The race for 4th..

PogMoThoin

How long is Sandro out for?

MrKingsley

The rest of this season anyway. I think just after his surgery AVB sais that hed be back well in time for pre season

ziedth

MAN City did us a favour today, win tomorrow and we're 2 ahead of Chelsea. Next three games might just make or break us...

tippspur

ziedth wrote: »

MAN City did us a favour today, win tomorrow and we're 2 ahead of Chelsea. Next three games might just make or break us...

Crucial games coming up fast.

Kiith

The next few games will decide it for sure. If we win tonight, we go 3rd, 4 points ahead of Arsenal again. We absolutely have to beat them if we want to get 3rd or 4th though. Losing would be a disaster.

nbar12

I'll probably get slated for this but I'm not the most optimistic person when it comes to Spurs. I follow a lot of Spurs fans on twitter and some fans really irritate me because they're convinced we're going to finish top 4 because Arsenal's little meltdown they're currently having. Some fans need a reality check, we can dream about finishing top 3 but it won't happen. Spurs fans need to be realistic saying we are guaranteed top 4 but I genuinely don't think these fans have looked at our remaining fixtures. We have an out of form striker and one waiting to come back from injury, we're still in Europa League which is great but more games = tired legs. I think our inability to add a striker in Jan will cost us top 4, I really do.

I'm trying to be optimistic, I really am but I'm dreading another end of season heartbreak like last year and the food poisoning year against the spammers in 05 (I think?). Anyway, what I'm trying to say is look at our remaining fixtures, we still have to play Arsenal, Man City & Everton (H)...three really tough games that I can see us struggling to win let alone having to play Liverpool and Chelsea away, not to mention Stoke who would rather play rugby than football. Yes, the West Ham game is massive and it'll be tough and if we do win, I'm dreading all the tweets about how we're going to finish 3rd etc etc. I know AVB has us playing some great stuff but we have found it difficult to break teams down in the past and I really do fear for the next few months.

Finally,I just want to know am I being over dramatic?

COYS

Kold

nbar12 wrote: »

Finally,I just want to know am I being over dramatic?

COYS

Yes. Whilst your points stand, the enjoyment of this game is hope. We're in a good position and we still have a challenge ahead but 3rd is the next triumph we have yet to have tasted. If we miss out on it than we've done no worse than we've done in the last few seasons but we've a good chance to take one step further to being the big club that wants to compete at the very top level consistantly.

The positive result outweighs the negative result. So just strap in and see what happens.

2nd Row Donkey

Nbar, been a spurs fan is like been a recovering alcohol - 1 day at a time!

Are we out of the top 4 race if we lose tonight? No. Are we guaranteed a top 4 finish if we win tonight - no.

We have some very tough games coming up as you pointed out. But have some faith and don't despair - there'll be plenty of time for despair and anxiety in April/May.

Just look at it this way - Chelsea and Everton lost at the weekend but they are still in the race. We might lose in the next game or two but we wont be out of it.

KingdomYid

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

Nbar, been a spurs fan is like been a recovering alcohol - 1 day at a time!

Are we out of the top 4 race if we lose tonight? No. Are we guaranteed a top 4 finish if we win tonight - no.

We have some very tough games coming up as you pointed out. But have some faith and don't despair - there'll be plenty of time for despair and anxiety in April/May.

Just look at it this way - Chelsea and Everton lost at the weekend but they are still in the race. We might lose in the next game or two but we wont be out of it.

This is very true. Just to be involved in the battle for 3rd/4th is great, this time 10 years ago we would have been over the moon with top 6. These are great times to be a Spurs fan, just enjoy every game and go along for the ride. COYS!!!!!!!

ziedth

If Any of us said after we lost three on the trot to Wigan, City and Arsenal that we would only loose one in the next 15 I'd say we'd be barred for trolling.

Keeping the 4 ahead of Arsenal is massive over the next few games. Id rip your arm off at the Elbow if you offered me a draw now...

MrKingsley

ziedth wrote: »

If Any of us said after we lost three on the trot to Wigan, City and Arsenal that we would only loose one in the next 15 I'd say we'd be barred for trolling.

Keeping the 4 ahead of Arsenal is massive over the next few games. Id rip your arm off at the Elbow if you offered me a draw now...

A draw would be a decent result alright but I honestly think this is a great time to really put the squeeze on them and try and kill their season. If they start with Ramsey and Arteta in the middle with no protector then I think Holtby and Dembele could win it for us.

1 would be good yes but I think we should be aiming for 3

irishmover

I think everyone needs to remain grounded on our chances. We're in a good position but there's alot of points to be won/lost. Reading twitter and all the excited Slurs fans is reminiscent of this time last season. Also wish players would stop talking to the media about silly things like we're better than Arsenal etc. let the football do the talking lads.

My only worry is that, whilst I'm still fine with a top 6 finish even in the position we're in right now. The media will go on a massive witch hunt of AVB and put pressure on Bale to leave if we don't secure a top 4 spot. For the sake of AVB and our progress I sincerely hope for a 3rd+ finish to really and truly put to bed the media hate for him. It'll take alot of weight off his shoulders and allow him and Levy to sit down over the summer and improve the squad.

If we managed a top 4/3 spot this season we're looking at a squad capable of challenging for the league over the next few seasons with the correct signings. If we finish outside the top 4. Personally it isn't a disaster but with what I said the media could ruin our progress under AVB and we could find ourselves no better than under Harry.

These last couple months feel more crucial than last season.

irishmover

Wrong thread!..

mickman

irishmover wrote: »

I think everyone needs to remain grounded on our chances. We're in a good position but there's alot of points to be won/lost. Reading twitter and all the excited Slurs fans is reminiscent of this time last season. Also wish players would stop talking to the media about silly things like we're better than Arsenal etc. let the football do the talking lads.

My only worry is that, whilst I'm still fine with a top 6 finish even in the position we're in right now. The media will go on a massive witch hunt of AVB and put pressure on Bale to leave if we don't secure a top 4 spot. For the sake of AVB and our progress I sincerely hope for a 3rd+ finish to really and truly put to bed the media hate for him. It'll take alot of weight off his shoulders and allow him and Levy to sit down over the summer and improve the squad.

If we managed a top 4/3 spot this season we're looking at a squad capable of challenging for the league over the next few seasons with the correct signings. If we finish outside the top 4. Personally it isn't a disaster but with what I said the media could ruin our progress under AVB and we could find ourselves no better than under Harry.

These last couple months feel more crucial than last season.

Yeah but the difference is that this time last year we were beginning to falter.

At the moment we are getting stronger and gaining momentum

irishmover

mickman wrote: »

Yeah but the difference is that this time last year we were beginning to falter.

At the moment we are getting stronger and gaining momentum

Well there is cracks there. I mean we haven't won a game comfortably since, Villa(?). And even at that it wasn't until the second half where we took control.

We do seem to be controlling alot more games this season than last, just the scoreline doesn't reflect it. In terms of squad depth we're still short, Livermore and Parker are not good enough in my books. We're short on striking options obviously. Don't have excellent wide backup players. Haven't got the best of right backs in my opinion. There is a big difference without Sandro in the side. The run in is very difficult but we'll know exactly where we stand in terms of 'momentum' after Sunday. If we win then that should put Arsenal further down in morale but if they win then we could see them hit form just like last season. We haven't been out of form, in terms of results, for a long time. Surely that can't last another 11 matches? Too pessimistic for my own good I guess.

Wouldn't have it any other way. Hope that if we're going to win the PL any time soon it'll be with a tight contest with Arsenal. Hate reading garbage from Arsenal fans claiming their team is the 'worst in 90 years' and our 'one man team' is the best in 50.

irishmover

If anyone is on twitter you should follow this guy. He's probably the best person I follow on it. Nothing but stats.

@SpursStatMan: Average total price of starting XI this season: Spurs £82.5M, Arsenal £89.1M, Man Utd £155M, Man City £191.7M, Chelsea £217M.

DubPerryman

I think I mentioned before that Man City and Chelsea could have a very rocky run-in due to their managers' future being uncertain.

With Rafa's outburst last night I'm hoping Chelsea's form will take a nose dive, just like ours did last year after Harry prostituted his future.

All we need now is for Mancini to say he wants/be linked to the Chelsea job next season!

irishmover

DubPerryman wrote: »

I think I mentioned before that Man City and Chelsea could have a very rocky run-in due to their managers' future being uncertain.

With Rafa's outburst last night I'm hoping Chelsea's form will take a nose dive, just like ours did last year after Harry prostituted his future.

All we need now is for Mancini to say he wants/be linked to the Chelsea job next season!

Lets hope so, they are in a better position than last year in the league though. Just, this time don't have the CL to bail themselves out if life gets worse..

Wonder if Hazard is still happy with choosing Chelsea ahead of Spurs?

irishmover

@Matt_davis95: If you took Bale, Podolski and Mata's goals away, #thfc would be 3 points clear of #AFC, and 2 points clear of #cfc

For anyone wondering Podolski has gained the most points for Arsenal with his goals.

SuprSi

Well it's far from over - 10 games to go, away to Swansea, Liverpool, Chelsea and Stoke - but that result today is massive. Any sort of result from the Liverpool game would be brilliant. It's most certainly in our own hands but the way there is more difficult than either Arsenal & Chelsea's.

2nd Row Donkey

Arsenal have city at home as do we.

Chelsea and arsenal have still to play eachother.

Swansea away shud be ok. Their season is over. EPL secure and cup won. They will be in holiday mode now.

pleasant Co.

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

Arsenal have city at home as do we.

Chelsea and arsenal have still to play eachother.

Swansea away shud be ok. Their season is over. EPL secure and cup won. They will be in holiday mode now.

They both also have to play utd, we're all fairly evenly matched fixture wise, lets just hope the boys can keep it up!

irishmover

Just looking at Arsenals fixtures.

Last 3 games are QPR away, Wigan at home and Newcastle away... Potentially 3 teams looking to avoid relegation. Not easy run in.

MrKingsley

Well hopefully well be 5/6 points clear still so it wont matter.

We just need to keep concentrating on our own game.

2 games ago it was generally accepted that 8 wins, I draw and 3 losses would be enough. Change that to 6 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses it looks very much doable

Kold

Does a mod want to change the title to "The race for 3rd" ?

PMU

How about the " Race for second". its definately on as I see it especially with JD back

everdead.ie

Don't think we need to tempt fate just yet.
Tough game against Liverpool next week they are in form at the moment.

It has been nice though listening to everyone saying that we'd struggle to get points from the West Gam arsenal and Liverpool games and we have 6/6 so far

Kiith

I see no reason why we can't be in a race for 2nd, with the form we are in. Now i'm not saying we will get it, or even get 3rd at this stage, but this is the best chance we've ever had. Both Chelsea and, to a lesser extent, City are having tough times lately, so they are there for the taking.

I said at the start of the year that i'd be happy with 6th, and it takes time for a manager to gel with players, especially when he's changing the system. But we've gone from strength to strength, and improved drastically from the start of the season. We look extremely confident, and are winning games even when we aren't playing great football (something Utd and the others always were praised for). So if we can keep this up, onwards and upwards i say.

Get 2nd/3rd/4th, sign a world class striker in the summer, and win the league next year :P

2nd Row Donkey

Don't even think about changing the thread title just yet! We have 10 games to go - TEN - that's 30 points to be won and lost.

irishmover

Too much positivity for my liking! Almost set to implode here....