next season: spurs and toon

[SuitsBlue]

so next season is the start of the big money TV deal, where staying in the PL and finishing as high as possible will have a huge effect on clubs turnover.

next season i see spurs and toon as the main threats pushing for the top 6 places.

spurs started this season with a CL hangover, in that they were suffering due to how they missed out on the last day of the season last year (if you recall, the squad was supposedly all sick, they played a last day eliminator with arsenal and lost - the gunners wrapped up fourth)

looking at the first elevens

............Robinson
chimbonda dawson king pyo
lennon zokora jenas malbranque
.......berbatov...keane

that is a strong eleven, pyo being the weakest link at LB.

as for toon, as and when they do get allardyce in he will fix the defence double quick time, because thats the area that lets them down so badly

.............given
carr ramage bramble bernard
milner...butt...parker...duff
........owen...martins

that back four is atrocious, one of the worst defences in the league, they get that fixed with a bit of quality... young (charlton) distin (city) davies (brom) bridge (chelsea) early in the summer, get a good pre season through them, they could cause problems next term.

reading to do what wigan did this year, lose their better midfielder sidwell/bullard, lose their better defender shorey/chimbonda, and lose their better striker roberts/doyle.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think Spurs are building a fine team but then so are we. We have matched every team in the league this season and have a fine record against all the teams above us. We've beaten Newcastle twice and shared the spoils against Spurs. When you think of the number of games we've thrown away late on I think we can look forward to next season with optimism.

 

[micknick]

We all know our weak links and where we need to strengthen the squad. I have the upmost faith in Moyes to get in the right players to take us to a level where we are competing with the Spurs, Newcastles etc and exceeding them.

Of all of Moyes tenure in charge I believe next season is the season we acheive something that teh club can take home with them, and not just a league position.

 

[Gazdalf]

I already think we are on an even keel with spurs, and look at the last season mates, Newcastle are playing catch up with us. Bolton are falling apart, that leaves the top 4, then us and spurs, then the rest, in my opinion. Accept it, We [Poor language removed] rock, and are about to roll also.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Agreed with Bolton coming unglued. No Big Sam watch everyone bail out. Barcodes under big Sam could be a factor. Spurs without Berbatov(if he leaves) won't be as potent a team. The main thing for us is not be burdened with to many fixtures with not enough bodies. We have a excellent squad with some minor tweeking in places. Now we need backup in the worse way due to a suspension or injury bug.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

We've come a long way because we've had to do without the likes of Hibbert, Valente, Cahill and even AJ for large parts of the season and yet here we sit in 5th place. I agree that we do need to keep going but lets not overlook the progress we've already made.

Of course history tells us that next season will be a bummer if Moyes takes us true to form (one good, one bad...). Hopefully we'll manage to buck that trend too

 

[Axlswhk]

Don't forget Villa, good manager with lots of money to spend. Villa is in transition from a side that is hard to beat to a team that is capable of winning. Just like the way we have progress these few seasons.

 

[CanadaToffee]

Don't forget Villa, good manager with lots of money to spend. Villa is in transition from a side that is hard to beat to a team that is capable of winning. Just like the way we have progress these few seasons.

I agree with this post. Never under-estimate the value of team spirit and motivation. Barcodes & Spurs are at a disadvantage in this respect, with their constant revolving doors. If O'Neill just adds 2 or 3 quality players, they could be very much like us this season.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Hopefully though with the right new faces we should be able to keep a step ahead.

 

[Gazdalf]

Hopefully though with the right new faces we should be able to keep a step ahead.

Fully agree, like I said in my post above, others are finally playing catch up with us, let it continue this way.

 

[chicoazul]

Amen.

 

[SuitsBlue]

i dont believe we are ahead of spurs at the moment even though we are fifth on goal difference, we are ahead of toon though for the time being.

Robinson......................................................Howard

chimbonda....................................................neville
stalteri.........................................................hibbert
gardner........................................................stubbs
dawson........................................................yobo
king.............................................................lescott
pyo..............................................................valente
rocha...........................................................pistone
deveritte......................................................naysmith
eko..............................................................boyle

zokora..........................................................carsley
malbranque....................................................osman
tainio............................................................fernandes -loan
murphy.........................................................arteta
jenas............................................................cahill
lennon...........................................................vdm
taarabt..........................................................silva
huddlestone....................................................vidarsson
o'hara............................................................????????????????
ghali..............................................................????????????????

Berbatov........................................................mcfadden
keane............................................................vaughan
defoe............................................................AJ
mido.............................................................beattie
barnard.........................................................anichebe

I have tried to list like for like, As it stands we are short on numbers, and what we do have isnt fully up to standard. this is comparing now, spurs will spend again this summer, so any moves we do make will have to 'count' for us to stand a chance at closing the gap. (bearing in mind spurs lost carrick last sumemr)

we have a strong starting eleven (if we look kindly at left mid) but that eleven wont be able to play every game next season, there is lots of talk currently about a couple of midfielders, a CB and a LB.... unfortunatley it is going to take a lot more than four signings to make a substantial difference, further more - there are no guarantees any signings will work out, so we could find ourselves short once again.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

That assumes that football is played on paper though Suits. We've both had those squads all season and we sit above Spurs, we've got a much better goal difference than Spurs and have competed well against all the sides above us. Football is a team game, and that's what we've had this season, a very fine team.

 

[SuitsBlue]

spurs were carrying last season on their backs in august and september, it took a while for them to shake that.

they have missed king very badly, he has played less than 10 games i think.

they havnt replaced carrick.

If they bring quality players the likes of chimbonda, berbatov, and zokora in again, they will step up their capability and in theory could be pushing arsenal for fourth.

arsenal seem to be on troubled waters, deins gone, yet more talk of henry wanting out - and suggestions that they cant spend large for the second summer running.

if jose's on his way could their be a clearout at chelsea.

this summer is going to be great, if we used this years league and tv money last summer, LETS USE next seasons league and tv money this summer.

good eh?

 

[Neiler]

Theres a lot to be sadi for continuity and security now were the best of the rest and if you see what the skunks and spurs have spent on players.

Surprise package Sunderland or possibly southampton if they come up?

Ive always respected Burley as a coach!