It seems to be the same old story during every EPL pre-season: Spurs fans proclaim they have it right. They will challenge for the top four and finish above Arsenal, a familiar tale. However, do they have a reason to be more optimistic than usual for the 15/16 English Premier League Season?
Since the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, there is a sense of something good building. For the first time in years, it seems that the Chairman, Daniel Levy, is backing his manager and giving him the time to create something special at White Hart Lane. The disastrous spending spree the club went on following the sale of Gareth Bale is becoming a distant memory as Pochettino goes about cleaning up the squad and moulding it into a team that can sustain his dynamic, high-pressure game plan.
Spurs fans could sense last season was the last chance for the ‘Bale 7’. Most of those players, such as Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Roberto Soldado were given chances and quickly dispensed with unless required for Europa League fixtures.
There came a point last season where Pochettino bit the bullet and started utilising players from the club’s youth team, guys who were keen on playing for the shirt and proving themselves at the highest level. Players such as Harry Kane, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason were given extended runs in the first team and proved they could out-perform the expensive, high-profile signings that were brought in with the Bale money. Suddenly, the dynamic, high pressing, high-intensity football that we saw from Pochettino’s Southampton team was starting to come through, with results such as the 5-3 victory over Chelsea proof of this. Eventually, the season did catch up on these young players, and it did fizzle out slightly for Spurs. Although, some would argue that a 5th place finish with such a young side along with a league cup final appearance is a reasonably successful season.
So far the signings of Kevin Wimmer, Keiran Trippier and Toby Alderwield have addressed the club’s defensive issues. Add in the sale of players such as Paulinho, Younes Kaboul and Etienne Capoue and it is clear that Pochettino is making his imprint on the squad.
The announcement of the development of a new stadium has also given Spurs fans another reason to be optimistic. The long-suffering supporters can finally see Levy and his board providing the funds to take the club forward in a productive, efficient and sustainable manner. If this bold plan comes off, Spurs may lose the tag of a flimsy selling club and become one which can retain their best and brightest.
One thing is for sure: if Levy remains patient and helps Pochettino fill a few more gaps in the squad over the summer transfer window, this will be a very competitive Spurs side with a bright future.
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My thoughts are that we need to not give a flying one about Arse. I’m confident we’re on the right path….the real right path and not the dead end ones we thought were right up until late in the season year after year. Levy HAS to remain patient and loyal to Poch’. Like the article says, in his first season he took us to a cup final and a 5th place finish…with someone else’s squad. Yes Sherwood gave the youngsters their break but Poch has given them their place and again during his first season when the pressure was on. If Levy continues this window as he’s started it, taking a hit on the deadwood and acting swiftly on the managers targets, we can push on again this season. I still think CL is beyond us but it won’t be by much. The timing could end up being perfect…one season before our new stadium could see us hit the CL places….coys!!!
sorry but I disagree on almost all of the article.
Pochettino creating something exciting – I don’t think he is even close to being the man to bring us success, or is building something special. Last year he displayed abominable man-management, team selection and tactical ability. Not his squad? So what. A talented manager gets the best from what he has, and that was never the case. He sold players leaving the team exposed, ostracised 1/3 of the squad and played the remainder to death. You have to look beneath the basics of 5th in the PL and a cup-final and look at the decision and the performances.
Last years was a series of shambolic errors from Pochettino, and only in possibly 10% of the 55 or so games (the Arsenal and Chelsea victories certainly) did we play well. We played embarressingly direly in at least 10% of the games and the remaining 80% were just mediocre. Had Kane not emerged it would have been a mid-table performance. His management of the Fiorentina (EL) / West Ham (PL) / Chelsea (CC) sequence was exceedingly amateur and resulted in us leaving the EL against a not very good side that still managed to get to the semi’s and having no chance in the CC as 75% of the squad were exhausted.
Giving youth a chance – When during the season did Pochettino bite the bullet and playing people from the youth team? He played Academy products much as Sherwood did. Possibly what you mean is that he started playing Kane as first-choice but, from my perspective, it appeared he needed his arm broken before he did that in the league. Thank goodness for him that he did so as it probably saved his job.
Levy is backing his manager – I see no real signs that he is doing so to a greater or lesser extend than previous managers – Sherwood aside who wasn’t backed. Right now we are selling players – mainly from the Summer of Seven – whilst they still have a value which, if kept another year and not played, will have little re-sale value. We have bought players seemingly to fill gaps – which is a good thing and something not done well for years – but still need incoming quality for the other glaring deficient positions before we go overboard on that.
Pochettino needs to up his game and show he is not all smoke, mirrors and philosphy. I know he can’t do that.
Lazy article.
Start off by mocking all Spurs fans with the delusions of the minority, then you had to mention Bale. Always the main four things in blogs like these to bring up to the sheepish of Spurs fans – Bale, £100million, Arsenal and Top Four. Like I say, lazy
Poch is building something special on the pitch, and Levy is building something special off it. We are going to be well placed to challenge for honours and titles on a regular basis under this stewardship and that is something that shouldn’t be mocked by people claiming to be “looking out in the interest of Spurs”.
Levy will remain patient. He has given Poch a five year contract. He will remain patient as long as certain fans that turn up to White Hart Lane only to sour the atmosphere if we have not scored within 3mins of the start are kept at bay, or even better – out.
I have no doubt about what type of future we are building towards. Just wish all Spurs fans would, for once, pull in the same direction.