We're a laughingstock because of Sherwoodie. Arsenal are a laughingstock because of Whinger. The big difference between us is that we know where our problem lies, and they don't know where theirs lies.
If we fail to win the cup, then it's just been the same old, same old for us. We have not crashed and burned from one season to another like you lot. But, until that happens me and all Arsenal fans still have that semi-final and possible final to look forward to. I have actually wanted us to take the cup more seriously for ages so I am glad that Wenger has taken it seriously this season. The league is not easy to win and the CL is even harder, so Wenger dismissing the Cup in these nine trophyless years has been hard to take. For you lot, though this season has simply been miserable from start to finish, as the OP says. Your season was dead and buried in the middle March.
Wenger has attempted to win the CL and got to one final since 1996? It's one of the reasons he feels inadequate to managers like Fergie and Mourinho as he knows he will be remembered for his failures which is why this season hurts the most as the reality has kicked in he's no longer capable of winning the league or building a team to compete in Europe so ambitions have lowered to the cup just to get the monkey off his back about not winning a trophy in 8 years. Anyway I know the general consensus is Arsenal fans feel they are being laughed at so while I don't blame you being positive about the cup, It doesn't take away from the point you can't be taken serious by the teams you should be calling rivals.
City would have taken us more seriously after our second half performance against them last weekend. We came out and took the fight to City and pegged them back and got a point. Your players did not show anything against teams like City and Liverpool and just got destroyed, home and away, from minute one. If Wenger does acknowledge that he is no longer good enough to win the PL or CL, then he would walk, maybe at the end of this season (maybe that's why he has not signed a new contract). But, at least he leaves a decent foundation for the next guy and if can end the trophy drought, then even better, because he leaves with a trophy, and removes that particular monkey from our backs. Every team needs to start somewhere, and winning the Cup would be huge for our players, because they would finally win something.
Wenger has definitely underachieved for someone of his ability. As much as I take the piss, he's a fantastic coach but has opened himself to be ridiculed because of the fact he's under achieved and his teams regularly miss out on trophies for the same reasons. Anyway I know you probably have frustrations re Wenger and are here just to stick the boot in Lol but if you fail to win the cup then surely that will be the end of Wenger?
TBH...I dont get the arsenal fans who on one hand dismiss the europa, fa and coc cups as mickey mouse cups...they then dismiss united, chelsea and city winning titles cos 'they bought it'...and then whine cos they aint won a trophy in 9 yrs.
" TBH...I dont get the arsenal fans who on one hand dismiss the europa, fa and coc cups as mickey mouse cups...they then dismiss united, chelsea and city winning titles cos 'they bought it'...and then whine cos they aint won a trophy in 9 yrs." Man Utd never "bought" it. They built their empire just as the Poool did before them. Something systemic has been happening at the Goons since they left Highbury. And stuff like the debt servicing on the Library doesn't cut it as an excuse for most of that time. If Kroenke et al are quite happy to let the club tick along as it has been, just like ENIC have for Spurs, then be prepared for more of the same.
Agree with PNP on this one. The season started like the last one ended, watching dull football and grinding out results. Then came the first of the hammerings and the dross set in. Under Sherwood we've had dross and dullness in equal measure. There have been worst seasons than these one, under Pleat in 03/04 was far more depressing, Gross was a shocker and we can't forgot the Francis era!
I'm with cracker. I'm so depressed with Spurs right now all i can do is joke about it and flame them, which they deserve. Statistically it's nowhere near our worst season, but the early expectation has made it unbearable. Even into the season we were "up there" while we ground out results and a number of us (myself included) thought that we could be in for a good season once the players gelled (i HATE that phrase now). But that never happened and in fact it looks like they are ungelling the longer the season goes on. People say our squad is expensive, and it is, but we haven't actually spent any money like other clubs which is why we are going backwards. I think someone posted something that said our net spend over the last 6 years put us 17th. Yeah we spent £100m in the summer, but we sold £120m too. With the changes we are more than £20m worse than last season though. And that is ignoring our low wages too, which will demotivate players when they see what they can get elsewhere. There are other clubs out there competing while being well run, but not in the prem. Arsenal are the closest to us but their wages are huge (funded by a big stadium we don't have) and they haven't won anything for nearly a decade and they looked burnt out for a good few games this season (although to be fair their good runs have been much better to watch than anything we've put out this season). Liverpool have spent heavily (net) over the last 3 years or so (compared to us at least, maybe not chelsea/city) on players and wages, and it has paid dividends this season.
And if Everton overtake you then he might have no choice. I don't think they will, but it's closer than expected.
Not the most depressing by some way but probably the most dissapointing. We bought a 26 mill striker who scored for fun in La Liga, 2 fantastic wide players and stole a fantastic playmaker from Ajax for 10-12 mill. I don't think they been on the pitch together for more than 90 minutes. If the managers/coaches had got the tactics right at the start of the season we might have had one of those "we're gonna score one more than you" seasons and the defensive frailties would not have cost us so dearly this season.
Cheers, b4f. And I agree, Luke. If we had to do it all over again, I think we might have done better, quite possibly much better, with three or four rather than seven new signings. We still haven't settled on a starting eleven (thanks to our last attempt failing their audition). Without that, we're a collection of talented players who are not a team. It's an interesting question as to who, exactly, expected instant success. Some of us, no doubt. I didn't know what to expect. But the media, overwhelmingly. In any case, the logic of zero net spend plus huge influx and outflow of money equals a completely unsettled team, not a surefire title contender. If we'd stood pat, sold no one and lost no one, surely we would have been better. But all the media focussed on was our big inflow of players, not the equal and opposite outflow. On the OP: a debate I've had a hundred times is whether you'd rather your team get crushed or lose a heartbreaker. Crushing, to me, isn't as bad. Your team's not good enough. What can you do? Whereas when your target disappears at the last second, or even beyond the last second as it did two years ago, it seems like the gods are toying with you. This year has been nowhere near as bad as two years ago, for me. The long, slow death has hardly been a joy however. It's tempered by the thought that stage could be set for a big turnaround next year. (And when that doesn't come off, there will hopefully be other false hopes to tide me over...)
I think this Spurs blog I just found sums up how I presently feel... http://www.dearmrlevy.com/dml/2014/3/30/look-away-now
All my hopes and predictions made at the beginning of the season have gone astray. No top four finish: No Cup final: No fast flowing effective football. It wouldn't surprise me to wake up tomorrow morning to read that Sherwood has shagged Bentaleb to death.
I agree with SJW and this bit is why it is the most depressing (or disappointing - I think you can look at it either way): "To sum it up, you lost three NLD's without scoring a single goal, lost twice to West Ham at home, lost 9-0 to Liverpool over two games, lost 11-1 to City over two games, lost 5-1 to Chelsea over two games and got dumped out of Europe after being destroyed by Benfica at home." Add to that a negative goal difference and the league leaders scoring almost 50 more than you. That is why I made the original post. I remember before the season us all thinking how would we fit all these great new signings into a team that almost made the champions league. Yes we had lost Bale, but surely with 7 new players and 100 million spent we would be better off as we had a much better squadrons one player couldn't make that much of a difference could he? Would this be the year when we could even make a bid for the title?......(ok not everyone thought that but it was mentioned) How wrong could we be! It may all come good next season. Who knows. Perhaps a new manager will get them playing the way we want to see Spurs play. For now I don't even want to watch them again this season. I can't be bothered to put myself through it. I will enjoy the big European matches of other teams instead and dream that one day it could be us again.
Cheer up Crackerman Jack! When you have been supporting them for a lifetime and your in your 70's you'll find there are far more iffy seasons than good ones. But when the good ones happen they are so much sweeter for all that. I have been down since Gareth was sold and I had no high hopes for this season anyway. I also miss 'Arry. (wait for the brickbats!) At least we are not fighting for our lives in the relegation zone. I've been there too with our Spurs, more than once, pre prem! Please don't be depressed, be patient, a good season is bound to come along again sooner rather than later. Keep smiling, keep supporting....C O Y S
As my user name intimates, suffering is part of being a long term Spurs fan. Luckily, I was there and can still remember when we were the most successful and feared team in England, and greatly respected in Europe too. Since then, it's been more false dawns than a science fiction movie. Still, I keep hoping that I will live long enough to see us achieve something significant again. I'm not sure I can last that long, the way we're playing at the moment!...
Thanks Maggie you are right and I will cheer up! I'll try to stop being such a miserable git! I miss Harry as well. Now that was a roller coaster season when we got 4th but what a great one and then our champions league adventure. Best atmosphere I have ever experienced at the lane when we beat inter 3-1. I'll focus on the World Cup instead I think. At least we know England will always be there to make us feel proud! ;-)
