It's been a great season. We've improved enormously from last season. We have only been outplayed once. I cannot recall that happening in nearly 50 years of supporting Spurs. It is gutting to see the league as a real possibility and not succeed. However, everywhere I see progress and commitment. More than that, I see it ahead of schedule. We have players like Kane, Alli and Dier as leading international players who were unheard of 2 years ago. They are central to our aspirations and are building a 'Band of Brothers' mentality for club and country. Players like Walker, Rose, Vertonghen and Dembele have been transformed into players who deliver. Our best players are committing to the club for the years ahead. They know what's happening and are wanting to stay. Our buying is so much better than the 'hit and miss' rubbish of previous regimes. Someone like Wimmer just proves how far we've come in that respect. A real tough, quality defender at a bargain price. We had an injury and he came in and fitted seamlessly. In the last few decades, he'd be a fixture in our team. Now, he's a squad player. We now have people in the club who are good at their jobs and committed to them and our manager. John McDermott, Paul Mitchell and Rob Mackenzie . These people will ensure we continue to progress. Finally, we have a manager who is driven to succeeding and wants to do it here. Since Keith left 32 years ago, we've not had someone who can deliver for us what we wanrt. We've kissed a lot of frogs. Now, a prince! It's been a great season The level of disappointment shows just how great. We had no right to even hope for how far we've come under Mauricio Pochettino's leadership in the last 2 years. Now I am hoping and expect to see us fight for silverwear next year and the year after. I expect to see Mauricio and Daniel Levy singing pretty soon.
To be honest CK you are asking the wrong question about this season's results so are getting the wrong answers. The League as a whole is richer than ever. This means that players can get £50k per week from many different clubs so the bigger clubs are not finding it so easy to buy all the best players to stop others building. Therefore the league is much stronger across the board. I think we have moved forward in this season which suggests we are doing things right. There is no reason to believe that Chelsea, City, United and Liverpool will all dramatically improve next season. IF united miss out on CL they could well struggle to get the players they need. The same could be said about Chelsea. I think Liverpool and City will attract players due to their managers but as we found out , that doesn't mean that they will immediately improve. I think Leicester, Southampton, West Ham and possibly Stoke will be stronger next season. I think that next season could well be just as unpredictable and if we strengthen in the right areas we could well develop on this season.
I thought long and hard before casting my vote, and I have voted for the ‘we could have done better’ option, because on the basis of the way we have played I genuinely believe we could have done. Looking at where we have dropped points and the performances in those matches with either a little more luck or on a couple of occasions a bit more thought we could be looking at between 83 & 93 Pts Just off the top of my head Man Utd A - 1 pt lost in a close match that we certainly didn’t deserve to lose Stoke H – 2 Pts lost conceded 2 late goals should have closed match out Leicester A – 2 pts lost scored late and immediately went to sleep Everton H – 2 pts lost – Outplayed them from start to finish Liverpool H – 2 pts Lost – Created all the best chances Arsenal A – 2pts lost gave away a soft equaliser Newcastle H – 3 pts lost home to Newcastle look at their away record! Leicester H – 3 pts lost played very well just couldn’t score and beaten by a classic sucker punch Everton A – 2 pts lost the opening 45 mins was possibly the best we played all season should have won Arsenal H – 2pts lost 2-1 up against 10 men should have seen it out Chelsea A – 2 pts lost we all know why I make that 23 pts and I know you are not going to always get the rub of the green, but if we had gained just 13 of those pts and 3 of them had been off Leicester………that’s why I say we could have done better But it’s still a great season beyond my expectations at the start of the season, and with the right additions this summer it might just be the beginning
We definitely could've done better this season. Failure to kill teams is our achilles heel. Silly points lost by letting teams back into games. Perfect example is the west brom game recently, in the first half after we scored we kicked into show-off mode. There was an arrogance about us that the second goal would come easily and we started showboating towards the end of the half. You could argue that this was youthful inexperience but instead of being ruthless in a search for the second goal, we tried the fancy passing and flicks. It was almost like we felt entitled to win the game without putting in the hard graft. Then West Brom came out 2nd half and quite possibly could've nicked it in the end. Had we knuckled down from the start and concentrated on getting the points on the board, we could've quite easily killed them off in the first half. We need to develop that ruthless streak and keep the focus on all 3 points for the full 90 minutes. Young team I know but they have alot to learn. The future is looking extremely good for Spurs if we can develop this winning mentality.
The above points are all valid, IMO. Firstly, you'll never win any title, major trophy, etc, without being ruthless. Especially the PL. That ruthlessness encompasses hammering opposition teams when you're in the ascendency. Got them on the rack? Tighten the screws, don't let up! And it includes having the mettle to see games out when you're forced onto the defensive. Leicester have been very good at it this season. The games they have 'won ugly' are probably what has won them the title.
But it sounds like you and HJ (welcome to the forum by the way ) are pointing out a different kind of ruthlessness to what I think we've been lacking this year. The problem against Chelsea was that we came out after the break still incensed and therefore still seeking goals 3 and 4 to really humiliate them and gain some sort of emotional victory. As a consequence, we committed far too many players forward - Danny and Kyle in particular - and they were able to pick us off. The ruthlessness that won Leicester the title were ultimately the games where they scored pretty early on and just shut up shop. They've won something like 7 games by a 1-0 score line...that's 21 points. Turn all of those into 1-1 draws from letting the opposition in and you're down to 7 points. In other words, they'd be around 14 points worse off and would be sitting...surprise surprise, in 2nd or 3rd...where we are. There is no question that defensively we are good enough to do this. Maybe it's part of Poch's philosophy, maybe it's the naive youth of the team that we want to win every game by 3 goal margins. The reality is that it simply doesn't work unless you're Bayern or Barca playing some La Liga cannon fodder. Against Chelsea, we should've told our FB's to just stay put and simply absorb the pressure for 45 minutes. Yes, it's difficult, yes it's mentally exhausting, but the best teams can all do it.
20 odd posts since 2012.....don't be shy Jonny, welcome. For me, we could have done better. That isn't to say I'm unhappy with the team. However we shouldn't stand still. We can't be content with our progress, just because it is progress. So many games could have been wins instead of draws, but I got the feeling whilst watching them that we just don't have the extra gear needed, Leicester have. Them games where we could have hit top spot but failed on more than one occasion. We should have done better in some of them at least. That has left me frustrated. No way should we have lost to Leicester at home. No ****ing way. We should have been hell bent on that not happening. That was a 6 point swing. For me we did show a soft underbelly when we needed to man up. That could be inexperience. However as a young 20 something, you would think you know what is at stake. So now I am thinking, is it focus and immaturity. United won plenty with kids. They were hell bent, the gaffer took no ****...and they played some sublime football on the way. Think sometimes we get caught up in our social status as a club. You know, Tottenham, they play some good stuff, but get at them and you have a chance. I saw that at the West Ham game away, or at least felt it. When we went 2-1 up against Arsenal, having been a goal down I felt an air of 'see that is what we are capable of' but then they stopped playing, as though point proved. That's not good enough. For me that is soft thinking, should have choked Arsenal and I reckon we could have got a few more. For me, however I disect this season, I keep on coming out with the same conclusion. A lack of experience when it was required most. I'm optimistic as we can get experience in. Then again there are plenty players who have played massive games already in our squad, cups and championships in other countries. So why were they not stepping it up or getting some order? Maybe they were but the young un's are too boisterous and still went gung-ho about it and lost crucial points. I just hope we can sort our heads out because this is obviously Spurs's golden generation when it comes to collective talent....ill be devastated if this era passes without making some serious noise. So for me we could have done better with just a little bit more strong mindedness.
If you're not satisfied with this season you'll never be satisfied. I see the same thread being started at the end of next season regardless of how well we do! I am however in no way surprised at the ludicrous negativity here, it goes with this forum and 606 before it. Frankly if teams never performed under 100% then they'd never lose. Every other team could say the same thing. Get over it.
Surely any team that dosesn't win the league can point to games where they could / should have done better? The original question posed was have we underperformed and given the improvement all round I think it's crazy we're even considering this. Expectations have clearly been reassessed, the stats say we haven't underperformed yet there's a clear disappointment being felt in some quarters. As a club, our expectations have always been high but for me the overall improvements top any sense of disappointment I have with those poor goals we conceded.
I still think the Europa League was detrimental. It's been a poison chalice again. Leicester didn't have those extra games. Their players often got periods of rest between games whereas Spurs' players didn't. Players are very fit today and well conditioned. They are prepared to perform at their peak in games. They need periods of rest after games to recover and reduce the risk of injury (muscle and ligament tears/strains are prevalent these days from overexertion). They don't benefit in the short or long term from playing too often and from the additional travelling associated with the EL. Usain Bolt wouldn't run his best every time if he ran in every athletics meeting he could, would he? He selects the races he runs giving himself ample time for rest and recovery so that he improves his chances of peak performance. Clubs can't avoid fixtures, but they can and should rest individual players. I think Spurs should have considered leaving certain players out of the EL squad altogether. Extra games and travelling is bound to increase fatigue - and fatigue takes its toll somewhere down the line. It has affected all the English teams participating in the EL over the years. The CL is not as bad. There are not as many games and usually less travelling. The bigger teams are able to rotate squads better - but the non-English teams don't have these concerns anyway. Their league games are not played at the same pace and intensity and they can often win games playing at 75% of peak performance. English teams have suffered in the CL too. And City's experience this season has shown that CL success may have to come of the expense of league form with key players rested.
I think you're mistaking negativity for constructive criticism, Vim. Head over to the Arsenal board if you want some of the former. I'd like to think that this thread has allowed posters to express the latter in a mature and sensible way. It is also a mistake to talk as if there are only two options in the spectrum - 'satisfied' or 'unsatisfied'. I am incredibly satisfied with this season, but I together with some others on this forum, feel that there was scope to be more satisfied. By way of comparison, I happen to have got more 'satisfaction' out of the 2009-10 season's achievements than this year. First ever qualification for the CL in a league where the big guns seriously meant business, with a team inferior in every department with the possible exceptions of Ledley and Luka (although he was still a year or two off his best), combined with somehow reaching the League Cup QF and the FA Cup SF along the way. That was a season where I seriously felt as though we had 'exceeded expectations'. I haven't felt that as strongly this season and I'm certainly not going to apologise for feeling that way. Bottom line is, we've all seen far too many false dawns at our beloved club to not be at least a tiny bit paranoid that next season won't be the walk in the park many posters are predicting it to be. There have been many lessons to learn from this season, despite the incredible things we've achieved. Those lessons have been pointed out by myself and others on this thread. If they are not learned and improved over the summer, and the big guns come back stronger next season, there is every possibility that we will struggle to make top 4, let alone challenge for the title. That isn't being negative imho, it's being realistic.
I am satisfied with this season. My end of season stock-taking (which covers various themes - some mentioned here) cannot happen until FT on sunday.
Our current point tally would have secured us 4th last season on goal difference... Where we wanted to be. True that the top sides crappiness might have inflated our league position this time but maybe that's the way it's gonna be for a bit. I don't see why the usual order has to be restored, I actually think that this is a bit of a new dawn for prem football where the emphasis has tangibly shifted away from the "Galacticos" model. Financial fair play rules have helped and inflated TV money across the board could further help in this. But.... I too am well up for being "more satisfied" CK, you colossal footie perv you
I get that Vim, I am satisfied. I'm proud of this season. I am just pointing out where I feel improvement can be made and why. I'm sure the hierarchy at Spurs want to improve, they won't be standing still. End of the day this team has got us a CL journey to look forward to, I'm well happy.
In my view there's absolutely nothing wrong with standing back and saying to yourself, "how can I improve" Which I'm sure is what MP and the players are doing. We're happy now as it looks as if we may well finish in 2nd place and that's a lot more than we expected at the start of the season. But also there's nothing wrong in saying,"Now I want first place". And striving to achieve that. It's called ambition! If you just sit back and think what a good season we've had and let's all be happy with that, then we'll end up like the Goons. It's called complacency!
Considering our best midfield duo comprise a makeshift, former CB and debut DM in Dier and a CM who has been inconsistent prior to this season in Dembele, we've done massively well. To implement the change necessary in-game that you accurately highlighted above, we'd need a steely, authoritative leader on the pitch to direct the players and dictate the play. Lloris is too far from the action IMO to do this. Our CB are greatly skilled but neither of them are as rugged or ruthless as a Terry, Huth or a Morgan. All three of our defence core, to me, appear too nice for the job of rallying the troops in that way when necessary. Dier is trying to fill this gap, but he's new, both to his position on the field and in his experience. Leicester have managed to assemble a core of players who have been to the school of hard knocks gaining experience, and blended and balanced them with just enough skill and flair to get the job done. No more, no less. Considering we have been missing this ingredient for seasons, not just this one, I think we've over performed this season. It's telling that when Dembele plays, we lose less games. He comes the closest to dictating play for us, but he does it with his feet and his strength on the ball rather than his audible leadership of the players on field. When Ali is the player with the most 'bite' in your team, not only is it telling, but it's a clear sign you need a leader on field to protect and guide him. Could you imagine if he was playing in the Chelsea match? Our bench has also been lacking match winners. Chelsea pull Hazard off the bench to change a game, his impact is obvious. We have no such option that scares teams enough consistently. As frustrating as the end is becoming, I'm happy with the season. I'm sure, or at least I hope, that the near miss of winning the title will spur Pochettino and Levy on to make the necessary upgrades to the squad. Most of which we saw were necessary last season, yet didn't even half deal with.
Well I've seen enough over the past few weeks to change my vote. Unacceptable end to the season has ruined it for me. Less points than AVB, below Arsenal, limped out of all 3 cups. Not good enough considering the talent available and relative weakness of the bigger sides.
My honest opinion. I posted few weeks ago, if you miss out on top 2 you & Poch will be considered failure. Margins are fine, especially in this weird season. Unfortunately for you - that has happened. You are failure so is Poch. Not sure about under performance, but certainly over rated both your team & your manager. Here is the stat. Martinez 2014 72 pts 5th place Great footy adored by all Incredible young guns Poch 2016 70 pts 3rd place Great footy adored by all Incredible young guns
The special one (sic) / Hiddink : 50 pts. 10th place. Finished below Stoke. Great football imagined by only the sectioned. Incredibly unprofessional personnel.
