Most likely club to break top four?

Dont be at yourself

Spurs have players of a very good quality all over the pitch, but they're missing that cutting edge. Modric could provide that bit of inspiration and magic needed, but they'll ideally need to keep Berbatov as well.

I voted Villa. They're a young side, they've got a proven manager, huge resources and none of the bickering and infighting that has wrought havok at the likes of Newcastle and Man City. Much will depend on keeping Barry, and attracting big players to compliment the likes of Young, Agbonlahor and also squad players to bring numbers up.

Death or Glory

The thing about Spurs is while they may invest in big names like Modric, they'll continue to buy up everyone elses kids left right and centre while doing absolutely nothing to develop their own academy. How many young players have Spurs brought into their first team in the last decade? King.....? And.......? Oh yeah, that's it. What will happen in reality is that they poach a kid from some Championship/League One team, he plays reserve team/youth football for two years, they decide they "can't take the risk" when embarking on yet another "assault on the top four" season of mid-table mediocrity and spunk yet another £7-8-9-?m on a faceless European import (Tainio, Ghaly, Prince-Boateng, etc.) who'll play like a tart for a season and a half before they decide he's **** and the process starts over again.

therecklessone

Death or Glory wrote: »

The thing about Spurs is while they may invest in big names like Modric, they'll continue to buy up everyone elses kids left right and centre while doing absolutely nothing to develop their own academy. How many young players have Spurs brought into their first team in the last decade? King.....? And.......? Oh yeah, that's it. What will happen in reality is that they poach a kid from some Championship/League One team, he plays reserve team/youth football for two years, they decide they "can't take the risk" when embarking on yet another "assault on the top four" season of mid-table mediocrity and spunk yet another £7-8-9-?m on a faceless European import (Tainio, Ghaly, Prince-Boateng, etc.) who'll play like a tart for a season and a half before they decide he's **** and the process starts over again.

See you're still banging that drum...

Tainio was free.
Ghaly cost a pittance.

For the record (and on-topic) I believe no team will break the top 4 this coming season.

mike65

el rabitos wrote: »

sure any of man city, spurs, everton and the like could finish in the top 4 any one season

thats not he same as breaking into the top 4. the current "top 4" are not going to be broken in any sustained way anytime soon i reckon. it would take an implosion from the top to the bottom to initiate that kinda change

Glad someone posted this.

As for which of them stands the best chance, we might have a better idea in late August.

Mike.

invincibleirish

We must remember the examples of Leeds & Newcastle, both were considered top 4/5 back in the early part of the decade and were in the CL but their financial largesse and lack of success eventually led to their decline (and almost Chelsea). Eventually at least one of the current top 4 will fall by the wayside as the pressure to spend will eventually consume a club, who knows what club it'll be, all the top 4 have a potentially disastrous financial situation, be it Utd & Liverpools huge American loans, Arsenals new stadium or Abramovichs whims at Chelsea. My point is nothing lasts forever.

Death or Glory

I wouldn't change a thing though..... those nights we had beating the likes of AC Milan, Lazio, Deportivo will live with me forever.

Sure, we lived the dream and now are playing Yeovil and Hereford away on a tuesday night, but, sure f*ck it, it was worth it, and I'd do it all over again!

Running Bing

Savman wrote: »

I don't get the Spurs bandwagon at all. This so called "great side" could be mistaken for a bunch of overpaid flopstars. Oh and their seemingly great manager has all of half a season experience in the Premiership.

Their not overpayed though! We have one of the strictest wage structures in the league. a very small amount of our revenue goes on wages compared to teams in a similiar siuation and you'll find the likes of Lucas Neil, Diarra, Scott Parker are on significantly more than Berbatov. Also I dont think there's a "bandwagon". A lot of people rate Ramos as a manager...a lot of people rate players like Berbatov, Keane, Modric, Lennon, Woodgate, King, Bale and Hutton.


We're also willing to spend very big. We have lots of competition (Pompey, Villa and Everton worry me most) but looking at the facts objectively I think Spurs are as fair a choice as anybody.


Also so far the predominat reason people think we wont do it appears to be "they always blow it". Yes we always talk big and we've never done it in the PL but thats the past. 7 years ago City were in division 1 and Newcastle were 4th and Leeds were 5th. What happened 4 or five years ago has little bearing on the future.

SuprSi

I believe that Spurs have a better squad of players than most outside the top 4, but I believe that teams like Everton and Villa possibly have more potential to break the top 4 as they are so consistent. Having said that, I still don't believe that any team will break the top 4 this season, unless someone has an absolute nightmare.

Then again, if Spurs sort out the midfield and keep Berbs, who knows

Smegball

Spurs are being linked with some tremendous talent, Geovanni, Capel, Dunne.
Already signed Modric who I believe will shine in the PL next season, would be interesting if Spurs tried to hijack Arsenal's bid for Nasri.
They have some very good players already of course, Keane,Berbatov,Hutton,Woodgate and to a lesser extent Jenas.
I say they will be like the Man City of last season except not collapse as badly, although I still only expect them to finish 5th.

Villa, Everton etc etc all have a chance but a slim one at that tbh, unless Liverpool or Arsenal really implode, I don't really see Everton adding much to their team really, and Villa will really need to keep hold of Barry which is doubtful.

I suppose its the signings these teams make will determine who has the greatest chance, I would go with Spurs atm, just because of their movings in the transfer market already.

Running Bing

SuprSi wrote: »

I believe that Spurs have a better squad of players than most outside the top 4, but I believe that teams like Everton and Villa possibly have more potential to break the top 4 as they are so consistent. Having said that, I still don't believe that any team will break the top 4 this season, unless someone has an absolute nightmare.

Then again, if Spurs sort out the midfield and keep Berbs, who knows

While I wouldnt say those teams have more potential (as much at most imo) to break top four I do agree with what your saying.


We have some really quality players but teams like Everton and Villa are a more solid package on the whole simply because we are (were?) so weak in the spine. JJ, Zokora, Dawson are what held us back and if we sort those positions (we already have Modric who is one upgrade) Id be confident of our chances.

Fratton Fred

SuprSi wrote: »

Then again, if Spurs sort out the midfield and keep Berbs, who knows

I think the sale of Berbatov is financing all these big names Spurs are being linked with.

To push Pompey's case, next season should be interesting. Two years ago we had a very poor squad and only just avoided relegation. Andy O'Brien was the mainstay of our defence for god's sake

We had three players starting the england game the other night and are being strongly linked with three more in Crouch, SWP and Wayne Bridge. The plannng application is in for our new acedemy/training ground which is being based on the Arsenal/Chelsea set up. A company has also been formed to start acquiring land for our state of the art 36,000 new stadium.

With existing highly respected intenational players, a respected manager and state of the art facilities, attracting payers should get easier and easier.

Pompey are definately on the up and whilst breaking the top four is a huge ask of any club at the moment, I think that in 3 or 4 years we will certainly be pushing whoever is in fourth spot.

event

Death or Glory wrote: »

I wouldn't change a thing though..... those nights we had beating the likes of AC Milan, Lazio, Deportivo will live with me forever.

Sure, we lived the dream and now are playing Yeovil and Hereford away on a tuesday night, but, sure f*ck it, it was worth it, and I'd do it all over again!

jesus, speak for yourself there. No way would i say its worth it. It will take us years to even get back to the premiership, never mind become a steady team in it.

and we didnt live any fúcking dream, christ we never even won anything.

i reckon its villa or everton who are most likely to break into it, purely due to their managers

Running Bing

Fratton Fred wrote: »

I think the sale of Berbatov is financing all these big names Spurs are being linked with.

To push Pompey's case, next season should be interesting. Two years ago we had a very poor squad and only just avoided relegation. Andy O'Brien was the mainstay of our defence for god's sake

We had three players starting the england game the other night and are being strongly linked with three more in Crouch, SWP and Wayne Bridge. The plannng application is in for our new acedemy/training ground which is being based on the Arsenal/Chelsea set up. A company has also been formed to start acquiring land for our state of the art 36,000 new stadium.

With existing highly respected intenational players, a respected manager and state of the art facilities, attracting payers should get easier and easier.

Pompey are definately on the up and whilst breaking the top four is a huge ask of any club at the moment, I think that in 3 or 4 years we will certainly be pushing whoever is in fourth spot.

Not saying Berbatov will stay (more likely than not he will go:() but I assure you thats certainly not what is financing our spendings. We're a rich club, we have just as much to spend as City or Villa....people never seem to realise that.


We spent (wasted;)) £40 mil last year and we didnt need to flog anyone to do it.

Death or Glory

event wrote: »

jesus, speak for yourself there. No way would i say its worth it. It will take us years to even get back to the premiership, never mind become a steady team in it.

and we didnt live any fúcking dream, christ we never even won anything.

i reckon its villa or everton who are most likely to break into it, purely due to their managers

Nonsense...... you don't have to win anything to live the dream. What we had and achieved that season was absolutely priceless, and all the **** that's come after it make us realise that the lowest lows (which hopefully are behind us) will make the highest highs all the more sweeter when it evetually comes around again (and believe me, it will).

One thing about Leeds is we never do things by halves, it's all or nothing- gimme relegation/promotion/days out at wembley and cardiff/ 15 point deductions anyday over 10th in the Prem ever year, same ****, different season, nothing changes.

What we have IS football

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Sizzler

OP-Your post is 2 months too early imho.

Restart the thread when squads have been tweaked and then people should be in a better position to give an opinion

Charlie

Interesting to note that Paddy Power has betting without the big 4 (i.e who finishes highest not including the top 4) and here are their odds:

Tottenham 7-4
Everton 9-2
Aston Villa 5-1
Newcastle 15-2
Pompey 11-1
Man City 11-1
Blackburn 14-1
West Ham 20-1

Whilst I would Love us to do it, and if KK is backed in the market I will always have faith in him, I think those odds are a bit short on us. Pomepy at 11's look very good value for money, as do Citey.

MIN2511

Why isn't SunderIreland on the list?

leninbenjamin

MIN2511 wrote: »

Why isn't SunderIreland on the list?

because they are sh*t