I'm not making predictions though, just providing balance and perspective to what you're saying. We signed Vertonghen last season so clearly top players are available without Champions League football, again it's all speculation and opinion. They'll all "significantly strengthen their squads" will they? As I said, you might think educated to assume that all 4 clubs above us(plus Liverpool) are going to spend big and wisely, whilst we'll be rooting around for off cuts on the floor. Even then if you go with that assumption you also assume that the 3 new managers are going to do well and numerous other variables are assumed. Considering your history with HIAG, I find it remarkable you show such conviction when there's so many things up in the air.
Spending it is one thing, but improving your team is another. There is no saying that Jovetic will improve your team much, and it will also mean Giroud, Walcott and Podolski will be alienated by dropping down the order for Centre Forward (the role they all want).
Should you expect to simply finish fourth? Absolutely not. If I was manager of a team like Spurs I would be aiming for the title, everyone will say that that is completely unrealistic but it shouldn't be about top 4. Always be in it to win it. If you don't aim to win it you won't win it.
to be fair to AVB he said he wants the league title when he was handed the job, if only it was that easy
Didn't know that he did, I like that. Winning the league of course isn't easy but not impossible for a team like Spurs. Beat the weaker teams that yourself home and away and it's yours, but again easier said than done.
He also said he would like to win the E/L again,so we know's what he wants,now he needs the board to back him with the players he needs,which are'nt many IMO to have a team to challenge for honours
100% right you have to try to win that's where you start from. Reality kicks in later then you rationlise.
I'm not making predictions about what will happen either though, I agree it's all speculative what the outcome will be. What I said was that an educated guess would suggest that the top 4 teams will try and strengthen, which I think they will.
An educated guess would suggest that all 20 teams in the Premier League will try and strengthen. I'd suggest that this is probably true of virtually every club in the world, to be honest.
To be fair I'm not sure an Arsenal fan would see it as obvious that summers are times for clubs to attempt to strengthen...
We're talking about the top 4 though and given that Arsenal's board have come out and said they will spend - and given that Moyes is likely to be given money to reshape Utd - and given that the two richest owners in the PL are likely to throw a bucket load of cash at their teams too, I would say that it's an educated guess that the top 4 will indeed be quite successful in strengthening their squads this summer.
Ah but there's strengthening, and there's strengthening Wet Spam & Fulham have already made moves, which are strengthening but will it make that much difference to their PL status next year? Probably not. It all depends on how we strengthen, and how those teams we are going to be in direct competition with next season strengthen...
The Arsenal board say that every summer. Once the season tickets have all been snapped up we don't see it actually happening, though. Time will tell if this summer's any different. Moyes will get money, but it's hard to see him getting the same level of performance out of Utd's players. It's a big step up for him. Chelsea and City have been splashing the cash every season for years. That's nothing new. Bringing in new players is necessary and it can often increase the strength and depth of a squad. There's something to be said for consistency and stability, though. Man Utd, Chelsea, City and Everton are all changing managers and every side will be changing personnel. Until we see who's brought in, it's impossible to make a sensible judgement on where anyone will stand.
Yes. As I've tried to point out, we have the foundations of an extremely good side. We just have to add wisely in the summer, have a bit of luck with injuries for a change, and we will be competition for anybody in the P.L.
That's not what you said to start with, is it? You said that you thought we'd missed our chance to finish above you, that all this season's top 4(and Liverpool) will spend big pushing us down to battling it out with West Brom and Everton. Ignoring the fact that Everton and West brom would surely have to spend big, by your own logic, to catch us up, I've pointed out the flaws in such a mad statement. I've said that your basis of the statement relies firstly on the clubs you mention spending big money, secondly them spending it well, thirdly us not doing similar and finally the ignorance of numerous other significant factors involved in a team improving. And your reply to me is that you're just speculating that the top 4 will try and strengthen their squad? Behave
This of course will be the great unknown although I would suggest that if it is Pellegrini and Jose at City & Chelsea that in itself is strengthening imo.
I do agree that we have to wait and see what transpires. Call it wishful thinking if you like, but I do think this summer will be different at Arsenal than those that have preceded them, regardless of the soundbites that our board have made in the past. I also agree that there's a lot to be said for stability too. Chelsea spent years of throwing as much cash at the problem in a 'see what sticks' approach and City seem to be a squad of (not surprisingly) mercenary individuals with very little cohesion.
