The season has opened with a comprehensive 4-1 victory against Southampton, and a few things came to mind during our dismantling of a side that caused us plenty of bother last season.
Firstly, I’d like to start on that note. Yes, Southampton were poor, and have been for a while, but the same side ran us ragged 6 months ago in the corresponding fixture where we looked like conceding every time they got past the halfway line. This time, every time Saints got the ball, we were all over them and before you knew it, we’d bear in on their goal. The intensity we saw shades of in pre-season was evident, and it’s great to see. This disposal of a team we couldn’t beat last season was a really encouraging sign of our progression and the players’ improved internalisation of Conte’s methods.
Additionally, Conte’s faith in the starting XI that secured 4th last season was also reassuring. It shows our newfound depth – although I still think we could do with about two more bodies – and how the players are responding to the challenge of having their starting places threatened by new arrivals. On a day where we scored 4 without Kane and Son netting, everyone stepped up, especially Sessegnon, who displayed signs of aggression that I thought were lacking in his game.
Of course, it’s early days, and against naive opponents it’s morally wrong to jump to any sort of conclusions, but this was the perfect start to a tricky run of games.
Thanks for the thought, ND. I should check it out, mate.
I wish you would Geof!
“you can quote without having to re write the passage..”
I remember getting wracked over hot coals for doing just this. lol. I need not remind us by whom. irony lives.
lol.
Yes we have top class players and now a better bench all on paper. But this needs to be backed up on the pitch starting against Chelsea and make a statment of intent.
A quick not to the ozzies on the site.
I knew that my maternal grandfather was born in Tasmania, but he always said forcefully (lol) that his grandfather moved there to make money and not on a convict ship. I just found out that he married a woman (my grandfather’s grandmother) who arrived in Hobart from London on a convict ship. I even found her convict number, but I won’t provide that here. I might use it as a password somewhere. What the heck.
I’ve rarely felt so proud of my ancestry. lol. Convict ships always more honorable than bankers. (apologies to any bankers who support the Spurs.)
No wonder my ozzie grandrather was so adamant that his grandfather did not arrive as a convict. lol
Sorry to comment off football. Forgive me.
Now to legitimize this comment, here’s some thoughts on football: Looks like Rodon is in Rennes. LoCelso agreed to terms in Spain, so the selling of contracts is beginning to balance the buying of new contracts.
Forgive us jod, we know not the names of who is available to buy, but sometimes we know that some position or another needs strengthening or a reliable backup. For example, I’d like to see someone brought in who’s better than Kane or Son. Don’t ask me to name that someone, please. I’m not that smart. Perhaps I can call him Pelé Redux. I know he’s out there somewhere. I want him signed asap.
Maybe he’s sitting on a convict ship somewhere.
lol. Erik Ter Hag was called the captain of the Titanic in the Guardian. To mix metaphors a bit, let’s make him walk the plank this Sunday. Ship be sinking, rats be jumping. Joy rules. Here’s hoping for a vigorous shove by our lads.
Where is any team that has a better front line group than Kane, Son, Kulusevski, and Richarlison? When was the last time we could make an outrageous claim like this? Riches in spades, and we know we can score goals in bunches without any of them coming from a player in the front line. The strongest front line in (forever?), and we may not even need them for our goals?
Maybe we’ll get more goals from the wing backs than from the forwards?
Could the most important part of the forwards be to circle backwards to create what our missing creative midfielder should be providing?
Here’s hoping Kane appreciates the riches that lift the burden from his shoulders. One can imagine Kane scoring 20 goals and having more assists than goals. Our number 9.5 position. Not quite a 9 and not quite a 10. Perhaps the whole numbering system to describe roles on the pitch will recede into past history.
We lead the league in goal difference and nary a goal from our two principal goal scorers. Nary a goal.
Remember that 9 – 0 win of a few seasons ago when Defoe scored a fiver? Could we see similar in the Conte era?
As good a career as Conte has had as a manager, we might see it all surpassed in N17. Am I a dreaming madman? Or merely a madman? Or perhaps merely a dream or a dreamer? Or are these dreams within at least the semi-plausible?
I slept like a baby last night and didn’t even wet the bed. Sweet dreams that this year will be ours.
Is it bad luck to make such dreams public?
Please do not use any of this against me in any court proceedings that question my competence. Ouch!
Thanks for the thought, ND. I’ll have to check it out, mate.
Oops …. Not sure why that popped up again but, somehow, I think it was my fault. Sorry lol
Geof, they told me my cache needed clearing because I had to refresh to see my new posts, even after leaving the site and coming back again, that was rubbish and they never accepted there was a problem after what I assumed was a move to a new platform. I’ve never had any issues on the forum so that persuaded me to move permanently. Actually, it’s a nicer environment there anyway!
Yep TK
Just like your sweeping political statements on a footballing site chum.
Your selective memory serves you well.
When you quote some one do not do it in a sarcastic tone my friend.
Or to gain some cheap point
You can give it out, but when it comes back to you, you go silent.
I wasnt being sarcastic nor trying to make a cheap shot. You’ve misjudged my state of mind. I wasn’t trying to wind you up. Nor was I when you thought I was earlier. Oh well.
TK
We’ll leave it at that.
My post was to Geoff and not to you.
Essentially what people are saying is you identify a supposed problem but not the solution. In fact you don’t even know if there is a solution or if the “problem” is real. My question is – what exactly do you think you’ve accomplished ?
That’s exactly what people are saying. You must have experienced some divine intervention that enabled you to see the light. But at least, now that you understand what people are saying, you can move on.
It might interest you to note that people also perceive global warming and world peace as problems but few have suggested acceptable solutions …. so perhaps they don’t really exist.
Anyway, I’m up for a 0-3 result at The Bridge. It’s our time.
Geof love your 2nd para so bloody true, lol!
Me I am going for 1-2 Spurs on Sunday. COYS
Jod, you are advancing some terrific arguments fella, don’t take my disagreement with some of your shouts or the pile-up of opposition as a dismissal of your views, as you’ve stimulated some great debate. The point you’ve made about identifying a problem without posing a solution is spot on, but ifI suggested a solution – either upgrade our personnel with smarter recruitment (as we have been doing from January onwards), or upgrade our personnel by making them fitter and mentally stronger. There you go. The question of what we’ve achieved can be thrown right back at you – we’re just having a discussion fella, none of us here are sat in Spurs’ boardroom identifying the potential signing of this, that and the other…at least I don’t think we are! 🙂
4 banished from first team training.
Lo Celso, Reguilon, Winks and N’Dombele. No one wants them. Who can blame clubs? Price has dropped but wages ridiculously high for hasbeens. Spurs certainly does not want them. We can’t seem to give them away..
What will happen? Retirement on full salary? Hopefully Man You will come in for all four.
I can see us beating Chelsea
I do think they have changed their personnel, but have the incumbents now improved the team
Where as I feel our new recruits have made us better
100% WW re those 4 except I feel no one wants em at their valuations. 🙁
Lo Ceslo did well enough in Spain and Regs was OK last season.
Both should have some interest
N Dombers I think is going to be another Balliotelli (spelling)
Winks who knows, I thought S’oton, or Everton.
But it’s getting what DL wants for em. 😕
Very little interest in any of them Niall. We could be lumbered with them for some time to come! Cheap goods that no one wants because they are poor buys.
N’Dombele will be very hard to move on unless we pay part of his wages. the other three aren’t up to quality for a top four club but there are many clubs in the world who would be improved by acquiring any one of them. But the mistake of the decade is that one who refuses to care when he’s on the pitch. talent isn’t worth a bag of vomit unless the player cares how he plays.