2018-19 : that was the season that was

1. PL

Like for like with 2017-18 : Pts -6, GF -6, GA 0.

With 12 games to go, Spurs were only 6 pts off the top.
Squad fatigue and insufficient rotation of fringe players finally caught
up, and a collapse akin to 2012 happened that nearly had the same effect
(but thankfully not) .


2. CL

Reached the final, when we were dead and buried a few times in the
group stage, and with 45 mins to go against Ajax.

Excellent performances in the KO stages, with some serious fronting up
in two away games (scoring 3 goals in each of them) . The performance in the
final was a big disappointment after the KO stage whirlwind.


3. Domestic cups

- League cup

SFs.
Managed the games well, considering all ties were against PL opposition.
The Chelsky 2nd leg was meh, but typically Spursy as the rules were
changed that season to remove the away goals rule for the first time
(which meant losing on penalties rather than going to the final) .


- FA cup

R4.
The Palace game featured a starting XI that was unique and bizarre as
those Arry made for the League Cup 2010 NLD and Stevenage 2012 FA cup
ties. And it equally showed in a very confused performance.

Squad injury/fatigue may have been the cause, but strangely as bad as
the 1st half performance was, there were two good chances (GKN, the
penalty) not to have lost the game. The R5 draw just compounded this.


In summary, after the summer transfer window closed if you offered me the above,
I would have torn your hand off.

However, I feel that at certain points in the season both manager and players
have been found wanting. I put this down to the bar having been raised ever
higher for the team, and as a supporter the expectations/questions, rather than
being deluded or entitled are now more critically probing than resigned acceptance.

 

I don't think entitlement crosses my mind when I am expecting more

It's more to do with reaching your potential or failing to do so

 

It’s another season of what could’ve been.

For me the biggest factor was not strengthening.
We had a squad running on empty from about November. Injuries, loss of form, players also getting too comfortable along with one or two managerial brainfarts are other factors that combined, certainly didn’t help but I still stand by the idea that had we signed a top central midfielder, plus one or two others (hindsight would’ve said RB after Tripps’ season) and we could’ve been celebrating something this season.

On paper it’s been great for a club like us but you can’t help the feeling it could’ve been better and the fact it was arguably because of our choices, it makes it that little bit more sour.

 

Injuries crippled our season to be honest.
And that's where the transfer decision ultimately hurt us.
We could of coped with one or two at different times but they just kept on coming all season.

I would have taken scraping into the top 4 and getting to the CL final back in August when it became clear that we were stuck at Wembley until around xmas at least.

What does concern me is that we need to strengthen , clubs will demand top money and we will have difficulty buying players for all the positions that need strengthening at those prices.

Eriksen and Toby may leave which will add to this problem. On top of this Trippier looks certain to go. We will struggle to get any money for players such Janssen, GNK, Wanyama etc (who are supposed to be available for sale).

It could be s difficult window imho and the squad needs not only strengthening but leadership to bounce back from this, which brings md to my last point that Pochettino needs to take a lesf out of Klopps book from last season and forget about who got us to this point, and get in those he thinks can take us to the next.

It is a big window for us...coys

 

Not only the injuries.

The GKN cross for the Winks winner at Fulham confirmed to me that
Pochettino does not put pragma above dogma. For the N weeks that
the likes of GKN were fully fit, would it have hurt to have played them
in far more games than they actually did, in order to spare other players ??

Tis obvious that to front up in all competitions you need ALL squad members
to get as much COMPETITIVE game time in their legs as possible, before
the Xmas to mid Feb period begins.

 

A crossroads season of maybes...

Had we bought a couple of midfielders in the summer...

Had we got into the stadium earlier...

Had we not lost Harry Kane, Dele and Sonny before the League Cup semi-final...

Had the ball not bounced onto Moussa's arm...

When the window closed, I'd have willingly taken what we ended up with, but the transfer failure in the definitely summer cost us. So, a dramatic season and being in the CL again keeps our progress going, albeit without a shiny thing. Maybe we could cut out conceding goals in the first 5 minutes of the biggest tournament next time? We did it in 5 of 13 games, one in each of the last 3 rounds.

It's the end of the line for a considerable number of this squad and time to build again. Without being dramatic, I can easily see 11 departures...

Mitch Vorm
Toby Alderweireld
Kieran Trippier
Serge Aurier
Danny Rose
Victor Wanyama
Erik Lamela
Christian Eriksen
Fernando Llorente
Vincent Janssen
G-K N'Koudou

Thanks to all for their efforts. I was proud to cheer them during their time and most of them came close to winning something with us but time moves on.

There are a few youngsters who will step forward - Skipp, KWP, Foyth and maybe Parrott? However, we need 5 or 6 to come in and I'm expecting the signings to start soon and irrespective of departures or we risk repeating past mistakes...

Now, I'm going back to my garden...anything red is in trouble.

 

Trouble is with those leaving is they will raise very little although they will free up wages.

Mitch Vorm...is free
Toby Alderweireld...£25m
Kieran Trippier...£20m
Serge Aurier...lucky if we got £10m
Danny Rose...maybe £15-20m
Victor Wanyama...lucky to gey £7m
Erik Lamela...maybe £15m
Christian Eriksen...£60m
Fernando Llorente...free
Vincent Janssen...packet of wotsits
G-K N'Koudou...empty packet of wotsits.

We can not wait to sell to buy imo but equally can not spend what we do not have.

My biggest concern is Pochettino though...he genuinely sounded down after the final and I fear that without signings if top quality he could well decide to have a break for a year to recharge.

A lot rests on the next 2 weeks or so in my opinion.

 

The CL run will have exceeded any financial projections and I reckon the Eriksen deal is done already and we're getting time to spend like we did with Gareth Bale. I hope so....

I agree that if we don't hear about Sessegnon, Lo Celso, etc. in the next few weeks, we're up to our old tricks...

 

We'll have dough to spend this summer mate, don't worry about over spending or spending beyond our means. Anything we make from sales is likely to be added. I'd also say we'll get circa £80m for Eriksen, he's a £100m+ player if he had years on his deal. Chelsea only gonna be getting £100m-£120m for Hazard, he's easily £160m+ in this market but like Eriksen the contract situation works against the selling club.

 

Has to be done. No excuses this time around. The money’s there, time to spend it.

 

Maaaaaaate...that avatar. Who did you lose a bet to for that?

 

@BobbyD

Now people know why I was extra pissed at losing 3rd spot...

 

I agree. I just hope that deals are already sorted for the Sessegnons, Ndombele, Lo Celso, etc.

We have no excuses left. There's money to spend and the promise of much more to come, the need for the players is desperate, there are obvious spaces in the squad....we just have to bite the bullet and pay the money and wages and not **** about over issues that are really small beer to a club with an income in excess of £400m.

A big club is what a big club does. If you need a player, you go out and buy one. Time to front up.

 

Please say it isn't going to be there long.....

 

Gutted, how long do you have to endure that monstrosity for?

 

I said similar a few weeks back.

The mentality needs to change. We’re no longer the small club punching above our weight. We’re a solidified top six, in fact top four side now who’s just played in the CL final. The days of haggling over £5m need to be seriously done and looking for Nkoudou’s are also done.

If Ndombele and Lo Celso are costing £60m+ then sign the paperwork for it right now.

 

Three long ****ing months.

 

Time to create a second account and use that for 3 months?

 

“Dier Hard: With a vengeance” sounds quite appealing tbh.

 

Sorry boys. It had to be done. I was going to go easy on @Dier Hard but then i thought about it and guaranteed he'd have given me the worst avatar ever.

By giving him this I'm actually respecting him rather than taking pity.