The Tottenham Thread 12/13

[Marvin]

Great win for Spurs and deserved. Arsenal had plenty of the ball but Spurs have a better defence and Bale who is on an absolutely magnificent run of form at the moment.

Heard a lot of people talking up AVB. He seems like a likeable chap, but the bottom line is he has Bale in his team and his spectacular run of goals has won one game after another. A case of great players making a manager look good.

 

[taconinja]

Great win for Spurs and deserved. Arsenal had plenty of the ball but Spurs have a better defence and Bale who is on an absolutely magnificent run of form at the moment.

Heard a lot of people talking up AVB. He seems like a likeable chap, but the bottom line is he has Bale in his team and his spectacular run of goals has won one game after another. A case of great players making a manager look good.

It's rare to say the least where a team doesn't win because of either great players or players on an excellent run of form or both. I honestly fail to see how putting Bale in the right place to succeed (centrally instead of on the wing) is somehow flattering to deceive. That's what managers do.

 

[Slicker than Sommeil]

Great win for Spurs and deserved. Arsenal had plenty of the ball but Spurs have a better defence and Bale who is on an absolutely magnificent run of form at the moment.

Heard a lot of people talking up AVB. He seems like a likeable chap, but the bottom line is he has Bale in his team and his spectacular run of goals has won one game after another. A case of great players making a manager look good.

It's rare to say the least where a team doesn't win because of either great players or players on an excellent run of form or both. I honestly fail to see how putting Bale in the right place to succeed (centrally instead of on the wing) is somehow flattering to deceive. That's what managers do.

Especially after Vertonghen (sp) and Lennon also had exceptional games imo...

We need Lennon, or a player like him, fast direct winger looking to run the line and into the box. Really rated him for years.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

Great win for Spurs and deserved. Arsenal had plenty of the ball but Spurs have a better defence and Bale who is on an absolutely magnificent run of form at the moment.

Heard a lot of people talking up AVB. He seems like a likeable chap, but the bottom line is he has Bale in his team and his spectacular run of goals has won one game after another. A case of great players making a manager look good.

Yes, he is to Spurs what Van Persie is to the Rags.

 

[Matty]

In comparison to most clubs, not just those aroudn them, Spurs have got a shitter of a run in left. They've got pretty much all the "big clubs" left to play, City (H), Chelsea (A), Everton (H), Liverpool (A), Swansea (A) and Stoke (A, which makes all the difference), if they manage to get more than 7 or 8 points from those 6 matches then they've done well. I can see them beating Everton at home, and getting something from both the Swansea and Stoke away games (draws being most likely), think we'll draw at their place. The away games at Chelsea and Liverpool, well, can't see Spurs winning either, and I'd be surprised if they avoided defeat in those games, expecially the Chelsea one.

They'll likely win their 3 other home games (Fulham, Southampton and Sunderland) and probably away to Wigan too (although with Wigan who knows!).

Compare that to City's remaining games. We've got a 2 point lead, and a game in hand.

Villa (A), Wigan (H), Everton (A), Newcastle (H), United (A), West Brom (H), Spurs (A), West Ham (H), Swansea (A), Reading (A), Norwich (H).

Nothing is certain in football, however, you'd have to be brave, foolhardy, ar willfully idiotic to predict anything other than wins in all the home matches. Throw in an away win at Reading and another at Villa for good measure (again, hardly going out on a limb there). So, that's 21 points from those games. Leaves 4 tricky away games. If we get 6 points from those 4 games (not inconceivable that we win 2 from 4, even given the quality of the opponents. A win at Swansea for example, who will have little to play for at that stage, means just 1 win from the Everton, United and Spurs games is needed) then we'll comfortably finish in 2nd.

Realistically, from their remaining 10 matches, you can't see Spurs getting much more than 20 - 22 points. That means, in our 11 games, we need just 18 - 20 to finish ahead of them. Given we've got 5 winnable home matches in there, and 2 away trips against 2 very poor sides, I can see us getting another 25 - 27 points before the season is out, leaving us approx 7 points clear of Spurs.

 

[FrostyNRG]

Matty, there is there about as close to 0% a chance as there can be of us getting anywhere near 2nd. I'm still not confident of finishing fourth! As you point out we have a horrible run in, and Arsenal have very few really testing games left - same with Chelsea.

Third is possible for us, but we're going to have get some good results in our away games and be very consistent at home. We also have to hope Chelsea continue to blow hot and cold and that Arsenal don't go on a super run.

If you offered me fourth place on goal difference right now I'd take it.

 

[mcmanus]

Matty, there is there about as close to 0% a chance as there can be of us getting anywhere near 2nd. I'm still not confident of finishing fourth! As you point out we have a horrible run in, and Arsenal have very few really testing games left - same with Chelsea.

Third is possible for us, but we're going to have get some good results in our away games and be very consistent at home. We also have to hope Chelsea continue to blow hot and cold and that Arsenal don't go on a super run.

If you offered me fourth place on goal difference right now I'd take it.

You sound like a confident chap.

 

[FrostyNRG]

You sound like a confident chap.

Haha, I do have my optimistic moments but it's impossible to ignore our tough run in. I was convinced we had third sewn up last year and look what happened there; not going to do it to myself this time.

 

[THFC6061]

In comparison to most clubs, not just those aroudn them, Spurs have got a shitter of a run in left. They've got pretty much all the "big clubs" left to play, City (H), Chelsea (A), Everton (H), Liverpool (A), Swansea (A) and Stoke (A, which makes all the difference), if they manage to get more than 7 or 8 points from those 6 matches then they've done well. I can see them beating Everton at home, and getting something from both the Swansea and Stoke away games (draws being most likely), think we'll draw at their place. The away games at Chelsea and Liverpool, well, can't see Spurs winning either, and I'd be surprised if they avoided defeat in those games, expecially the Chelsea one.

They'll likely win their 3 other home games (Fulham, Southampton and Sunderland) and probably away to Wigan too (although with Wigan who knows!).

Compare that to City's remaining games. We've got a 2 point lead, and a game in hand.

Villa (A), Wigan (H), Everton (A), Newcastle (H), United (A), West Brom (H), Spurs (A), West Ham (H), Swansea (A), Reading (A), Norwich (H).

Nothing is certain in football, however, you'd have to be brave, foolhardy, ar willfully idiotic to predict anything other than wins in all the home matches. Throw in an away win at Reading and another at Villa for good measure (again, hardly going out on a limb there). So, that's 21 points from those games. Leaves 4 tricky away games. If we get 6 points from those 4 games (not inconceivable that we win 2 from 4, even given the quality of the opponents. A win at Swansea for example, who will have little to play for at that stage, means just 1 win from the Everton, United and Spurs games is needed) then we'll comfortably finish in 2nd.

Realistically, from their remaining 10 matches, you can't see Spurs getting much more than 20 - 22 points. That means, in our 11 games, we need just 18 - 20 to finish ahead of them. Given we've got 5 winnable home matches in there, and 2 away trips against 2 very poor sides, I can see us getting another 25 - 27 points before the season is out, leaving us approx 7 points clear of Spurs.

Here's how Tottenham did in those 10 remaining matches last season (swap Southampton with Bolton)...

...that was 18 points from the 10 matches.

However, we're a much more solid team than we were at this time last season, so I would realistically expect a decent improvement on that points total.

In fact, we're currently averaging around 2.33 points per game in the second half of the 2012-13 season, so if we maintain that until the end of the season, we should be looking at an extra 23 points for a total of 77 for the season.

Whether or not it will be enough to snatch second place off Manchester City is very debatable (personally, I don't think it will be enough), but it should certainly be good enough for a Top Four Finish and perhaps even third place.

 

[bleed.blue]

Here's how Tottenham did in those 10 remaining matches last season (swap Southampton with Bolton)...

...that was 18 points from the 10 matches.

However, we're a much more solid team than we were at this time last season, so I would realistically expect a decent improvement on that points total.

In fact, we're currently averaging around 2.33 points per game in the second half of the 2012-13 season, so if we maintain that until the end of the season, we should be looking at an extra 23 points for a total of 77 for the season.

Whether or not it will be enough to snatch second place off Manchester City is very debatable (personally, I don't think it will be enough), but it should certainly be good enough for a Top Four Finish and perhaps even third place.

:)
This last to this year comparison seems to be your favorite. Good luck with getting 23 points in these 10 games. :)

 

[THFC6061]

:)
This last to this year comparison seems to be your favorite. Good luck with getting 23 points in these 10 games. :)

It seems a reasonable target, given the reasons I've already mentioned.

Spurs are a much better team than we were last season, even given the fact that we've lost three key players - Ledley King, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart.

In fact, we're a point ahead of our last season's total after 28 matches.

City had 66 points after 28 matches in 2011-12, but you've only won 59 points at the same stage this season.

Those seven missing points can't be down to losing key players, because none went.

 

[waspish]

:)
This last to this year comparison seems to be your favorite. Good luck with getting 23 points in these 10 games. :)

It seems a reasonable target, given the reasons I've already mentioned.

Spurs are a much better team than we were last season, even given the fact that we've lost three key players - Ledley King, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart.

In fact, we're a point ahead of our last season's total after 28 matches.

City had 66 points after 28 matches in 2011-12, but you've only won 59 points at the same stage this season.

Those seven missing points can't be down to losing key players, because none went.

Losing the derby and missed chances and injuries to key players that didnt happen last season

 

[THFC6061]

Losing the derby and missed chances and injuries to key players that didnt happen last season

Yes, every team has injuries to a greater or lesser extent - Spurs were without two first-choice defenders for the first half of the season (Younes Kaboul & Benoit Assou-Ekotto) and Scott Parker didn't feature until mid-December.

Kaboul is still out (although the signs are that he might return soon), we lost Sandro for the rest of the season in January and Defoe & Huddlestone have both been sidelined recently.

The mark of a successful club is how well your fringe squad players perform when given the nod, and ours have been quite outstanding this season.

 

[without a dream]

Fair play for having confidence in you're team but I think it's highly unlikely that you'll only dop 7 points from those games.

 

[bleed.blue]

Losing the derby and missed chances and injuries to key players that didnt happen last season

Yes, every team has injuries to a greater or lesser extent - Spurs were without two first-choice defenders for the first half of the season (Younes Kaboul & Benoit Assou-Ekotto) and Scott Parker didn't feature until mid-December.

Kaboul is still out (although the signs are that he might return soon), we lost Sandro for the rest of the season in January and Defoe & Huddlestone have both been sidelined recently.

The mark of a successful club is how well your fringe squad players perform when given the nod, and ours have been quite outstanding this season.

Reg. those injuries, you do know that even if you have a fully fit 25 member squad, you can still start 11 players only?

You and your brethren have been claiming how Vertonghen and Dawson have been absolute rocksi n the defense. With Kaboul and BAE fit, do you intend to start 6 players in defense?

Similarly, while Sandro is injured Parker covers for him and vice versa. They have never been injured at the same time. At the beginning of the season, you guys were complaining about Parker's injury and now about Sandro.

 

[Latics Fan SJK]

Losing the derby and missed chances and injuries to key players that didnt happen last season

Yes, every team has injuries to a greater or lesser extent - Spurs were without two first-choice defenders for the first half of the season (Younes Kaboul & Benoit Assou-Ekotto) and Scott Parker didn't feature until mid-December.

Kaboul is still out (although the signs are that he might return soon), we lost Sandro for the rest of the season in January and Defoe & Huddlestone have both been sidelined recently.

The mark of a successful club is how well your fringe squad players perform when given the nod, and ours have been quite outstanding this season.

Reg. those injuries, you do know that even if you have a fully fit 25 member squad, you can still start 11 players only?

You and your brethren have been claiming how Vertonghen and Dawson have been absolute rocksi n the defense. With Kaboul and BAE fit, do you intend to start 6 players in defense?

Similarly, while Sandro is injured Parker covers for him and vice versa. They have never been injured at the same time. At the beginning of the season, you guys were complaining about Parker's injury and now about Sandro.

Because it seems rotation is key these days. Especially with the amount of games teams face.

Having a fully fit squad to choose from means you can take each and every competition seriously.

Who knows whether Spurs would still be in the domestic cups if they had the likes of Kaboul, BAE and Parker available all season. It would certainly help, rather than hinder.

IMO, AVB has done a brilliant job this season. Chelsea should have given him the time to work with Chelsea but it's their loss at the end of the day.

 

[GHoddle]

Fair play for having confidence in you're team but I think it's highly unlikely that you'll only dop 7 points from those games.

I think that depends hugely on our games against you and Pool. I would expect about 16-18 points in the other 8 games, so if we win both of those games we might hit the 23-24 points mark, if we lose both then obviously we won't get that many points. I'm cautiously confident about both games though. If we win this weekend it will be huge for us.

 

[THFC6061]

Huge game for Spurs tonight at home to Inter Milan in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.

I fancy us to take a two-goal lead to the San Siro next week.

Here's Tottenham's record against Italian clubs...

 

[Anonymous]

hope they win tonight.

can't be doing with arsenal or the rags winning in europe.

i was happy for chelsea last year and i want liverpool (obviousbly out now), newcastle and spurs to win in the europa.

plus it's a distraction from the PL.

 

[THFC6061]

I under-estimated Spurs in my pre-match prediction.

Very impressive 3-0 win tonight against Inter Milan.

A quiet game for Gareth Bale with just the one goal and one assist.

They say that these matches are never decided after the first leg, but if Spurs don't progress to the Quarter Finals, I'm Gareth Bale's uncle.