Rival watch

[RobSpur]

The arrogance shown on here by some of my fellow Spurs people is astonishing. Why are we so intent on rubbishing a team who are 7 points clear at this stage of the season.

Well done to a Leicester side who have "dared" to ruffle a few feathers at the top end of the division, rather than accept their supposed rightful place below the beloved Sky Big Four.

No, it isn't easy on the eye to watch, but so what ? If it takes you to where Leicester are at the moment, then let them enjoy their time at the top of the PL.

Good luck to them, that's what I say. If we can't win it, I hope Leicester do.

Agreed. They're still ****s though.

 

[remembercolinlee]

Not really. Either way we knew we'd need to beat United next week. If we do, we'll be 12 points clear of them which should be enough to secure a top 4 spot. The flipside, however, is that we also need United to pick up enough points to stay in touch with City and a chance at 4th spot, so that when they meet Leicester on the 3rd last week of the season, they have a massive incentive to win. That and the West Ham game are the only two remaining that I can see Leicester dropping points in. Our problem is that those points need to total 6 and then they need to drop points in a 3rd fixture. I'd love Defoe to secure his place in Spurs lore with a winner next week but tbh I can't see Sunderland getting anything. This means that we have to do the unthinkable and pray for Chelsea to put together a winning run so that come the final day of the season they're also chasing a CL spot and a huge incentive that will no doubt come in the form of pots of Russian rubles from Roman should they qualify.

In other news, I've recently changed profession to become a wholesaler of straw.

Seriously? You lot mock me for being so pessimistic but when you have to work this hard to be optimistic I'll stay a grumpy git!

 

[AKCJ]

The arrogance shown on here by some of my fellow Spurs people is astonishing. Why are we so intent on rubbishing a team who are 7 points clear at this stage of the season.

Well done to a Leicester side who have "dared" to ruffle a few feathers at the top end of the division, rather than accept their supposed rightful place below the beloved Sky Big Four.

No, it isn't easy on the eye to watch, but so what ? If it takes you to where Leicester are at the moment, then let them enjoy their time at the top of the PL.

Good luck to them, that's what I say. If we can't win it, I hope Leicester do.

We did our time of playing for the purists, we're now in title mode.

What is the point in entertaining neutrals if you're not winning? I would happily win every game remaining 1-0.

 

[Billy The Spur]

I too would like Leicester to win it if Spurs don`t, I think the comments on here are through the frustration that Leicester keep scraping results through what appears to be contributions of luck with decisions rather than quality football, I think most of us would hold our hands up if Leicester were winning games by playing fantastic football and without `dodgy refereeing`, but seeing them get lucky increases the frustration when we are desperately trying to chase them. All very frustrating for Spurs fans, especially with the media fairy tale gathering pace. Also, I think most Spurs fans probably believe we play far better football than Leicester and hence deserve it more.

On another note, the United game now looks even bigger, if they beat us and win their game in hand they will be just 3 points behind with 5 games to play, and they have a friendly looking run in also. We simply need to beat United, but also can not afford to lose to them.

 

[Dier Hard]

Reckon you should start plotting the demise of United with sublime sexy football next week and who your new manager will be next season because I clocked Levy rubbing his hands at the goal ( extra £10 million) Kane scored yesterday & if he does as history has previously shown in the past ala Bale, Poch will be off !

ps Ali will be kept til the Jan window !

Good luck to any team that wants Kane. We got £86m for Bale, imagine what we'd get for Europe's best young striker, who's the poster boy of his club (and arguably country) and adored by the Spurs faithful to the point where Levy knows selling him would be unimaginable. Besides we're quite lucky in that Harry is a typical English lad, not many look at venturing abroad and Spurs won't sell a key player to a domestic rival any more (last was Berbatov in 08).

As for Poch, he's currently two years into a five year contract and doesn't have a release clause, so similar to Harry, good luck to any club looking to approach him to become their new gaffer.

As for Alli, we have a little secret weapon in how to keep him, it's called Eric Dier, there's no way that bromance is splitting up anytime soon.

Anyway, shouldn't you be more concerned at trying to keep hold of the likes of Kante and Mahrez in the summer? Even with the league title to your name I think you'll find it tough, neither come across as the loyal type.

 

[NSIS]

Reckon you should start plotting the demise of United with sublime sexy football next week and who your new manager will be next season because I clocked Levy rubbing his hands at the goal ( extra £10 million) Kane scored yesterday & if he does as history has previously shown in the past ala Bale, Poch will be off !

Not that old bollocks again! Levy has never sold a star player who did not demand a transfer. One or two - Modric, Berbatov, even went on strike to get their way. Bale threatened to. All Levy could do in the circumstances was screw the buyer for as much as he could get.

 

[NSIS]

Good luck to any team that wants Kane. We got £86m for Bale, imagine what we'd get for Europe's best young striker, who's the poster boy of his club (and arguably country) and adored by the Spurs faithful to the point where Levy knows selling him would be unimaginable. Besides we're quite lucky in that Harry is a typical English lad, not many look at venturing abroad and Spurs won't sell a key player to a domestic rival any more (last was Berbatov in 08).

As for Poch, he's currently two years into a five year contract and doesn't have a release clause, so similar to Harry, good luck to any club looking to approach him to become their new gaffer.

As for Alli, we have a little secret weapon in how to keep him, it's called Eric Dier, there's no way that bromance is splitting up anytime soon.

Anyway, shouldn't you be more concerned at trying to keep hold of the likes of Kante and Mahrez in the summer? Even with the league title to your name I think you'll find it tough, neither come across as the loyal type.

Kante has already backed away from saying he'll definitely stay.

 

[AKCJ]

Good luck to any team that wants Kane. We got £86m for Bale, imagine what we'd get for Europe's best young striker, who's the poster boy of his club (and arguably country) and adored by the Spurs faithful to the point where Levy knows selling him would be unimaginable. Besides we're quite lucky in that Harry is a typical English lad, not many look at venturing abroad and Spurs won't sell a key player to a domestic rival any more (last was Berbatov in 08).

As for Poch, he's currently two years into a five year contract and doesn't have a release clause, so similar to Harry, good luck to any club looking to approach him to become their new gaffer.

As for Alli, we have a little secret weapon in how to keep him, it's called Eric Dier, there's no way that bromance is splitting up anytime soon.

Anyway, shouldn't you be more concerned at trying to keep hold of the likes of Kante and Mahrez in the summer? Even with the league title to your name I think you'll find it tough, neither come across as the loyal type.

Not sure what you're basing that on but, and the same goes for your players, if the right offer comes in from the right club then they will likely go.

 

[remembercolinlee]

Not sure what you're basing that on but, and the same goes for your players, if the right offer comes in from the right club then they will likely go.

Its not the offer...it's the player demanding to go that decides if he is sold.
We were offered we refused to sell Berbatov so he refused to play for us, so did Modric and Bale threatened to do the same (according to newspaper reports) Robbie Keane put in a transfer request and Carrick refused to sign a new contract and did the same as keane.
We have not sold a player we wanted simply cos a good offer came in since these owners took over in 2002.

 

[AKCJ]

Its not the offer...it's the player demanding to go that decides if he is sold.
We were offered we refused to sell Berbatov so he refused to play for us, so did Modric and Bale threatened to do the same (according to newspaper reports) Robbie Keane put in a transfer request and Carrick refused to sign a new contract and did the same as keane.
We have not sold a player we wanted simply cos a good offer came in since these owners took over in 2002.

Hence why I said "from the right club".

There are plenty of clubs that your lads will kick up a fuss for should push come to shove.

 

[remembercolinlee]

Hence why I said "from the right club".

There are plenty of clubs that your lads will kick up a fuss for should push come to shove.

Thats why getting CL football matters for us so much...get it and we keep them, fail and some will be off

 

[Dier Hard]

Not sure what you're basing that on but, and the same goes for your players, if the right offer comes in from the right club then they will likely go.

Hence why I said "from the right club".

There are plenty of clubs that your lads will kick up a fuss for should push come to shove.

As NSIS said, Kante has already taken the quiet route in terms of speculation, which often results in a player wanting a move away if the offer comes in, plus Ranieri has mentioned that keeping him will be hard.

When you say plenty, how many are you talking about? Because in my opinion there's only a handful of clubs that could both afford and then attract our key players - Barca, Real, Atleti, Bayern, Dortmund, PSG and Juve. There are other amazing clubs out there better than us don't get me wrong but they won't have the financial capabilities to get our players and as I already stated in my previous post, Levy won't sell domestically any more so you can rule City, Chelsea and Utd out.

 

[The Huddlefro]

Hence why I said "from the right club".

There are plenty of clubs that your lads will kick up a fuss for should push come to shove.

Like? Can't see the academy boys looking elsewhere if we finish in a CL spot. Dier is on record as being a United fan but there is more than enough to keep him at the club and away from that lot for the foreseeable. Eriksen is the only one of the foreign lads I'd be worried about losing and I don't see any of the domestic big boys coming in for him anyway. Lloris is a possible I have to admit, but CL will be a big help in keeping him.

As has been hinted at the glue holding this all together is Poch, and from where he is at in his contract, and given the upheaval we're going to see continued in the PL in the next couple of years, he could seriously benefit at Spurs. I'd be shocked if he goes. And as has been said, Levy will sell to out of the League and for big money, if anything major was to happen.

What you've got at Spurs is the stability and promise from nearly 2 years of natural progression. What you've got at Leicester is a perfect storm. If you win the League I'd be far more worried about the likes of Mahrez taking their chance to net a once-in-a-career big money big wage move to one of the traditional big clubs (domestic or foreign), than Kane deciding he fancies chancing it in Manchester.

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

The arrogance shown on here by some of my fellow Spurs people is astonishing. Why are we so intent on rubbishing a team who are 7 points clear at this stage of the season.

Well done to a Leicester side who have "dared" to ruffle a few feathers at the top end of the division, rather than accept their supposed rightful place below the beloved Sky Big Four.

No, it isn't easy on the eye to watch, but so what ? If it takes you to where Leicester are at the moment, then let them enjoy their time at the top of the PL.

Good luck to them, that's what I say. If we can't win it, I hope Leicester do.

Well said.

And I don't think their football has been too bad. in Mahrez and Vardy, they have skill and pace. Those two have been as good as any players in the PL this season. Recently, they've had to cope with teams treating them with respect and caution. So they've found it harder to play their counterattacking game. But in response, they've been very solid defensively (10 clean sheets in their last 14 games is title form).

Other teams have better players overall (on paper at least) and are capable of playing to a higher standard when on form, but Leicester have been the best team. 69 points from 32 games is title form and requires consistent results and performances over a long period of time. It's not as if they sneaked to the top with an unusually low number of points. They're 7 points top and 11, 15, 16 and 25 points clear of last season's top 4. At present, it looks like a landslide rather than the sneaky, fortuitous win some are portraying.

 

[paultheplug]

We did our time of playing for the purists, we're now in title mode.

What is the point in entertaining neutrals if you're not winning? I would happily win every game remaining 1-0.

When?

 

[Diego]

Well said.

And I don't think their football has been too bad. in Mahrez and Vardy, they have skill and pace. Those two have been as good as any players in the PL this season. Recently, they've had to cope with teams treating them with respect and caution. So they've found it harder to play their counterattacking game. But in response, they've been very solid defensively (10 clean sheets in their last 14 games is title form).

Other teams have better players overall (on paper at least) and are capable of playing to a higher standard when on form, but Leicester have been the best team. 69 points from 32 games is title form and requires consistent results and performances over a long period of time. It's not as if they sneaked to the top with an unusually low number of points. They're 7 points top and 11, 15, 16 and 25 points clear of last season's top 4. At present, it looks like a landslide rather than the sneaky, fortuitous win some are portraying.

No no Lidle, it's all down to luck and bad refs
(even the gooners haven't stooped low enough to claim this yet )

 

[tomw24]

I don't like losing, but on this occasion I'll make an exception. We've ****ed over Pochettino. Nothing against you as a club but can't stand that dickhead. Go Leicester!

 

["Thanks for that Brian"]

Like? Can't see the academy boys looking elsewhere if we finish in a CL spot. Dier is on record as being a United fan but there is more than enough to keep him at the club and away from that lot for the foreseeable. Eriksen is the only one of the foreign lads I'd be worried about losing and I don't see any of the domestic big boys coming in for him anyway. Lloris is a possible I have to admit, but CL will be a big help in keeping him.

As has been hinted at the glue holding this all together is Poch, and from where he is at in his contract, and given the upheaval we're going to see continued in the PL in the next couple of years, he could seriously benefit at Spurs. I'd be shocked if he goes. And as has been said, Levy will sell to out of the League and for big money, if anything major was to happen.

What you've got at Spurs is the stability and promise from nearly 2 years of natural progression. What you've got at Leicester is a perfect storm. If you win the League I'd be far more worried about the likes of Mahrez taking their chance to net a once-in-a-career big money big wage move to one of the traditional big clubs (domestic or foreign), than Kane deciding he fancies chancing it in Manchester.

We've spent 15 years developing the academy, the training ground, the new stadium. the team of young players. This'll be our 3rd top 4 finish in 7 years. With Kane and colleagues we're getting a £30m p.a. kit deal with Nike plus additional sponsorship elsewhere. We'll have a 60,000 stadium in 2 years. Next season we'll be the 10th richest club in the world. It looks like a sustainably successful model to me.

Fair play to Leicester. They've achieved something I thought impossible but now it starts to get really hard as we found out after making the CL in 2010. Getting back into it ain't easy when playing in it and your players start to attract the attention of Real Madrid. Enjoy the ride but don't expect it to last this time around. I suspect that their future is more Blackburn than Manchester City. Ours? We'll see. I'm optimistic we've moved on significantly from 2010.

 

[Citizen Kane]

I don't like losing, but on this occasion I'll make an exception. We've ****ed over Pochettino. Nothing against you as a club but can't stand that dickhead. Go Leicester!

And I have never understood the ire that Soton fans reserve especially for the bloke. Pochettino went on record a year in advance to warn that if Cortese left the club, he would follow suit (http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/16/mauricio-pochettino-quit-southampton-nicola-cortese), and I quote:

Asked if he would be staying if Cortese left, the Argentinian said: "Of course not, because the person that has put his faith in me in this club and as a manager is Nicola Cortese.

"Nicola Cortese has basically been the reality at Southampton for the past four years.

"Of course, the people that are in the club, that are part of the club, that are behind the scenes in the club were a little bit worried about what has been said.

"Me on a personal sense, I would not understand a Southampton without Nicola being here."

I really don't get what the issue is. If rumours started surfacing that Levy was about to sell up to some git from America and Poch went on record to say that he couldn't see how his role would remain feasible without Levy at the helm, I would be completely understanding and supportive of that decision as it makes perfect sense from a professional perspective.

I've never quite got the (one-way) animosity between our two clubs. You act like we spent a year tapping up MP through the tabloids and then poached him at the end of the season. Same way that you act as if we screwed you out of Alderweireld when we all know that it was Atletico's ineptitude that screwed you out of him. If you're going to come on here mouthing off like that, at least do us the decency of making sense.

 

["Thanks for that Brian"]

“We have the youngest squad in the Premier League and yet here we are fighting for the title, we are ahead of where we should be in our programme and we are only going to get better.

“For a lot of players this is our first season in the Premier League and I am sure they will be better next season because they have more experience. You always need time to develop your quality.”

“Our idea is to keep the main group of players for the next few years and try to build, then we can add players to help us.” - Mauricio Pochettino,Tottenham Hotspur.