SmithAndJones
Vital 1st Team Regular
Firstly, apologies Walt, I overlooked the fact that you opened a Summary of the Season thread a week or so ago when writing the below..
Secondly, moderators, perhaps these two threads should be merged. I have tried however to come from a different perspective than purely results and player performances.
I've been reflecting on our season. After the terrific finish to last season, there was every reason to be optimistic going into this season. Conte soon killed that by opting to play some of the most negative football ever played in Tottenham shirts. Despite that the first half of the season was a relative 'success', we were very much in the top four race, and made it into the knock out stages of the CL.
During the second half of the season there have been numerous milestones, where we have fallen short on every occasion. For me it all started with the CL defeat against Milan. Surely there could have been no bigger incentive than reaching the last eight of the CL, having been drawn against moderate opposition at CL level. We went out without a whimper.
The same pattern has subsequently been followed relative to a top four finish and CL qualification, failure to lift our game when it really mattered. Then again with a top six finish and Europa League qualiification. Yesterday was last chance saloon, after Brighton's defeat at Newcastle we had a real chance of pulling off sixth place, with two wins against Brentford and Leeds, hardly giants of the PL. After a promising start which lasted all the way to half time, we surrendered the initiative from the first kick of the second half, and ended up getting badly beaten. Season over.
What to make of it all. As we all know, we are short on quality players. We are also short of players who take pride in the shirt, and for whom this is reflected every time they run out onto the pitch. This goes deeper though, and logically can only be attributed to an apathy that is seemingly running right through the Club, does anybody really care.
Probably this malaise is reflected by the managerial situation. We have had three managers in the second half of the season. Conte left with a rant which although unacceptable, has subsequently proven to be pretty accurate. He was replaced by his sidekick Contellini, a perfect illustration of the Club's lack of ambition to make a final push for CL place, that was the time when we really should have been looking to Pochettino to get us that CL finish, Finally we appointed the Club's golden boy Mason, totally out of his depth, and a perfect illustration of the Club apparently not being bothered by the prospect of a top six finish and Europa League.
This disease won't be cured by a new team manager, or new players, Dembele and Lo Celso would probably bear testimony to that. This requires everybody at the Club, Levy, Munn, the new DOF, the new team manager, and the players, to up their game right from day one. Every single person associated with the Club needs to step out of their comfort zone, and recognise that there is more to being successful than building a fancy stadium, it requires a desire that is palpably lacking within the Club.
I've always been a big supporter of Levy, but my patience is wearing thin. Ultimately this is his responsibility. If he can't turn it around it's time to move on, no matter his undoubted commitment and loyalty toward the Club.
Secondly, moderators, perhaps these two threads should be merged. I have tried however to come from a different perspective than purely results and player performances.
I've been reflecting on our season. After the terrific finish to last season, there was every reason to be optimistic going into this season. Conte soon killed that by opting to play some of the most negative football ever played in Tottenham shirts. Despite that the first half of the season was a relative 'success', we were very much in the top four race, and made it into the knock out stages of the CL.
During the second half of the season there have been numerous milestones, where we have fallen short on every occasion. For me it all started with the CL defeat against Milan. Surely there could have been no bigger incentive than reaching the last eight of the CL, having been drawn against moderate opposition at CL level. We went out without a whimper.
The same pattern has subsequently been followed relative to a top four finish and CL qualification, failure to lift our game when it really mattered. Then again with a top six finish and Europa League qualiification. Yesterday was last chance saloon, after Brighton's defeat at Newcastle we had a real chance of pulling off sixth place, with two wins against Brentford and Leeds, hardly giants of the PL. After a promising start which lasted all the way to half time, we surrendered the initiative from the first kick of the second half, and ended up getting badly beaten. Season over.
What to make of it all. As we all know, we are short on quality players. We are also short of players who take pride in the shirt, and for whom this is reflected every time they run out onto the pitch. This goes deeper though, and logically can only be attributed to an apathy that is seemingly running right through the Club, does anybody really care.
Probably this malaise is reflected by the managerial situation. We have had three managers in the second half of the season. Conte left with a rant which although unacceptable, has subsequently proven to be pretty accurate. He was replaced by his sidekick Contellini, a perfect illustration of the Club's lack of ambition to make a final push for CL place, that was the time when we really should have been looking to Pochettino to get us that CL finish, Finally we appointed the Club's golden boy Mason, totally out of his depth, and a perfect illustration of the Club apparently not being bothered by the prospect of a top six finish and Europa League.
This disease won't be cured by a new team manager, or new players, Dembele and Lo Celso would probably bear testimony to that. This requires everybody at the Club, Levy, Munn, the new DOF, the new team manager, and the players, to up their game right from day one. Every single person associated with the Club needs to step out of their comfort zone, and recognise that there is more to being successful than building a fancy stadium, it requires a desire that is palpably lacking within the Club.
I've always been a big supporter of Levy, but my patience is wearing thin. Ultimately this is his responsibility. If he can't turn it around it's time to move on, no matter his undoubted commitment and loyalty toward the Club.
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