Had we exceeded our capabilities this season?

[Glenn R]

We, along with Leicester City, have had an exceptional season. But why? Is it because of our abilities or were there other reasons (in other words was it a fluke)? Those that should have been part of the top four (Chelsea & United) have had a terrible season. Chelsea in particular really had a dreadful one. Last season Chelsea had won the league and was expected to be favourites to win it this season. However, Chelsea finished 10 this season. City another favourite didn’t have a good season and ended up 4th. Ars*nal had a good season, but was expected to finish, again, fourth. Leicester, who struggled last year, was expected to struggle or be relegated this season, ended up winning the title. We drew twice with Chelsea (who finished 10th), we lost our first match against United (own goal), but thrashed them at White Hart Lane. Against Ars*nal we had two draws (however, they beat us in the cup). City we did the double against them. Therefore, did we end up, where we did, because of our Abilities or luck.

What about next season? Chelsea, City, and probably United, will have new managers’. Their performances should be a lot better than this season. Leicester won’t be there, but Liverpool, Southampton and West Ham could be a threat and challenge for a top 6th spot. So, are we good enough to challenge for a top fourth spot, or even challenge for the title next season? And what about Europe? We must strength in all departments. We certainly weren’t good enough to challenge on all fronts with the squad we’ve got this season.

Another point; was our last couple of defeats/ draws down to Dembele and Alli? Personally I think it was. Any team that challenges for trophies should have a very good squad, so that if a key member is out or banned another good one can come in. We’ve been lucky with injuries this season, but didn’t have the right players to take over from Dembele and Alli.
What are your thoughts?

[RSS61]

Personally I don't think we exceeded our capabilities at all, quite the opposite. Considering how we were doing up until we lost at the Lane to Newcastle, everything was going to plan. Then we smashed Stoke 4-0, a very unusual event, and I began to feel we might actually do it.
For me the draw at home to West Brom, where something like 13 good chances produced one goal started the demise of our players confidence.
Our biggest problem has been the inability to convert chances. As no 1 in the league for creating goal chances, we should have had at least 20 more goals, which would have sealed the title, make no mistake. Leicester on the other hand had the no 1 conversion rate in the league.
And the reason for all this ?? Our failure for the second year running to bring in a striker, if you discount Son and N'jie, who most clearly have not worked thus far.
Even if Defoe had come back he would have added a presence up front that has been sorely missed.
So the message to Levy & Poch id crystal clear. We need a striker to complement Kane, plus two midfielders to challenge Dembele, Ali, and Dier. Lastly a new RB. Sorry Walker.

[Ruth]

Personally I don't think we exceeded our capabilities at all, quite the opposite. Considering how we were doing up until we lost at the Lane to Newcastle, everything was going to plan. Then we smashed Stoke 4-0, a very unusual event, and I began to feel we might actually do it.
For me the draw at home to West Brom, where something like 13 good chances produced one goal started the demise of our players confidence.
Our biggest problem has been the inability to convert chances. As no 1 in the league for creating goal chances, we should have had at least 20 more goals, which would have sealed the title, make no mistake. Leicester on the other hand had the no 1 conversion rate in the league.
And the reason for all this ?? Our failure for the second year running to bring in a striker, if you discount Son and N'jie, who most clearly have not worked thus far.
Even if Defoe had come back he would have added a presence up front that has been sorely missed.
So the message to Levy & Poch id crystal clear. We need a striker to complement Kane, plus two midfielders to challenge Dembele, Ali, and Dier. Lastly a new RB. Sorry Walker.

I am not quite so sure and it is something I've been thinking of lately. Would Spurs had done the same if Man United, Man City and Chelsea were on top form? I am not so sure. We thrashed City in two matches, thrashed United at  home and drawing with both Chelsea and Ars*nal. Relegated Newcastle defeated us home and away. 

Looking back our downfall, if you can call it that, was when we drew so many games at the beginning of the season and our abysmal showing at the end of the season. The games we drew we should have won, and as for the end of the season I doubt we would have lost the last couple of games if it wasn't for Mousa and Dele being banned.

I agree with you about us not getting in a striker. But on the positive side is that we did better than expected and we achieved our goal by getting into the top 4. Next season will be the real tester. And we do need to strengthen our squad to have any chance of challenging in Europe.

 

[RSS61]

Personally I don't think we exceeded our capabilities at all, quite the opposite. Considering how we were doing up until we lost at the Lane to Newcastle, everything was going to plan. Then we smashed Stoke 4-0, a very unusual event, and I began to feel we might actually do it.
For me the draw at home to West Brom, where something like 13 good chances produced one goal started the demise of our players confidence.
Our biggest problem has been the inability to convert chances. As no 1 in the league for creating goal chances, we should have had at least 20 more goals, which would have sealed the title, make no mistake. Leicester on the other hand had the no 1 conversion rate in the league.
And the reason for all this ?? Our failure for the second year running to bring in a striker, if you discount Son and N'jie, who most clearly have not worked thus far.
Even if Defoe had come back he would have added a presence up front that has been sorely missed.
So the message to Levy & Poch id crystal clear. We need a striker to complement Kane, plus two midfielders to challenge Dembele, Ali, and Dier. Lastly a new RB. Sorry Walker.

I am not quite so sure and it is something I've been thinking of lately. Would Spurs had done the same if Man United, Man City and Chelsea were on top form? I am not so sure. We thrashed City in two matches, thrashed United at  home and drawing with both Chelsea and Ars*nal. Relegated Newcastle defeated us home and away. 

Looking back our downfall, if you can call it that, was when we drew so many games at the beginning of the season and our abysmal showing at the end of the season. The games we drew we should have won, and as for the end of the season I doubt we would have lost the last couple of games if it wasn't for Mousa and Dele being banned.

I agree with you about us not getting in a striker. But on the positive side is that we did better than expected and we achieved our goal by getting into the top 4. Next season will be the real tester. And we do need to strengthen our squad to have any chance of challenging in Europe.

 

Hi Ruth, to respond to your points. Had Chelsea, Man U and City been on usual form, then no, we would not have finished 3rd for sure. 70 points generally does not get top 4, in fact we got 72 and finished 5th when AVB was sacked. However, you can only beat what is in front of you. Its the same for everyone.
I agree that the huge amount of drawn games over the season, nearly all from winning positions, is what has cost us, caused by inability to convert the huge amount of chances created. It is this that would suggest that we have underachieved, rather than the opposite, as is suggested in the post.
I still believe that not beating West Brom, which effectively ended our chance of the title, caused the majority of our team to give up on the 100% pressing and aggression that has symbolised all that has been good this season, with the exception of the Chelsea game.
Whether the inclusion of Dembele and Ali would have changed things, who knows. Possibly. Hence the fact that we are crying out for some quality reinforcements. After all, just look at our bench. Mason, Carroll, etc. Its laughable really.

[Spursx]

The answer is easy, but we will have to wait until next season for that answer. There will be more teams challenging for four places. Chelsea, United, Ars*nal, City, Liverpool and ourselves, that is six clubs fighting for four spots. Then there are the outsiders, like Southampton, West Ham and maybe another unknown (another Leicester City football club, but I doubt it will be them). Personally I think that Chelsea and City will be there, maybe followed by the Gooners. That means one spot left. Levy has to buy big and have a great depth within the team. At the same time he needs the money for the stadium. A bit of a headache for him. If Pochettino doesn't get the resources then he will be gone, contract or no contract.

[RSS61]

To resurrect a previous topic, I thought the below article made quite a lot of sense as to where we are now.



The backlash against Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League exit has been forceful. Past results have been re-read, with the defeat to Monaco in mind. The collapse against Chelsea last season, meaning that Spurs handed Leicester the title, has been reevaluated to include a broader narrative, as has the embarrassing defeat to already-relegated Newcastle, which prevented Tottenham from finishing ahead of Ars*nal. The idea is that Tottenham have a habit of crumbling when the stakes are raised, that there is a pressure valve in this young squad that leads to loss of discipline and indecision.

Mauricio Pochettino has also faced criticism. The Tottenham manager has been barraged for the decision to change formation again, the third time in three games. He also left Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen on the bench, both of whom have indicated that they would have been fit and ready to play. Pochettino’s decisions looked baffling, almost as if the Champions League was not a priority, but the upcoming match with Chelsea was on his mind. A season of work to ensure qualification was allowed to slip away through poor performances. Some have suggested that Spurs played as if they did not want to be in the competition.

Yet the points of contention, both with Tottenham and Pochettino, arise from a number of misconceptions that serve to cast the club and the manager in a particularly harsh light. The main problem with drawing too much from Tottenham’s Champions League struggles is in the traditional English condition of underestimating the quality of European sides. The Premier League is a behemoth, both in terms of its apparent quality and its worldwide reach, yet English clubs, at least recently, have consistently struggled in Europe. Finishing 3rd, 2nd, or even 1st in the Premier League is no guarantee of European success. Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen, the two sides that will finish ahead of Spurs in the group, have European pedigree and have become accustomed to taking part in the competition. They are established, even if only in the group stage, while Tottenham are not.

Unlike those around them, this Tottenham squad is not accustomed to Champions League football. It is easy to forget, with Pep Guardiola in charge and a number of league titles to their name, that Manchester City struggled for many years with the adaptation to the Champions League. At that time, the coefficient structure was set against City, but their difficulties are instructive for Tottenham’s young squad. That City side had experienced Champions League players in the squad, while Tottenham’s largely youthful side have no real experience of playing at that level. It should, perhaps, be no surprise that the step up takes more than just one season. The real challenge is to become a regular in the competition.

Like his squad, Pochettino is also inexperienced as a manager at Champions League level. His rather smooth career trajectory has met its first real slump but, like players, managers improve with experience and with age. Pochettino will know more now about the task of reaching the summit of European football than he did before. It remains a question of using such lessons to improve the side but the guarded comments he has made so far seem to indicate that he knows the squad needs to adding to.

The match against Chelsea provides an opportunity to demonstrate that Tottenham have the quality to become regular Champions League qualifiers. Only then can the inexperience of both the squad and the manager be remedied. Without further qualification, a short trifle with Europe’s most prestigious tournament becomes meaningless.