another weekend of football, Spurs find themselves sitting top of the Prem, for at least a couple of weeks. Still unbeaten with nearly a quarter of the season done.
It was not all plain sailing at the weekend. Spurs made a blistering start, and should have been 3-0 up within the first 15 minutes, they then allowed Luton to get a foothold, and the then rightfully sending off of Bissouma, completely opened up the game. Fortunately Spurs scored the only goal, and managed to repel somedecent Luton attacks for another three points.
Of the eight games played so far, only three have been at home, andfive away, which shows what an excellent effort it is for Spurs to top the table. Although that has to e tempered by the fact that of the eight fixtures, Spurs have played the current bottom four, throw in Brentford, that is five of the bottom six. But they have also played three clubs where they usually get beaten by, Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal, and have taken seven points from those three games, which is a very decent return.
Spurs now embark on a set of fixtures against midtable teams, Fulham, Palace, Chelsea and Wolves, so that will prove another test, but nine points out of those games would be a decent return.
The question though is at what point will Spurs be taken seriously as title contenders? Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all being touted, but not a peep from the media about the team that sit top, Spurs.
The biggest advantage Spurs have, as I have been saying all season, is they are just playing one game a week, so should in theory be able to play their best team, injuries aside, every Prem game, at least until the FA Cup starts in January. The disadvantage is that it is obvious I think that Spurs need another striker, a back up CB in the January window. I have tried to get behind Richie, but he just isn`t doing it right now, maybe a confidence thing, but he definitely does not look the answer. I suspect when Brendan Johnson returns, Richie will be back on the bench.
As for going forward, the next fixture Fulham after he break, I suspect without Bissouma, PEH will start. But Bissouma will when he returns still be only one yellow card away from another suspension, so maybe as well to play PEH against both Fulham and Palace, and save Bissouma for the Chelsea match. Ange`s call of course.
Anyway I suspect all is going much better than most suspected, so long may it continue. Strengthen in January, and then maybe a real push for the ultimate goal.
COYS.
Now that the dust has settled on
posted on 9/10/23
Tbf spurs a total different team this season, all down to a new style of play , impressed ☝️
posted on 9/10/23
comment by sandy, golden boot winner fa cup 1901 (U20567)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Gaffer Pranks loves spurs (U22336)
posted 52 minutes ago
Great start for spurs Sandy
How long am I keeping this bloody name
Forgotten the agreement.
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Pranks I meant to say cancel the name last weekend. You fulfilled the bet.
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Get a room you too *sick*
posted on 9/10/23
See where we are after 2 thirds of the league has been played. If we are near the top with minimal points in it, then we can say we are in a title race.
To me the only thing that should be stopping us from carrying this on is injury or unavailability.
posted on 9/10/23
comment by kloppites (U13373)
posted 18 minutes ago
Tbf spurs a total different team this season, all down to a new style of play , impressed ☝️
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That's just it though, they are practically a new starting XI bar Romero, Son and Kulesevski. It is making a massive difference all the new players.
posted on 9/10/23
comment by He who Dares, waits for Trophies (U15748)
posted 40 minutes ago
I think that press narrative by deluded media about Arsenal being the champions in the making is obnoxious at best. Just because they've beaten a injury ravaged City. What about Wolves who also beat City? Are they going to win the league?
Anyway, it is best to leave the media darlings to themselves, and stay under the radar. I think we've done better than anyone could have expected us to do so, including our fans.
As long as we carry on, then we can review it come May. Yes, May because until then we will still be seen as a top 8 side even if we were in the top 4 or leading it
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Arsenal were not that great against us.
And yesterdays game was just boring, neither keeper had to make a telling save and Arsenal fluked another deflected goal in a big game. 5 homes games they've had so far.
There's no way they're going to stroll the league. Liverpool are a better team IMO
posted on 9/10/23
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by He who Dares, waits for Trophies (U15748)
posted 40 minutes ago
I think that press narrative by deluded media about Arsenal being the champions in the making is obnoxious at best. Just because they've beaten a injury ravaged City. What about Wolves who also beat City? Are they going to win the league?
Anyway, it is best to leave the media darlings to themselves, and stay under the radar. I think we've done better than anyone could have expected us to do so, including our fans.
As long as we carry on, then we can review it come May. Yes, May because until then we will still be seen as a top 8 side even if we were in the top 4 or leading it
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Arsenal were not that great against us.
And yesterdays game was just boring, neither keeper had to make a telling save and Arsenal fluked another deflected goal in a big game. 5 homes games they've had so far.
There's no way they're going to stroll the league. Liverpool are a better team IMO
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Yeh Liverpool have been Spurs hardest game this season. Arsenal are a tad overrated. Couldn't beat Spurs or Fulham at home, and scored late deflected winners against both City and United. They could have been sitting on just one win from five home games but for those late deflected goals.
posted on 9/10/23
comment by sandy, golden boot winner fa cup 1901 (U20567)
posted 31 minutes ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by He who Dares, waits for Trophies (U15748)
posted 40 minutes ago
I think that press narrative by deluded media about Arsenal being the champions in the making is obnoxious at best. Just because they've beaten a injury ravaged City. What about Wolves who also beat City? Are they going to win the league?
Anyway, it is best to leave the media darlings to themselves, and stay under the radar. I think we've done better than anyone could have expected us to do so, including our fans.
As long as we carry on, then we can review it come May. Yes, May because until then we will still be seen as a top 8 side even if we were in the top 4 or leading it
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Arsenal were not that great against us.
And yesterdays game was just boring, neither keeper had to make a telling save and Arsenal fluked another deflected goal in a big game. 5 homes games they've had so far.
There's no way they're going to stroll the league. Liverpool are a better team IMO
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh Liverpool have been Spurs hardest game this season. Arsenal are a tad overrated. Couldn't beat Spurs or Fulham at home, and scored late deflected winners against both City and United. They could have been sitting on just one win from five home games but for those late deflected goals.
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I'm not totally convinced Arsenal or City are as good as they were last season. They're still the best 2 teams out there but I don't think there will be much between them, Spurs, Liverpool & Newcastle.... should be an exciting season.
posted on 9/10/23
We should temper expectation a little here. If you break down the season so far it's obvious to me that the most realistic, or even optimistic, expectation is top four.
In a few select results I think we've ridden out luck.
Spurs 2-0 United
Easy on the face of it but in all honestly they could have been out of sight by half time. We could easily have lost that game.
Spurs 2-1 Sheff United
Very, very lucky to get all three points here.
Spurs 2-1 Liverpool
Cheers VAR
That's probably 6-9 points we've gained from positions where we could/should have drawn or lost. that doesn't include the Luton game where poor finishing on their part saw them lose the game.
You could argue the same is true of most sides. Arsenal were lucky yesterday but more often the not, if you're relying on luck and a late show to give you wins, you're not going to be able to keep that up. Of the games we're winning of late, it's by the tightest of margins. We're not putting teams to the sword but it's still early days. I think Ange knows that. I think he's expecting the bubble to burst at some point but the key is that we continue to build. His will be a longer term plan.
I think teams are beginning to understand the way he plays a little and aren't so eager to try and press high and fall into the trap. We're clearly finding it harder to cut through teams that sit in a low block and because we don't have a big number nine, throwing crosses into the box from wide areas isn't an easy alternative. Alongside that, only poor finishing from opposition players and the heroics of Vicario have seen us keep teams at bay. Luton, Brentford, Burnley and Sheffield United all had good chances against us. Many were spurned.
We can dream of a title charge but it shouldn't be an expectation. Not at this stage. The squad is far too short.
posted on 9/10/23
comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 9 minutes ago
We should temper expectation a little here. If you break down the season so far it's obvious to me that the most realistic, or even optimistic, expectation is top four.
In a few select results I think we've ridden out luck.
Spurs 2-0 United
Easy on the face of it but in all honestly they could have been out of sight by half time. We could easily have lost that game.
Spurs 2-1 Sheff United
Very, very lucky to get all three points here.
Spurs 2-1 Liverpool
Cheers VAR
That's probably 6-9 points we've gained from positions where we could/should have drawn or lost. that doesn't include the Luton game where poor finishing on their part saw them lose the game.
You could argue the same is true of most sides. Arsenal were lucky yesterday but more often the not, if you're relying on luck and a late show to give you wins, you're not going to be able to keep that up. Of the games we're winning of late, it's by the tightest of margins. We're not putting teams to the sword but it's still early days. I think Ange knows that. I think he's expecting the bubble to burst at some point but the key is that we continue to build. His will be a longer term plan.
I think teams are beginning to understand the way he plays a little and aren't so eager to try and press high and fall into the trap. We're clearly finding it harder to cut through teams that sit in a low block and because we don't have a big number nine, throwing crosses into the box from wide areas isn't an easy alternative. Alongside that, only poor finishing from opposition players and the heroics of Vicario have seen us keep teams at bay. Luton, Brentford, Burnley and Sheffield United all had good chances against us. Many were spurned.
We can dream of a title charge but it shouldn't be an expectation. Not at this stage. The squad is far too short.
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I am never a fan of considering the opponents failures as our luck.
Luck is not a one-sided thing.
Spurs hit post and bar vs United
Arsenal Brentford both scored deflected goals vs us.
Arsenal got a pretty soft pen on VAR
Brentford got a very very soft pen on VAR overrule.
Yes Luton missed chances but did you watch Richy spurn easy easy chances? We should have been 3-0 inside 15 minutes.
The VAR LFC mess was a massive slice of fortune.
For me, other than probably Liverpool, we have deserved the results we have go so far. If LFC was a draw then fair enough, even though their ill-discipline should have cost them anyway. As a neutral you could say they got what they deserved if getting 2 men sent off.
I must say that while Vicario has been superb, its not as if he's kept us in games with world class saves. He's had to make a few really good saves and has done so...not "heroics". Thats just going way OTT
But i agree that we are a work in progress and while our great start puts us squarely in contention for top 4, its by no means a given and certainly nothing more than that at this stage.
posted on 9/10/23
comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 3 hours, 8 minutes ago
We should temper expectation a little here. If you break down the season so far it's obvious to me that the most realistic, or even optimistic, expectation is top four.
In a few select results I think we've ridden out luck.
Spurs 2-0 United
Easy on the face of it but in all honestly they could have been out of sight by half time. We could easily have lost that game.
Spurs 2-1 Sheff United
Very, very lucky to get all three points here.
Spurs 2-1 Liverpool
Cheers VAR
That's probably 6-9 points we've gained from positions where we could/should have drawn or lost. that doesn't include the Luton game where poor finishing on their part saw them lose the game.
You could argue the same is true of most sides. Arsenal were lucky yesterday but more often the not, if you're relying on luck and a late show to give you wins, you're not going to be able to keep that up. Of the games we're winning of late, it's by the tightest of margins. We're not putting teams to the sword but it's still early days. I think Ange knows that. I think he's expecting the bubble to burst at some point but the key is that we continue to build. His will be a longer term plan.
I think teams are beginning to understand the way he plays a little and aren't so eager to try and press high and fall into the trap. We're clearly finding it harder to cut through teams that sit in a low block and because we don't have a big number nine, throwing crosses into the box from wide areas isn't an easy alternative. Alongside that, only poor finishing from opposition players and the heroics of Vicario have seen us keep teams at bay. Luton, Brentford, Burnley and Sheffield United all had good chances against us. Many were spurned.
We can dream of a title charge but it shouldn't be an expectation. Not at this stage. The squad is far too short.
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Yes United had a few chances early on but then so did Spurs. Spurs bossed the game from the half hour mark, and deserved to win.
Sheffield United scored from pretty well their only chance. Again Spurs bossed all the stats, and just because they scored late, does not mean they didn't deserve the win. They did.
Spurs cannot help it if Liverpool cannot control their players. Again Spurs may have made hard work of it, but they still deserved the win.
Spurs completely bossed Luton until the sending off, and could have been 4-0 before then. Of course with 11 v 10, Luton would get more chances. But again Spurs were well worth the three points. Playing 45 minutes with 10 men is not easy.
So no Spurs have not been lucky at all. Late goals are not down to luck. Arsenal have had lots this season, plus deflected goals, 50/50 pens. So they must be lucky as well.