It's a contradiction in some ways, but the ultra fit modern footballer in the PL cannot perform (on the pitch before you start, Smart!) at his peak twice per week most weeks. Highly conditioned athletes are usually prepared to perform at elite events- like Bolt in the Olympic 100m final. Footballers seem to be the exception. They play too often, play when carrying injuries, travel excessively (as Spurf rightly says causing extra fatigue) and they have little recovery time- if any. They pick up injuries- hamstring strains and the like because they are so fit. So those teams who have big squads, can rotate players and manage their workloads effectively have an advantage. I've specifically highlighted the PL because no foreign teams are subjected to the same physical demands, week in, week out and despite DL's protestations to the contrary, all our teams are capable of giving the top teams a battle, because the standard is high. The extra burden of the EL is bound to have an effect when Spurs' squad is short in numbers in key areas- wingers and forwards- and there is a reluctance to rotate the squad to the extent that, say, SAF would obviously do.
Was there a guarantee we would finish in the top 4?We should,but we are Spurs and we are very good at shooting ourselves in the foot and making rubbish look good! Let's win This Europa Cup!Wouldn't it be nice to win.......something?
Great post OS thanks, a really good insight in to the care taken and tbh it's much better than I expected.
The frustrating thing is that we still have the same problems as last year. The Defense is being rotated constantly, but out of form players are still playing (for me that is Friedel and Walker) We have to completely change our game when Bale and Lennon are not on the wings (which now Bale is SS is alot more) but loaned out our only other winger who is scoring and putting in MOTM performances for QPR Scotty and Livermore are good back up to Sandro, but NO ONE is a decent Back up to Dembele just as last year we had no one for Modric Our strikers are inconsistant we can't break teams down when they defend deep + in the new players and the fact we lost all three of our (then) world class players (Modric, RVV and King) means the squad was always going to struggle at some point. It's quite frankly stupid that Both Harry and AVB thought they could get away with playing the same players every single week, often twice without consequences. Top teams rotate non defensive players for a reason, they Burn out. Look at utd, they have 4-5wingers plus Rooney and Giggs who can play on the wing if necasary. we have 3 - one on the wing (now treatment room), one on loan and one in the middle. Unless we sort out this inbalance, inconsistancy up front, and lack of squad depth and lack of creativity we will always struggle.
Man Utd have more money than us so its a pointless comparison. If we had another £100m a year then we could afford two Dembele's a couple of £30m strikers and a bit more. There is no way we can afford any of this currently.
Money isn't the deciding factor on having the right players in the right positions. only the wages and transfer fees involved.
And that is why., Spurs should not over stretch the decent players we have. You are absolutely right in saying we don't have sufficient cover in crucial positions., and what we are now witnessing is indeed burn out. Why and how have we come to this ?....I think the answere is simple......Because key players are being expected to preform at 100% in micky mouse compititions all season. There're expected to travel the length and breadth of Europe on a Thursday Evening and then somehow kick ass in the EPL on the week-ends. Well.,with no back-up players intow, it is my opinion that that is asking for trouble. The sort of trouble we are beginning to see..... combinating in long term injury and harsh disappointment. It is my belief that our mission and target should've been the ONE compitition. The ONE compitition which will guarantee future improvement to the club, its finances, the squad and give chance to us keeping our players (just by bloody qualifying for the event). Indeed the only compitition Spurs need to win this season is.... 'The Better Then Fourth Place or Higher Compitition'.... which takes place in the English Premier League.
If you're blaming the Europa then why are you even thinking of dealing with the CL? Top teams play these games and still grind out wins. If this was on the Arsenal or Chav board we'd be crucified for making excuses. You lost because of lack of FBs and no attacking threat
You're right if this was on those boards that might well be the response but then this is the Spurs board and we are used to intelligent debates. That's why you're here isn't it!
Erm, how about because the Champions League would be fewer games then the Eurpoa League. Would bring in more prestige And would Bring in more money - which in turn would enable us to build a larger, more talented squad. Arsenal (as Wenger likes to frequently point out) have been in this competition for a milllions billion years straight, so their squad should be able to handle everything thrown at them. Added to that the 50m more a year you spend on wages compared to us, and you really have no excuses for being below us. Chelsea can spend what they like on who they like so obviously working within financial constraints, and seeing the cost implications of being in the Champions league is not a concern for them.
And yet we played a harder game and came out on top against a better team despite using most of our players from the CL game. Spurs rested key player played a worse team at home and lost. It's not about fatigue. As I was told during the 2-1, "you lost, stop making excuses and get over it"
The CL doesn't have teams playing five games in two weeks at regular intervals like the Europa League does. Plus there's a longer rest between domestic and European games in that competition (usually, anyway...)
I think you are missing the point slightly. I am not refering specifically to the Fulham game coming after the Inter one, I'm talking about the fact the Dembele, Walker, Lennon and Parker are playing every single game, home, away and in Europe. This has been happening all season (baring injuries ie Parker for Sandro) and that is when the Burnout is coming in. Throw in the fact that Bale has been immense for 2months basically our only attacking outlet becuase Ade and Defoe or ****e and you can see why some players cannot be 100%. Now lennon is injured we do not have a recognised winger. I am not making excuses, I am identifying where the management of the team is going wrong. Look at how successfull teams are doing things is not a bad idea. Looking to how you are given that you haven't won anything and are below us will get us nothing. You may have beaten them, but you lost the round so your point is meaningless.
So.I'm led to believe Arsenal aren't interested in winning the CL only in making a bit of extra cash.......I guess that makes sense.How many seasons have they played in the CL with nothing else to show for it? Sad really!!!!! A touch of the Joe Lewis's,maybe?
The above declaration, is prime example of meaningless drivel. The likes of which we should try to avoid.
So the fact that Spurs played a midweek game and lost AT HOME and and article saying should we blame Europa While both Arsenal and Chavski both had midweek games and won means No you shouldn't blame the Europa, your manager got his tactics wrong and your players didn't get the job done.
Most definitely Bayern Munich never turned up giving Arsenal the shock of their lives.They won. Most definitely Spurs forgot to turn up giving Inter the shock of THEIR lives......and they still lost. With more luck than judgement,Chelsea crept through! So on the whole,you could be right.Alot of tactics went out the window. As far as Spurs were concerned,against Fulham,this was a typical Spurs result.They could have played for a week and still not scored.......mind you,if we had any tea ladies available one of them might have shown our forwards where the goal was!
