2016/17 English Football Predictions

[Doctor Bojan_]

We weren't after starters though. We're after depth all along.

Went from Dier, Dembele, Mason, Carroll and Bentaleb to Dier, Dembele, Wanyama, Sissoko and Winks. Try and tell me that hasn't improved.

not enough for top 4. You may have been after depth players but your starting XI isn't top 4 now.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

Come on now. I know some on here aren't better than this but I thought you were.

It's reality. If you don't advance at least at the same speed as the other top 4 contenders then you will fall behind them. You've basically done nothing whilst Chelsea, Arsenal, United & City have done the business.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

once in a lifetime event for Spurs fans unfortunately.

You have Lamela, and N'koudou or whatever his name is....wingers. N'Jie.....winger

Where did we rank last season for goals scored? Top 3 I'd imagine. GKN replaces Chadli who hardly featured, not overly enamoured with the signing but we scored quite well without prolific wingers. No reason that can't occur again, our width has for a while now come from the full backs, Wingers are something that whilst handy, particularly if pacy, are something we don't rely on. Pochettino prefers versatility for the 3 behind the striker all interchanging positions.
If we were so concerned about wingers we wouldn't have sold 3 and loaned out another in the space of 18 months....

not enough for top 4. You may have been after depth players but your starting XI isn't top 4 now.

5. Tottenham

Well I'm pretty sure I thought the same. Yep I did. Going in to deadline day that was a tentative 5th, now I'm confident it will occur. Wanted 4 solid CDM/CM choices before Winks/Carroll and we have that so 5th shall be where I expect.
That said many in here 12 months ago would have said the same so as with anything we shall wait and see, the season is still in its infancy.

It's reality. If you don't advance at least at the same speed as the other top 4 contenders then you will fall behind them. You've basically done nothing whilst Chelsea, Arsenal, United & City have done the business.

That wasn't what drew the ire, it was the, well it's not arrogance, well maybe it's belittling, the idea that we won't be in the champions league for a while.
Picking who will finish where for one season is hard enough let alone predicting seasons ahead. After all, since SAF left how many seasons have you predicted missing top 4? I suspect none. Yet you did 2/3 times.
Wait and see on Arsenal, Xhaka is solid, a true point of jealousy but where they constantly fall down is at ST. Remains to be seen if this Perez helps there or not.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

Where did we rank last season for goals scored? Top 3 I'd imagine. GKN replaces Chadli who hardly featured, not overly enamoured with the signing but we scored quite well without prolific wingers. No reason that can't occur again, our width has for a while now come from the full backs, Wingers are something that whilst handy, particularly if pacy, are something we don't rely on. Pochettino prefers versatility for the 3 behind the striker all interchanging positions.
If we were so concerned about wingers we wouldn't have sold 3 and loaned out another in the space of 18 months....


Well I'm pretty sure I thought the same. Yep I did. Going in to deadline day that was a tentative 5th, now I'm confident it will occur. Wanted 4 solid CDM/CM choices before Winks/Carroll and we have that so 5th shall be where I expect.
That said many in here 12 months ago would have said the same so as with anything we shall wait and see, the season is still in its infancy.


That wasn't what drew the ire, it was the, well it's not arrogance, well maybe it's belittling, the idea that we won't be in the champions league for a while.
Picking who will finish where for one season is hard enough let alone predicting seasons ahead. After all, since SAF left how many seasons have you predicted missing top 4? I suspect none. Yet you did 2/3 times.
Wait and see on Arsenal, Xhaka is solid, a true point of jealousy but where they constantly fall down is at ST. Remains to be seen if this Perez helps there or not.

I don't know who GKN is. You sold your wingers because you are s**t at buying them, not because you don't need them. Well then we agree that on paper at least, Spurs aren't a top 4 side.

It's not arrogance to say that when one team does * all in the market and 3 big clubs and city all do significantly more, that one would expect Spurs to fall behind and out of the top 4. Besides, that 'arrogance' of the comment is more directed at WR, the trolling SOB, than Spurs in general. It's not arrogance though.

United have been the worst in the market for 3 out of the last 4 years which has resulted in us missing 2 champions league campaigns. If you don't do well in the market then you are behind the 8ball straight away. I'm talking from a position of knowledge on the subject. Mou, Conte and Pep will be allowed to spend what they want in the window so you are really competing with Arsenal for fourth but even they spent big this summer.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

Where did we rank last season for goals scored? Top 3 I'd imagine. GKN replaces Chadli who hardly featured, not overly enamoured with the signing but we scored quite well without prolific wingers. No reason that can't occur again, our width has for a while now come from the full backs, Wingers are something that whilst handy, particularly if pacy, are something we don't rely on. Pochettino prefers versatility for the 3 behind the striker all interchanging positions.
If we were so concerned about wingers we wouldn't have sold 3 and loaned out another in the space of 18 months....


Well I'm pretty sure I thought the same. Yep I did. Going in to deadline day that was a tentative 5th, now I'm confident it will occur. Wanted 4 solid CDM/CM choices before Winks/Carroll and we have that so 5th shall be where I expect.
That said many in here 12 months ago would have said the same so as with anything we shall wait and see, the season is still in its infancy.


That wasn't what drew the ire, it was the, well it's not arrogance, well maybe it's belittling, the idea that we won't be in the champions league for a while.
Picking who will finish where for one season is hard enough let alone predicting seasons ahead. After all, since SAF left how many seasons have you predicted missing top 4? I suspect none. Yet you did 2/3 times.
Wait and see on Arsenal, Xhaka is solid, a true point of jealousy but where they constantly fall down is at ST. Remains to be seen if this Perez helps there or not.

Mustafi is there best signing. They finally have a capable defender beside Kos. That defence has gone from a top 10 to top 4 in the space of 2 seasons. Yeah they need a striker to challenge but they should finish 4th

 

[WealstoneRaider]

What Boj is failing to grasp is that our players are all young, and pundits agree will only improve. The starting 11 are all internationals - it was very hard to replace any. Instead we replaced half our back-ups, which I reckon was the sensible option.

And teams don't always go forward after spending big.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

young players don't always improve. Being an England international does not make you a good player nor top 4 standard. Surely the euros would have put paid to that notion.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I don't know who GKN is. You sold your wingers because you are s**t at buying them, not because you don't need them. Well then we agree that on paper at least, Spurs aren't a top 4 side.

it's all well and good to say that other signings have seen us again fall behind, why is not fair to say we can improve by virtue of natural improvement more so than others.
Kane, Eriksen, Alli, Lamela, Dier are all relatively young and if I'm not mistaken not one starting player is over 30. Why can't the youngest squad in the league from last season improve simply from natural improvement.
We may be bad at buying wingers but again doesn't mean we rely on them to score. The litmus test actually will be if the defence can be as solid as last season. If so then I most certainly think top 4 is realistically attainable.

It's not arrogance to say that when one team does **** all in the market and 3 big clubs and city all do significantly more, that one would expect Spurs to fall behind and out of the top 4. Besides, that 'arrogance' of the comment is more directed at WR, the trolling SOB, than Spurs in general. It's not arrogance though.

United have been the worst in the market for 3 out of the last 4 years which has resulted in us missing 2 champions league campaigns. If you don't do well in the market then you are behind the 8ball straight away. I'm talking from a position of knowledge on the subject. Mou, Conte and Pep will be allowed to spend what they want in the window so you are really competing with Arsenal for fourth but even they spent big this summer.

I never said arrogance, I didn't like the belittling tone regarding Champions League because I've tried more than any other club to be respectful to Utd, not borne out of reverence to success, but because I have the rare breed, Utd supporting friends who aren't insufferable twats. I repay that in kind and rarely target united for any ill feelings.
The point was that we may not secure CL football for next season, but 'for a while'. come off it, you cannot possibly know that.
You can say we did * all. Arguably we had the least to do. We had no starting positions in need of replacing and for once had no important players posture to leave or leave. Our aim was to improve depth. Did so at ST, DM and CM, maybe even RM if we play Sissoko there.
What was our weakness last season. Depth.

Mustafi is there best signing. They finally have a capable defender beside Kos. That defence has gone from a top 10 to top 4 in the space of 2 seasons. Yeah they need a striker to challenge but they should finish 4th

They needed him before the injuries though to be fair. Scoring goals when needed most has been as big a problem as conceding them, they needed an improvement there before losing Welbeck. You lot all laugh but at one point we will finish above them and if it's this season they'll miss Champions League.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

young players don't always improve. Being an England international does not make you a good player nor top 4 standard. Surely the euros would have put paid to that notion.

England wasn't playing badly in the first two games. The Iceland game was a collective melt - seemed to emulate from Rooney and spread to the other players.

And our team isn't all English is it. Not even half and half in fact.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

England wasn't playing badly in the first two games. The Iceland game was a collective melt - seemed to emulate from Rooney and spread to the other players.

And our team isn't all English is it. Not even half and half in fact.

yes they were. England were s**t. I'm not a hater, just a realist. Don't blame Rooney for Kane not being able to get a touch or hit a barn door all tournament.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

yes they were. England were s**t. I'm not a hater, just a realist. Don't blame Rooney for Kane not being able to get a touch or hit a barn door all tournament.

I blame Levy for that. He was out of petrol tickets by the Euro's because the bald prick didn't buy a striker. Would prefer he not play in the next match.
I do blame Woy for making him the bloody corner taker

Surely the euros would have put paid to that notion.

I am not worried. Our England players have two managers, national and club.
One has a record of improving players, the other was an owl.
Remains to be seen what Sam does with this squad.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

it's all well and good to say that other signings have seen us again fall behind, why is not fair to say we can improve by virtue of natural improvement more so than others.
Kane, Eriksen, Alli, Lamela, Dier are all relatively young and if I'm not mistaken not one starting player is over 30. Why can't the youngest squad in the league from last season improve simply from natural improvement.
We may be bad at buying wingers but again doesn't mean we rely on them to score. The litmus test actually will be if the defence can be as solid as last season. If so then I most certainly think top 4 is realistically attainable.


I never said arrogance, I didn't like the belittling tone regarding Champions League because I've tried more than any other club to be respectful to Utd, not borne out of reverence to success, but because I have the rare breed, Utd supporting friends who aren't insufferable twats. I repay that in kind and rarely target united for any ill feelings.
The point was that we may not secure CL football for next season, but 'for a while'. come off it, you cannot possibly know that.
You can say we did **** all. Arguably we had the least to do. We had no starting positions in need of replacing and for once had no important players posture to leave or leave. Our aim was to improve depth. Did so at ST, DM and CM, maybe even RM if we play Sissoko there.
What was our weakness last season. Depth.


They needed him before the injuries though to be fair. Scoring goals when needed most has been as big a problem as conceding them, they needed an improvement there before losing Welbeck. You lot all laugh but at one point we will finish above them and if it's this season they'll miss Champions League.

You can improve through natural progression but it is not a given, far from it. Alli and Kane look knackered, Eriksen just looks s**t but it's most likely due to Levy trying to * him over on his contract.

It is no longer about 'buying the league' for the big clubs and city, it's about 'buying' top 4. If Spurs don't compete financially then they are facing the significant risk that they won't be able to get back in for some time.

Most Spurs fans say that their starting XI was the best, etc. Well it wasn't because Leicester bitched the league with a reliance on their starting XI and Arsenal beat Spurs to 2nd despite playing their 2's for most of the year and Spurs barely getting an injury or suspension all season.

If you aren't top, there is always improvement to be made in the 1st XI. My point all summer has been that the best clubs strengthen when they are the strongest. Leicester did all they could in keeping Vardy & Mahrez and spending big on players that would not normally move to a Leicester type club. My criticism of Spurs has been the way that they haven't taken their opportunity to really turn themselves into a perennial title contender by attracting players when they were at there most attractive. It's a lot cheaper and easier to attract players when you can offer UCL football than when you can't.

Using depth as an excuse is rubbish mate, Plenty of teams copped it far worse than Spurs last season.

 

[Doctor Bojan_]

I blame Levy for that. He was out of petrol tickets by the Euro's because the bald prick didn't buy a striker. Would prefer he not play in the next match.
I do blame Woy for making him the bloody corner taker

I am not worried. Our England players have two managers, national and club.
One has a record of improving players, the other was an owl.
Remains to be seen what Sam does with this squad.

I object to the notion that international player = quality or top 4 caliber.

If you asked a novice who was the top 4 player from the England vs Iceland game, I'm tipping they would have gone for Gylfi or the CB who couldn't get a game for relegated Charlton last season. Robson-Kanu is another example.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

. My criticism of Spurs has been the way that they haven't taken their opportunity to really turn themselves into a perennial title contender by attracting players when they were at there most attractive. It's a lot cheaper and easier to attract players when you can offer UCL football than when you can't.

Using depth as an excuse is rubbish mate, Plenty of teams copped it far worse than Spurs last season.

We can't do that until 2018/19 at the earliest.
Transfer fees and UCL football is part of the puzzle. Wages is also. Something for the next 2-3 we have to be prudent with.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I object to the notion that international player = quality or top 4 caliber.

If you asked a novice who was the top 4 player from the England vs Iceland game, I'm tipping they would have gone for Gylfi or the CB who couldn't get a game for relegated Charlton last season. Robson-Kanu is another example.

I'm just saying I take next to no stock out of the players performances from club to country. Chalk and cheese the management capabilities between the two.

I never said it made them top 4 caliber, just it's hard to form valid opinions on most of that Euro squads individual capabilities because Woy misused that squad horrendously. Will be interesting to see how it changes under new management.

 

[jod23]

What Boj is failing to grasp is that our players are all young, and pundits agree will only improve. The starting 11 are all internationals - it was very hard to replace any. Instead we replaced half our back-ups, which I reckon was the sensible option.

And teams don't always go forward after spending big.

Every big side in England has their best 11 as International footballers. Doesnt mean they are any good.

 

[moomba]

Think it's a bit of a fallacy that young players automatically improve with age and experience.

They get comfortable, rich, they get ideas above their station, they sometimes think they don't have to fight any more because they've made it.

Spurs have been through this before, so have Newcastle. Buy young English players and see them develop into an end product. Doesn't often work like that. There'll be ups ad downs, some will fall by the wayside and the odd one will fulfill that potential.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Yeah I guess so. I suppose we can't all have unlimited funds allowing us to buy up any player we want. Some of us have to go about things more strategically.

 

[moomba]

Yeah I guess so. I suppose we can't all have unlimited funds allowing us to buy up any player we want. Some of us have to go about things more strategically.

It wasn't a criticism Sensitive Sam. If you have a look at our spending this summer it's been heavily focussed on younger players, so it's not something that's exclusive to Spurs.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Ok fair enough. Just gets slightly galling being criticised by the Manchester clubs, who lets face it, when it comes to money are in a different ball game to Spurs.

 

[jod23]

It wasn't a criticism Sensitive Sam. If you have a look at our spending this summer it's been heavily focussed on younger players, so it's not something that's exclusive to Spurs.

Yeah but it's not young players who you hope work out. You buy the best young players in the world. Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Stones, Sane, sure you are buying young but they are not exactly gambles are they.

Then of course those purchases are littered amongst your real signings like KDB, Nolito, Gundogun, Bravo, Otemendi.

Let's not pretend that City dont operate in a total different stratosphere to the rest of us.

 

[Magma]

how are they not gambles?

 

[jod23]

how are they not gambles?

Erm... ok.

 

[Magma]

Erm... ok.

spending ~30 mil bringing a young brazilian to england, where brazilian attackers have typically struggled, isn't a gamble?

what on earth?

 

[jod23]

spending ~30 mil bringing a young brazilian to england, where brazilian attackers have typically struggled, isn't a gamble?

what on earth?

Lol... cmon mate. You're buying blokes like Sterling, Stones, Sane etc. Hugely rated young players. Gabriel Jesus is another hugely rated young player.

The risks are ******* minimal haha.

Plus City and gambling isnt a thing. Look at some of your horrible buys recently. Bony for 28 million, Mangala for 40 million, Jovetic at 25.8, Negredo at 20.6, Otamendi at 32.

None of those have really worked out, Otamendi still has time. But look at the huge sums of money. Yet it matters not. Mangala is a huge bust. Imagine if Spurs spent 40 million on a player and it was a bust.

To Man City though, it simply doesnt matter. Cos... cash money.