Reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated
Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 12:17PM Spurs 1 WBA 1
I guess our season doesn’t kick start until after the summer transfer window closes. Points dropped again, not too dissimilar to last season (one point better placed, are you counting?) with key signings yet to be finalised. The most definitive knee-jerk has been the gentle nod of disapproval at our lack of decisive business before the opening game away to Newcastle. Then again, had Harry Redknapp not ballsed up the last ten games or so we’d have found things a tad more comfortable in perhaps ushering in new blood during the summer months as opposed to what we appear to be doing now. Working hard to sign someone, anyone before it shuts up till the new year.
At the end of last season I cited we would need to get things sorted asap. We did in parts. New coach, couple of new signings. Negotiations for another signing that dragged on (Adebayor) and an outgoing one that bored us to near death (Modric). The essence of the knee-jerk is to proclaim we’ve started with a stutter because we’ve not targeted and signed more than what we’ve got and therefore it’s costing us.
Sure. Okay, I’d agree with that. But new players in might have still produced the same outcome. It’s hardly a criminal act of neglect. It’s not anywhere near as important or costly as some seem to believe it is. For a start, we were in a rut at the back end of last season. Our form wasn’t convincing at all. Neither was our transfer strategy that came before it. That much maligned lack of communication and agreement between the coach and chairman. So is the expectation truly one that would have seen our coach begin with a complete squad with points bestowed on us for certainty? Had we achieved all transfers, and still dropped points, another angle of complaint would still be mounted and humped ragged by the angry mob. Its perception, its conjecture it’s whatever you make it to be. Despair if you’re a commentator that wants to over dramatise events. Disastrous if you’re a supporter of a nervous disposition distracted and concerned by what others think of your team. Is football now an imprisonment with every single day chalked on the wall? I guess it's whatever you make it. It's your team, you can support them to any degree of fanaticism as you so wish.
My perception? It’s a new era not error and if you’re counting points already then its best you take a sabbatical and return when things have settled down. I’m fascinated by some of the insight and how paradoxical it all is. If he (Villas-Boas) doesn’t change a thing we'll still have a reminisce of what Redknapp left behind, a side capable of so much but faltering when it matters most. If he does makes changes then he’s tampering too quickly, making the same mistake twice. Players that are being pushed out are suddenly vital to the squad when reality nods and shrugs without care. It’s still only two competitive games. What happened at Chelsea is completely of no relevance to us. There has to be a period of transition, be it one that shouldn’t impact us substantially enough to scrap any ambitions for a top four challenge. That reminisce, good and bad, is still with us and will be slowly and surely pushed aside and replaced with something more accomplished but still complementary of what it's replaced.
We played well at Newcastle, struck the woodwork, shaped up with backbone and grace. Lost the point thanks to a clumsy moment of madness, an error that sits solitary with the players that gave the penalty away.
At home to WBA we caught a further glimpse of that transition. The same little annoyances that plagued performances last season welcomed themselves ominously back into the fold, although perhaps for one final encore. Initially, it didn’t look like they’d gatecrash the stage. When they did, no standing ovation was forthcoming. Not for our star performers that forgot their lines in the rousing climax.
We started off so well. Good early tempo, pace when working the ball towards the penalty area. It was lively. Early possession was dominated by Lilywhite. Tasty one touch football, it flowed and the flankers were effective with movement and involvement. There was even creativity from the middle. But alas, no cutting edge. No ruthlessness. Just rusty and rueful.
Lennon, Bale, van der Vaart, Vertonghen...we looked good. But not great where it mattered most. Now you can blame it on bad luck or lack of composure or perhaps the fact that Leandro/Remy or Adebayor (who we’ve actually signed) wasn’t in the starting line up. Much like someone can blame the lack of transfer activity to the dropping of points, I can lay claim that the fact individuals got themselves into goal scoring opportunities and failed to capitalise as the reason we were not home and dry at half time. I know, amazing punditry there. You can really talk yourself into rationalising anything by either making excuses or suggestion an alternative which in your head would have been more productive. But it’s still men kicking a ball about. On this occasion, not that well in and around the opposition goal.
Same old Spurs? In parts, sure, it’s practically the same old players. Players that will take time to adjust to new instructions. Our coach has been employed to fix up the mistakes we were guilty of last time out. I can’t see that happening over night. Can you see it happening in just two games? The fact he’s inherited a solid team, is it unforgivable if he wanted to slowly slowly mould it into his vision, one that isn’t anchored down with comparisons to you know who, who can do no wrong? Time and patience. Neither equate to sacrificing to the extent of wallowing in self-pity trapped in mid-table. I’m not fragile. Hope you’re not. Some of those problems that need fixing obviously are. That's what the training pitch is for. And unlike pre-season, that's what the early few games are for also thanks to the importance and pressure of the league as opposed to friendly games out in the USA.
At half time, we created without creating clear cut chances (in terms of testing their keeper) but did get ourselves in positions of promise. Work-rate was impressive. Defence coped well. But no genuine genius, no Luka Modric to pull the strings and conduct proceedings. Scratch of the head perhaps with selection? Sandro and Livermore in the middle, could we have afforded Sigurdsson in the mix along side Rafa? The fact remains, we had ten efforts to WBA’s one and over 60% possession. A loaded gun with a trigger that wasn't working and the lack of fortitude to pistol whip our opponent on the back of the head.
If half time itself belonged to Ledley King. The second half belonged to the visitors.
Defoe worked hard but his lack of intelligent movement, his insistence to always shoot and physicality was once more telling. Telling Adebayor to warm up. We had our first shot on target and saved just after the fifty minute mark. Kept pressing but still lacked that extra aggression to browse West Brom. Rafa went off, Adebayor (hasn’t had a pre-season in terms of match practice) came on. WBA, unconvincing for most of the game made a substitution with Lukaku who terrorised our back-line, if anything to add some extra weight for Sunday’s match reports in the tabloids. Did you know Villas-Boas didn’t take much notice of him at Chelsea? Not sure that has been shared enough in recent days.
They began to test us. The game opened up. No grip in midfield, a loss of control with the pace of the game. There was no stamp of authority from anyone in our side, no leadership. He was sat in the stands watching on. Friedel was called into action once or twice before Assou-Ekotto scored with a deflected effort from around twenty-five yards out. I’ll take that. I took it, punched the air with delight. For all our endeavour, a slice of luck might just allow for a steadier platform to consolidate all three points with another goal.
As if.
The footballing Gods mock us once more.
We seemed to invite WBA to attack. Tactics, formation...as witnessed in the opening forty-five, only account for a percentage of the success on the pitch. If you don’t have the quality in the right area(s) then stutter you will. In the second half, the stutter saw our shape wash away. Even though we crafted some chances, the equaliser was fairly dreadful. That fabled final ten minutes of pressure the opposing side always enjoy was evident again. Another reoccurring historical quirk that will need to be ironed out. Bossing the closing minutes has to be imperative at home. Friedel’s lack of assertiveness, the foul/non-foul involving Vertonghen, the almost slow-mo movement and lack of urgency. And yet at 1-0 we’d have probably said ‘good work, job done, hard day at office, need new players’. The exact same thing applies with the draw. Season won't be defined by these two games.
Frustrated? Yes. Disappointed. Yes. We seemed to counter attack but clearly if you don’t have that one true playmaker to dictate the ball and its movement you’ll struggle to own the midfield and create from deeper positions with better effect. What Villas-Boas does here, if we intend to replace Luka Modric, remains to be seen and we’ll know within the week how the team will set itself up for the season. Then the real work then begins and our style of play will be allowed to settle and evolve.
I can’t talk for you, everything I write is my own opinion, my own perception and therapy. Do I have an agenda? Probably. It’s one that involves wanting Spurs to swagger. Wanting the very best. Add to that, I do attempt to remain balanced in discussion. I think we have, for quite a while now, been a very good side. We've suffered dips, but rarely are we calamitous in comparison to the dead end sides of the 90's and early 00's. We've lacked an edge to our game and the appointment of a new coach allows us to refresh, reboot. Pre-season will get players up to scratch with fitness. The first few games are the ones that can set foundations for the future. There’s still no damning evidence of anything other than us starting a little slowly. We've shown glimpses already of some positive play. The distractions off the pitch, the uncertainty, will continue to deflect up to the end of the month. It's the nature of the game and it's petulance to stamp feet and demand to have something yesterday when it won't, can't happen until some time later.
If you want to blame the chairman for that, surely you should blame yourself. If he’s going after the very best targets then he retains consistency in our ambitions to compete with the very best - something we all want. If that means not settling for second best at the cost of having to sign said players after the season starts, so be it. Fact is, we have no power or control over the transfer activity. Just hope, hope that Villas-Boas is content with our business once September begins. He’ll only be able to build if he has all the bricks. And a cement mixer. The one we've currently got is in transit to Madrid.
We’re going to rationalise either way it's how we cope with results. Whether you’re criticising or just sitting back and waiting to see how it all pans out. Depends whether you think we’re meant to be managed as a continuation of what has come before or that there’s acceptance that change means exactly that, with some bumps along the way. I’ve not changed my outlook, it’s the same as it was before we played Newcastle and after we played Newcastle. I won't be told what to think by pundits and hacks. Equally so, I refuse to sit in a corner and rock back and forth foaming at the mouth. I had confidence after the opening two games last season and in the end was let down by the coach. This season will be defined by the run we go on and how we handle defeat after prolonged success and pick ourselves up and pick up form again and how we handle the run-in. It's the games you win to build on the wins that came before it which define you.
The media, idiotic fans that boo Jenas, Redknapp sympathisers...your expectations are skewered. Each to your own. Whatever makes you happy.
Reader Comments (87)
fair summary of the situtation, I won't however put up with another ten minutes of defending and chaos as we experienced in the last 10 minutes - any team under 10s or otherwise should defend better than that.
well written don't agree with all of it .a lot of your opinion is how i am feeling . coys
I said it before and I say it again, when a new Manager comes in, - he must be given time, - nothing changes over night, - could be a season could be two, before we see the results we all want. What is of the utmost importance now, is that Levy back AVB up and get in the needed additions. Still a week to get that done !
Keep The Faith
No. We're not one point better off than last season.
The corresponding fixtures v Newc/WBA produced 4pts. So 1pt this season is hardly progress.
Neither is it progress if our season doesn't start until the transfer window closes. After Norwich, most of our squad goes off on international duty, which means it'll take even longer for any new players to integrate.
I don't blame AVB - yet - even though some of his selections/substitutions so far have been a tad weird. I am starting to blame Dan Levy, who's love of the deal clearly carries a lot more weight than bringing in the players that are needed.
I think people are entitled to be both nervous and critical.
Last season (bar a minor blip in the middle) we played excellent football and expected to win (or have a chance every game).
AVB is exciting but yet to prove anything in the premier league.
I've been disappointed with his line-ups. Livermore should not be starting.
A lot has been said about how we are still in the market for players (even by Lawro on MOTD). But at this point we should not be relying on a few successful days in the transfer market to shape our season. It's too risky.. too much is out of our hands. I like Levy and he has had an awful summer but.. it's just really disappointing.
It's only two games in and the same happened last season but last season we were playing against the Manchester clubs.
People should be positive.. but also right to be nervous
It really should not have been this difficult to sort out our team for the start of the season. We lost one player. We should have identified our target(s) by now. The teams that have done best have been decisive.
i agree cant blame avb,levy is letting him and us down again.pull your finger out dan...coys
Good article, really can't understand the boos yesterday - 2 games and 1 point, no great but by no means defining the season ahead. How can it - I for one am in the "Sit and wait" camp, it'll come good - have faith. COYS
Thank you Spooks for articulating my thoughts and emotions so lucidly.
I was generally impressed with yesterday. We are in a period of transition, but there are signs for optimism. Instead of slow laborious over elaborate build ups that came to nothing because of the parked bus we had exciting explosive build ups that nearly came to something. Very concerned about the defensive chaos when we were put on the back foot though.
UNTIL THAT MISER LEVY GOES,SPURS WILL ALWAYS BE ALSO RANS. I FIRST WATCHED SPURS WHEN DENNIS AND LESLIE COMPTON WERE PLAYING FOR ARSENAL AT WHITE HART LANE,THAT MUST MAKE ME PRETTY OLD.(80).I FIND IT VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND LEVYS PENNY PINCHING WAYS,HE WILL NEVER CHANGE.
Dads locked himselfs in the up stairs toilet and mums called the fire brigades shes called the policemens to. Mum says dads snapped. Snapped wot? DadS head went red and he jumped up and down on a parcel the postmens gived him yesterday and the postmens did run he did. like wohsaine bolt, dad ran to but not as fast as whosaine. My sister finks the parcel was a bomb. Because mum won't let any one near it. I heard dad shouting at someone called levy. He called him bad words and he told mum he was going to London to sort fings out. Mum hid dads car keys in next doors wheelie bin and let dads motorbike tyres down I saw her. Imdont understand. Who is levy and is he a bad man? And why did he upset dad? If you live in London and see levy can you please tell I'm to hide. The policemens have opened the bathroom door. And found a note ritten in shaving fome. It says 'GET LEVY'. Police fink dad shinned down the drainpipe. What does at large mean ?
I would have more faith in AvB to get it right if his CV doesnt consist of winning a one horse race in Portugal and failing hilariously with all the resources in the world at Chelsea.
Still, a shocking start will at least pile the pressure on that complete waste of breath levy - the man is a fucking worm. If we are going to fuck up id rather it was spectacularly. 5th or 17th, there is no difference to me.
The only (relatively) successful managers of the Levy/ENIC era (discounting the Ramos League Cup fluke) were panic appointments, Jol only coming in after Santini jumped ship a few months into the 2004/5 season, and Redknapp being summoned from Portsmouth to rescue Levy from the potential disaster of Ramos' now legendary '2 from8' start to 2008/9, no one (least of all Levy) expecting the (relative) success of the next three seasons. Levy doesn't have a clue - when are you 'In Levy We Trust' cretins finally going to face that glaringly obvious fact?
First of all why boo 1 st point in august since 2010 the boos will knock confidence of everyone i recon the quicker mod goes the better get a good playmaker and goalkeeper them we will get champ league believe in spurs COYS
It's bizarre that you still think Levy is blameless here, Spooky. Levy and his procrastinated transfer dealing has handicapped AVB and the team, and might soon affect the confidence of the players.
1. Levy is the problem. 2 coca cola cups in his 12 year reign of terror
2. He wants all the headlines and usual points dropped as he likes to be seen a the messian on last few hours of transfer window!
3. money dropped on Modric
4. every time we start to have a good team he doesnt invest.No wonder top players want to leave
5. no new stadium. Arsenal will have paid theirs off before start
6. where does all the money go? as we never spend what we sell!!! never!!!!
Im bored of repeating myself but fellow spurs fans forget Levy's failings over and over again!!! Time for a campaign to get rid of him. Email me!! Time for a facebook group for his removal. T
DL KNEW WE WWOULD LOSE MODRIC FROM DAY ONE SO WHY HAS HE NOT REPLACED HIM YET? THE ONLY ANSWER MUST BE LACK OF FUNDS
I know as much about what goes on behind closed doors as you do. Also none of us understand the finances behind our strategy. Aside from the days of bidding whatever we wanted for players is over (i.e. Bent, Bentley) which means we're working on a budget. By September we'll know just how much money is/was available to spend based on the players we sign between now and then.
If, we don't, or if we don't spend big...then even though the money looks to be there, its not being spent on players which means the penny pinching IS and will effect us so arguably the money isn't there and is being tied up in the stadium. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to the chairman based on the disaster that was his relationship with Redknapp's moneyball tactics and the fact he has support the new coach by signing players the new coach wants.
I don't believe Levy is purposely being stubborn to the point of wrecking our potential. Not yet. I'll have my breakdown if I'm proved wrong on this.
Load of optimistic Levy ass kissing, pie in the sky nonsense
Levy has consistently fucked up in the transfer dealings, yes it's goodto get the best price but not at the expense of our team, which he has done repeatedly. Rememer when he quibbled over getting a certain defender who went to Chelsea lastseason and tnat defender stopped a bayern shot from going in at the champions league final. This is a chairman who's only signing was Scott Parker last year and expected us to push on, if he had spent a bit more money last year we would not be in this situation again. And to sack Harry was a mistake, ( I never liked Harry's personality) but we played the best football in years under him and all he needed was a bit more investment but all he got was the sack.
I mean we are a joke at the moment, Chelsea win the champs
League, kick us out of it and give us thier lousy rambling idiot of a manager who nearly lost them thier champs
League place , it's one thing to do well in Portugal it's another to do it in the premiership.
And here we are again, haggling down to the last minute when we should have been getting ALL the new signing bedded in.
Levy is to blame here, and I guarantee we will not get the right players we need and the players we want on Friday , spooky you say he is trying for the best but you don't go into a Mercedes showroom and offer half the asking price, you haggle and you knock them down a bit but NOT by half, and this is what Levy does and this is why we have never moved up the step we have been stuck at for 3 years.
Our squad is good but it is NOT good enough to be third it just isn't, for that to happen you need to be buy 3 more top class players and they can't be had for cheap.
We haven't even spent that much money now as we have sold quite a lot and selling more by the looks of things ( Dawson for 9 mil after that defensive display????).
We had champions league football and we has the champion league
Money, where did all the cash go Daniel???
Be smart Daniel( I doubt it) and take the step up, yes it's a risk but with this squad its not a tisk if you add high end quality.
My prediction is, we will not get the players we need by Friday but modric wil go and Daniel will
Smiling and counting the money again.
One day Daniel levy will leave the club, I can dream.
Spooky and some of ye have the right idea; really, we must have patience. As I think I understand it, it's a long term project we're working on. Also as Spooky said, we're one point better this time than last year. Me in the past would have been livid and frantic at the same time. Alas, this time I'm going to be patient and wait and see what unfolds. The late goal from WBA did irritate me big time as the possession for the most part was good (73%) but lack of ruthlessness is both amazing and puzzling. It might not be necessary nor plausible but I really wouldn't mind a next striker and Modric to take his head out of arse'ole - looks as though he's going nowhere at this rate. Anyway onward, we'll will soon see what the future has in store for us.
I really hate daniel levy, judging by the mood in the train out of Seven sisters so do a hell of a lot of Spurs fans
Missed opportunity after missed opportunity. The sooner he fucking well does one the better.
@ Bimspur! Patience...Levy is only interested in being in the headlines and making money! Bore off!! 12 years!! Bore off!! I'm sick to the back teeth of patience at Spurs! Every time we have a good time he never spends. He never spend what we even generate.Where is all the money going??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/ Not on the team. Poor Redknapp didnt get givenb money for 2 windows and if he did we would of made the champions league.Levy simply is not good and only has his interestes in his mind. 12 years!!!! His been 12 years!!!!! What do you want another 12 years of rubbish!!! Bore off!
We need to get behind the team and the chairman. Yesterday was a prime example that, whilst the team aren't yet fully functional, our supporters don't help. The second half evidenced the fact that the players needed our help and didn't get as much as they deserved. Worse an example still was the treatment of Jenas. Fair enough, I'm not a big fan of his but he's a spurs player! What good does boo-ing a player from your own team do? Absolutely mindless but typical of Spurs fans.
Towards the very end, it was clear that the nerves were affecting fans as well as players. Instead of getting behind the lads, there was an air of panic and ultimate resignation from the moaners as if they wanted to be able to say 'told you so'.
It doesn't have to be 'the same old Spurs' but we've got to play our part. Get behind the players and be patient with the chairmen. Come September 1st, if we haven't transacted good business in the transfer market, then get on the chairman's back. And if you find the energy to comment during games in future, make it positive and save your moans for after the match.
COYS
Apparent was the lack of a good striker and a fragility in defence in the face of Lukaku. Kaboul could have handled the latter but finding another Greaves or Klinsman is a tough task and hopefully Levy and AVB can find one.
Strikes me that a lot of the negative comments here are just expressions of anger/bewilderment. And out of that comes a panic-led need to blame someone. My view is that amongst us all the one who best understands our financial situation is Daniel ....... the rest of us can kick and scream for Modric out and someone else who sounds glamourous in, but we are just expressing anger/bewilderment, and panicking. My take is to listen to what Spooky says ...... it is going as well as it was likely to (but not as well as we'd like, and we will all need to be patient and trust.
For Led's sake, if SPOOKY can trust Levy, I'm sure the rest of us can, eh? COYS!!!!
The reality is a good few of our players need to do more. Lennon and Defoe stand out. I would love to have nani in place of Lennon, and ade will do a better job than Defoe. But what happens if ade gets injured. We can also do better then Livermore.all this talk of a playmaker and creativity, and we have hudd being loaned out. Our 4 attackers need to step up
The money is going on the stadium surely? as for this "12 years" crap, what exactly were we winning before? Levys investment has got us top class youth training facilities, consistent 4-5th place finishes over the last 3 years and arguably the best spurs team since the 60's. I'll take that tbh. There seems to be this idea that Levy is preventing huge money being spent? Madness. He waits for the best deals because we have to, we cant spunk £25m on a prospect like chelsea and man city can. Top class strikers and midfielders are very hard to come by, and I think sigurdsson and Adebayor are both cracking buys. Would I rather Moutinho and Huntelaar? Sure, but you buy what you can afford.
As for the defending - yes, it was a horror show. BUT that was the first time Vert and Gallas have played together, and we were missing Kaboul. Far from go od enough, but reasons to think that we will not be that bad again. Didnt help that Sandro wasnt fit to play the whole game either. Livermore and Jenas looked terrible together. Need to see more from Lennon - why does he not try to beat players any more? Best way to break down a packed defense is to dribble at them, draw fouls, keep them guessing. Anyone notice how our attack died down completely once bale strayed inside?
Wonder what Pompey fans would make of the criticism of Levy and his 'penny pinching'. I guess that nice shiny training ground we just got is probably all made of cardboard on the inside too. Careful what you wish for guys.
We want our cake and we want to eat it, all of it, and the crumbs too. Even the fucking plate.
"UNTIL THAT MISER LEVY GOES" Steve Pope
I have been consistent in looking at Levy and his actions and saying that he is not up to the job. For the life of me, despite doubts about Villas-Boas (whom I will give time to and support), I cannot believe for one moment that even the most inept manager would name a player club captain on Friday and move to sell him on Monday if he knew there was an offer in hand. Levy handles the transfers and it seems to me that Stoke didn't suddenly pitch an offer on Saturday or Sunday so I have to conclude that AVB was completely unaware that Dawson was the subject of preliminary enquiries when he anointed him.
This added to the fact that as Modric was and is always going to be sold, therefore not part of campaign planning, and consequently a replacement is absolutely necessary adds up to very poor strategic planning by Levy. For all you are saying Spooky, 99.9% of which I totally agree with, AVB and our beloved team will not have much of a chance whilst the chairman is a loose canon behind their backs.
Only the appointment of Redknapp and his tenure has really brought Levy's goals as chairman anywhere close to reality. That appointment was because his previous managerial structure looked an absolute, unmitigated disaster and Redknapp was then able to dictate, for a while, how the management of a football club could be run. If there is a league for chairmen and their decisions had points values then Dave Whelan beats Levy hands down. Infact, our chairman's performance over his tenure would be at best mid-table. The compelling damnation of his reign is that Spurs was, is and remains a club with huge potential under solid management.
AVB and his team need to be given time because Levy has moved us backwards. If there is any sport he should be involved in then I would suggest chairman of an international YoYo competition. Even then he'd probably get the string tangled round his fingers.
hes ugly, hes little, he resembles a rat, he is poisonous around the team, yes im talking modric! ...but lets face it, hes 1 hell of a player and jenas or livermore brought in to replace him is not good enough!!!! should have been sorted out ages ago!
defoe is greedy and has 4 pathetic shots to every good 1, he is a 1 trick pony with his back to goal, flick it to his good foot and crack it! ..thats it really!
Adybyor has no first touch at all! not the player to hold the ball up as the balls bouncing off his knees and landing in sainsburys car park in the high road wont help us out!... although he has good presence and goals in him.
kane? nah..not yet!.. maybe later..lets see.
answer... we need a top class striker in, not next week, not next transfer window, preferably weeks ago, but tomorrow would be nice!
dawson would be better than gallas!!!!
im starting not to care any more, its all about money, never deny this to yourselves! we dont spend what 4 teams infront of us do on players... so therefore.. we are 5th... at best!
Arsenal in crisis then, no goals scored and they've done all their business. I guess their new signings should have settled by now. I mean, they have played two games. More than enough to hit form.
Arsenal, no goals whatsoever, zero, zip, zilch. Whilst they may have one point more than us, already our season looks more exciting. I just wonder if anyone at the Emirates actually realised that if you sell your one man goal machine you may have difficulty getting goals. Still, I hear Van Pussie has a very dodgy back as a result of carrying Arsenal through a whole season so he probably wont be quite as good this season.
I'm willing to give Levy and AVB time, but will our best players do so? I give Bale 1 season for us to make the CL; if we fail, he will be Modric MKII and want to leave after this season.
Really disappointing.
Dont know if anyone noticed but once we went ahead, AVB reverted back to a 4 2 3 1 formation, bringing Jenas of all people. So instead of going for a second our plan was to sit tight on a 1 nil lead, at home, to WBA. Genius. Are we so afraid? Well see what happened when defending at home.....
I'm all for positive change by all means out with unsuitable and in with new, so what's happened to Kane? Giovani? What could we lose by throwing them in? Even Liverpool are starting with Sterling today, I mean ....
My take on the transfer situation, keep shtum on the targets. No news doesnt mean nothing's being done. Wait for the announcement.
However after all that I will keep the faith. COYS.
Ooh a bandwagon...can I get on please?
Levy out, yeah!! Levy = Evyl (soz, it was the best I could do)
We should have played Gio and Kaboul.
....er, I'm running out of moronic comments now so I'll hand it back to you guys as you were doing so well.
JohnnyB, there is nothing moronic in mentioning Kaboul. He would have played if he was fit.
There's an article over on EPL which cites how VB and Levy are destroying what Redknapp built.
Yes. Redknapp built THFC.
Deal with it.
The only person that made little shiny headed Daniel almost realise his dreams was Harry and he sacked him and didn't back him in the transfers.
I have been hearing fans constantly go on about having patience, Spurs fans have had more patience than any other fans in the league.
If Levy doesn't spend the right money on quality players we will stay where we are and our best players will leave, like Modric, I give Bale another season and if we dont take the next step up he will def go (you cant blame him) and Daniel will love haggling down to the last penny of the last second of deafline day to get the highest price for Bale, he'll love counting the money because that is his top priority, fair enough but don't expect us to rise with that attitude. In any business to take a quatum leap up you need to take calculated risks.
Oh and we have sold more players than bought, we've also had champs league money so the questions remains...
WHERE'S ALL THE DOSH DANIEL???????????!?
'IN LEVY WE TRUST' ha ha ha.
This is the bloke that wanted to move the whole operation to Stratford.
If you want to be successful in football, you have to speculate to accumulate. ENIC have never put any of their own money into the club. As far as Tottenham is concerned they are totally averse to risk. I'm not talking about risks that the likes of Leeds or Portsmouth took, before anyone pipes up, but investing in the right player or two at the right time. First and foremost, they want a debt free club that will maximise their profit once they sell. They're barely interested in success on the pitch, because they know that there are those mug enough to believe that the occasional bone that's thrown is a signal of intent and will continue to blindly have faith and turn up week in week out come what may.
For some of us the 'Levy is useless' bandwagon has been running for a very long time - since 2001 in my case, when the fool blew any chance we had against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi by sacking George Graham (whose grudge against his former employers might have worked in our favour for that game) and replacing him with Hoddle, who spent two years demoralising the team because he was better at 'keepie-uppie' than they were. Levy doesn't have some kind of evil plan where Spurs are concerned - he's just plain clueless about football and there's no more to it than that!
Redknapp didn't build anything at TOTTENHAM? Are you OK mate? Seems like you're dropping a few straws! When he took over previous managers had built up to 5th in the Leauge, Redknapp arrived and built from 17th to 4th. Once there he built on into Champions Leauge. The structure can be seen in history books forever.
4th. Deal with it.
TTFN
Meh u lot sound like we're about to be relegated. just shush and man up.
Also, Caulker and Vertohulkhogan as centre backs pls. also put thudd in we need his creativity in the middle.
man i miss the days when modric/thudd/vart we're bossing the league in the centre of the park.... will never happen again... sad face. But I am levy, i manup and get on with it... u lot should as well. just grow some spuds and stop whining.
Firstly you point out that we are 1pt better placed than this time last season, but then write 'counting points already then its best you take a sabbatical and return when things have settled down'. Yes spook, ok Spook, understood spook.
I love being a spurs fan - because we do not blindly support everything that Levy, AVB and the team throw at us.
Firstly you point out that we are 1pt better placed than this time last season, but then write 'counting points already then its best you take a sabbatical and return when things have settled down'. Yes spook, ok Spook, understood spook - Aug 26, 2012 at 5:52 PM | Wisky Tom
"one point better placed, are you counting?" - bit subtle but that was me taking the piss. Probably didn't need to make the same dig twice. Soz?
Redknapp didn't build anything at TOTTENHAM? Are you OK mate? Seems like you're dropping a few straws! When he took over previous managers had built up to 5th in the Leauge, Redknapp arrived and built from 17th to 4th. Once there he built on into Champions Leauge. The structure can be seen in history books forever.
4th. Deal with it.
TTFN
Aug 26, 2012 at 5:39 PM | Wisky Tom
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I've been over this a few times now on the blog. This is more to do with him being immune from criticism by some quarters, almost like people are more loyal to him than to the club making progress and moving on. He fucked up, can we please remember this as much as we remember the quality of football and consistency he achieved? He did good things. Is it okay for us to remember he did bad too? Do we have permission to be critical? Or should the criticism only be held back and then thrown at Villas-Boas?
I try to bring some balance. I think a fair few seem to be distorting things to aid their personal agenda.
Tottenham was not built by Redknapp. He was the right ilk of manager to get our egotistic self-absorbed players fixed up and performing to the standard they were capable of. I've said it time and time again, he worked small wonders. But the bloke, at the end, was more about himself than he was about Spurs. Why is it that man who didn't really give a shit about our club get so much protection from supporters than seem to give more of a shit about him than the club?
Get over it. He did well, we've moved on. Move on with us.
Are some people supporters or just criticisers. Dead on with the cake comment.
We are bigger critics with a moderately successful side (one with potential to compete and challenge) than we are when we were sat in midtable going nowhere fast. It changes you for sure. Only have to look around and see how raised expectations makes people far more nervous and self concious.