best so top four would be a great result particularly if the 6th best squad continues to be league leaders.
I personally think only City and Liverpool have better squads than us on paper. Arsenal and Newcastle definitely don't. Chelsea and United are marginally better but they are toothless upfront whereas we have Kane. There is a strong chance that within a few weeks we will be below Fulham, Brighton and Brentford. Do they have better squads than us too? I'd say our squad is 3rd or 4th best and two of the stronger squads than us are massively underperforming this season (so are City tbh), which we are not taking advantage of.
Many pundits said similar, only Dion Dublin predicted Spurs not to finish in the top 4, with the majority thinking we’d be top 3 - which most of us predicted too. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62354857.amp
£30m plus Winks, Lo Celso, Royal, Ndombele, Dier, Sanchez and Sessegnon should do it, I'd have thought. So a total of £30m + £3.50p
Everton are trying to sign Lucas Moura, apparently. He appears to have disappeared completely, so it should be an easy one for them.
Everton couldn't find there way out of a paper bag right now, so trying to find a missing Brazilian is likely to be well beyond them!
Their next three games are a relegation six pointer against the spam, then the filth and the other Scouse. Bye, Frank!
I'd personally prefer Pickford. There's something about the way he gives his defenders an absolute bollocking that endears him to me. Hugo is far too meek for my liking.
Interesting one from CalcioMercatoWeb today: they report that, if Conte leaves us this summer for Juve, he wants to take Hojbjerg with him Likely a double helping of bollocks, but you have to wonder...
Pickford’s a pretty bang average keeper though. Good for England but then so’s Maguire. Would prefer a keeper with a considerably higher ceiling.
"And a defender" Well that rules out Royal, Dier, Sanchez and Sessegnon. I wonder who it could've been...
