Overall Season Review

[SmithAndJones]

Will be interesting to read everybody's views on the season generally. My thoughts are as follows

- The arrival of Conte and the January signings of Bentancur and Kulu for which Paratici deserves credit, were key to a successful season, the outcome of which could never have been predicted early in the season. Contribution made by some of our established players over the run in shouldn't be overlooked however.
- Lack of competition for Lloris was evident throughout. Hugo's performances varied from sublime to awful, the only consistency was his poor distribution.
- The back three were immense during a difficult run in when there was little room for error, never putting a foot wrong. Sanchez certainly didn't let the side down when called upon at a critical stage.
- Conte's system is very dependent on WB's, where much work remains to be done. Doherty's improved performances after Kulu's arrival have earned him another season. Sessegnon remains a player of potential, but how long will he survive on potential alone. Make or break season for him coming up. Royal is at best a backup a squad player, whilst Reguilon is not the player he promised to be when he first arrived. I wouldn't be surprised to see a completely new pair of WB's in place by the time we start our CL campaign.
- Bentancur and Kulu have made all the difference in terms of the outcome of our season, and Bentancur together with Skipp give us the quality we need in DM/CM. Hojbjerg maybe not be the best around, but as an all over the pitch workhorse, week in, week out, he is the type of invaluable squad player that a Club will always need.
- I've long bemoaned the lack of a creative AM, we don't have one, but acknowledge that Conte's system generally doesn't allow for this type of player. There are however a number of PL fixtures, and they're not difficult to predict, where teams will set up to negate our strengths, where a more attack influenced midfield is needed, because we just do not play well against these teams. That's why I'd like to see Eriksen back at Spurs, provided that he accepts that he will not be an automatic selection.
- Kulu has been a revelation, certainly exceeded my expectations. Additional to the hard work he puts in, he improves right sided WB's by virtue of the assistance he provides, he's excellent at both winning and retaining the ball, and he looks like he maybe the player who from next season can supplement Son and Kane's goals with 10-12 of his own.
- Sonny is simply a diamond, the jewel in our crown. I can't think of a striker anywhere else in Europe who I would rather have in my side.
- HK's failings, particularly in the first half of the season, have been well documented. He has however been on an upward curve since Conte's arrival, the future of the two of them at the Club looks to be locked together, and Harry remains one of the best all round players in Europe. I think that he will prove that in the CL next season.
- Conte, Saviour of Spurs. Give him a new contract and hope like hell that he stays with us for longer than what for him is the normal.

 

[muttley]

Will be interesting to read everybody's views on the season generally. My thoughts are as follows

- The arrival of Conte and the January signings of Bentancur and Kulu for which Paratici deserves credit, were key to a successful season, the outcome of which could never have been predicted early in the season. Contribution made by some of our established players over the run in shouldn't be overlooked however.
- Lack of competition for Lloris was evident throughout. Hugo's performances varied from sublime to awful, the only consistency was his poor distribution.
- The back three were immense during a difficult run in when there was little room for error, never putting a foot wrong. Sanchez certainly didn't let the side down when called upon at a critical stage.
- Conte's system is very dependent on WB's, where much work remains to be done. Doherty's improved performances after Kulu's arrival have earned him another season. Sessegnon remains a player of potential, but how long will he survive on potential alone. Make or break season for him coming up. Royal is at best a backup a squad player, whilst Reguilon is not the player he promised to be when he first arrived. I wouldn't be surprised to see a completely new pair of WB's in place by the time we start our CL campaign.
- Bentancur and Kulu have made all the difference in terms of the outcome of our season, and Bentancur together with Skipp give us the quality we need in DM/CM. Hojbjerg maybe not be the best around, but as an all over the pitch workhorse, week in, week out, he is the type of invaluable squad player that a Club will always need.
- I've long bemoaned the lack of a creative AM, we don't have one, but acknowledge that Conte's system generally doesn't allow for this type of player. There are however a number of PL fixtures, and they're not difficult to predict, where teams will set up to negate our strengths, where a more attack influenced midfield is needed, because we just do not play well against these teams. That's why I'd like to see Eriksen back at Spurs, provided that he accepts that he will not be an automatic selection.
- Kulu has been a revelation, certainly exceeded my expectations. Additional to the hard work he puts in, he improves right sided WB's by virtue of the assistance he provides, he's excellent at both winning and retaining the ball, and he looks like he maybe the player who from next season can supplement Son and Kane's goals with 10-12 of his own.
- Sonny is simply a diamond, the jewel in our crown. I can't think of a striker anywhere else in Europe who I would rather have in my side.
- HK's failings, particularly in the first half of the season, have been well documented. He has however been on an upward curve since Conte's arrival, the future of the two of them at the Club looks to be locked together, and Harry remains one of the best all round players in Europe. I think that he will prove that in the CL next season.
- Conte, Saviour of Spurs. Give him a new contract and hope like hell that he stays with us for longer than what for him is the normal.

All of the above. What I would add is as follows:

- The perception is that Nuno messed up, SuperConte came in and saved the day. It's worth remembering that root cause that sits below that is an unprofessional set of players who just turn it on when they want to. It's becoming the minority, but it's still there.

- It was nice to finish the season with Harry not being either the main scorer or the main provider. Finding more dependent players like Kulu, Bentancur and Romero is what it is all about. We all know Harry has set his stall out to be a "luxury" player in the latter part of his career. It is up to Fabio and Antonio to gradually optimise that scenario. Antonio knows there is way more Harry could do to enable his system.

- The pace of churn in the squad under Fabio is a key factor. As we exited the summer, Fabio was still doing things like creating a separation agreement with Aurier. It's the most decisive we've seen Spurs in the market for years.

 

[Real Deal]

Just thinking back to when Nuno was in charge and we went into that awful run.

Getting smashed by Palace, Gooners, Chelsea.

We were one of the worst teams in the league. Never created anything and always looked like conceding.

Only Hugo and Skippy came out with any credit from that period.

Bringing in Conte changed the tide. Was the biggest game changer we have ever made as a club in the Premier league era. For the first time ever we brought in a prime winner.

He has his faults and we have all had a moan at them. But he has shown in a very short time what a winner he is.

Changing to 3 CBS was a turning point. None of the current crop looked like they can handle playing as a 2. It helped wean out the mistakes that were costing us points. It helped mask their weaknesses.

Romero coming in really upped the class at the back. An aggressive, never say die CB with some silky footballing skills.

Up until January we looked pretty solid but lacked quality at CM and RF. We couldn't control games in the middle of the park and we couldn't set any tempo from deep. We struggled to keep possession in the final 3rd for years.

Enter Bentancur and Kulu.

Bentancur has shown in certain games away to City, home to the Spammers especially how good he can be. He does all the donkey work but has a touch of class about him. Vision, touch. He has brought Hojbjerg to ridiculous levels. Hojbjerg has become a machine in the middle of the park.

Kulu with his excellent ball retention skills and the ability to make the right pass at the right time has been a vital signing. His stats are ridiculously good.

They have both helped transition our attacking play. It's a joy to watch talented players work their socks off.

Son and Kane have loved having both in the side. Their job is much easier. They can link up and just know a quality pass from deep or wide is coming.

Without these two vital signings we don't get CL. This is why for years some of us have screamed at Levy to do business in January.

It looked like Spursy was creeping back in after the loss to Brighton at home. But we some how dug deep and showed under Conte we have a solid underbelly. If he is backed this summer, we may finally start to dream.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

Just thinking back to when Nuno was in charge and we went into that awful run.

Getting smashed by Palace, Gooners, Chelsea.

We were one of the worst teams in the league. Never created anything and always looked like conceding.

Only Hugo and Skippy came out with any credit from that period.

Bringing in Conte changed the tide. Was the biggest game changer we have ever made as a club in the Premier league era. For the first time ever we brought in a prime winner.

He has his faults and we have all had a moan at them. But he has shown in a very short time what a winner he is.

Changing to 3 CBS was a turning point. None of the current crop looked like they can handle playing as a 2. It helped wean out the mistakes that were costing us points. It helped mask their weaknesses.

Romero coming in really upped the class at the back. An aggressive, never say die CB with some silky footballing skills.

Up until January we looked pretty solid but lacked quality at CM and RF. We couldn't control games in the middle of the park and we couldn't set any tempo from deep. We struggled to keep possession in the final 3rd for years.

Enter Bentancur and Kulu.

Bentancur has shown in certain games away to City, home to the Spammers especially how good he can be. He does all the donkey work but has a touch of class about him. Vision, touch. He has brought Hojbjerg to ridiculous levels. Hojbjerg has become a machine in the middle of the park.

Kulu with his excellent ball retention skills and the ability to make the right pass at the right time has been a vital signing. His stats are ridiculously good.

They have both helped transition our attacking play. It's a joy to watch talented players work their socks off.

Son and Kane have loved having both in the side. Their job is much easier. They can link up and just know a quality pass from deep or wide is coming.

Without these two vital signings we don't get CL. This is why for years some of us have screamed at Levy to do business in January.

It looked like Spursy was creeping back in after the loss to Brighton at home. But we some how dug deep and showed under Conte we have a solid underbelly. If he is backed this summer, we may finally start to dream.

Great summary.

 

[Spursex]

An honorable mention also goes to Levy (yes, the voodoo devotees' favorite doll); tough decisions this season, but as I'd been saying for a while, the biggest one was stepping back away from the football and transfer decisions and appointing Paraticci and then Conte. Paraticci was the key to getting Conte.

It's been a long while coming, but he got this 100% right.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

An honorable mention also goes to Levy (yes, the voodoo devotees' favorite doll); tough decisions this season, but as I'd been saying for a while, the biggest one was stepping back away from the football and transfer decisions and appointing Paraticci and then Conte. Paraticci was the key to getting Conte.

It's been a long while coming, but he got this 100% right.

Yes, I was thinking just that this morning.

 

[Departed]

Kane's wholehearted efforts to get Son the Golden Boot have gone a long way to assuage any ill feeling I have toward his attitude. It is that kind of action that, in my mind, makes someone a real legend. Making the people around you better.

Was it Kane maturing after the lessons of last summer? Who knows, but it will be interesting to see if he stays. Because if he does, this time he will be committed and just may have moved himself into the captaincy. Something I never thought I would see.

This is a pretty incredible turn around because I didn't like the man, although there was a great deal of respect, long before this season.

 

[Real Deal]

Kane's wholehearted efforts to get Son the Golden Boot have gone a long way to assuage any ill feeling I have toward his attitude. It is that kind of action that, in my mind, makes someone a real legend. Making the people around you better.

Was it Kane maturing after the lessons of last summer? Who knows, but it will be interesting to see if he stays. Because if he does, this time he will be committed and just may have moved himself into the captaincy. Something I never thought I would see.

This is a pretty incredible turn around because I didn't like the man, although there was a great deal of respect, long before this season.

With Kane dropping deeper in matches, linking up play and using his vision for Kulu and Son, seems to have humbled him a bit.

He knows of now, he isn't the main man anymore. Son is.

 

[Departed]

With Kane dropping deeper in matches, linking up play and using his vision for Kulu and Son, seems to have humbled him a bit.

He knows of now, he isn't the main man anymore. Son is.

That's OK and it has been forced on him to some degree but the mental adjustment aspect is to be admired. To go from being the king to the kingmaker is a difficult jump.

 

[Real Deal]

That's OK and it has been forced on him to some degree but the mental adjustment aspect is to be admired. To go from being the king to the kingmaker is a difficult jump.

I think he enjoys it. Him and Bentancur have a brilliant understanding linking from deep.It makes it easier with intelligent players.

Would love a Neves brought in. Our front boys would be in heaven.

I'm sure next season he will get over 20 league goals again with double figures with assists.

 

[Departed]

I think he enjoys it. Him and Bentancur have a brilliant understanding linking from deep.It makes it easier with intelligent players.

Would love a Neves brought in. Our front boys would be in heaven.

I'm sure next season he will get over 20 league goals again with double figures with assists.

Best scenario, Kane and Son share the Golden Boot next season.

 

[SmithAndJones]

With Kane dropping deeper in matches, linking up play and using his vision for Kulu and Son, seems to have humbled him a bit.

He knows of now, he isn't the main man anymore. Son is.

He will be aware, and seems comfortable with the fact that he is not the main goal scorer any longer by virtue of the role that he now plays. He does I believe however remain the main man insofar as he is our most complete player, capable of making everything tick, whilst retaining his goal scoring abilities.

 

[Nick Real Deal]

He will be aware, and seems comfortable with the fact that he is not the main goal scorer any longer by virtue of the role that he now plays. He does I believe however remain the main man insofar as he is our most complete player, capable of making everything tick, whilst retaining his goal scoring abilities.

I did say years ago that we already had Eriksens replacement in Kane. Whether or not he likes it I'm not sure.

 

[muttley]

I did say years ago that we already had Eriksens replacement in Kane. Whether or not he likes it I'm not sure.

Well I'm not sure even Eriksen could be Eriksen's replacement anymore. Kane definitely isn't because he doesn't run. Eriksen was great because he found pockets of space all over the pitch. He influenced games in so many ways.

Kane is equally as good when he's on the ball, but he's mostly not interested in getting on the ball. Yesterday was yet another game where he had 40 touches when other number 10's in the league were up at the 60-80 mark. If Kane could find it in himself to work into spaces to be up at that level, Spurs would be on another level.

 

[KiwiSpur]

Benta and Kulu's impact is also heightened by Loco and Ndo's exits.

 

[Nick Real Deal]

Well I'm not sure even Eriksen could be Eriksen's replacement anymore. Kane definitely isn't because he doesn't run. Eriksen was great because he found pockets of space all over the pitch. He influenced games in so many ways.

Kane is equally as good when he's on the ball, but he's mostly not interested in getting on the ball. Yesterday was yet another game where he had 40 touches when other number 10's in the league were up at the 60-80 mark. If Kane could find it in himself to work into spaces to be up at that level, Spurs would be on another level.

Harry scored a goal, got an assist, sent Kuku away with a pass for his goal and provided Sonny with passes to score from ( which he squandered ). We beat Norwich 5-0 but you still want more from Kane ?

 

[muttley]

Harry scored a goal, got an assist, sent Kuku away with a pass for his goal and provided Sonny with passes to score from ( which he squandered ). We beat Norwich 5-0 but you still want more from Kane ?

Yes, I want to be confident that when he comes up against a Brighton, he can work his way into influencing the outcome. There is a reason why we're 22 points from top spot and it's these items of detail that move you up that next level.

It's not all on Kane though. It's down to the club to get some genuine competition and rotation for him. At least he will get a decent rest this summer, but he needs more rest during a season so we can have high expectations that he will run his nuts off when he is on the pitch.

2 years older than Kane, De Bruyne had 89 touches yesterday. Run his absolute nuts off to help his team come back from a 2 goal deficit, and therefore lifted the Premier League trophy. That is the subtle difference at this level.

 

[KiwiSpur]

It's not all on Kane though. It's down to the club to get some genuine competition and rotation for him. At least he will get a decent rest this summer, but he needs more rest during a season so we can have high expectations that he will run his nuts off when he is on the pitch.

This^, HK has played 912 more minutes than KDB.
More rest, greater peak.

 

[muttley]

It's not all on Kane though. It's down to the club to get some genuine competition and rotation for him. At least he will get a decent rest this summer, but he needs more rest during a season so we can have high expectations that he will run his nuts off when he is on the pitch.

This^, HK has played 912 more minutes than KDB.
More rest, greater peak.

My instinct is still saying that Kane will still be the current Kane regardless how much rest he gets. He will be in that lower percentiles for sprints made in a game. We will never see him properly shutting down the opposition and he won't be busting a gut to show for the ball from our players behind him in our system.

I have a feeling this is just the older Kane. Not sure whether it is a physical thing with his ankles, but suspect it is the man himself. He couldn't even get up for a Euro's Final at Wembley when he was captain of his country.

 

[SmithAndJones]

Benta and Kulu's impact is also heightened by Loco and Ndo's exits.

It's a remarkable comparison between the two pairings. Bentancur and Kulu made an almost immediate impact, whereas Lo Celso and Ndombele, who at the time looked to be signings of high quality, were given plenty of chances without ever really looking like giving us what could reasonably have been expected when we signed them.
I can only assume that the big difference has been the former pairings past working relationship with Paratici and Conte, whereby they felt comfortable and had a sense of belonging at Spurs from day one, which has probably been further nurtured by the management. In contrast Lo Celso and Ndombele arrived as strangers, no doubt hoping to play for Pochettino, but remained as strangers with performances that matched that.