Home > Football > Totttenham expects, but fifth is the limit
by John Boland on 23 August 2007
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Charles Dickens was right – take everything on evidence, not how it looks. Pre-season, everything must surely have looked good for Tottenham fans. Off the back of a fifth-place finish last season, coupled with the arrival of Gareth Bale, Younes Kaboul and Darren Bent for an outlay of around £35m, perhaps this would be the year to usurp bitter rivals Arsenal and steal that fourth place and with it the Holy Grail of the Champions League.
Now, not even a month into the season, with all the talking over let's take a look at the evidence. A totally predictable opening day defeat away to newly-promoted Sunderland in front of the TV cameras (granted Michael Chopra saved the script with that dramatic late winner) and another fairly obvious demolition of the other new arrivals, Derby County (who look the weakest of the three Premier League new boys). The only surprise so far has been the fairly lame surrender at White Hart Lane to Everton in a 3-1 reverse which saw boos echo around north London and rumours about the security of Martin Jol's job echo around all the newspapers.
This is the Premier League, the land where money talks. The trouble is the chatter is extraordinarily loud this season.Tottenham's expenditure aside, the value of transfers this summer has been remarkable. Manchester City have spent £40 million and West Ham £30 million-plus – to put this into perspective, AC Milan earned around the same for winning last season's European Cup.
The problem for some teams is that money, and the lavish spending of it in pursuit of success, skews expectations. Tottenham's semi-rise over the past few seasons now means they expect Champions League football – chairman Daniel Levy has reiterated this requirement in the past few days. Is it a realistic aim? They would need to displace one of the Big Four and, taking each in turn, the demise of the Premier League giants has been widely exaggerated. Sir Alex Ferguson may fear for his championship ambitions already but his Manchester United team have never finished below third in 15 seasons. The Chelsea juggernaut appears relentless, if not in its style, certainly in its results. And if they are struggling by January 2008 then they have the man at the top who could comfortably outspend anyone else to retrieve the situation. Liverpool are the curiosity for this season (they would be my tip for the title) as they have seemingly finally spent to match their fans' ambitions.
So that leaves Arsenal, possibly the weakest of the four in the post-Thierry Henry era. He will be missed but there is already a school of thought that new opportunity may open up for Arsenal's talented youngsters. Henry dominated Arsenal to the extent that it might just have inhibited and intimidated younger players – time and results will tell.
Despite some odd results thrown up in the opening shakedowns of the season, the top four come May 2008 will read the same as last year. The fascination will be in what order. What does this mean for Jol, a decent guy and capable manager whose post-match summaries are excellent. Jol should accept the compensation package and walk out of the Lane knowing that he's taken Tottenham to the limit of their ambitions – the big four are here to stay where they are for the foreseeable future.
Where will Tottenham finish this season? Fifth, of course – with or without the likeable Mr Jol. They are a good team, just not a great one...
Comments (29)
by Tom on August 23, 2007
Usual ill thought out anti Spurs article. If you can decide Spurs can't make the top 4 after 3 games where does that leave Man Utd?
by Ben Clasper on August 23, 2007
Idiot.. Its obvious were a goood team but not a great team.. so were a good team with the likes of king, dawson, lennon, bale etc. out injured so wen there all fit n playin we'l b a very good team or even a great team!! This guy clearly doesnt know anything about football or take all angles into consideration, hez jumped on the lets have a pop at tottenham campaign.. Well played!!
by Neil on August 23, 2007
How can you say that this season we are not a great side when we ve far from had our first team playing, king, lennon, boateng, dawson, bale maybe when these players are back we'll be able to judge a bit better.
by Dave on August 23, 2007
Glad to see that you say we will finish fifth but provide absolutely no reason other than a hunch that Arsenal will come good. Keep your pointless opinions to yourself you mug.
by Moddy on August 23, 2007
How many articles have been written about this exact same subject, and that was before the Ramos debacle. If Spurs were guilty of shooting off their mouth in preseason, then you are just as guilty jumping the gun now. You obviously dont support Spurs, so even though it may be hard and you might have to even get creative, write about something else.
by dudu on August 23, 2007
"after three games the reality is becoming clear" that is a bit of a sweeping statement - nothing can be judged after 3 games! are Man U not gonna score all season based on 3 games. Arsental have hardly been overwhelmingly convincing.... which such general comments based on lack of knowledge and no research maybe you should take up writing peoples horrorscopes not football articles
by dan on August 23, 2007
agree with all the above, keep ur comments to yourself you complete twat!! prob a arse fan in disguise
by Olly on August 23, 2007
John Boland you're a gimp.
by Camel with the Hump on August 23, 2007
Has anyone noticed that Piers Morgan's Daily Mirror (Gooner) have led the media criticsm of Spurs. Thank's Levy for making our club a laughing stock and undermining the team's morale at such a critical time. If there was any chance of a top 4 finish, you have just blown it.
by Nave on August 23, 2007
Bottom line after whats been said over the last week or so. Spuds have completely lost it. Dont see MJolly staying later then end of next month. Berba leaving before the end of August, king injured and will stay injured most of the season. These are two best players spuds have got, so who is going to take you through to 4th ? Bent , J J , . you lot havent got it in you, just accept it. max you can do it is reach uefa cup quarter final or semis, be happy about it and celebrate.
by michael from the lane on August 23, 2007
Spot on old chap - Levy is to blame along with that cnut Kemsley
by Edmonton Spur on August 23, 2007
Seeing as you are so good at predictions any chance you can pick my lotto numbers this week? ...Tw*t
You lot are funny http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2007/08/23/spur s-boss-chaos-89520-19675671/
"It's a little-known fact that Jol has brothers called Dick and Cock -thank heavens he doesn't have a sister - which is almost as embarrassing as paying £16million for Darren Bent. In boxing terms, Jol is on the ropes, maybe even out for the count - but at least no-one can say there's anything suspect about his chin." Courtsey of Daily Mirror, whole article is at http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/columnists/result/ if you lot have the balls to read it.
You are quoting the mirror? nuf said.
Dont laugh at mirror mate, laugh at your self just like other are laughing at you. Right now you lot are the biggest laughing stock in the country. First you paid 16 Mil for an average striker, secondly you almosst fired your manager after two defeats. Were you lot really expecting that you will win all 38 games this season. Best strike force in the premiership, oh really and this best strike force in the premisership has scored 1 goal between them in 3 games. worth the money they are.
by Ben on August 23, 2007
What a mug. I see you know your football by placing the safe bet & saying the Top 4 will be the same as last year (how original) we've been hearing that for 2 seasons & both seasons given it a good go & nearly making the media eat it's words. Ramos has confirmed that no offer was made to him but the media are desperate for any kind of story & whilst the league champions lay 16th with -1 goal difference the arm chair supporters in the media world pick on Tottenham. Keep it coming. Once we have our first 11 on the pitch , we'll soon start climbing the table. We need to sign a midfield play maker to battle against Jenas for the centre midfield position & then we'll be set.
Jol in, Levy out.
My club have 35 games to put it right. Everyone can laugh as much as they want, because every year those laughs become a little bit more nervous. You have not shown where your loyalty lies, but it does not matter because you quote the Mirror and that makes you idiot inspite of what team you support!!!
by Roy on August 23, 2007
reckon Mystic meg could have cobbled together a more coherent article.On that subject perhaps cobblers is a perfect descriptionon this self-deluding ego trip bt a Celtic fan. To think I wasted oxygen reading it. Is ther an anti-moron short cut that can identify drivel like this and filter it out of newsnow site? History lecturer-now confirmed education has been dumbed down!!!
by John Boland on August 23, 2007
Can't see how my background as a Celtic fan or history lecturer is relevant here (couldn't care less where Spurs finish this season!) I think it's all about tempering expectations - a team that makes the top 4 can only really afford to lose 7 maybe 8 games a season.. Spurs have already clocked up 2 defeats with 8 fixtures against the Big 4 (starting on Sunday) to come - it would be brilliant if they could take 3pts off Man Utd this weekend but Spurs fans how confident are you? The top 4 club in the Premiership is going to be almost impossible to break into - the injuries excuse doesn't wash (it didn't wash for Celtic a few years back) because you can only put out the players who are fit at any given time.. that being the point of having a good squad. If Spurs were serious about the top 4 they should be taking advantage of early slip-ups by others to get points on the board.. Sunderland (a), Everton (h), Derby (h) - Spurs should have had 7pts on the board minimum by now.. the fact that they haven't shows that
they are going to come up short and that come May 2008 boring and unoriginal predictions about the top 4 will be proved to be correct (unless of course Sven continues to amaze and mystify at Eastlands!)
by Essexian76 (not the gay one) on August 23, 2007
What exactly is your stance?, why is it everything about a team you support gives you such a downer?, do you ever have anythning positive to say...ever or just look for anything negative, really confused as to why you support (if thats the right word) Tottenham?. For the record I've been saying about The Mirror for ages, but I think it also applies to the any of the Red Tops, but it comes with the territory, how dare us upstarts upstage all of those platitudes already written for the 'elite', it may mean some reporters actually having to attend games..and report for a change
by ian on August 23, 2007
[quote]How can you say that this season we are not a great side when we ve far from had our first team playing, king, lennon, boateng, dawson, bale maybe when these players are back we'll be able to judge a bit better. [/quote] Arsenal have got eboue, adebayor, gilberto, rosicky and diaby out. plus eduado and denilson missed the first game. now gallas and lehmann are injured. stop using injuries as an excuse because the season you nearly finished 4th we had crazy amounts of injuries, compared to you're few.
to play the music, its time to light the lights, its time to meet the muppet on the muppet show tonight......3 games.....twat!