Seen as there was a similar thread last year when the 2 Merseyside rivals were battling it out for 4th spot in the EPL I thought I would start a similar one this year. Who do people think will get the last Champions League spot.
If we say that Chelsea have the League won and that Man Utd and Liverpool will battle it out for 2nd and 3rd Spot I think its fair to say that Spurs and Arsenal will battle it out for the 4th spot. I think Bolton may have a say in it but I think ultimately they will finished 6th.
I think its going to be neck and neck between Spurs and Arsenal for the 4th spot. They play each othter near the end of the season and Spurs have Man Utd and Bolton around that time too. Arsenal still have to play Liverpool twice but have Played Chelsea twice already. I think Spurs may just nick it but I think they will need Arsenals away form to be continue to be very patch if they have any hope. If Arsenal get that in order I think their experience of a club been up that far could tell.
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The few times I've seen Spurs on the TV they've looked very ordinary. They seem to be playing Keane off the front and as a play maker. Arsenal seem to be a club in decline but with a good manager like Wenger (his blindspot about Bergkamp apart), I think they'll probably beat Spurs to that spot.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
You obviously have not seen Spurs too much then.
Yesterday they totally outclassed Charlton at home and the game could have been 4 or 5 to spurs. They were really good and outplayed Man Utd at Old Trafford earlier in the season. They played well at Anfield and were defensively strong but were beaten but a wonder goal by Harry Kewell. Their home form has been excellent this season and the only team to beat them at home has been Chelsea. 2 of their away defeats have been very very unlucky. Against Bolton they totally outplayed Botlon but were robbed by dodgy Assistant referee decisions on offside. Against Fulham Dawson should never have been sent off. Those 2 away defeats should have been draws really. At no time in the season have they had a bad run form. They have been consistant through the season getting about 6 points from every 9. I think it will be a close run thing for 4th spot
But at the moment spurs have 2 players for every position in the squad and with the exception of Rasiak and the keeper the replacments are not bad
Robinson Cerny
Staltieri Kelly
King Gardener
Dawson Naybet/Huddlestone
Lee Gardener/Kelly
Carrick Huddlestone
Davids Reid
Jenas Murphy
Tanio Lennon
Keane Defoe
Mido Rasiak.
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Twice. Leicester in the Cup which they lost and another game on Sky very recently but I am afraid I can't remember who that was against but I wasn't impressed.Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Didn't see the Charlton game but it's no great shakes to beat them - even Wednesday scored 2 against them in the Cup. Obviously I'd prefer Spurs to do well with no Irish playing for Arsenal but I just don't see them finishing ahead of their London rivals.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
So you're a Spurs fan then Neil
Neill, I had previously labelled you a closet Manc, but you are really worrying me with your knowledge of our poor cousins from up the Seven Sisters Road.....!!!
I think in some ways Spurs consistancy this year highlights how far behind Arsenal they have been for so long now. Despite their best season in ten years and Arsenal's worst season in ten years, there's still only 4 points and a game in hand in the difference. Spurs have scored less and conceeded more goals than a poor Arsenal team (in comparrison to previous seasons) and i still believe (admitedly biased!) that man for man the Arsenal squad has more talent than the Spurs Squad with King & Robinson probably the only two players who could improve on what a fully fit Arsenal currently have.
I'm certainly not using injuries as an excuse but I 'd like to see how the current Spurs side would cope with 8 defenders missing at the same time during a poor run of form. I think slowly Arsenal are getting their house in order despite some recent defeats. Diaby has been astounding in his three games thus far and the introduction of Adebayor against Birmingham allowed Arsenal to play a different style of game when needed and free'd up Henry from playing the furtherest man forward role. Both goals Arsenal scored at the weekend highlighted these two marked changes more than anything particulary the first with Henry now able to occupy his favoured wide left position, feeding a galloping Diaby who supplied a cross for a striker that was in the box (shock horror!) and put it in with his head (shock horror again!) - brutal goal for the neutral but an absolute pleasure for any gooner to witness becuase of what it symbolised.
I would agree that Spurs were unlucky with some of the games they have lost but I feel Arsenal can have the same feeling particualry when performances didn't garnish the results they deserved notably away at Chelsea, away at Newcastle, the second half away at Spurs, the Robin Van Persie offside descision at home to Chelsea in a crucial period of the game etc etc.....there's a least 5 points there that they deserved but didn't get and that's life.
I know it sounds like stating the bleeding obvious but the next month will tell how this is going to pan out - Arsenal's run of games is particualry challenging with the added distraction of Champions League Football ( no worry for Spurs there! ). Mourniho & Fergie will be scrachin their heads in disbelief that we haven't bribed a home league game directly after the away game in Madrid. Asrenal's run of games are as follows
Bolton (H) - arch nemisis
Liverpool (A) - very tough game away
Madrid (A) - tough game
Blackburn (A) - always difficult
Fulham (A) - London Derby away from home
Madrid (H) - very tough game but at home
Liverpool (H) - very tough game but at home
Over the same time, Spurs have three less games and what look like relatively easier ones two. Having one game against world class opposition in the same time Arsenal have 4 games against world class opposition gives Spurs an edge in my opinion.
Sunderland (a) - stick on 3 pointer
Wigan (h) - difficult but at Home
Blackburn (h) - difficult but at home
Chelsea (a) - very tough
I'll stick my neck on the line and say that if Spurs don't have at least a 8 point lead coming out of this run of games then they will not finish above Arsenal as April looks a far more difficult month for Spurs (inc. United & Liverpool in the same week as well as an away game at Highbury).
All in all it should be a frantic finish towards the end and the game at Highbury on April 21st should be a cracker.
The only other thing I forgot to mention was I for one certainly haven't forgotton about Bolton or Wigan and this duel between Arsenal & Spurs could really benefit one of those teams.
Last edited by Karlos; 06/02/2006 at 2:45 PM.
Foot.ie - NFL Fantasy Football Champion, 2006!
I agree Karlos, SPurs have been a disgrace of a club in the last 17 years to be honest. The last good team they had was the 1987 team with Pleat as the manager. Clive Allen that season was immense and they were very unlucky not to win anything that year.
Spurs have turned it around regarding consistancy. I agree with you that this is spurs best season and Arsenals worst and Arsenal are still only 4 pts behind with a game in hand however. Considering that Jol took over last season mid way through the season I think he is doing a very good job and I am impressed how they conduct themselves in the transfer market. To get 7 million for Mendes Davies and Pamarot and to buy Murphy for 2.5 is good business and Aaron lennon for less than a million I think. King for Free and Robinson for 2 million I think.
I agree Spurs too need to be ahead after March as there run in Aprili is as tough as you can get. I think Spurs will be about 6 points ahead going into April and that may not be enough. However I do think that the Spurs Arsenal game is going to decide it, if there is a winner in that math.
I dont think that Wigan will stay up there for much longer but will finish about 9th in the end I think. Bolton will be strong but I think they will finish 6th. If I was a betting man I would go Arsenal for 4th and Spurs for 5th but you never know.
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The problem is Tottenham fans are romantics. They like flowing football which the team has traditionally played. They sign similar types of players across generations regardless of who their managers have been. They also been too porous at the back for nigh on 40 years which is why they have not won a League title since 1961 and probably won't do anytime soon.
The Spurs philosophy would need to incorporate defensive steel and not giving the ball away so much if they are to achieve anything in the present climate. Jol may be able to do that in the medium term , and to his credit has done a good job this season but the earlier point is true. Spurs best season in 10 years mirrors Arsenal's worst and the gap is only 4 points I think.
I think there is not doubt that spurs have been a disgrace of a club over the last 15 years. That is not even open to argument really. However Jol has added that solid back bone to the team this season and in some ways Arsenal are becoming lwhat spurs used to be which is lacking that fighting spirit etc. I think Viera going was a huge loss. Arsenal are not winning the games away from home that normally they would.
Spurs are now getting points when they would normally lose. Also I agree we have a Spurs side getting better and an Arsenal side getting worse and they are meeting in the middle at the moment. All in all in makes for the best end of season dual between the 2 clubs in a very very long time.
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Saw them again against Sunderland and once again they failed to impress. At least two Irishmen scored in the game and once again Mick's team almost fell to a last minute sucker punch.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Spurs are very negative away from home hoping to catch teams on the counter attack. If they'd just attacked Sunderland would have beaten by few goals (created match winning chances in injury time) instead of sitting back defending a lead. After trimming the squad they now look vunerable to injuries too.
Spurs were very poor on Sunday but you get games like that during the season. Generally their form has been good all season. The odd game where they were not great. At home their only defeats were to Chelsea since Martin Jol took charge and one of them was with 10 men. I dont think their squad looks thin at all. As I have shown up above they have 2 players for every position at the moment. Huddlestone is going to be a top class player in my view.
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Spurs were poor on Sunday but having watched the game between Liverpool and Arsenal last night, I have confidence that Spurs can extend their lead over Arsenal over the coming weeks as the Arsenal team lacks confidence passion and organistion at the moment. I am not sure they will be able to deal with their hectic March. Last night was one of the worst performances under Wenger. Maybe Karlos you can let us know has there been such a bad performance under Wenger before. I still think it will be close between Spurs and Arsenal but I would be more confident than I was.
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I have to be honest and say I haven't actually seen the game yet, world time zones and valentines dinner conspiring against me. I have it recorded so might get a chance this evening. I did see the highlights on the sports round-up last night and Liverpool looked the dominant team. Jens Lehmann, not for the first time this year, looked in fanstastic form again - Arsenal Player of the Year in my eyes. Penalty looked harsh I thought as did the call on Adebyaor offside although I have only seen each incident the one time.
Going by some of my fellow gooners comments on their web sites, it was a truelly spineless shameful performance and only added to by the fact they were 4 minutes away from getting a decent result out of it. As I haven't seen the game It's difficult to comment but I thought I've seen enough away at Birmingham and against Bolton to show there's still something left in that team. As I said a few days back, the next 6 games will see really see how the Champions League Spot works out but at the moment we don't look deserving of the spot.
On the other hand, to spin the positive, it was loss away at Anfield and I think we've only won at Anfield a couple of times in many many years and those were in seasons where we won the league - '89, '91, '02 as far as I can remember. I think it's up to the players, there's enough quality in that team. The experienced lads need to get their act together and fast.
Foot.ie - NFL Fantasy Football Champion, 2006!
unless arsenals midifield sorts itself out then i cant see them making the champions league..also i think that bolton have a decent chance of making it into it
thought arsenal to a man were superb tonight especially henry , fabregas , reyes and eboue , would be still worried that real might still get them in highbury but they were woeful tonight especially in the middle and contrast between ronaldo and henry was startling.
Henry doesn't do it in the big games.
Foot.ie - NFL Fantasy Football Champion, 2006!
ah he was probably playing for a move to spain tonight
LOLah he was probably playing for a move to spain tonight
tie is far from over but over the moon with the win - whatever happens in the next game, nobody can take this night away.
First English Club to win in Madrid against Real. Great stuff
Foot.ie - NFL Fantasy Football Champion, 2006!
Great performance, Karlos, To a mad they were great and I would rather watch Arsenal in Europe then Liverpool any day. There was only one game that I was going to watch and I am glad I did as the hightlights from LIsbon suggested that was a borefest. I was actually going for Arsenal last night as they play great football when they are on form and Fabregas and Henry are great characters too. Also I think the longer Arsenal stay in Europe it could help spurs but maybe Arsenal will find some league confidence from this also. Anyway great night for the team with no English players against the team with 2.
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