Vital Spurs Debate Section

Tottenham: It’s All To Play For.

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With around three weeks to go until the Premier League kicks off again, at least one thing has been sorted; the fixtures. The other remaining ‘thing’ to be sorted, the Transfer Window, will hold our undivided attention for a while longer.

But with the release of the fixtures the upcoming season becomes serious. We have something concrete to consider and speculate on. We can examine the fixture list for all competing clubs and attempt to determine how the start of the season might progress and we can consider what would make for a successful season when it’s all over. It’s the time for all optimists, cynics, hopefuls, and dreamers, to show what they’ve got.

In this regard, nothing has changed for me since last season. I want to see eleven Spurs players on the park playing good football (however that is defined) as a team; a solid unit. I want to see Spurs finish in the top four with Champions League football on the horizon. I want to see a new and welcome Cup (any cup) added to our neglected trophy cabinet. And I want to be entertained. And I don’t think what I want is either unreasonable or unrealistic.

Looking at the list, the early games suggest we can be off to a very good start. A good start will give us something to build on and push us well into the season. We seem to have three winnable games before we meet United away. Three games to gain confidence and a belief when we face them. That game is followed by more winnable games. The United game could be crucial …. but not season-defining.

For those who believe in fairies, consider this. Our most successful season happened in 1960-61. This season is 2020-21. That season started with a home game against Everton (2-0). This season starts with a home game against Everton. I know, it’s freaky, isn’t it. (smile of amusement).

So, the questions are: What do we want? What is realistic? and …. Do you believe in fairies?

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  • John O'Donnell says:

    Gedson looks like one of those players who just goes out, plays wherever he’s asked to play, and does whatever the manager tells him to do as well as he can. You need a few of those in your squad, doesn’t hurt that he has a really good engine and was still running hard at the end of the game. Cirkin looks a really good player in the making, I can see why Jose rates him. I was also surprised to see CCV playing, but I thought he did well. Central defenders aren’t there to play flashy football and he didn’t put a foot wrong. We seem to have a glut of midfield players coming through, It would be a surprise if one or two didn’t make the grade. Its just not clear at this stage who they’ll be. Clarke had a it of a strange game. For the first twenty minutes he struggled. Then it seemed as if the penny dropped for the rest of them that if they gave him the ball in a bit of space he could actually run at people and he looked much better. The jury’s out on whether he’ll make the grade but fingers crossed.

    Although Ipswich are obviously not comparable to premier league opposition they probably are to many of the teams we might play early in the Europa, before the losers drop out of the champions league. So the exercise has some value.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Thanks for another good article Geof.

    Just on here to let people know that the Ipswich match can still be seen in full on the THFC website. I’m just about to watch it myself….

    See you later!

  • Geofspurs says:

    Thanks for that info, HT, I’ll check it out.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Just finished watching yesterdays match. I really enjoyed it. Good to see the youngsters, CCV. A useful full 90 minutes played by Sessegnon and Fernandes. It was good to see Hojbjerg on his debut and playing alongside Winks.

    Interesting and flexible formation from Jose… In a good and useful practice match. A fine run-out for all.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    With respect to this article…

    I’d like to see Jose experiment a bit with his team for the opening Carabao and EL matches. I’d like to see us progress as far as we can in all 3 cup competitions. The EL is winnable for me as long as we get through to the qualifying rounds ok… I’m not so concerned about the Carabao cup. A good FA cup run would be welcome…

    I think the main priority has to be to finish well in the PL and hopefully get back to the top 4. I believe we have a good enough squad for that to happen. Although I’m pretty sure we will see a slightly different one in the next month or so with a couple or so more additions and others leaving or out on loan.

    So, 4th in the PL minimum. And a EL or Fa Cup win for me. (Not too much to ask for, is it?)

    Anyway, I’m feeling optimistic. And the all the Elves, Fairies and other magical creatures that dwell in my back garden, agree…

  • Geofspurs says:

    Just watched it, too. Nothing to complain about. Probably went just the way Jose wanted. Wow, how many diagonal long balls did Toby nail. Must be a record even for him. And no injuries.

  • jod says:

    Hot Tottingham – Thing about the Europa is the only way you can hope to sustain it for the season while still being competitive in the premier league is if the squad players can do it in the early games. Once you start playing your key players twice a week you are basically dead. The danger is you end up like Wolves this season, play a lot of games, finish with nothing. Arsene Wenger used to get a lot of stick for playing his fringe players in the Europa but I never understood why. If your squad players can’t win the early European games your squad isn’t strong enough to sustain two competitions. I suspect one reason Sevilla have this incredible record in the Europa is they know every season they won’t win the Spanish league. So they can actually prioritise European competition, not really an option for any English team.

  • Niall D says:

    Jod Re-Seville very true.
    I believe in Spain that some teams put out a weaker side against the likes of RM and Barca because they feel they cannot win the games this allows keep their players injury free for Euro games and gives them (by their reconing) a better chance of winning against their lesser peer group. I heard this once on Talk Sport some years ago not sure if it is true.
    Another Euro anomaly is the fact that European Leagues will move or re schedule a league game to suit a Euro fixture. I think particularly in the latter stages of the competition that the P L should do similar.
    HT
    Also agreed I think we could and should be able to field enough good players to at least rotate around 8
    from a Euro fixture on a Thursday to a prem date on a Sunday. But why the PL can’t move it to Monday to at least allow a few days recovery I dunno.
    I think we are still around 3 players short. The usual positions. But with these filled with decent players we could come in under the radar with a trophy, and a 3rd or 4th place.
    I too am a bit more optimistic.
    But then like you I’m a Spurs supporter hope for the best expect the worst (usually at the hands of a dodgy ref decision) COYS.
    BTW looking forward to the game tonite..

  • 123spurs says:

    jod, if your star players can’t play 2 games a week then there is something seriously wrong with a players fitness etc.

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    Sevilla did also qualify for the Champions League via their league position. Chelsea also won the Europa League two seasons ago as well as finishing third in the premier league. It can be done, it just needs good squad management.

  • 123spurs says:

    of course it can be done, they are no excuses,

  • jod says:

    123spurs – Your players could play every day, they just can’t do it at the same level as if they play once a week. I appreciate that for many on this site sports science is mumbo jumbo, like evolution or global warming. But the reality is if you are overplaying your players while the opposition are giving theirs proper recovery time then when you come to the business end of the season you will be easy pickings. We saw that with Wolves this time around, great most of the season but out of gas when it really mattered so they ended up with nothing.

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    Wolves ran out of gas after the three month break. They were doing fine until then, playing Thursdays and Sundays and playing strong teams in the Europa League with a small squad. Chelsea also won the Europa League whilst finishing third in the Premier League.
    I think most people on this site do know the importance of Sports Science Jod but the fact is that someone has to win the Europa League and it will more than likely be a team that also has a successful domestic league season. For all his shortcomings, Jose does have massive experience of competing in both domestic and European competitions.

  • PompeyYid says:

    This up coming season, I have what you would call a reserved optimism, I suppose it could be ND’s “I am hoping for the best but expect the worse” that way I don’t feel to let down lol!

    The thing is I am with HT and others that we will finish in the top 4 and win a cup, I believe the squad is up for it and is looking a lot stronger than many think, I also believe there will be minimum 2 more additions, who! I haven’t a clue, hopefully another defender and a plan B or C striker, because I believe there is enough in midfield.

    For me this team/squad will be written off by the media and pundits alike, so under the radar we will go and move along nicely and quietly.

    So I sign off with my “reserved optimism” in place. COYS

  • jod says:

    DoncasterHotspur – Someone has to win the Europa and it’ll probably be Sevilla again, once they’ve dropped out of the Champions League. If Wolves ran out of gas after a break how do you imaging they would have kept going without one ? You say you believe in sports science but you really don’t sound as if you do. What I find interesting is the Wolves manager, a long time advocate of a small squad and consistent selection, is now saying he needs more players to compete.

  • Geofspurs says:

    jod …. I quote; ‘ I appreciate that for many on this site sports science is mumbo jumbo, like evolution or global warming’. You seem to have a low opinion of VS members. Is that because some offer different opinions. It’s never a good idea to ‘big’ yourself up by putting others down …. it’s counter productive.

  • block 108 spurs says:

    As Ive said on here… Jose’s european league / cup experience is way better than Poch so he will have seen Sevillia’s way of managing players and game strategy first hand in spanish league and Europa League. Therefore we can be in a better position of dealing with this season games congestion than since we first qualified for Euro Competition, since Martin Jol, in the PL era. . COYS

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    Jod, I echo Geofspurs comments. You seem to think you know more than anyone on this site. Your argument about how much worse Wolves would have been if there wasn’t a break shows how little you know about sports science.

  • PompeyYid says:

    I am having a thought regards our jod, could he be a troll lol! that’s has been put on here to winde everyone up lol!, and does he even exist lol! just some thoughts, because his thoughts certainly keep this site lively. COYS

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    PompeyYid, He is either a troll who loves to wind people up or an extremely ignorant man. I know where my money is.

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