Tottenham Hotspur Thread

The whole conversation began from someone saying United are no longer a big enough club for people to be considered ABU's because they haven't won anything in years(cups don't count it seems). Then people have started to say about how similar United and Spurs are. You have now moved on to say about how Spurs have finished ahead of them the past two years but we're not comparing the stature of the clubs just about what has happened on the pitch.

Well on the pitch lets look at it. Since your memory of the Premier League seems to only want to stretch back 3 years max, it would be unfair to go back all 25 years because obviously on the pitch United have destroyed Spurs over the years, so lets double it and go back 6 years. On the pitch in the last 6 years, Spurs have won 0 titles, 0 cups. United have won the Europa League, the Premier League twice, the league cup, the FA cup. Do you want me to add up the points total from the years or should we just stick to your narrative and just use the previous 3 years because that suits your arguement?

Yet the following season, they were the only team who put it up to Chelsea, except that this time they didn't bottle it. Rather they gained more points in the second half of the season than any other team, including 13 consecutive victories to finish. And their final points tally of 86 would have been good enough to win the League most seasons.

As for this season, sure their League form is currently concerning. But look at our CL progress. Last season Spurs were outplayed by Leverkusen and embarrassed by Monaco. People said they couldn't play at Wembley. This season they've swept Dortmund aside with ease and embarrassed Real Madrid (in the home game, at least).

The point being that unless you've got megabucks to throw at the task in front of you, then it takes time to make progress on every front.

And however you look at it, two steps forward and one step back is still progress. 

Roberto Baggio wrote:  Losing Walker and Rose being unavailable has certainly weakened them. They were the best fullback pairing in the league last year. Alli and Vertonghen arent the same players this season and you just don’t know how long they’ll hold onto the likes of Kane or Erikssen for.

Losing Walker, but promoting Trippier and signing Aurier hasn't greatly weakened them (imo).

As for Rose, before he was injured on 31 Jan, Spurs had taken 43 points from a possible 66. After Davies came in, they finished with 42 from 45 (the only dropped points came in an away defeat at Liverpool).

As for Alli, form is temporary, but class is permanent - he'll come good again. Meanwhile, Vertongen has been grand. 

In fact, the two key problems have been injury to Wanyama (truly excellent last season) and Alderweireld (arguably the best CB in the Prem last season?). The latter has meant Sanchez has had to be thrown in sooner than hoped and/or Dier has had to move back to CB. And it is this lack of a midfield shield that Wanyama and Dier provided in front of the back three/four which is at the real root of our problems. (Made worse by Dembele's fitness problems, since he can fill in if necessary). Anyhow, neither is out for the season, so it's only temporary.

As for losing players, if/when we do, it will be on our terms and in our time.

But hey, they've had a poor November, so it's all falling apart... 

He is a proper Manc (born and bread in Ireland with absolutely no linkage to Manchester) who loves his British team and will not stand for anything bad said about them.

As for Spurs, the aim this year was always going to be 4th given they were playing at Wembley. 

The big 3 have way more resources than anybody else so Spurs are fighting with Arsenal and Liverpool for that 4th spot. They are going through a bad patch but are only 4 points off Liverpool. Still a lot of games to go.