Rival watch

[Saf]

I haven't watched a huge number of your games but what I've seen is a team that hasn't always got the results its performance deserved. I've never seen you as being in real danger of the drop, simply because at least 5 teams (us included) have played worse than you for long stretches ( in our case: since the third fixture of the season).

Maybe the FA Cup will be a distraction that will drag you back into it but I can't see that happening. An ideal scenario for us is for neither you or West Ham to be safe by the time you play eachother on the last day of the season.

Forest probably have the easiest run in on paper, but again the EL could be a distraction for them if they get to the SF.

I think it'll be a straight race between us and West Ham tbh, and based on the fact that they've picked up 8pts from their last 18 whereas we've picked up 1, the outcome feels inevitable.

Funny how we see things differently. I’d argue Forest have the toughest run in.

They have Burnley next and then these 5 games. I don’t see them picking up many points at all. If they fail to beat Burnley they’re right in the ****.

You must log in or register to see images

 

[The Changing Man]

Hard to be objective about your own team but I think if we stay up we’ve deserved to because we’ve competed in most games. Our GD of -10 is almost all due to Arsenal hammering us 5 and 4 nil, we just couldn’t cope with them. Against the rest of the league been at least competitive.

Spurs decline this season reminds me of when Leeds fell out of the prem. a lot of fans (and players) then thought we were just too big/too good to go down.

Problem for you is we could be safe when we meet W Ham

I think you will be safe well before the last game, and from what I have seen rightly so, you are everything we are not - your players are not short on ability but they all work hard, you look well coached and appear to have a plan. Good luck for the rest of the season.

 

[2020VisionofLeeds]

I remember that year very well. Didn't you finish 3rd a few years prior?
Iirc much of your decline was due to severe financial mismanagement which meant you were on the brink of fiscal collapse either way.
We haven't had that problem but it's one that I think will hit us when we go down.

And my gut feeling is that we'll be down there for at least as long as you were. We'll have one shot to get it right which is this summer and January when player sales will allow us the luxury of reinvesting and rebuilding a team good enough to come straight back up.

Another member and I have crunched the numbers and the dangerous mix of revenue loss combined with stadium debt and loan covenants means that we'll have two seasons to get back again before it becomes almost impossible to invest any further in the team, and we'll then potentially be gone for decades.

We had 5 seasons in the top 5 then had one season in the bottom half before going down.

Not an expert on Spurs but I think we were in a class of our own when it comes to money mismanagement. You may come back quicker than we did, as you know the e b longer you linger down there the harder it is to come back

 

[KingHotspur]

We had 5 seasons in the top 5 then had one season in the bottom half before going down.

Not an expert on Spurs but I think we were in a class of our own when it comes to money mismanagement. You may come back quicker than we did, as you know the e b longer you linger down there the harder it is to come back

I don’t see Spurs bouncing back straight away.

There will need to be a lot of sales and a lot of buys and Spurs don’t do either particularly quick or well.

 

[Dier Hard]

I don’t see Spurs bouncing back straight away.

There will need to be a lot of sales and a lot of buys and Spurs don’t do either particularly quick or well.

I think we’ll have enough to bounce back, I was trying to work out our likely team in the Championship and I think it’d look something like:

Kinsky
Spence, Danso, Phillips, Udogie*
Gray, Bergvall
Odobert, Maddison**, Moore
Lankshear

Udogie mainly because I’m not sure teams will take a punt after his injury issues, otherwise he’d be a cert to leave. Maddison’s season long injury and general injury history will also put teams off, plus he’ll be the dreaded 30 next season. I’d love to see Vuskovic in the side but I’m not sure one of Europe’s hottest prospects who’s excelling in Germany will fancy a season in the second tier of England so would figure another loan with the aim of hopefully returning upon promotion.

 

[Left on the Shelf]

Hard to be objective about your own team but I think if we stay up we’ve deserved to because we’ve competed in most games. Our GD of -10 is almost all due to Arsenal hammering us 5 and 4 nil, we just couldn’t cope with them. Against the rest of the league been at least competitive.

Spurs decline this season reminds me of when Leeds fell out of the prem. a lot of fans (and players) then thought we were just too big/too good to go down.

Problem for you is we could be safe when we meet W Ham

I certainly think you deserve to stay up and have enjoyed watching some of your games.
(And that's coming from someone who has had a visceral hatred of your club since 1970!! )
From what I've seen your coach and players display all the qualities sadly lacking at Spurs. The only surprise for me is why you're even close to the zone!

 

[KingHotspur]

I think we’ll have enough to bounce back, I was trying to work out our likely team in the Championship and I think it’d look something like:

Kinsky
Spence, Danso, Phillips, Udogie*
Gray, Bergvall
Odobert, Maddison**, Moore
Lankshear

Udogie mainly because I’m not sure teams will take a punt after his injury issues, otherwise he’d be a cert to leave. Maddison’s season long injury and general injury history will also put teams off, plus he’ll be the dreaded 30 next season. I’d love to see Vuskovic in the side but I’m not sure one of Europe’s hottest prospects who’s excelling in Germany will fancy a season in the second tier of England so would figure another loan with the aim of hopefully returning upon promotion.

I’m not sure that team could get promoted.

Even in the championship I think some of them would struggle to consistently dominate games. I think Spurs need to make some good signings in the summer even if they go down.

I really fear relegation means a long time in the abyss rather than a one off season just because of how much of a mess the club will be in financially because of relegation.

When building and financing the stadium, nobody ever expected relegation and the figures I’ve seen are alarming to say the least.

 

[oldschool]

I certainly think you deserve to stay up and have enjoyed watching some of your games.
(And that's coming from someone who has had a visceral hatred of your club since 1970!! )
From what I've seen your coach and players display all the qualities sadly lacking at Spurs. The only surprise for me is why you're even close to the zone!

Well everyone hated us in the seventies didn't they!! so you're not in an exclusive club for that ...we should have been at least 6 points better off than we are with some of our performances not getting the rewards that they warranted, we're not out of it yet with wolves at home next you just know the banana man is ready and waiting in the wings after last night's great result ...still we would definitely rather be in our shoes than yours

 

[Saf]

You need to get rid of Spence and I think you will. He’s a bad apple.

 

[The Changing Man]

I think we’ll have enough to bounce back, I was trying to work out our likely team in the Championship and I think it’d look something like:

Kinsky
Spence, Danso, Phillips, Udogie*
Gray, Bergvall
Odobert, Maddison**, Moore
Lankshear

Udogie mainly because I’m not sure teams will take a punt after his injury issues, otherwise he’d be a cert to leave. Maddison’s season long injury and general injury history will also put teams off, plus he’ll be the dreaded 30 next season. I’d love to see Vuskovic in the side but I’m not sure one of Europe’s hottest prospects who’s excelling in Germany will fancy a season in the second tier of England so would figure another loan with the aim of hopefully returning upon promotion.

I think Solanke will stay too and he is a very good championship striker, it may sound odd but I would offer Ben Davies another year to have his experience around the squad, there are alot of matches and you need some cover.

I would like to sign an experienced goalkeeper like Jack Butland, and old head central midfield player like a Tom Cairney or someone like Ryan Yates, you need these sort of players to get back up.

 

[Dier Hard]

I’m not sure that team could get promoted.

Even in the championship I think some of them would struggle to consistently dominate games. I think Spurs need to make some good signings in the summer even if they go down.

I really fear relegation means a long time in the abyss rather than a one off season just because of how much of a mess the club will be in financially because of relegation.

When building and financing the stadium, nobody ever expected relegation and the figures I’ve seen are alarming to say the least.

Assuming De Zerbi is in it for the long haul, I think we’ll have the best manager, best CB (Danso), best FBs and best mid (Maddison) in the league. Which will then be accompanied with decent young talent. Odobert will probably be like a Dwight Gayle type in the championship too, in that he’ll look like Messi in that division and then… well… Odobert in the Prem .

We’ll need a few additions either way but I’d be surprised if that team didn’t win most games.

 

[Dier Hard]

I think Solanke will stay too and he is a very good championship striker, it may sound odd but I would offer Ben Davies another year to have his experience around the squad, there are alot of matches and you need some cover.

I would like to sign an experienced goalkeeper like Jack Butland, and old head central midfield player like a Tom Cairney or someone like Ryan Yates, you need these sort of players to get back up.

Yeah I’d keep Ben for the Championship, that’s probably where he’d be heading in the summer anyway, makes sense to stay with us.

I’d cash in on Solanke though, we got bent over on his deal as it is, I’d rather try and claw back some money than be left with him for another year or two. Not a good enough player in the long run.

 

[SarrMan]

I think we’ll have enough to bounce back, I was trying to work out our likely team in the Championship and I think it’d look something like:

Kinsky
Spence, Danso, Phillips, Udogie*
Gray, Bergvall
Odobert, Maddison**, Moore
Lankshear

Udogie mainly because I’m not sure teams will take a punt after his injury issues, otherwise he’d be a cert to leave. Maddison’s season long injury and general injury history will also put teams off, plus he’ll be the dreaded 30 next season. I’d love to see Vuskovic in the side but I’m not sure one of Europe’s hottest prospects who’s excelling in Germany will fancy a season in the second tier of England so would figure another loan with the aim of hopefully returning upon promotion.

I agree that team would be good for the championship. There’s 5 or 6 players there with championship experience as well and Moore has spent all season in Scotland which is similar.

Would like to see us try and tempt Trafford for what will hopefully be one season in the championship to be our long term number one in the prem though.

I do think we should keep Solanke. He got 30 goals in the championship last time he was down there I believe. I think you’re underrating him a bit. I think he’s a very good striker if he can stay fit and be given some regular service (which we haven’t really done). If we’ve already got a proven championship striker on our books then considering the lack of money we may have to spend, would make sense to keep him.

 

[Dier Hard]

I agree that team would be good for the championship. There’s 5 or 6 players there with championship experience as well and Moore has spent all season in Scotland which is similar.

Would like to see us try and tempt Trafford for what will hopefully be one season in the championship to be our long term number one in the prem though.

I do think we should keep Solanke. He got 30 goals in the championship last time he was down there I believe. I think you’re underrating him a bit. I think he’s a very good striker if he can stay fit and be given some regular service (which we haven’t really done).

Nah I think he’s far from a very good striker.

He’s had one good season in the Premier League and he’ll be 29 early into next season. He’s done almost nothing to warrant being given such a strong rep. He’s got a worse goals to games ratio in top flight football than Richarlison too.

I’d rather invest in Lankshear or sign a new striker. I’m genuinely tired of watching Richarlison or Solanke stink it up for us.

 

[Left on the Shelf]

It will be tough as he's pulling up trees in Germany, but I'd really try and get Vuskovic to commit.
Solanke would be worth keeping and Palhinha would add some of the metal we will need in the Championship and I doubt whether many higher clubs will be hankering for his signature at this stage of his career.
I'd almost love to see Ben be around for another year, will add great experience and also enable him to finish his coaching badges with the club. Reckon he will make a top coach in the future

 

[Citizen Kane.]

You need to get rid of Spence and I think you will. He’s a bad apple.

Agreed. Contributes next to nothing.

But of course we handed him a new contract after four good games, and fans started calling him the new Gareth Bale after one good CL appearance.

The standards at our club are shocking.

 

[Saf]

Agreed. Contributes next to nothing.

But of course we handed him a new contract after four good games, and fans started calling him the new Gareth Bale after one good CL appearance.

The standards at our club are shocking.

I have heard from someone who would know, that he’s a big problem at the club with his attitude.

There’s a guy on the Sunderland forum has heard the same thing. He’s never been known to talk nonsense.

 

[Roo]

This was my worry of hiring a permanent manager now as Will De Zerbi really have the know how of getting a team out of the championship? A bad start in that division leading to a sacking means that we’re on the hook for a 5 year contract to pay up while in the championship.

It’s why if we were going permanent, maybe someone like Dyche would have made more sense as you’d know he’d have a good crack at getting us back up. Problem with that was do we really want him if we do stay up?

It’s why I think a proper interim was the best option so we can then assess what manager we need in the summer once we know what league we’ll be in (personally, I would have said poch for prem or Scott Parker for championship).

I agree.

To be honest, I think De Zerbi will resign if we get relegated. Either that or there will be some sort of immediate fall out early on in the championship, meaning he gets sacked. Either way, I don’t see this appointment lasting 5 minutes.

 

[KingHotspur]

It will be tough as he's pulling up trees in Germany, but I'd really try and get Vuskovic to commit.
Solanke would be worth keeping and Palhinha would add some of the metal we will need in the Championship and I doubt whether many higher clubs will be hankering for his signature at this stage of his career.
I'd almost love to see Ben be around for another year, will add great experience and also enable him to finish his coaching badges with the club. Reckon he will make a top coach in the future

Palhinha loan option shouldn’t be taken up even if it’s half the price.

I know he was popular with fans at the beginning of the season but he’s not been good enough at all recently and has played enough games to be responsible for the relegation too.

 

[KingHotspur]

I agree.

To be honest, I think De Zerbi will resign if we get relegated. Either that or there will be some sort of immediate fall out early on in the championship, meaning he gets sacked. Either way, I don’t see this appointment lasting 5 minutes.

I don’t want him to stay if Spurs go down.

If he’s not good enough to save them then why would he be good enough to get promotion?

Also if Spurs are relegated then the financial side of things gets ugly and De Zerbi will have a small budget, I can’t see him being happy with that