Football Focus

[earlydoors]

I'm still not giving up hope on Spurs yet. Leicester are grinding out the results, doing it the Chelsea way, but they have a couple of tricky fixtures coming up. Sunderland away and West Ham at home. I could see them possibly dropping points in these games. Mind you Spurs have to play United at home and Stoke away, so not much easier.

It's not over yet.

[????]

I think Spurs will absolutely need 5 wins (out of 6) to have any sort of hope, short of a Leicester implosion. All critical games now - sadly I think the Hammers hope for top 4 now will require us to win 6 of our remaining games too (including Arsenal, Man U at home and Leicester away). Exciting stuff tho but Leicester keep on grinding them out!

[earlydoors]

Yes Spurs will probably need 5 wins but one lives in hope of a Leicester meltdown.

Not that I'm begrudging of them winning the title as its a magnificent achievement. I think Spurs are a young side and if they can keep hold of the manager and best players they could be a real contender next season.

Leicester winning will certainly put pressure on some of the similarly sized clubs i.e Southampton, WBA etc as their owners may feel that if Leicester can win the league why can't they.

It's a view that is understandable considering where Leicester were last season and the finances they have available.

[Jah Lush]

Spurs also have to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a ground where we haven't won in the league since 1990. I think, judging by Mauricio Pochettino's reaction in punching the turf at the end of the match at Anfield on Saturday, he knew the game was up.

I still think Leicester will falter a little but not enough to lose any hope of winning the title. I also think that Arsenal could overtake us if we don't win all our games, or at least four out of the five we have left to play. We just have to keep on going and hope for the best.

[earlydoors]

Yes I saw him do that and thought the same. Understandable reaction but I'm sure he will be back to motivating the team today.

Spurs need to still be playing as if there is a chance and the players have to believe that.

If only to motivate themselves to carry on competing and winning to secure a runners up position which brings automatic Champions league qualification and stops the Woolwich Wanderers leapfrogging us.

[red devil]

I think if Leicester were going to have a wobble it would've happened after the Arsenal defeat. To go down to 10 men and lose to a last minute goal must've hurt, but they've shown real character and resilience to bounce back with 1 draw and 5 wins. I'm sure there'a at least one more twist and they'll drop points, but so will the others. I think Spurs are feeling the pressure of not only trying to catch Leicester, but also of Arsenal catching them up...

[earlydoors]

Spurs last 10 results: Won 7, drawn 2, lost 1

Leicester last 10: Won 8, drawn 1, lost 1.

There's a cigarette paper between them over last 10 matches but Spurs have drawn too many games earlier in season. Of course the season is a marathon and not a sprint, but I do think Spurs have been the better side over last 10 games overall.

It's jumping the gun a bit but I'll be intrigued to see how Leicester do next season and whether they can attract any big names to the King Power.

[titch juicy]

As Poch has said, Tottenham are at the start of a journey, finishing seocnd this season is overachieveing when you look at the age of some of our players (youngest squad/team in the prem), the wage bill etc.

A lot of our best players are young (Kane 22, Ali 19, Dier 21, Eriksen 24, Lamela 25, Walker 25, Rose 25).

Even the older ones have a good 5/6 or more years left at the top (Dembele 28, Lloris 29, Vertonghen 28, Alderweireld 27).

If we can keep this team together, and for the first time in a long time i'm confident of keeping all of our best players/manager at the club and add one or two names, we have the potential to challenge for seasons to come.

[red devil]

earlydoors Wrote:

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> Spurs last 10 results: Won 7, drawn 2, lost 1

> Leicester last 10: Won 8, drawn 1, lost 1.

You shouldn't be looking at the past 10 games, instead it should be the 6 games since Leicester lost at Arsenal, that was a critical point in the run-in when Spurs should've put pressure on Leicester, instead the gap has widened from 2 to 7 points...

[Garveyplumbing]

Titch

I'm happy to see Spurs doing well (I'm a gooner) as they are doing things the right way. Bringing through youth. Spending within their means. Playing the right way. I love posch as a coach. I really rate him. But you don't seem to be factoring in

1.chelsea

2 city

3 United

That's just the money teams who can outspend everyone else in the league And ensure the top players play for pay at their club. Even the next rung down, martial, depay, pato will choose money over Spurs.

Then you have Liverpool and arsenal.

Both of whom are capable challengers for next year, providing they keep key players fit, sturridge, wilshire, welbeck.

I think this is a great Spurs side but I wouldn't be surprised to see them drop out of the top four next season either

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

*waves to MickMac*

[titch juicy]

Garveyplumbing Wrote:

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> Titch

>

> I'm happy to see Spurs doing well (I'm a gooner)

> as they are doing things the right way. Bringing

> through youth. Spending within their means.

> Playing the right way. I love posch as a coach. I

> really rate him. But you don't seem to be

> factoring in

> 1.chelsea

> 2 city

> 3 United

> That's just the money teams who can outspend

> everyone else in the league And ensure the top

> players play for pay at their club. Even the next

> rung down, martial, depay, pato will choose money

> over Spurs.

> Then you have Liverpool and arsenal.

> Both of whom are capable challengers for next

> year, providing they keep key players fit,

> sturridge, wilshire, welbeck.

> I think this is a great Spurs side but I wouldn't

> be surprised to see them drop out of the top four

> next season either

Firstly- that's nice to hear, I often say the same about Arsenal.

All that money hasn't done them any good this season though (City, United, Chelsea).

I might've said further up that this season has shown the value of hungry, loyal and hard working players with managers that know how to get the best out of them. That goes for Leicester, Spurs and West Ham.

You can spend all the money in the world and pay the highest wages, but if the player doesn't care about the club and he's still gonna pick up his ?200k per week pay cheque regardless, why go the extra yard?

And academies are where that passion for the club is nurtured. Tottenham have the second best academy facilities in the world. It was the best until City unveiled their behemoth recently. It's already beginning to bear fruit.

Depending on who's in charge at Old Trafford next season, I can see them doing well. They have some very promising youngsters coming through. Not so sure about City other than Iheanachi (spelling?), who looks top class.

Now, obviously that doesn't mean money won't have an effect but it's how it's spent that matters. And all premier league clubs are getting a massive windfall from TV money next season. ?91m per club, I read. That levels the playing field somewhat.

[maxxi]

Another great comeback - unfortunately yet another draw which makes four in a row.

Still - always nice to put a spoke in the Gooners' ambitions.

[????]

Fantastic game... But I think that's our top 4 hopes gone

[Parkdrive]

maxxi Wrote:

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> Another great comeback - unfortunately yet another

> draw which makes four in a row.

>

> Still - always nice to put a spoke in the Gooners'

> ambitions.

So you're a West Ham fan now, strange I thought you were a Yanited fan.

[Alan Medic]

I think you're wrong there PD.

[Jah Lush]

Maxxi's always been an Iron. No cockney rhyming slang intended.

[Alan Medic]

I've a suspicion that Sunderland will get a good result today. I don't think Spurs can count on 3 points either. United were boring as hell last week but they seem to get good results against the top teams.

[Jah Lush]

Spurs haven't beaten Man Utd at White Hart Lane since 2001. Time that stat changed. COYS!

[Otta]

Leicester on course for another 1-0. Although Sunderland pushing according to the BBC Website.

[Otta]

Haha, KO delayed at Spurs because United are stuck in traffic.

[red devil]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Spurs haven't beaten Man Utd at White Hart Lane

> since 2001. Time that stat changed. COYS!

You'll never beat Uni-ted*

*The one that maxxi doesn't support...

[Alan Medic]

I've been hacked....

[Jah Lush]

red devil Wrote:

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> Jah Lush Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Spurs haven't beaten Man Utd at White Hart Lane

> > since 2001. Time that stat changed. COYS!

>

> You'll never beat Uni-ted*

>

> *The one that maxxi doesn't support...

Pardon? Fixed that stat.

[????]

So a two horse race for sure now?