I suspect the Newcastle owners have plans.
Spurs 2023/24
- Thread starter Cerberus
- Start date
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Ouch, cutting remark
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Arsenal probably just shaded it, but both teams intent on blood and thunder high pressing - either side could easily have won it, neither way would have been a 'smash and grab'.
I hate Arsenal with a passion (comes with the territory), but that was definitely 2 teams trying to play football the right way for the full 100 minutes.
satisfied with that. Midway through the 2nd half, I thought we’d go on to win it but that last 15mins was all them.
They were all over us from the start. 2nd half though, their midfield had big holes in it.
Well done to Udogie after that early yellow. Van der Ven, Bissouma, Kulusevski and of course Sonny all had noteworthy performances.
They were all over us from the start. 2nd half though, their midfield had big holes in it.
Well done to Udogie after that early yellow. Van der Ven, Bissouma, Kulusevski and of course Sonny all had noteworthy performances.
Silas Loom
Advanced. Forthright. Signifficant.
Apart from nearly letting then score, the roast dinner main man also did very well. Certainly missed him when he was gone and hope his knee is okay.
May Kasahara
take me to the feeling
My dad, now in his 70s, has been a lifelong Spurs fan, so for his sake I'm glad to see they've started playing football again 
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
VAR not fit for purpose, their "offside" goal was a farce. Check it, determine it's clearly onside, give the goal.
The rest of it - the red cards were red cards, Son's goal was terrific, the own goal was a reward for persistence, and we're only a point off Man City in 2nd.
Life with Postecoglu in charge is fun
The rest of it - the red cards were red cards, Son's goal was terrific, the own goal was a reward for persistence, and we're only a point off Man City in 2nd.
Life with Postecoglu in charge is fun
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Not very Spursy, winning away at a battling team playing a full half with 10 men.
Bissouma's been brilliant and has a lot of credit in the bank, but today was a shocker - no excuse for that dive, especially when already booked.
Top of the league, at least until tomorrow afternoon. Halfway to survival, after 8 games.
Bissouma's been brilliant and has a lot of credit in the bank, but today was a shocker - no excuse for that dive, especially when already booked.
Top of the league, at least until tomorrow afternoon. Halfway to survival, after 8 games.
ska invita
back on the other side
Good arse result!
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
League tables never really mean anything until about 7 or 8 games into the season, where a win or a loss usually only moves you up or down a couple of places. So here's the first visual table of the season, always good to see it with us sitting pretty at the top of it.
20 pts - Tottenham (10 GD), Arsenal (10)
19
18 Man City (11)
17 Liverpool (9)
16 Aston Villa (7), Brighton (5)
15
14 West Ham (3)
13 Newcastle (11)
12 Crystal Palace (0), Man Utd (-3)
11 Chelsea (4), Fulham (-5)
10
09 Forest (-2)
08 Wolves (-5)
07 Brentford (-1), Everton (-3)
06
05
04 Luton (-9), Burnley (-13)
03 Bournemouth (-13)
02
01 Sheff Utd (-16)
20 pts - Tottenham (10 GD), Arsenal (10)
19
18 Man City (11)
17 Liverpool (9)
16 Aston Villa (7), Brighton (5)
15
14 West Ham (3)
13 Newcastle (11)
12 Crystal Palace (0), Man Utd (-3)
11 Chelsea (4), Fulham (-5)
10
09 Forest (-2)
08 Wolves (-5)
07 Brentford (-1), Everton (-3)
06
05
04 Luton (-9), Burnley (-13)
03 Bournemouth (-13)
02
01 Sheff Utd (-16)
tommers
Fuck it, it's fine.
This could be your year.
ska invita
back on the other side
The weird thing is there's still room for improvement.... cough....Richarlison
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
I don't think anybody's seriously suggesting that. Not many had us predicted for a top 4 finish, so if we take that as an aspiration (on the assumption that Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool are the likely eventual title contenders) it's really heartening to see the head start we've given ourselves over the likes of Man Utd, Newcastle and Chelsea; plus a head start on the other teams who would be greatly exceeding expectations such as Villa, Brighton and yes your own West Ham.
The season's a quarter of the way through and we're top, surely we're allowed to get a bit giddy though
Silas Loom
Advanced. Forthright. Signifficant.
We haven’t really seen what Johnson or Veliz can do yet. Looking forward to that.
tommers
Fuck it, it's fine.
Allowed? Encouraged!The season's a quarter of the way through and we're top, surely we're allowed to get a bit giddy though
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
8 games into the season and we have a clearly defined, settled first 11, especially in the absence of Bentancur, Johnson and Solomon.
The real first test will come when we have to make changes - there are some good players waiting in the wings, but I'm not sure many are like for like and seamless.
Davies & Emerson, good full-backs but do they have the same attacking threat as Udogie and Porro? Dier in a back 4 can play the Romero role of "head everything, tackle everything", but he can't play the VDV role without recovery pace or a left foot. Skipp can play the Sarr role in terms of tackling and workrate, but not the passing and driving forwards. Lo Celso could do a convincing James Maddison impression on his day, but blows a lot more hot and cold.
Hojbjerg is a very good player and has been hugely influential before, but he's the next experiment in Bissouma's absence (1 match ban and another to follow soon, he's on 4 yellows). If anything he's better than Biss in a purely defensive role, but hasn't got the same mobility and ability to turn out of a high press & get 40yds up the pitch in the blink of an eye.
The real first test will come when we have to make changes - there are some good players waiting in the wings, but I'm not sure many are like for like and seamless.
Davies & Emerson, good full-backs but do they have the same attacking threat as Udogie and Porro? Dier in a back 4 can play the Romero role of "head everything, tackle everything", but he can't play the VDV role without recovery pace or a left foot. Skipp can play the Sarr role in terms of tackling and workrate, but not the passing and driving forwards. Lo Celso could do a convincing James Maddison impression on his day, but blows a lot more hot and cold.
Hojbjerg is a very good player and has been hugely influential before, but he's the next experiment in Bissouma's absence (1 match ban and another to follow soon, he's on 4 yellows). If anything he's better than Biss in a purely defensive role, but hasn't got the same mobility and ability to turn out of a high press & get 40yds up the pitch in the blink of an eye.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Next 5 fixtures - Fulham (H), Palace (A), Chelsea (H), Wolves (A), Villa (H).
4 games against teams whose first ambition would be a solid top half finish, plus one against a team with slightly loftier ambitions - yep, Villa will be a tough game alright.
13+ points from that lot and I'll start to dream!
4 games against teams whose first ambition would be a solid top half finish, plus one against a team with slightly loftier ambitions - yep, Villa will be a tough game alright.
13+ points from that lot and I'll start to dream!
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
you should only start to dream after xmas, and even then sure you recall how frequently ferguson's united languished behind the leaders until the second half of the season when they'd suddenly come right for a load of games in a row.
Silas Loom
Advanced. Forthright. Signifficant.
As we saw in the Rumbelows, there is nothing fun about watching our B team flounder against Fulham. But the first half was lovely, and just look at that table.
Wasted a hatful of chances 1st half, which should’ve put us out of sight. Fulham came out a different side 2nd half and the whole game felt nervier than it should’ve been.
Noticeable drop off with the subs on. Don’t think it’s ever gonna happen for Richarlison at Spurs some how.
Pleased with the 3pts, won’t be mouthing off about league tables just yet
Noticeable drop off with the subs on. Don’t think it’s ever gonna happen for Richarlison at Spurs some how.
Pleased with the 3pts, won’t be mouthing off about league tables just yet
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
I'll mouth off about the league table. 76 points, 2 points per game, is nearly always more than enough to get top 4. We're currently 5 points ahead of that schedule.
After 9 matches:
23 - Tottenham (12)
22
21 - Man City (12), Arsenal (10)
20 - Liverpool (11)
19 - Aston Villa (10)
18
17
16 - Newcastle (15), Brighton (4)
15 - Man Utd (-2)
14 - West Ham (0)
13
12 - Chelsea (4), Crystal Palace (-4)
11 - Wolves (-4), Fulham (-7)
10 - Brentford (2), Forest (-2)
09
08
07 - Everton (-5)
06
05 - Luton (-9)
04 - Burnley (-16)
03 - Bournemouth (-14)
02
01 - Sheff Utd (-17)
Next up, Palace on Friday night.
After 9 matches:
23 - Tottenham (12)
22
21 - Man City (12), Arsenal (10)
20 - Liverpool (11)
19 - Aston Villa (10)
18
17
16 - Newcastle (15), Brighton (4)
15 - Man Utd (-2)
14 - West Ham (0)
13
12 - Chelsea (4), Crystal Palace (-4)
11 - Wolves (-4), Fulham (-7)
10 - Brentford (2), Forest (-2)
09
08
07 - Everton (-5)
06
05 - Luton (-9)
04 - Burnley (-16)
03 - Bournemouth (-14)
02
01 - Sheff Utd (-17)
Next up, Palace on Friday night.
Eric Jarvis
Well-Known Member
Depends what you want out of Richarlison. Is he ever going to be a regular goalscorer at Spurs, probably not. Is he going to put a serious shift in pretty much every game and contribute in the build up and in defence, well yes. Personally I would like to see Romain Mundle getting some game time in that position. He's still raw, but he's got all the tools to turn into something a bit special. However Richarlison is far from a waste of space. So long as other teams go into games trying to intimidate Spurs by trying to kick the hell out of them they will keep winning. That might have worked with last year's team, it isn't working this season.
Silas Loom
Advanced. Forthright. Signifficant.
Romain Mundle was released and went to Standard Liege. Agree about the pigeon chap, he is essentially going to be our new Lamela, without the rabonas.
Unless you "do a Leicester" then that's probably what'll do for you, especially at centre half.
Eric Jarvis
Well-Known Member
Another great prospect not given enough game time to make it worth him staying. Hope the same doesn't happen to Alfie Devine the other stand out player in last seasons junior team. OK, we aren't as bad as Chelsea in that respect, but it seems a waste to develop youth players to the point where they get into the first team squad then keep them off the pitch until they go elsewhere to get a game, and then spend millions buying a replacement who takes a couple of seasons to settle in.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Troy Parrott was one with high hopes, he's 21 now and a full Irish international but I barely remember him kicking a ball for us in anger. Dane Scarlett too, only 19 but relatively underwhelming in his loans over the past 12 months after being so bright in our junior teams. Thing is, I remember a young lad having a mixed bag of loans at Millwall, Norwich and Leicester; it wasn't until he got a run in our own first team that anyone really sat up and said "this Kane lad can play a bit."
Marcus Edwards is obviously 'the one who got away'. Cameron Carter-Vickers too; being the best defender in Scottish football may or may not mean you're an awesome centre-back but it does mean there's something there to work with and we never got to find out.
This is why the league cup defeat on penalties to Fulham stung a bit. Going deep into the cup competitions is a pathway to the first team for both backup and youth players, but they need to be forging relationships and partnerships with first team players. For example, if Ashley Phillips were to play vs Fulham, the most useful way to see him play is alongside Romero rather than Dier or Ben Davies. Alfie Devine, alongside Maddison and Bissouma rather than Skipp and Lo Celso. I hate the 11ish changes that all the big sides seem to make; it's a recipe for an early exit and learning little, which is no use to (a) the very dusty trophy cabinet, (b) the short term readiness for first team of backup players, or (c) the long term progression of youth players. Surely a mix of about 6 first team, 3 squad players, 2 youth prospects gives the best blend of a strong enough team to win most matches and game time for some on the fringes. Win that game and in the next round reward those who did well, rest and restore a couple of different first 11 players (e.g. Phillips next to VDVen this time).
Silas Loom
Advanced. Forthright. Signifficant.
Playing weekly with a reasonably settled first team and lots of time for training is why we are punching so hard above our weight this year, though.
Eric Jarvis
Well-Known Member
It's b and c that worry me most, because a is pretty much dependent on getting them right. Having a settled team is great, but squad depth is essential too. As is building for future seasons. They aren't an aging squad so it isn't immediately urgent, but it generally takes three or four seasons in and around the first team to develop the full potential of a youth player at the top level. We don't have petrodollar/criminal oligarch backing, so we aren't going to be able to compete with some of the other top English clubs simply by buying in what we need when we need it.
