Yes, who would have thought it ?..Spurs only 6 points from their last 8 games.
We have to take our chances tonight, but it won't be easy, Fulham will certainly not want to do us any favours.
If we don't make it, I hope Newcastle qualify. Just listened to Pardew's post match interview, what a thoroughly decent bloke he is, giving full credit to Bolton and admitting they were probably the better side for much of the game.
Can't believe how Spurs have messed up their grip on 3rd let alone 4th spot! Out of interest, do any of you have any feeling on how strongly the squad will be revamped and who will be bought in? Hearing lots of rumours of Drogba, Kalou and Malouda moving on but Di Matteo seems to be playing them a fair bit..know anymore?
I wouldnt be surprised to see them all leave, Kalou and Drogba are out of contract and no sign of them signing a new one. Malouda has been terrible for years now, needs to leave. Drogba has been a legend for the club but i think he wants to leave now, think he may return to Marseille in the summer. Fact remains he is getting older and doesnt look likely to returning to his fearsome best. As a replacement? i really dont know, who can replace Drogba in world football at the moment? Would like to see Torres/Sturridge playing up there more often, with Lukaku also getting more game time.
Think we are more in need of creative players to replace Kalou and Malouda who just dont produce the goods anymore. I would like to see Hazard/Ribery/Robben/Gotze, pretty much any of the talented wingers around the world come in. Also think we could do with sorting out the midfield further, still question marks surrounding the future of Lampard and Essien, who both look shadow of their former selfs. Modric could still be a good signing to replace Lampard, IMO.
Would love to see a team like this next season:
Cech
Ivan Luiz Terry(Cahill) Cole
Ramires Romeu(Mikel)
Hazard Modric Mata
Torres(Sturridge)
Let Ramires and Romeu do all the midfield battling and pass the ball up to the creative players of hazard / mata / modric, looks good on paper to me! Atleast thats what i would do on Football manager
I still have no idea who the manager will be next season, think theres still a chance RDM could be in charge if he does well in these last few games. If he wins nothing(and doesnt get 4th) then i would expect to see Capello/Jose
Out of interest, do any of you have any feeling on how strongly the squad will be revamped and who will be bought in? Hearing lots of rumours of Drogba, Kalou and Malouda moving on but Di Matteo seems to be playing them a fair bit..know anymore?
Depends on the new manager and what he thinks of our younger players. Drogba, Kalou, and Bosingwa (I'm not sure about him, but the Sun seems to think so) are out of contract in the summer, so best to just let them go. Kalou only plays because he's less bad than Malouda, and Drogba wants 2 years and big money, which isn't really a good deal for us now. If he's willing to take a pay-cut and play less often then it's a different story (tbh, I expect him to stay.) Lukaku will likely go out on loan which leaves us looking short up front (with or without Drogba.)
We have de Bruyne joining in the summer and Kakuta returning from an impressive loan spell who can both offer width and creativity. McEachran will definitely be loaned out. Our CM is beyond poor. Romeu's exclusion from the team is baffling.
We're looking at full-backs, and we have more goalkeepers than any club could ever possibly need, so we're covered there.
I'd hope we don't go mad and spend £200m for the sake of saying "we've overhauled!", but changes are definitely needed.
Kalou's a weird player, I've never really rated him but he has a knack of scoring crucial goals, think you could do worse than keep him as a squad player!
Reckon there's any truth in the rumours of Sturridge moving on considering he was booed off at the weekend and he apparently wants to play through the middle more..Lucas Piazon is meant to be highly rated too, will he eature next season? So many questions, apologies
Can see a return for Modric as you say, and Hazard is strongly linked, really think just with signing a RB and creative midfielder you'll look a lot better, and if you can get some pace down the left side you'll be a different prospect.
What's your opinion on Meireles? Good goal against Benfica but before he sliced that ball out of play awfully..and was sloppy against City too!
Capello would be good I think, not a bad CL manager, league winning experience and had a good relationship with JT, would need to brush up on his English though if he's to be in England for club management!
Kalou is very hot and cold as you said, i wouldnt mind keeping him as a squad player, but i dont think hes any more than that. Sturridge could possibly be moved on, but i would like to see him played upfront a lot more, could work better. Dont really think he will ever become a proper winger. I would rather keep him to be honest, think he is a very talented young player.
Piazon has played well in the reserves, not sure if he is quite ready for the first team yet, still only 17-18 i think. Merieles is not good enough for the first eleven, IMO. Could still be useful as a squad player but not sure if he will be happy with that, could make a return to portugal in the summer.
I am sure he is injured, atleast that is what i have read on the official website, not sure what the problem is though.
Keep saying he's injured, then he appears on the bench without coming on. Nobody has ever actually discussed his injury the way they would with any other player...it's like his early season contributions have been completely forgotten.
It's never a dull match when Clattenberg is in charge.
Chelsea should have had a penalty for handball, Meireles shouldn't have been booked, Cahill should have seen red and Kalou basically tripped over the ball.
I can't wait to see what this numpty does in the second half. Anything is possible.
Comments
Thanks Spurs and 'Arry......:D
Tough game against Fulham tonight, need to capitalise!
Newcastle are looking so good at the moment.
We have to take our chances tonight, but it won't be easy, Fulham will certainly not want to do us any favours.
If we don't make it, I hope Newcastle qualify. Just listened to Pardew's post match interview, what a thoroughly decent bloke he is, giving full credit to Bolton and admitting they were probably the better side for much of the game.
Think we are more in need of creative players to replace Kalou and Malouda who just dont produce the goods anymore. I would like to see Hazard/Ribery/Robben/Gotze, pretty much any of the talented wingers around the world come in. Also think we could do with sorting out the midfield further, still question marks surrounding the future of Lampard and Essien, who both look shadow of their former selfs. Modric could still be a good signing to replace Lampard, IMO.
Would love to see a team like this next season:
Cech
Ivan Luiz Terry(Cahill) Cole
Ramires Romeu(Mikel)
Hazard Modric Mata
Torres(Sturridge)
Let Ramires and Romeu do all the midfield battling and pass the ball up to the creative players of hazard / mata / modric, looks good on paper to me! Atleast thats what i would do on Football manager
I still have no idea who the manager will be next season, think theres still a chance RDM could be in charge if he does well in these last few games. If he wins nothing(and doesnt get 4th) then i would expect to see Capello/Jose
Tough game
Depends on the new manager and what he thinks of our younger players. Drogba, Kalou, and Bosingwa (I'm not sure about him, but the Sun seems to think so) are out of contract in the summer, so best to just let them go. Kalou only plays because he's less bad than Malouda, and Drogba wants 2 years and big money, which isn't really a good deal for us now. If he's willing to take a pay-cut and play less often then it's a different story (tbh, I expect him to stay.) Lukaku will likely go out on loan which leaves us looking short up front (with or without Drogba.)
We have de Bruyne joining in the summer and Kakuta returning from an impressive loan spell who can both offer width and creativity. McEachran will definitely be loaned out. Our CM is beyond poor. Romeu's exclusion from the team is baffling.
We're looking at full-backs, and we have more goalkeepers than any club could ever possibly need, so we're covered there.
I'd hope we don't go mad and spend £200m for the sake of saying "we've overhauled!", but changes are definitely needed.
I am sure he is injured, atleast that is what i have read on the official website, not sure what the problem is though.
Reckon there's any truth in the rumours of Sturridge moving on considering he was booed off at the weekend and he apparently wants to play through the middle more..Lucas Piazon is meant to be highly rated too, will he eature next season? So many questions, apologies
Can see a return for Modric as you say, and Hazard is strongly linked, really think just with signing a RB and creative midfielder you'll look a lot better, and if you can get some pace down the left side you'll be a different prospect.
What's your opinion on Meireles? Good goal against Benfica but before he sliced that ball out of play awfully..and was sloppy against City too!
Capello would be good I think, not a bad CL manager, league winning experience and had a good relationship with JT, would need to brush up on his English though if he's to be in England for club management!
Piazon has played well in the reserves, not sure if he is quite ready for the first team yet, still only 17-18 i think. Merieles is not good enough for the first eleven, IMO. Could still be useful as a squad player but not sure if he will be happy with that, could make a return to portugal in the summer.
Edit- slightly worried about JT playing!!! I know Boss is a liability but I would rather have him or Paulo play at RB than to risk Terry.
Keep saying he's injured, then he appears on the bench without coming on. Nobody has ever actually discussed his injury the way they would with any other player...it's like his early season contributions have been completely forgotten.
It''s all happening on Radio 5.
Chelsea should have had a penalty for handball, Meireles shouldn't have been booked, Cahill should have seen red and Kalou basically tripped over the ball.
I can't wait to see what this numpty does in the second half. Anything is possible.
You'd think that giving away a 3-0 lead would be enough to get them to stop this shit :rolleyes:
still only 4 points off being 3rd though. Dont know the remaining fixtures of arsenal, spurs, newcastle and chelsea but still to fight for surely