Can Spurs challenge for the EPL next season?

[TheNeutral]

The arrival of Berbatov has really added something to the team. If they can keep him from Chelsea, Man U, or whoever else is after him, and build their squad a little, do you think they can break the "Big 4" of Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal, and make a challenge for the EPL next year? I mean, Berbatov is right there with Drogba as one of the best strikers in the league, and they have quality players like Keane around him. Backline might need strengthening, but I think a top 4 position isn't out of the question next season. You?

[Danners9]

No chance for the title. Only two teams can win the league at this time - Chelsea and Man Utd. Arsenal are a fading force, Liverpool are solid but boring and this season has shown up both sides deficiencies. Arsenal's is being able to score goals without Henry, loads of fancy passing around the box but struggling to pull the trigger. Liverpool's is not being able to up the tempo and kill teams off, the game against Man Utd at Anfield is a prime example - they dominate much of the game and don't score, even when Scholes gets sent off they don't score and then concede in stoppage time and lose.

Spurs would be going for 4th-5th again next year. A bit more strength (and injury luck) in defence, some balance in midfield and a slight tweak of tactics upfront will see Spurs turn some defeats from this year into draws and some draws into wins.

Very early to say though, a lot depends on the summer deals for all clubs. If Arsenal buy a 20-goal a season striker they will be a challenger. If Liverpool find a proper strike pairing and change tactics to suit it they will also challenge.

[sendorange]

Yeah as Danners said the title is a long way off, certainly anyone outside the top 2 is going to need serious spending to even get in contention. However 4th place is achievable if we improve and the two in 3rd/4th don't dramatically improve.

[DigitalTron]

I think it's premature to say yes ... or no ... just yet. We don't know what we or the other Premiership clubs will do in the summer transfer window, and until that's done it's hard to say.

What we do know is that Spurs are one of the very youngest teams in the Premiership, and certainly the youngest of the top contenders for the CL and UEFA spots. We have no players that we expect to be getting "too old" anytime soon, and we have a lot of players who definitely will benefit from another year's experience (e.g. Huddlestone, Ekotto, Lennon, Taarabt) or a year of settling in to England, Spurs and the Premiership (Berbatov, Zokora).

We also know that Spurs attack--even in this transitional season--is one of the most potent in the league. Yes, Berbatov is good, and yes he should be even better next year. But, most people fail to recognize that despite missing a lot of games to injury this season, Robbie Keane is once again one of the best forwards in the Premiership. He's up there on the scoring charts--especially considering how few games he's played. He's extremely unselfish and creative, presenting lots of opportunities for his teammates. He's also still relatively young.

Lennon has continued to develop this year, and should be even better next season.

Malbranque missed half the season and was a real ball of fire when he came on, so he should have a very much improved 2008.

Zokora adjusted to England, fought Malaria, lost his place to Huddlestone, then came back. Both Zokora (runs from deep and quickly starting the attack from the back) and Huddlestone (sublime holding skills, exceptional short and long passing skills, and a threat with his feet and head on set pieces) add to the attack.

And we're likely to add more attacking players. Our attack is already where it needs to be IMHO, it's very strong.

Defensively we're the victim of losing our linchpin player, Carrick, but next season we should be much better adapting to that with Zokora. The prolonged absence of King was our real Achilles Heel, and until we find a sub for him (Kaboul? Davies? Rocha? Devritte?) we can't make a case for challenging for the very top spot.

But, I think you'd be hard pressed to see many predictors next season forcasting Spurs to be below the top 5. I think it's very likely that Spurs will challenge for a CL spot next season. If we get the right players in, it may even be probable. Top spot ... that's a much harder nut to crack.

-Digital

[SpursGlory]

Backline might need strengthening, but I think a top 4 position isn't out of the question next season. You?

There's no “might” about strengthening the back line... it should've been done prior to this season. We could've made a serious challenge for 3rd/4th this season with a stronger defence and better away form... but we made some great cup runs so you can't have it all, just yet. :D

I think next season the goal is securing 3rd/4th for the CL... that is a huge step in itself. It would be nice to grab the UEFA Cup as well... a piece of cup silverware domestic or European is a more realistic expectation than winning the league and would make the fans ecstatic.

That's not to say I don't want us up there challenging 1 & 2... but it takes a great fast start, consistent form home & away and some big wins over Man, Chelsea, Arse & Liverpool while not losing to clubs in the lower half of the table. We've only beaten Chelski so far... so a lot of work to do there.

[juanca]

i like MJ but i think u guys underachieved this year....

[The Double]

Care to elaborate?

[Danners9]

There's no way we have underachieved this year.

Should probably wait til the end of the game for this but... 5th with progress in three cups is an improvement on last year.

It's how the season finishes that counts, Spurs finished 5th last year. 4th for a long time becomes irrelevant because it's not where we ended up.

[The Double]

We can't challenge for the league next year. But Newcastle sure can.

[Danners9]

We can't challenge for the league next year. But Newcastle sure can.

The year after.

They have to get relegated first ;) Shame Roeder's gone, he was doing a good job getting them back to the 'promised land'.

[pookspur]

i like MJ but i think u guys underachieved this year....

well, it's all about perspective. you support the arse, and from an arsenal perspective, sure, last year we led you all the way to the last day, whereas this year we've been well off your pace. so relative to you lot, yes, we've taken a step backwards.

that said, we may well finish in the same position in the league, and will have done so with the additional burden of competing in europe for the first time (in a while), which is often an impediment to 'holding your own' in the league - let alone to climbing in it. additionally, whereas last year we were, shall we say, unburdened early on of domestic cup obligations, this season (as in the UEFA cup) we ran deep into each, being narrowly put out by finalists in each. it won't surprise you to know that these are all things that are very important to us, even if the league is primary (and even to those so blinkered as to consider our position relative to arsenal to be primary).

we've won a lot more football matches than we did last year, and have a vastly superior goal differential overall to the previous campaign. i don't blame others (and certainly not gooners) for thinking, with a casual glance, that we've done less this year than last. but the fact is that, despite being a shade off the pace in the league, we've achieved quite a bit more in 06-07 than we did in 07-08.

and that's not a rose-colored rationalization.

i think (assuming we get back into europe, which appears quite likely) you'll find most spurs fans very encouraged by our continued upward trajectory under martin jol. over the last 15, or so, years, optimism is something that we've been conditioned to be fairly guarded about - but i'm pretty damned excited about where mr jol is taking spurs.

it's been a season with it's share of disappointments, but it's not been a year of underachievement.

[DaeHaMinGuk]

I think by default it would be very tough for Berby to replicate this year's performances next season.

IMO, a lot of the guys had career years last year and fallen off a little this year. You might be able to chalk that up to fixture congestion, overconfidence, etc. but I believe in the law of averages saying that someone who played as brilliantly as Berby has can only go down a bit.

Because of this, I think it's essential to add in at least 3-4 guys who are capable of being starters for our XI.

I think our depth is ok, it just needs a bit more quality to be able to crack top 4.

[sheridan]

but I believe in the law of averages saying that someone who played as brilliantly as Berby has can only go down a bit.

.

why?
I see no reason why berbs can't continue on his form.
many players do so.
take a look at henrik larsson. on top form then gets his leg broken. comes back the next season still on top form. I think with berbs feeling more comfortable in the prem with a full season under his belt he can out do his performance this year come the new season.

[shadowhell]

to replece all the defense. exsept from king. (yes to kick robinson too he sucks)

and thats it.

[juanca]

well, it's all about perspective. you support the arse, and from an arsenal perspective, sure, last year we led you all the way to the last day, whereas this year we've been well off your pace. so relative to you lot, yes, we've taken a step backwards.

that said, we may well finish in the same position in the league, and will have done so with the additional burden of competing in europe for the first time (in a while), which is often an impediment to 'holding your own' in the league - let alone to climbing in it. additionally, whereas last year we were, shall we say, unburdened early on of domestic cup obligations, this season (as in the UEFA cup) we ran deep into each, being narrowly put out by finalists in each. it won't surprise you to know that these are all things that are very important to us, even if the league is primary (and even to those so blinkered as to consider our position relative to arsenal to be primary).

we've won a lot more football matches than we did last year, and have a vastly superior goal differential overall to the previous campaign. i don't blame others (and certainly not gooners) for thinking, with a casual glance, that we've done less this year than last. but the fact is that, despite being a shade off the pace in the league, we've achieved quite a bit more in 06-07 than we did in 07-08.

and that's not a rose-colored rationalization.

i think (assuming we get back into europe, which appears quite likely) you'll find most spurs fans very encouraged by our continued upward trajectory under martin jol. over the last 15, or so, years, optimism is something that we've been conditioned to be fairly guarded about - but i'm pretty damned excited about where mr jol is taking spurs.

it's been a season with it's share of disappointments, but it's not been a year of underachievement.


well played

[The Double]

I know you said only the rich can watch football. I suggest you get your money up, and actually start watching Spurs matches. Then you wouldn't say such stupid things.

[juanca]

I know you said only the rich can watch football. I suggest you get your money up, and actually start watching Spurs matches. Then you wouldn't say such stupid things.



you talking about me?

dude, i watch whatever "spurs" are on tv and i can, and i like ur attacking style of play.

however, ive been hearing for years now where tottenham are such a big club and they should be winning trophies, etc,etc...

as far as im concerned, spurs havent challenged for anything really, a few good runs here and there, but certainly not consistent.

[shadowhell]

I know you said only the rich can watch football. I suggest you get your money up, and actually start watching Spurs matches. Then you wouldn't say such stupid things.

they only broadcast the big teams games. man utd,arsenal,liverpool,chelsea

but i sew the game against chelsea and the dumb goal robinson got. i watch highlight on the internet (becuse the shit sport channel dont show) and i see the defence probloms. against sevilia,against man utd,only king need to stay. its a shame we got 4 goals from man utd at home. 3 from newcastle in home.

with better defence we can reach to the CL. im sure. beucse in the offense side we have no probloms

[shadowhell]

*highlights?

[pookspur]

you talking about me?

he wasn't.


dude, i watch whatever "spurs" are on tv and i can, and i like ur attacking style of play.

however, ive been hearing for years now where tottenham are such a big club and they should be winning trophies, etc,etc...

as far as im concerned, spurs havent challenged for anything really, a few good runs here and there, but certainly not consistent.

well, prior to mr jol's arrival we had been quite consistent for about 10-12 years. consistently disappointing. we should be winning trophies; but unlike in years past, that assertion lacked substance. we feel we're truly knocking at the door now.

you support the arsenal, so you've no obligation to heap praise upon spurs for some decent, but ulitmately failed, cup runs. and i'm sure you've heard "we're about to come good" from spurs fans long enough to warrent skepticism. that's ok.

but you've wandered over to the spurs' forum (which is also ok, in my book. welcome over), and while our reasoned opinions my be, on occasion, infiltrated by hope, we have a fairly solid grasp on what's going on with tottenham hotspur football club. the fact is, as i've stated elsewhere, that we are rather guarded in our optimism, so this is not a case of mere wishfull thinking. spurs are on the up.

but even if you don't believe it, and even if we ultimately end up to have been wrong, we're entitled to it. we're spurs fans and this is a spurs forum.


welcome, again.