Before the G14 love-in that is the Champions League, the old European Cup was similar. For example, three months into the 1979-80 season, Nottingham Forest were playing Arges Pitesti, while in 1978-9 it was AEK Athens. The same can be said for Liverpool, as it was Trabzonspoor in 1976-7, Dynamo Dresden in 1977-8, although in 1980-1 it was about the only time they ever got one over a team managed by Alex Ferguson, which has to count for something...right? The real difference between the Champions League and Europa League is that, if a minnow qualifies for the CL, the money they make from getting gubbed six times will be more than enough to improve pretty much everything about both the team and the club itself, allowing them to qualify again and again and grow each time. For the Europa League, on the other hand, getting gubbed six times is nowhere near as rewarding, so they'll just get gubbed six times the next time they qualify, and the time after that, and so on. Where was I using the current regime to justify my arguments? Examples please. Where did I forget what Harry did for us? I said exactly what he did for us - piss away a Champions League place because he forgot that Spurs were the reason anyone was talking him up for the vacant England job in the first place, and that's exactly where the rot started.
I find it worrying that most teams we play understand our defensive weaknesses and try to exploit them yet our coaches dont seem to understand them or eradicate them. Tonight we are lucky they couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo cos they should have got 3 goals in the first 10 mins of the 2nd half. Villa ripped us to shreds...after not scoring for 12 yrs or so...until they went down to 10 men Toon ripped us apart in the second half. Asteras caused us some problems in the1st leg and only some good saves from hugo kept them out. Basiktas tore us apart time and time again. Same is true of city, liverpool and west brom created chances against us as did sunderland. This really needs to be sorted out as we are not free scoring so can not afford to not keep clean sheets
I can not see any justification for not starting him. He is exactly what is needed v stoke. Strong, big, fearless and willing to put himself about...but I fear itll be ade that starts...with harry being thrown on in deseration after 75 mins
I felt that last year one of (note I say one of) the things that turned the season sour were these early round Europa league games, featuring long trips to the middle of nowhere against teams we ought to beat playing on bad pitches. The best organized and disciplined teams in the world might find the trips themselves a bit of a physical drain and a distraction. For us, well, it's certainly not what the doctor ordered. Just playing teams that you ought to beat is bad for you, if you ask me. It's hard not to pick up bad habits. Playing against Benfica or AC Milan, on the other hand, I think is worthwhile, though there's just not enough time to recover from Thursday to Sunday.
I asked for an example of me using the current regime to justify saying that the rot set in when Harry pissed away a Champions League place, not an observation that somebody doesn't post here anymore. If you don't have one, don't throw those accusations around.
And I come on here to talk about Spurs and football. I have never had the feeling I can do that with you, mainly because I don't think you have a clue. Please don't use the word "accusations" because this is a debating forum, not a Crown court. If you want to use the word "accuse", then I will quite happily " accuse" you of being the most boring poster on this site.
I see where you're coming from, but European competitions are elitist - that's the point of them. They are not part of the EU's policy to spread the wealth around the European community. The EL standard shouldn't be diluted by allowing teams to compete that would struggle in the Conference. And it doesn't help teams like Spurs to play half a dozen extra games 2, 3 or 4,000 miles from home when the demands of the season are plenty enough in the first place.
Now does the thumbs up sign mean that you've changed your mind Spurcat? Anyway it was our first win on Greek soil which must be a good omen and Asteras' first home defeat in seven Euro matches, again can only be a good omen for us.
I've only breifly skimmed through but can we make sure we keep it civil. We all disagree strongly on here from time to time, just keep to the point. Anyway, my opinion of tonight is that a win's a win. We were playing on a crap pitch, struggling to pass and defending like prats but frankly, lots of teams struggle when they play away in Europe against a team on a crap pitch. Chelsea struggled at Maribor, as we did a couple of years ago, away to an obscure side in Europe just seems like a game to get out of the way as much as anything. I'm just pleased we got the points. It's the same in the domestic cups, whenever there's a giant killing it's almost always at the weaker side's ground. I seem to remember Stevenage getting a result against us a few years in the FA Cup in similar circumstances, it's simply easier for the team that are used to playing on the pitch and don't like to pass it on the ground. I also thought both penalty decisions were rubbish but I seem to disagree with almost every penalty decision these days
I was thinking how well I thought our defence was doing except our left back ,who kept losing the ball.Then comes the second half.Our opponents start the second half with fast through balls through the middle and should have been level by the 46 th minute....and I thinking what's happened to our center halves.Did they dip their boots in cement?They were out of position and couldn't catch their attackers.I'm so glad we won but if I'm honest we could have lost it 4-2.How they missed those chances I'll never know. The Everton game.I'm thinking "now Everton are playing their first team while we have several reserves,as usual.I guess Everton want to win the competition and we don't!"
Agree completely. At the time I thought it was the right decision for Harry to go, how wrong I was. This season I think we would do well to finish in the top 8 with this set of players and manager.
I don't mind us playing like ****e as long as we keep winning. Sure, like all of us, I'd rather we won with panache and style (remember that, eh, lads?), but winning whilst playing badly is supposed to be a sign of a great side (ask any member of the United/'Pool loving media). That said, when - inevitably - we start to lose badly to very good sides, it is my fickle nature to turn on a sixpence, and I'll be asking for every single one of those clowns' heads.
Happy to help. What OS meant was the CL run that went as far as the quarter finals in the club's first ever foray into the Champions League. When drawn in a pretty tricky group we (that'll be Spurs - the club we all support) got out of it via defeating the current CL holders. I know! We beat the holders of the Champions League! That's a bit like beating Asteras Tripolosis (sp?) but quite a bit better, when you think about it. Then we beat one of the biggest teams in Europe before getting beaten by a very good Real Madrid team (not helped by going down to ten men within 10 mins or whatever it was). You're quite right, though - we certainly did lose the first qualifier and indeed go 4-0 down to Inter. But I'd imagine that OS, being a Spurs fan, was more focused on the bit where we beat the reigning champions of Europe and were going toe-to-toe with the very best clubs in Europe. I'd imagine that even the neutral would think see that as more relevant to Spurs' season in the CL. Probably. I believe that Muhammad Ali lost a few fights. Now I can't remember anything else about him so I guess he must have been ****.
Oh - and we were absolute ****e again in that game. There is not a single player at this club that I would give too much of a **** about leaving. Hang on - that's really no exaggeration. I mean Lloris is good but buying decent goalkeepers isn't that hard (Spurs made it look hard for ages then Harry just went and bought Friedel and it was like "Oh yeah. Obvious really"). Harry Kane is the closest I could come to. And not cos he's so amazing but just cos he's young, promising, will work his balls off and he's come through the academy. Not one player that I would care about leaving. I have not felt this way about a Spurs squad for...ever? Even in the darkest days of the 2000s I'd have been gutted if Stephen Carr got sold. Or Ledley, of course. Now, if Eriksen got sold, I'd think "Oh well - there's loads better out there".
Spot on lenny, I said yesterday we have Vorm if Lloris goes. Goof keepers aren't as hard to find as good strikers etc.
I agree, it shouldn't really be the case that an academy graduate with a handful of games is the fan's fave. He's my fave right now too, and i'm even warming to Townsend, which is really saying something as i've spent the last year slating him. Mason also. Kids FTW! We might not win anything playing them all but we'd all feel more connected and have a better time watching them i'm sure.
Young Boys away was another example of a crap pitch making a fool of better players. Yeah you're still playing football with a round ball and 11v11 but when the ball isn't slowing down you can't weight a pass like you're used to and if the bounce is always higher than you're used to then it will make you look stupid. I think I saw Young Boys beat Napoli at home recently too and I haven't checked but I bet their record playing at home in Europe is much, much better than away. There's no question of us being better than either side, as we showed in the home legs but I really think a very bad pitch can hobble any good side.
