Are We Having A Good Season?

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VitalFootballAdmin

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With just over two-thirds of the season gone, how are we doing? The facts are: We've been knocked out of Europe and the LC; We're second on the EPL table; We are in the..


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Geofspurs sent us the following:

With just over two-thirds of the season gone, how are we doing? The facts are: We've been knocked out of Europe and the LC; We're second on the EPL table; We are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup (with a real chance of progressing to the semis); We have a tight-knit and happy squad of players; We have a new state-of-the-art stadium on the horizon; We have the second best GD in the PL; No club has lost less games than us; We have the joint-best defence in the league; We have a scoring record that compares well with any other team (compares well does not mean the same); We have averaged more than 2 points per game so far; We have a very good manager who is liked and respected by his players; and we have a striker whose goal tally is the highest in the league.

So what about the rest of the season?

If we won the league it would be on a par with Leicester's exploits, and you just can't see Chelsea blowing it now. Second is a distinct possibility as our main rivals for that spot have to play each other. We won't win all the remaining games but we will gain more points. We have two games left against top six clubs, both at home (United and ars*nal). The home game against ars*nal gives us a real chance of demoting our neighbours in the bragging-rights stakes for the first time in PL history. That just has to be good! We should have a real chance to test our resolve in the FA Cup where, despite the quality of the remaining opponents, we are well in the mix to win a decent trophy for the cabinet. And I'm really happy when 'we're in the mix'. We all know a Cup win is possible.... and it's the possibility that produces the optimism and excitement. Will we amass our highest points total in PL history? That's possible, too.

Would a Cup final (win or lose) and second or third on the ladder be seen as a continuation of the steady progress we've made over the last couple of seasons? I would think so. But we all see it in different ways. Forget all the statistics, past reflections, and forward aspirations, for a moment, and consider this; probably the most significant fact about our season so far is extremely basic.... we have played some outstanding football in a great many games. That's Entertainment!
 
Our European venture was bitterly disappointing; we failed to adjust our tactical approach to a much bigger pitch (and yes that couple of yards wider and 5 yards longer) makes a huge difference to the space you have to defend when you play a high-line, pressing and counter pressing game, for one you almost completely negate the use of your 'keeper sweeper' - something at WHL works so incredibly effectively, yet singly failed at Wembley.

And when you come up against teams that are well-organised, used to playing defensively and on the counter, they have the capacity to hurt you., as they did.

We 'rightly' rotated, but there is no question that the rotation didn't work as you'd have hoped and the subs were at times timid and ineffective.

That's Poch's one big black mark for me, but he's not alone Wenger (arguably a far better, much more experienced coach) also got it badly wrong in almost the exact same way we did and suffered accordingly.

It really did expose Poch's need to learn and learn quickly. another campaign like that almost everyone will be lining up to have his head on the block.

He'll assuage many by reaching the final, he'll get them to love him if we win it.

The 'bigger' impact prize, both financially and credibility wise in the market for the summer, would be achieving Top 4 again, make that a finish above le arse and he'll have broken almost every PL record we've ever had, so as progress and success for the club, I'd put this achievement (if it happended) above silver for this one last time....it can be the difference between persuading players like Isco to take us seriously or simply say thanks no thanks - I'll never forget how close we came to getting Hazard, but how he said the 'guarantee of CL football with the chav's just persuaded him towards them'..

Incremental progress in the PL, is a must for the silverware we will go on to win.
 
We'll get Zaha whether we're in the CL or not, so I'd rather win the FA Cup than finish top4.
 
Big Chiv - 7/3/2017 11:29

We'll get Zaha whether we're in the CL or not, so I'd rather win the FA Cup than finish top4.
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If we'd had Zaha this season, my money would have been on us being much closer to Chelsea, he\s the speedy, strong direct attacking option we haven't had. he's an excellent all round player, albeit playing in a poor team..

obviously really rate him, and I rarely get it wrong, put it this way, how many would swap Sissoko for Zaha now?

Did you see his MOM performance at the weekend - no one could get near him.
 
The difference is when Zaha will be playing for us. He will get a lot less space then he has now.
The reason why offensive players look better at smaller teams is that they get a lot more space to play then when they are at a top club. So not sure if it will work for him with us.
 
sjm1985 - 7/3/2017 12:15

The difference is when Zaha will be playing for us. He will get a lot less space then he has now.
The reason why offensive players look better at smaller teams is that they get a lot more space to play then when they are at a top club. So not sure if it will work for him with us.
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But that's a general issue we've had to contend with at home all season; he was double teamed at the weekend and at time has 3 on - so I suspect most if not all who comes in have to get used to less space, but his ball skills and control is actually pretty damn good.

I wished we'd got him instead of Sissoko, I'm pretty certain who would have had a bigger more immediate impact.
 
Well I had great hopes with Vincent, he really looked good at the beginning and has turned out to be a flop. Nevermind that. Do you think we can afford him?
 
We have a good domestic season so far. The european campaign was a huge kick in the teeth. Lets hope we can get 2nd and win the FA cup.

If we finish 3rd and win nothing then we havent improved from last season.
 
Taricco the yid - 7/3/2017 15:07

We have a good domestic season so far. The european campaign was a huge kick in the teeth. Lets hope we can get 2nd and win the FA cup.

If we finish 3rd and win nothing then we havent improved from last season.
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Agreed.
 
Spursex - 7/3/2017 11:40

Big Chiv - 7/3/2017 11:29

We'll get Zaha whether we're in the CL or not, so I'd rather win the FA Cup than finish top4.
Click to expand...

If we'd had Zaha this season, my money would have been on us being much closer to Chelsea, he\s the speedy, strong direct attacking option we haven't had. he's an excellent all round player, albeit playing in a poor team..

obviously really rate him, and I rarely get it wrong, put it this way, how many would swap Sissoko for Zaha now?

Did you see his MOM performance at the weekend - no one could get near him.
Click to expand...

He has improved this season. He would certainly give us speed. If he replaced Lamela and Sissoko I wouldn't mind. I do think Redmond is better though.
 
We'd have been better this season with Chadli instead of Sissoko .
Hopefully Levy has noticed the price difference and sacks all the scouting staff.

But hold on , he has, and we still end up chasing Zaha according to the media :39:
 
I have been consistent in my view on how to gauge improvement, while cup success would be welcomed. In my view the league is the only genuine way to gauge progress, a good or bad draw in cup competition can determine a good or a poor run.
The league is the real barometer for me, the means improving points total year on year. We could finish 4th with a record points tally.
That to me would still be progress, increase point total year on year and sooner or later we will win the league.
 
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