It's fine being in it if we approach it sensibly, but we never seem to do that. Either focus on it properly and pick full-strength sides or use it as an opportunity to pick non-starters. If we'd have sorted out our obvious gaps in the squad, then it could've been a useful tool. Bringing in another centre-half and a striker would've let us rest everyone and still have a strong team. We definitely could've got through the group, at the very least. Our current approach is utterly pointless, though. You're definitely right about that. Knackering out our first team players, yet not taking it seriously enough to give us a shot at winning it is just wrong.
I agree with PNP, either take it seriously or what's the point? Unless it's just collecting money! I couldn't watch it, and quite honestly, once I saw the team selection I probably wouldn't have bothered anyway. It had 'damage limitation' written all over it, to my mind.
Wolfsburg (Germany) v Real Madrid (Spain) Bayern Munich (Germany) v Benfica (Portugal) Barcelona (Spain) v Atletico Madrid (Spain) Paris St-Germain (France) v Manchester City (England) The top two look virtual certainties, don't they? Bit tougher for Barca and PSG.
"A predictable end to Europa again. I've said it once and say it again, what's the point of it for Spurs? Without the distraction and extra games we could be where Leicester are instead of being the ones chasing them down." The "point" is to show that the squad is capable of participating in UEFA land, especially at the business end of the PL season, WITHOUT compromising CL qualification via a PL placing. As since first returning to UEFA competition since 2006, Spurs have not achieved the above once, then assuming a top 3 placing come May, then that is a sign of UPWARD PROGRESSION to the next step (becoming the new shoo-ins for the PL top 4 place Cup) .
Our squad's clearly not good enough to do that at the moment, though. I don't think that anyone believes that it is.
shoulda watched our demolition of utd, you could learn a thing or two about competing in europe no shame going out to dortmund to be fair tho, they smashed you in the 1st leg
Because if we were 8th in the league then we could put all our effort into it, and play our best team with the intention of trying to win the thing as our only route into CL. ( Like some other English team are doing now)
Next season is coming, with another CL foray highly likely. Perhaps as PL champions. I expect squad improvement in the summer as a result. Then we shall see if we can repeat this season, or it will be 2010-11 again.
Spurs are supposed to be RAISING their bar on season performance, not lowering it. That means competing in UEFA land AND for the PL title at this very moment of the season. As I said, not there yet, but on the upward path.
I think what pisses most of us off is that we didn't seem to take it seriously enough. I know that our squad is relatively thin - very thin in some areas! - and that the manager has to juggle resources, etc. But you can't start with half a first team against a side of Dortmund's class without the inevitable results
you took it seriously in the earlier rounds it seemed, Probably just a case of bad decision from poch on team selection, i know you had villa after the 1st leg and most thought you shouldve rested player in that game, but if poch had done that and you dropped points in the league it wouldve been a disaster going into the last few games, as you went 3 without a win before. i think he got it right tbh
Pochettino has to be held to account on the toytown MF in the first leg. For example : WTF has happened to Bentaleb ?? If he was vaguely match-fit, then he is strong enough to try and front up against Dortmund. If there are "attitude" problems, then I expect PRAGMA over blind dogma (give the kid a chance to redeem himself ON-PITCH) . Jeez, I remember Keithy and Archibald were not on speaking terms at the end of their time. But Keithy still picked him, and Archibald still fronted up.
I agree with CK that the Spanner/NLD results probably influenced his thinking on that line-up. Some also accept that the manager has the right to ditch a competition if a much bigger prize is at risk. As the squad currently is, we cannot have it all ways as supporters.
They're definitely better than you, but you can probably get at their defence if you play well. If Sturridge can stay fit, then he'll give them problems.
