Tottenham are finally ready to gun down Arsenal
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Despite the massive splurging on new talent, Tottenham never quite broke the glass ceiling. Two fifth-placed finishes raised expectations, but Martin Jol’s final season was a huge letdown. They had come within touching distance of the promised land of the Champions League but excruciatingly missed out both times.
Jol’s signings, added to Juande Ramos’s new recruits and his hard work ethic, have transformed Tottenham’s squad and they now boast a formidable defence. In Gareth Bale and Alan Hutton they have two of the best young full-backs in Britain, while in the middle Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate have only fitness standing in the way of success.
Uber-Gooner Nick Hornby’s oft-quoted rant is that Arsenal play a space-age version of the type of football Tottenham aspire to, but in recent years a few moans have slipped in with the floods of praise for Arsene Wenger. Things are beginning to shift in North London.
Whilst Wenger - either because of shrinking finances or because of a rigid devotion to his principles - continues to scour the earth for cheap and brilliant youth, Tottenham opt for a much more pragmatic approach. They, too, are interested in youth, but for them money is no object and in this battle of wills I have a feeling Tottenham will succeed by throwing more dosh at the situation than Arsenal.
Admittedly, it is ridiculous for Spurs fans to take aim at Arsenal for not winning a trophy - the mere fact that Arsenal qualified for the Champions League is worth millions more than Spurs’ League Cup win - but next season may well be very different.
Teams like Tottenham, packed to the rafters with fans who are eternal optimists, seem to live in a footballing Groundhog Day, every year claiming that the next one will bring success. They are constantly chasing their tomorrows because their todays are so dire. But - really and truly - next season COULD actually be different for Spurs. Money talks in football and even if 50 per cent of Tottenham’s signings fail, that still leaves a huge number of players who will be a success.
The chase for fourth place has taken on even more epic proportions because it always seems to include two big city rivals. This year Liverpool and Everton fought for it and next year I think it could be the north Londoners fighting for success.
The current Spurs squad is far too good for another ignominious league finish. It seems the table DOES lie, and last season it was doing its very best Jeffery Archer impersonation, spitting out porkies every week. Tottenham’s lowly position was due to the seismic effects of friendly ogre Jol’s protracted and painful exit.
But with Mexican starlet Giovanni straight from the Nou Camp, Croatian Luka Modric - who has been described as second only to Kaka by his national manager - and young John Bostock - trailed by many a big club - now added to an already ridiculously-muscular squad, Tottenham finally look to be a healthy bet for fourth.
Can Spurs finally break the stranglehold of the Big Four - or will next season only bring more under-achievement?
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but Spurs have been saying that and spending big for the past few seasons.. and fat lot of good it did them
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Arsenal and Liverpool beware! Spurs, Everton and Co are set to break up the Big Four.
With the chasing pack continually improving, this author reckons it won't be long before there's a shake-up at the top of the Premier League.I think the Premier League is rapidly changing. Teams are undoubtedly improving the standards of squad personnel every year and in recent years Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have added real quality.
But this is also now the case with teams like Tottenham, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Everton. Pundits and critics keep commenting on how hard it will be to break into the top four but I honestly feel that the four teams mentioned above can all take quite a few points off the Big Four next season.
Any one of this quartet can break the elite four, and I guarantee that Spurs, Villa, City and Everton will be a lot closer to Liverpool and Arsenal then Liverpool and Arsenal will be to the title. Let’s take a closer look at the clubs in danger, and the up-and-coming heavyweights:
ARSENAL: Were unfairly written off last year but they used this to their advantage by playing a beautiful brand of football and getting results. But as the pressure and expectancy crept in, they stumbled. With midfielder Mathieu Flamini already departed and Aleksandr Hleb heading for the exit, how will the new midfield gel? Surely this pressure will be much more evident at the start of next season and it will be interesting to see how Arsenal respond.
LIVERPOOL: Rafa Benitez has spent vast amounts in the last three years without any improvements. Liverpool seem to be the weakest of the top four. There are huge question marks over the running of the club and how will this affect the team on the field. So where does that leave the chasing pack?
TOTTENHAM: Here we might find the front runners if that fourth spot is to be picked off. There is no denying the currant squad is better than the other three challengers on paper. Also in Juande Ramos they have a manager who has already transformed one mid-table club into the Champions League material with Sevilla. With signings like Luka Modric and Dos Santos and more expected to follow, the improvements are there for all to see. However let’s not forget this IS Tottenham we’re talking about!
MANCHESTER CITY: A very good team! Why they slipped away last season is beyond me, but with Mark Hughes now in the hot seat perhaps they can take the leap of faith. They have players like Elano, Micah Richards, Petrov and the prospect of Brazilians Jo and Ronaldhino joining them. This could be a pacey, attacking team very capable of a few shocks, as they showed last season when completing the double over the eventual champions.
ASTON VILLA: They proved last season how much they are improving with some fantastic displays. They have a great squad and a great manager. Villa will be hoping to keep hold of Gareth Barry in order to maintain their steady progress.
EVERTON: Underestimate them at your peril. Hard-working, great manager and let’s not forget they have actually finished in the top four as well as finishin best of the rest last season. But with obvious lack of funds will they be left behind?
I think the top four is anything but a done deal, and although Manchester United and Chelsea won’t be panicking just yet, Arsenal and Liverpool may soon have to settle for UEFA Cup places!
Can you see Arsenal and Liverpool giving way to any of the four chasing clubs? -
Originally posted by the Bear:
but Spurs have been saying that and spending big for the past few seasons.. and fat lot of good it did them
They have indeed spent quite a bit over the years but this time, under Ramos... They seem to be buying better quality players rather then those like Darren Bent... cost a lot but didn't do much...I am sure the arrival of Modric and Santos will be felt... these are quality players of the highest calibre which could go right into the top 4 squad... and along with Woodgate, Gareth Bale and Alan Hutton... Ramos looks like he knows what is needed...
The emergence of Spurs and City is not good for Arsenal and United, but it makes the premiership a much more interesting league come next season...
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dont think spurs are ready to challenge for the big four.
spurs player are often jinx by injuries.
look at their center back, non could last half season, woodgate and king.
berbatov gone, can you depend on santos a 17 yr old to delivered the goals of a UCL spot?
modric look good but it seem a major engine overhaul is needed instead of changing spark plug, engine oil.
kanoute is rubbish when at spurs, look what he achieve in sevilla now.
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Originally posted by reyes:
dont think spurs are ready to challenge for the big four.
spurs player are often jinx by injuries.
look at their center back, non could last half season, woodgate and king.
berbatov gone, can you depend on santos a 17 yr old to delivered the goals of a UCL spot?
modric look good but it seem a major engine overhaul is needed instead of changing spark plug, engine oil.
kanoute is rubbish when at spurs, look what he achieve in sevilla now.
sound like newcastle too
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don't forget FA cup winners... Portsmouth. they are quite solid too.
as for spurs, technically, after winning the league cup, they just coast thru the season, cause they achieved the aim of going into euro.
and with their buyings of good young internationals, they will soon gel.
yes, in the past, they were like quick sand, the more they try to play, the more they sink, but now, they got a ramos, and that may be different...
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man city may get ronaldinho soon.