Are we beaten before we start!!!

[Glenn R]

The sad fact is we are a 2nd tier club. Players want to play in the Champions League so they hold out to see if they can get a move to a CL club. Only once they accept that's not going to happen do they look at the likes of us. That's why we do the majority of our deals late in the window. We are 2nd or 3rd choice to these guys. We will pick up a few young ones who are not yet ready for the CL before hand but the bulk of the business will be done only when the CL clubs have filled their squads.

If we were a second rate club we wouldn't get players like Lloris to join us. We have the potential to be a top 4 club; what we need is the right manager and a larger stadium. I am hoping that the new manager will be the right one. Every time I read something about him - from former Spurs players, or players that played under him - it has always been positive. One of Southampton's players said they would rather play for us than Ars*nal because of our manager.

From what I've seen and heard so far, I think at last we have the right manager. Early days I know, just a feeling. If he can only do one thing this season, and that's sort out our defence once and for all, then we might get somewhere.
The friendlies say it all. 5 goals leaked in 2 games. Ben Davies is a start, now we need at least 1 more CB, and the correct coaching to stop the unforced errors, and how to defend set pieces. Simples !!

Leaked goals in friendlies are neither here nor there. It is about trying out formations. The manger has changed the teams quite regularly to try to find out which are his best players. At this stage I am not worried about leaked goals but how they perform. What is important is getting it right on the night.

[Blackjack]

The defence is the main problem but from what ive seen after watching both the friendlies is when the right team is on the pitch we are much more solid, in both games with Dawson he and his fellow center back are way to far apart and so leave achers of space inbetween, Dawson has also been playing suicidle  balls, in the first half against Toronto Kaboul played, Ben Davis played and we also had Erikksen, Lamela and Soldado and we looked so much more solid, at HT all 10 outfield players where changed and thats when we conceded, Dawson came in again and did not get his back four together, the midfield did not close down and we were slow out the blocks, considering we have Vertonghan to come back aswell as Paulinho we can only get better!, I would like to give Kaboul and Vertonghan  go together with Davis on the left and Walker on the right, Paulinho, Erickksen in the middle, Chadli on the left, Townsend on the right with Lamela sat just behind Soldado or Ade so we play 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2.
If we can get the defence and midfield working together and the midfield and the strikers working together we ay just get it right yet!, what I have noticed is Pochitino is getting us to pass the ball forward as apose to hoofing it up field which is what I want to see!, my only little critisism would be we still look a little cramped in midfield still( when we play the ball out from the back the back four is struggling to find an outlet in space as the midfield come into the ball trying to play a tight diamond or one two, this is a very very dangerous thing to do close to your own final third as against good teams we will get heavily punished) ... just something to work on!!!.