Spurs thread 2019/20

[Ban-jani]

I would certainly never expect sympathy from City fans! But I do think that one or two City fans are still more upset about that VAR chant than they should be by now, nigh on a year later.

I totally understand why City fans were, and might still be, angry at the decision. And I can well imagine that hearing Spurs fans chant about VAR must have been infuriating at the time. There are few worse feelings in football than leaving your stadium to the sound of the away team fans’ taunts.

But it’s just banter. From the Spurs fans’ point of view, they knew they had just got away with one. They had just seen their team be totally dominated from start to finish, only to lose at the death....and then be reprieved by a harsh interpretation of the ridiculous new handball rule. In the circumstances, I don’t think Spurs fans did anything much different to what most other fans would have done. It’s what English football fans do.

It’s also important to stress that it was the circumstance, not the opposition, that inspired the chant. It wasn’t because it happened against City. It was because it happened at all.

I’ve not thought about it in months and any anger I had is aimed at the stupid rules/officials.

 

[JimB]

I Appreciate your response.
I think Jose fails in five areas. Firstly he doesn't build a sense of togetherness, he creates unnecessary division. Secondly his man management skills do not work as effectively with the latest generation of footballers. Thirdly he creates tension with the owners. Fourthly his tactics are outdated. Finally he doesn't focus on youth.

I don't expect Jose to be at Spurs for long. And, who knows, maybe it will end in bitterness. But, for the time being, he's getting results - even if not prettily. He has stopped the haemorrhage. I certainly don't expect Spurs to be in any trouble next season - and especially not "serious trouble".

I get why you have your list of Mourinho's faults. I share many of the same reservations about him. But we shouldn't fall into the trap of believing that the past is always a reliable indicator of the future - not least because the context is rarely the same. At Chelsea second time around, Mourinho walked into a club that was already toxic on and off the pitch. His successor at Chelsea, Antonio Conte, had more or less the same problems. At Utd, he walked into a club that was just a mess on and off the pitch - still reeling from Ferguson's retirement. Quite apart from the fact that he delivered their best league finish in his time there, he also delivered the only trophies they have won since Ferguson. I'd say that he left them in a better place than he found them.

 

[give it to gordon]

And when maureen does leave he normally leaves the club in a mess both on and off the field:)

 

[JimB]

And when maureen does leave he normally leaves the club in a mess both on and off the field:)

As I said, both Chelsea and Utd were a mess before he arrived. Conte faced the same problems that he did at Chelsea. And he did more at Utd than any other manager since Ferguson.

Besides, I think I've made it clear that I don't have excessively high expectations for Mourinho at Spurs in the long term. I was only responding to the prediction that Spurs will be in "serious trouble" if he's still at the club next season. To my mind, "serious trouble" means threat of relegation. And there's nothing in Mourinho's past or present that remotely suggests that that is likely. As I said, we won't be pretty to watch. But I think we'll be reasonably effective and can't be ruled out of a possible challenge for both CL qualification and one of the cups.

Anyway, you fellas have better things to be doing right now. Don't you dare not thrash that other lot tonight.

 

[JimB]

I think the main issues going forward for you is an ageing squad and unless uncle Joe suddenly finds a spare £100 million down the back of a sofa I fail to see how you are going to fund transfers to properly have a go at getting top four.

as you said at the start of the Covid crisis it’s was going to hit some clubs very hard and the loss of NFL games, concerts and other sporting events not to mention normal match day revenue puts you in a tricky situation do you dare move Kane on to fund a rebuild?

Serious trouble no but a possible year of stagnation and under Maureen that spells problems.

I think we'll see a huge increase in the number of big loan deals this coming transfer window. Any permanent signings that Spurs (and most other clubs) make will almost certainly involve staged payments over the duration of the contract. Of course, that's nothing new but I suspect that there will be far less by way of front loading such deals than there has been previously.

 

[JimB]

I don’t wish to be insensitive to the fact that I’m on another club’s forum so I hope that the majority on here will forgive me for what follows. It is something that I feel compelled to say.

I have had a number of discussions on here over the past couple of years about Harry Kane - variously with other posters who think that he has always been: “bang average”; or “vastly overrated”; or a “tap in merchant”; or “Kane (pen)”; or “offers nothing other than goals”; or “past it”; or any number of other put downs.

Honestly, I have to question how much of Harry Kane these people have really seen. Or whether they just find it impossible to be objective. Kane’s record speaks for itself. Even if he genuinely didn’t do anything other than score goals, his goal scoring record alone would be sufficiently remarkable to secure him a place among the very best strikers in Premier League history. Only your very own, magnificent Sergio Aguero has a better goals per minute ratio. Only Thierry Henry and Aguero (again) can match Kane’s goals per game record. That is rare company indeed. All time great company.

But, contrary to some critics’ belief, he does far more than just score goals. He is a fantastic passer of the ball - both in terms of vision and technique. If any of you were watching yesterday, you might recall a sublime, perfectly weighted reverse pass to Son. It was typical of what Kane often provides to build up play.

On top of which, he regularly scores all manner of goals. Tap ins, sure (because of intelligent movement); penalties (because he practices endlessly and because he can handle the pressure that many can’t); headers; left foot; right foot; from any angle; placed long range; powered long range; one on ones.....you name it. He even, from time to time, races through from near the halfway line to score.

Nevertheless, I have to admit that he hasn’t been at his best over the past couple of years. He no longer presses maniacally, as he used to, and he has lost a half yard of pace that he didn’t exactly have to spare. He has suffered a succession of major ankle injuries along with the recent major hamstring injury - all of which was exacerbated by always being rushed back into action and never having a proper rest during the summer break.

But, whisper it softly, he’s starting to look like his old self again. He has scored 6 in 8 since the restart. That’s standard for him, of course. It’s his energy that seems revived. Yesterday, he played a big part in the first goal; made a difficult chance look easy for the second (after a lung busting sprint from his own half); and then scored the sublime third. His all round game was exceptional. It looks as though the enforced COVID19 break has given him the time to recover and refresh that he has long needed. In addition to which, he is at last being used properly again. He is at his best when he has others with whom to link up. In Poch’s latter time at Spurs, and almost always for England, he has found himself somewhat isolated up front. A total waste.

Genuinely, I don’t get the hate that Kane attracts (unless it is just envy?). England has produced few enough elite level players over the past few decades. Kane is definitely one of them. We should treasure him. He’s not a flash Harry. You’ll never hear of him getting into any off the pitch shenanigans. He is super professional and dedicated to his work. But, for some reason, some people would rather focus only on his obsession with goal scoring records and misinterpreting that as selfishness. I actually admire the honesty of what he says about goal scoring records. Rather that than anodyne answers just to please the audience. Anyone who watches Kane regularly will know that he really isn’t selfish on the pitch - at least, no more selfish than any other great goalscorer.

Most bizarre of all, Kane repeatedly gets hate because of his speech impediment. I mean, really.....this fucking country...

Sorry, just needed to get all of that off my chest! Thank you for indulging me!

 

[Dirty Harry]

I don't expect Jose to be at Spurs for long. And, who knows, maybe it will end in bitterness. But, for the time being, he's getting results - even if not prettily. He has stopped the haemorrhage. I certainly don't expect Spurs to be in any trouble next season - and especially not "serious trouble".

I get why you have your list of Mourinho's faults. I share many of the same reservations about him. But we shouldn't fall into the trap of believing that the past is always a reliable indicator of the future - not least because the context is rarely the same. At Chelsea second time around, Mourinho walked into a club that was already toxic on and off the pitch. His successor at Chelsea, Antonio Conte, had more or less the same problems. At Utd, he walked into a club that was just a mess on and off the pitch - still reeling from Ferguson's retirement. Quite apart from the fact that he delivered their best league finish in his time there, he also delivered the only trophies they have won since Ferguson. I'd say that he left them in a better place than he found them.

Van Gaal won an FA cup mate ;-).

 

[jimharri]

Make a sentence using these words; balls, auntie and uncle.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Make a sentence using these words; balls, auntie and uncle.

Only 2 letters but a bloody big word, if.

 

[waspish]

Make a sentence using these words; balls, auntie and uncle.

That’s seems to be him saying we got away with it we should of got our ban and that opens up that 5th spot which if they did have a few games more he believed they would finish in that spot!

The guys a big headed kunt of a has been.