Man City and Spurs the season's surprise packets - for different reasons

where do these writers come from. here is a surprise...get a fecking job

While Sven has done an admirable job, accentuated by the double over Utd, one must remember that he didn't actually know a lot of the players, they were just signed for him. He even admitted having never even seen most of them. That said, well done Sven for proving the press wrong!

Yet another anti-Spurs pro-Arsenal memo. 3 months after everyone else has got over it Sportingo continues to build an entire site around "Spurs were meant to finish 4th but Arsenal are top" gloating. Keep up the good work lads. Oh, and the phrase is "suprise package".

You've got your facts wrong. Some quarters of the meejah made up a story along the lines of what you're saying but the truth is that Sven admitted that he hadn't seen all the players that he signed play LIVE. He did however have countless hours of tape with those players to watch. Sven doesn't only have an unrivalled string of contacts within the game, he's also very professional which he has shown wherever he's been throughout his career. But speaking of surprises, I'd say that Arsenal are as much a surprise as City. Not many thought they would be THIS good. As for dissapointments, how about Liverpool?

This idea that Sven signed all his players after looking at DVDs is still doing the rounds??? First, how many players who played at Old Triffid did he inherit? Right. Second, on the players he did sign last summer, as he stated at the time, some of them he'd seen in person, some of them he hadn't, but all of them he reviewed via DVD and video. IS there a problem with that? Third, he relied on the advice of his contacts and friends in Europe. Fourth, he relied on the advice of Tord Greeeeep and Hans Backe. Fifth, if anyone thinks that PL managers have the time to go around scouting themselves, they are clueless. Sixth, even if a PL manager does sit in the stands (eh?) to watch a prospect, only the clueless would think THAT is determinative. Seventh: Sven is an easy target and this DVD cheap shot shows how clueless people are about how managers determine who they will sign. Finally, even if the premise is true, given Sven had but four weeks to get City ready for the season, he might be cut some slack, no?

Spurs are 11th in the table now and were 11th in the league this time last year! plenty of time for spurs to climb the league ... Its not over until the last matches have been played !

Surprise 'packets'? Jesus. Please do us all a favour and shut this piece of sh1t site down FOR GOOD.

Sven what a HERO and how blind the English were to hound such a talent out of his job because of their overinflatd expectations in international football.Its great to see what he is doing at Man City because ALL the media are hating it as SVEN was the best manager ENGLAND have ever had statistics wise.His shrewd business accumen enabled him to screw millions out of the inadequate FA ,showing them up as poor businessmen and playing them a bit like BOND at the poker table.He found their weakness which was Money! the FA board members don't earn that money they throw away in the millions its like monopoly money to them.This is where Sven used them to his advantage.Had the FA members worked HARD for the money the y would be harder businessmen but they did'nt so thats why they were weak in negociations and SVEN SUPER STRONG.The press also hated the fact that he shagged around...just like BOND!.."the names BOND Sven Goran Eriksson BOND.

Spot on Knower!!! The FA is run by inadequates who are way overpaid and undertalented.They will opt for this Scudamore nonsense simply because of the finincial promises being promised.What the FA lack is intelligence, business acumen and real LOVE of English Football.

FUCKING LOSER

Lets face it Sven is a good manager.His results with England were better than he is given credit for, although I believe Hoddle was statistically better. He was to a degree unlucky with injuries in crucial games at times. City won last week because they were tactically superior against a team who were probably more skilled on an individual basis, and that is a reflection of their respective managers. I agree entirely the FA are really incompetent. The appointment of Maclaren as Sven's successor was an example of that. He was doomed before he started as he never had the experience, record or skills to do the job, and never had the confidence of pundits or fans. No wonder one of his first acts was to appoint a PR person. Since then the FA stumble from idiocy to idiocy.

There is no secret to Spurs underperformance at the beginning of the year, they were simply unfit. True they had injuries but so do most teams, that is part of life in the Premiership. Ghaly said it all when he complained about having to run in training during the abortive transfer/try out with Steve Bruce. The team under Jol was too comfortable, and if you are not fit then fatigue sets in and mental errors occur which is what happened too frequently.

I appreciate all the Man City comments people have made but this is purely a veiled attempt to have a dig at Spurs. Sportingo is infamously a Arsenal site.

A Gooner site through and through, just have to mention how well they are doing in the Premiership, but no mention of the Carling cup!

I love all these negative comments, seriously they crack me up. basically I have a job, I'm a 17 year old kid who thought he'd give this a go, I'd be interested to see what some of these negative posters could come up with themselves that hasn't been written about on here. I used the phrase 'surprise package' in the title but for whatever reasons Sportingo changed it. my original title made no reference to Spurs or Man City. I even said in the article tottenham deserved to be up the table so it wasnt exactly a tottenham dig...and as an arsenal fan that was hard to admit.

There you go proved once again..the writter was an arsenal fan!! They should rename sportingo as 'if your a gooner have a dig at spurs.com'

While Sven has done an admirable job, accentuated by the double over Utd, one must remember that he didn't actually know a lot of the players, they were just signed for him. He even admitted having never even seen most of them. That said, well done Sven for proving the press wrong!

Have you read the article? I am an arsenal fan, but if you'd read it then you'd have noticed I never said anything negative about Spurs. I even said they belong up the table. Moron

sven will have seen all these players playing at some time. whn he was manager of england he was all over europe watching club and international matches, another factor is also his scouting network and connections to agents like pinne zihavi will have helped him a great deal. well done sven, even if we miss out on europe, to have slapped the rags twice in a season is just magic.

Man City close to top of prem lge and still have thosands of empty seats every home game and they say there is only City fans live in Manchester and there travelling support is one of the worst in the prem league what a joke of a club.

Gary, Gary, Gary...you sad Zombie Rag, does it still hurt son? Put it down pal, you'll go blind, save for when Ranalibido comes down your tunnel next game at Old Triffid, that is, if you can make it up the M6 from Twickenham. BTW, travelling support...you just made that up, right? You know the opposite is true, right? Tell us Gary, which city is Manchester United in? I'll give you a clue, it's not Manchester, you prawn-fried muppet.

You football fans should listen to yourselves yous are like kids in a school playground,the way yous go on .....my teams better than yous...no its not...yes it is....no its not.Football has become a Pantomime in recent years between how the players feign and cheat to how petty the fans are.As the knower of all things I just laugh and wonder why fans and players don't respect or take their sport seriously.Envy jealousy and spite are the primitve human emotions prevelant in football today,the players and fans are as bad as each other.This attitude to your sport will never change as the average footie fan is not too bright and is unhappy in himself and further he is easily manipulated.There is nothing a football fan loves more than self pity....oh poor wee us!The newcastle fans are the worst but in the voice of Keegan you football fas JOOST LOOOOVE IT!you sad sad kids....GROW UP! and be real!!!