Rival watch

[Roo]

It's to be expected after a summer net spend of £140m. The real criticism should be aimed at Maureen, whose net spend was just £2m less, yet has conspired to reduce United to excruciatingly boring football and an 8 point gap on their noisy neighbours.

I get the feeling that Poch is slowly reassessing his priorities this season too, hence the attention to tactical detail and selection we're seeing in the CL. Every one of our group games has been managed perfectly. Meanwhile in the PL, the only game I felt we were set up perfectly for both in terms of tactics and in terms of personnel was the Pool win.

Most of us went into the season knowing that the Wembley factor made the title a remote possibility after 2 seasons of coming closer than ever before. What we didn't anticipate was how many injuries we'd have to contend with, along with the fact that 13 games in and City have dropped 2 points. I think Kane's interview yesterday reflected a frustrated resignation to this reality too. The players already know it is beyond us. How that will affect them after 2 seasons of almost taking it to the wire is a challenge most have never faced, and could be the underlying reason why so many of our big game performers aren't performing.

It's a dangerous game, putting all your eggs in the CL basket. We did it under Harry and never really got going that year in the league, finishing 5th having spent a grand total of 2 days in the top 4 all season. There is a risk that the same could happen this season if we don't get the balancing act right.

Maybe Poch has it right. Maybe a run to the QF or - dare I say it - further - in the CL is exactly what we need at this juncture to raise the club's profile ahead of our move to the new WHL. But at the risk of sounding like Arsene Wenger, it is also crucial that we play in the CL to stay in the CL and clinch top 4 to do so. More crucial than a trophy to my mind.

My logic here is: players who want to leave will leave regardless of whether we win the FA Cup or not. Our single greatest challenge will be replacing them if they do. We were exceptionally wise to bring in Ledley King's bastard son Ledley Snow as a pre-emptive measure in case Toby leaves. Sessegnon for Rose and (to a far lesser extent) Barkley for Alli are similarly sensible measures. But to attract the caliber of player who can take us to the next level, New Stadium + CL football + A Name in Europe is surely the way forward.

If the FA Cup can somehow be juggled along with all of that, amazing. But my gut feeling is that we will need to do an Arsenal this season, only without losing 10-2 in the KO's.

Seriously, I said it in that poll at the start of the season. - 4th, a decent CL campaign (which it’s already proving to be) and no trophies will be still be a good season of transition.

I want us to be in the CL for our first season at our new stadium. If players decide they’ve had enough, then so be it. But at least the larger attendance each week and CL lure means we can attract some top players.

 

[Citizen Kane]

Seriously, I said it in that poll at the start of the season. - 4th, a decent CL campaign (which it’s already proving to be) and no trophies will be still be a good season of transition.

I want us to be in the CL for our first season at our new stadium. If players decide they’ve had enough, then so be it. But at least the larger attendance each week and CL lure means we can attract some top players.

Seriously, I said it in that poll at the start of the season. - 4th, a decent CL campaign (which it’s already proving to be) and no trophies will be still be a good season of transition.

I want us to be in the CL for our first season at our new stadium. If players decide they’ve had enough, then so be it. But at least the larger attendance each week and CL lure means we can attract some top players.

Come again?

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Jeez, get over it. Swings and roundabouts.

Point proven.

 

[Citizen Kane]

Jeez, get over it. Swings and roundabouts.

How does it feel to be Burnley's bogey team?

 

[bigsmithy9]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42129155
Watford.

I take my hat off to the Watford board.Hate to say this.....but I couldn't imagine the Spurs board doing that (would you Daniel?)

 

[Roo]

Come again?

Sorry if that made no sense.

Basically this season being our transition year I will be happy with 4th and no trophies. - Just maintaining CL football, so we can kick off life in the new stadium in the same position.

If players have had enough by then, and don’t want another season of no trophies, then so be it. But at least we’ll be in a brand new stadium with CL football and bigger attendances with more revenue coming in to attract other top players.

 

[D.G.C.]

Seriously, I said it in that poll at the start of the season. - 4th, a decent CL campaign (which it’s already proving to be) and no trophies will be still be a good season of transition.

I want us to be in the CL for our first season at our new stadium. If players decide they’ve had enough, then so be it. But at least the larger attendance each week and CL lure means we can attract some top players.

CL yes but not 4th. We seem to be getting the luck in the CL more than the PL so we can hope for a fairly good CL run. We have proved that on form these players are capable of good football and I just see Poch's aura as that of a winner so I don't think we need worry.

 

[bigsmithy9]

I wonder if a couple of our "stars" have noticed we are out of the PL chase this season and are thinking of going to another club?
Well,stop thinking.You've screwed us for the league .....BUT.......we still might win a couple of games in the CL to make you happy!

signed

Long time fan who would like to see us win something!

( Gosh! I can remember us winning the mighty Costa Del Sol trophy with an average team! Oh those good old days!!!!!?)

 

[Blue and White]

Sorry if that made no sense.
Basically this season being our transition year I will be happy with 4th and no trophies. - Just maintaining CL football, so we can kick off life in the new stadium in the same position.
If players have had enough by then, and don’t want another season of no trophies, then so be it. But at least we’ll be in a brand new stadium with CL football and bigger attendances with more revenue coming in to attract other top players.

We could buy Messi and he wouldn't score for us a la Soldado, Jensen and now Llorente.( and further back in years if one wishes.)

 

[Roo]

We could buy Messi and he wouldn't score for us a la Soldado, Jensen and now Llorente.( and further back in years if one wishes.)

He’s just signed a new contract at Barca, so he’s another one who is out of the question now...

 

[remembercolinlee]

I get people's frustrations but here's my take on it (my real take rather than RCL's)!
From 1990 to 2005 we were a basket case of a club.

We spent 1990-1992 desperately trying not to go bankrupt cos of how badly we were financially managed through the 1980s (particularly in respect to the the then newly built west stand) while having to change the Lane to an all seater ground.
We then had a power struggle between Sugar and Venables.
Sugar was awful at choosing managers and this left us languishing around 10th-14th place with the occasional relegation battle.
When Enic took over in 2001 it took them 4 years to sort things out.

From 2005 -2007 (Martin Jol years) saw us getting into Europe for 2 consecutive season' for the first time since the mid 1980s.
We screwed up his sacking and appointing Ramos but were back on track in 2008 when we appointed Redknapp who took us further.
The appointment of Pochettino has taken even further still so understandably expectations have been raised.
We have come a long way in 12 years.
In that time we have qualified for the CL 3 times, Uefa/Europa League 8 times.
We have come...
5th, 5th, 10th (won league cup), 8th (League cup final), 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th , 3rd and 2nd in that time. We are working on a tight budget but are clearly punching above our weight while building a new ground. We can not compete with other clubs wage bills or transfer fees at the moment but are still competing.

I wish we had won more trophies in the past decade and would love us to win the fa cup but we sometimes should remember where we came from without having access to the riches of the clubs that tend to win the trophies.

I know Leicester did it and I wish it had been us but that was a perfect storm for them which (if we weren't chasing them) I would have been cheering on.

I will get called bitter by other clubs fans for this but too many clubs are losing or have lost their souls. Man Utd had fans go off to form their own club...city , with all their success, have an issue filling their ground, Arsenal claim a full ground when thousands of seats are visably empty, Chelsea have to advertise some matches including CL games in the Evening Standard and on Talksport.
I ain' t digging them out but they are becoming distant to many of their fans in their chase for "customers" but spurs seem to be avoiding this.

The last 12 years have been fun in the main...here's to the next 12 which takes me to near retirement age

 

[Roo]

I get people's frustrations but here's my take on it (my real take rather than RCL's)!
From 1990 to 2005 we were a basket case of a club.

We spent 1990-1992 desperately trying not to go bankrupt cos of how badly we were financially managed through the 1980s (particularly in respect to the the then newly built west stand) while having to change the Lane to an all seater ground.
We then had a power struggle between Sugar and Venables.
Sugar was awful at choosing managers and this left us languishing around 10th-14th place with the occasional relegation battle.
When Enic took over in 2001 it took them 4 years to sort things out.

From 2005 -2007 (Martin Jol years) saw us getting into Europe for 2 consecutive season' for the first time since the mid 1980s.
We screwed up his sacking and appointing Ramos but were back on track in 2008 when we appointed Redknapp who took us further.
The appointment of Pochettino has taken even further still so understandably expectations have been raised.
We have come a long way in 12 years.
In that time we have qualified for the CL 3 times, Uefa/Europa League 8 times.
We have come...
5th, 5th, 10th (won league cup), 8th (League cup final), 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th , 3rd and 2nd in that time. We are working on a tight budget but are clearly punching above our weight while building a new ground. We can not compete with other clubs wage bills or transfer fees at the moment but are still competing.

I wish we had won more trophies in the past decade and would love us to win the fa cup but we sometimes should remember where we came from without having access to the riches of the clubs that tend to win the trophies.

I know Leicester did it and I wish it had been us but that was a perfect storm for them which (if we weren't chasing them) I would have been cheering on.

I will get called bitter by other clubs fans for this but too many clubs are losing or have lost their souls. Man Utd had fans go off to form their own club...city , with all their success, have an issue filling their ground, Arsenal claim a full ground when thousands of seats are visably empty, Chelsea have to advertise some matches including CL games in the Evening Standard and on Talksport.
I ain' t digging them out but they are becoming distant to many of their fans in their chase for "customers" but spurs seem to be avoiding this.

The last 12 years have been fun in the main...here's to the next 12 which takes me to near retirement age

Shut up you happy clapper. Positivity doesn’t suit you.

 

[bigsmithy9]

So you'll be holding at the bar at your local dreaming of the things we missed,Colin Been there.Done that.....but still dreaming!

 

[Spur of the Moment]

I get people's frustrations but here's my take on it (my real take rather than RCL's)!
From 1990 to 2005 we were a basket case of a club.

We spent 1990-1992 desperately trying not to go bankrupt cos of how badly we were financially managed through the 1980s (particularly in respect to the the then newly built west stand) while having to change the Lane to an all seater ground.
We then had a power struggle between Sugar and Venables.
Sugar was awful at choosing managers and this left us languishing around 10th-14th place with the occasional relegation battle.
When Enic took over in 2001 it took them 4 years to sort things out.

From 2005 -2007 (Martin Jol years) saw us getting into Europe for 2 consecutive season' for the first time since the mid 1980s.
We screwed up his sacking and appointing Ramos but were back on track in 2008 when we appointed Redknapp who took us further.
The appointment of Pochettino has taken even further still so understandably expectations have been raised.
We have come a long way in 12 years.
In that time we have qualified for the CL 3 times, Uefa/Europa League 8 times.
We have come...
5th, 5th, 10th (won league cup), 8th (League cup final), 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th , 3rd and 2nd in that time. We are working on a tight budget but are clearly punching above our weight while building a new ground. We can not compete with other clubs wage bills or transfer fees at the moment but are still competing.

I wish we had won more trophies in the past decade and would love us to win the fa cup but we sometimes should remember where we came from without having access to the riches of the clubs that tend to win the trophies.

I know Leicester did it and I wish it had been us but that was a perfect storm for them which (if we weren't chasing them) I would have been cheering on.

I will get called bitter by other clubs fans for this but too many clubs are losing or have lost their souls. Man Utd had fans go off to form their own club...city , with all their success, have an issue filling their ground, Arsenal claim a full ground when thousands of seats are visably empty, Chelsea have to advertise some matches including CL games in the Evening Standard and on Talksport.
I ain' t digging them out but they are becoming distant to many of their fans in their chase for "customers" but spurs seem to be avoiding this.

The last 12 years have been fun in the main...here's to the next 12 which takes me to near retirement age

Well said, buddy!
Great bit of ‘perspective-setting’!

 

[Roo]

my 10,000th post.... telling RCL to stop being a happy clapper. Never would have thought it.

 

[Blue and White]

I get people's frustrations but here's my take on it (my real take rather than RCL's)!
From 1990 to 2005 we were a basket case of a club.

We spent 1990-1992 desperately trying not to go bankrupt cos of how badly we were financially managed through the 1980s (particularly in respect to the the then newly built west stand) while having to change the Lane to an all seater ground.
We then had a power struggle between Sugar and Venables.
Sugar was awful at choosing managers and this left us languishing around 10th-14th place with the occasional relegation battle.
When Enic took over in 2001 it took them 4 years to sort things out.

From 2005 -2007 (Martin Jol years) saw us getting into Europe for 2 consecutive season' for the first time since the mid 1980s.
We screwed up his sacking and appointing Ramos but were back on track in 2008 when we appointed Redknapp who took us further.
The appointment of Pochettino has taken even further still so understandably expectations have been raised.
We have come a long way in 12 years.
In that time we have qualified for the CL 3 times, Uefa/Europa League 8 times.
We have come...
5th, 5th, 10th (won league cup), 8th (League cup final), 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th , 3rd and 2nd in that time. We are working on a tight budget but are clearly punching above our weight while building a new ground. We can not compete with other clubs wage bills or transfer fees at the moment but are still competing.

I wish we had won more trophies in the past decade and would love us to win the fa cup but we sometimes should remember where we came from without having access to the riches of the clubs that tend to win the trophies.

I know Leicester did it and I wish it had been us but that was a perfect storm for them which (if we weren't chasing them) I would have been cheering on.

I will get called bitter by other clubs fans for this but too many clubs are losing or have lost their souls. Man Utd had fans go off to form their own club...city , with all their success, have an issue filling their ground, Arsenal claim a full ground when thousands of seats are visably empty, Chelsea have to advertise some matches including CL games in the Evening Standard and on Talksport.
I ain' t digging them out but they are becoming distant to many of their fans in their chase for "customers" but spurs seem to be avoiding this.

The last 12 years have been fun in the main...here's to the next 12 which takes me to near retirement age

I get what you are saying and sure I am happy because I know it could be alot worse. But from where we are now, it is **ing frustrating and this team deserve more. And so do we.

 

[Roo]

I get what you are saying and sure I am happy because I know it could be alot worse. But from where we are now, it is **ing frustrating and this team deserve more. And so do we.

Absolutely, but it’s because we’re so close, like you’re alluding to. COYS

 

[Blue and White]

Absolutely, but it’s because we’re so close, like you’re alluding to. COYS

Coming second is always the hardest

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

Coming second is always the hardest

Don't you start posting filth too.

 

["Thanks for that Brian"]

I get people's frustrations but here's my take on it (my real take rather than RCL's)!
From 1990 to 2005 we were a basket case of a club.

We spent 1990-1992 desperately trying not to go bankrupt cos of how badly we were financially managed through the 1980s (particularly in respect to the the then newly built west stand) while having to change the Lane to an all seater ground.
We then had a power struggle between Sugar and Venables.
Sugar was awful at choosing managers and this left us languishing around 10th-14th place with the occasional relegation battle.
When Enic took over in 2001 it took them 4 years to sort things out.

From 2005 -2007 (Martin Jol years) saw us getting into Europe for 2 consecutive season' for the first time since the mid 1980s.
We screwed up his sacking and appointing Ramos but were back on track in 2008 when we appointed Redknapp who took us further.
The appointment of Pochettino has taken even further still so understandably expectations have been raised.
We have come a long way in 12 years.
In that time we have qualified for the CL 3 times, Uefa/Europa League 8 times.
We have come...
5th, 5th, 10th (won league cup), 8th (League cup final), 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th , 3rd and 2nd in that time. We are working on a tight budget but are clearly punching above our weight while building a new ground. We can not compete with other clubs wage bills or transfer fees at the moment but are still competing.

I wish we had won more trophies in the past decade and would love us to win the fa cup but we sometimes should remember where we came from without having access to the riches of the clubs that tend to win the trophies.

I know Leicester did it and I wish it had been us but that was a perfect storm for them which (if we weren't chasing them) I would have been cheering on.

I will get called bitter by other clubs fans for this but too many clubs are losing or have lost their souls. Man Utd had fans go off to form their own club...city , with all their success, have an issue filling their ground, Arsenal claim a full ground when thousands of seats are visably empty, Chelsea have to advertise some matches including CL games in the Evening Standard and on Talksport.
I ain' t digging them out but they are becoming distant to many of their fans in their chase for "customers" but spurs seem to be avoiding this.

The last 12 years have been fun in the main...here's to the next 12 which takes me to near retirement age

I know Arsenal fans who are not happy with things after the Emirates move. Not to the extent of the Taxpayers' Arena move but my uncle and cousin have given up their season tickets. I've known a fair few Chelsea fans who say that the club died when Abramovich took over and again, they rarely go. Citeh's owners have spent £billions and won titles but they still advertise tickets on the radio. Liverpool's famed atmosphere is pretty much a thing of the past with customers [many tourists] replacing fans in the ground.

That is the battle. When fans become customers, the game's up. Watford appreciated their fans. The Arsenal AGM treated minor shareholders and customers like ****. If we can settle into our new stadium as one, then the future is a very bright one. for despite the majority of clubs' incomes coming from other sources, without the love and support of real fans, there's no heart or soul to the whole thing.