Tottenham Hotspur FC 2013/14

[EJG1980]

'Orrible day today. I can't believe we've lost to West Ham three times in one season! I think we'd lost to them three times in the past 15 years before this season. West Ham defeats coming along like busses

I was disappointed with our response after going down to ten men. Stoke made it really tough for us with ten men last week but we didn't show that kind of fight today, unfortunately. Had quite a few good saves from Lloris to keep the score down to 2-0.

Oh well, at least Sunderland did us a nice favour so a top 6 finish is still in our own hands!

[fallenangle]

Yes as I said a bit earlier and warned about, I don't know what it is with West Ham but Spurs almost always seem to have trouble with them when it is an important game. But that Sunderland against Man.Utd result, as I also sort of predicted or at least suggested as a reasonable possibilty, has come true and done us a big favour.

Just one point from the final match and Spurs will get 6th place guaranteed and if Man.Utd lose or draw either of their remaining two, same thing. However, this is Spurs so I'm not counting any chickens before they're hatched.

[EJG1980]

Yeah, you'd hope that you could rely on us to beat a poor Villa side that is now safe and has nothing to play for, let alone draw with them, but...

Whatever happens on the final day, it looks like being another very interesting summer at White Hart Lane!

[fallenangle]

There's talk of a big sell off at Spurs in the summer I just hope they don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

The +1 goal difference compared to the >+20 of almost everyone above us shows we desperately need some real squad depth and quality in defence and at least one international class striker.

[EJG1980]

I'm hoping that any talk like that is pure media speculation. I know you can't always trust the statements football clubs make but when we announced our financial results last month, Levy said:

"This season we have had to make significant changes, both in respect of coaching and playing staff and yet we are currently only two points less than last season’s tally. Whilst this season’s performances and results have not lived up to expectation, we believe our squad has potential and it is important that we all now show commitment and teamwork to get the best possible finish to the season.

...Our focus therefore is to continue to invest in and develop the squad - we shall not look to a summer of major upheaval, but rather to strengthen in key positions - to play the style of football for which we are famous - and to deliver the new stadium."

I hope we stick with those sentiments. Our signings from last summer will have the benefit of a year of adapting to the league and the country under their belts next season and I'd like to see the new manager (as it seems almost certain we're getting one) tasked with getting the best out of what we already have as I'm certain there is a lot of untapped potential in this group of players.

Another summer of seven in, seven out, isn't what's needed. Two or three (at most) quality additions in key positions and leave the rest of the squad settled.

I agree with you about the defence and up front being the key places to strengthen. I'd go for a left back, centre back and a centre forward. I'd make the defence the priority though; as spectacular as they can be to watch, I'd like to see less saves from Lloris next season due to a better defence meaning he doesn't have to make them so often!

[fallenangle]

That reminds me; there's a question about whether Lloris is going to stay or not too. Despite the fact he's saved Spurs on many an occasion this season and our GD would be even more embarrassing otherwise, I'm not a huge fan. Some of his decisions and positioning are consistently questionable but we'd be hard pressed to find somebody as good as he can be without spending big.

[EJG1980]

His style does lead to the occasional situation where it goes horribly wrong (one of the goals away at Southampton sticks out in my mind) but he makes no more errors than any other top class keeper and his "sweeper keeper" abilities (and superb shot stopping) have bailed us out so many times. I honestly think that overall he's one of the best keepers in Europe.

We were pretty lucky a couple of summers ago that a keeper of his level was at a club like Lyon (who were also having financial trouble) enabling us to get him for a bargain price. I think you're right that we'd have to spend a lot of money to get a keeper of the same level if he left, I don't think there are any comparable bargains out there now. Hopefully it won't come to that, I'd be gutted to see him leave.

On an unrelated note, our match vs Villa on Sunday has been picked for TV at the last minute and will be shown on Sky Sports. Forget the silly title fight, the battle for the final Europa League spot between Spurs and Man Utd is where the real action is

[fallenangle]

After last night with Man.City giving Villa a good kicking the title is as good as theirs. The relegation places are now sorted too, barring a miracle of goal scoring. So the only thing left of interest is to wonder Man.Utd's fall from their lofty heights under Moyes but see if Spurs can, yet again, grab defeat in the face of victory and hand Giggs and Co. the sixth spot as a crumb of comfort.

[EJG1980]

Yeah, while the thought of needing something against West Ham on the final day of the season sends a shiver down my spine, it'd be a big surprise if Man City don't win the title.

Having often had stress filled and nail biting final days in recent years, I'm hoping we can go a couple of goals up early and cruise serenely over the line to a top six finish. Or an all guns blazing madcap 12-0 win for us, whatever, I'm not fussed

The match I'm most looking forward to is on Monday though, Ledley King's testimonial! It's the current Spurs team vs a Ledley King XI comprising of various players he's played with over the years. Some fantastic names coming back who I can't wait to see in a Spurs shirt again: big names like Sheringham, Berbatov, Ginola, Anderton and Davids, and cult favourites like Tainio and Stalteri. Should be a brilliant night!

[fallenangle]

Sounds like a really great line up for the testimonial.

Teddy Sheringham, last time I saw him play on TV, was still really on form, he's my all time Spurs favourite closely followed by Glenn Hoddle, Martin Chivers and my first Spurs hero: Martin Peters. But I could list a dozen others at least who I loved watching play and it would probably include Berbatov, Ginola and Anderton too.

[EJG1980]

I wasn't a "proper" Spurs fan until 1993 when I was 13 (I didn't get into football until I was a teen so while I'd say I was a Spurs fan if asked, I didn't really know what was going on with the team before that time) so Sheringham and Anderton are were my first Spurs heroes. It's going to bring back fond memories seeing them at WHL again.

They're announcing a couple of names each day, you can see the squad list on this page. Scott Parker and Lois Saha were added earlier today. As seems to be the norm for any kind of Spurs squad, it's light at the back at the moment

[fallenangle]

Just had a look at that list: good to see Peter Crouch is there. He and Teddy Sheringham could make a great strike partnership.

I was trying to think of some good Spurs defenders I'd like to see again but all those I came up with are probably now pensioners or pushing up the daisies

Wouldn't it be great if they could get Gareth Bale back to play too?

[EJG1980]

I was trying to think of some good Spurs defenders I'd like to see again but all those I came up with are probably now pensioners or pushing up the daisies

Wouldn't it be great if they could get Gareth Bale back to play too?

Bale (and Modric) have definitely been invited to play, but it's probably unlikely they'll get clearance from Real Madrid with the Champions League final on the horizon.

Which is why I was very surprised when Huddlestone announced that he would play... and then much less surprised when he had to retract it the next day as he hadn't asked Hull before accepting Hudd can score the winner against Arsenal in the cup final in tribute instead!

Van der Vaart was also invited but Hamburg are deep in relegation trouble and may have to face a play-off to avoid the drop, so I'm guessing he won't be able to make it either, another recent player I'd love to see back.

If I had to guess some defenders for the squad I'd probably go for John Woodgate, Chris Perry, Anthony Gardener, Sol Campb... er... well, maybe not the last one

Edit: Glenn Hoddle announced to manage Ledley's Guest XI and Neil Sullivan, Chris Perry, Luke Young and Mauricio Tarrico have been added to the squad.

[fallenangle]

Looking very good today: Man.Utd drawing and Spurs up 3-0 at Villa. Fingers crossed.

Yay! A decent win and 6th place.

[EJG1980]

Great first half, second half was almost inevitably pedestrian in comparison as we strolled over the finish line with minimal effort. We finished the match with five academy graduates on the pitch (I think...) which was nice to see. Eriksen picked up the supporters player of the season award in the end of season lap of honour after the match.

It's had its ups and downs but overall it's been a good, if turbulent, season. A seventh top six finish in nine seasons, which is almost certainly our most consistent run in the top six since the sixties.

Time to start counting down the summer days until the start of next season