Tottenham Hotspur

[Fosterbloke]

I think we're far too early to write teams off. Many people are saying Spurs and Man Utd he been poor, well maybe they have but both are only 3 points behind us, an may people have considered us to have had a good (or at least decent) start to the season. Whether they have played well or played badly and got lucky doesn't matter, the have got the points and are still in contention, IMO it's too early to write anyone off.

My thoughts exactly. It only take a couple of poor results and someone else is top of the league such is the competitiveness this season.

[danperkins]

I think we're far too early to write teams off. Many people are saying Spurs and Man Utd he been poor, well maybe they have but both are only 3 points behind us, an may people have considered us to have had a good (or at least decent) start to the season. Whether they have played well or played badly and got lucky doesn't matter, the have got the points and are still in contention, IMO it's too early to write anyone off.

[~LFCHistory~]

I think we're far too early to write teams off. Many people are saying Spurs and Man Utd he been poor, well maybe they have but both are only 3 points behind us, an may people have considered us to have had a good (or at least decent) start to the season. Whether they have played well or played badly and got lucky doesn't matter, the have got the points and are still in contention, IMO it's too early to write anyone off.

Their current position massively flatters them IMO, how many dodgy penalties did they get again ? 6 goals from open play in 11 matches paints a picture I'd say, tbf their defence and midfield are very solid and difficult to break down but their attacking options are nothing special and certainly not good enough to get a top 4 finish.

[destinydude]

It's tempting to say he's making a bit of a mess of it but they're right in the pack and you have to think they will improve as their new signings settle. Still too early to say. However I think given what they spent they ought to be challenging for the title. If they don't he will be on dodgy ground IMO.

Their striker is firing blanks and that's half their problem right now.

[Exiled_red]

Their current position massively flatters them IMO, how many dodgy penalties did they get again ? 6 goals from open play in 11 matches paints a picture I'd say, tbf their defence and midfield are very solid and difficult to break down but their attacking options are nothing special and certainly not good enough to get a top 4 finish.

Hopefully that is something that will come back to bite them if they continue to play that way, but at the moment they are up there.

[peekay]

Their striker is firing blanks and that's half their problem right now.

They have 2 goals from open play from Defoe and Soldado in 2013. That is a huge huge problem. Especially since Defoe and Soldado don't offer anything else - bringing others into play, creative dribbling, defending from the front - other than scoring goals.

Even the most ardent Spurs fan agree that they have been saved by 3 dodgy penalty decisions.

[dww]

For me, if Spurs miss the top 4 AVB will be shown the door - you can talk net spend etc.... but he's brought in a fair few expensive players on big wages and I don't think Levy will accept anything other than top 4 as a minimum

I think the value they got for Bale means that the net spend argument is not relevant. Missing out on the top four given the struggles of the other big teams and the ability to invest throughout the team with freedom would have to be seen as a failure.

I tend to agree with Shaggy though that it is too early to confidently predict how any teams will end up (apart from the fact that Moyes will be seen to underachieve).

[RichC]

Completely agree about the net spend, it's not relevant at all (not sure it was clear that was the point I was making) he's been allowed to invest heavily into the team and if they do miss out you'd have to say it's a failure.

Again agree it's a little bit early to be sure this will happen, with the players they've got a small tweak could end up turning them into a very good side, hopefully this won't happen!

[Sarb]

Think the issue is, tactically he can be very negative. And many Spurs fans are saying the same. He's spent £100m odd, predominantly on midfield and attackers. Having done that, they've been quite negative allegedly.

Pretty sure he'd be called a failure if they didn't land Top 4. Still a long way to go yet though

[Fredo]

I always thought that AVB was overrated. He's very articulate and intelligent, and maybe a lot of people have been fooled by it. I mean, he did well at Porto, but was a total failure at Chelsea. Seems he's not far off alienating Spurs fans with his brand of uninspiring football.

[Daniel 7]

I love the story on AVB missing out on the Burnley job to Brian Laws because he talked a "whole load of gobbledegook" to them in the interview

(paraphrased from the Burnley chairman)

[PTP]

what worries me with spurs is that despite not firing on all cylinders they are not exactly struggling and having so many 'good' players on their books if it suddenly clicks then they will be right up there,

the same is to be said of man city and to a degree chelsea.

with us playing well, plus united and arsenal - top four is going to be very close this year

[Fredo]

Of course, there is a chance they will click, but they lack a cutting edge to their game I think. Ericksen is not really a goalscoring midfielder, and would you be confident with just Soldado and Defoe as your main attacking options?

Criticism of them last year was that they were too reliant on Bale. Well, now he's gone it seems those criticisms have some foundation. Still early, but I can't see them fighting for the title this season. We'll finish above them.

[Resu]

Erikssen just had to go off for Denmark. Not that he's been great for them, but might be a blow anyway. Hopefully Agger will make it back safely.

[Liverpel]

Erikssen just had to go off for Denmark. Not that he's been great for them, but might be a blow anyway. Hopefully Agger will make it back safely.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a blow before next week's resumption of the Premier League with the news that Christian Eriksen could be out for over a month with an injury sustained in Denmark's 2-1 win against Norway on Friday.

Eriksen limped out of the friendly at the MCH Arena in Herning on 40 minutes after hurting his ankle and watched the remainder of the contest with an ice pack round the joint. The 21-year-old will return to London to have the injury assessed by Spurs' medical staff but Morten Olsen, the Denmark manager, confirmed that the playmaker is likely to be unavailable for some time.

"We don't know if he's out for four or six weeks or how long it will take," he said. "It's bad for him at a new club."