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Ahead of Sunday's game against Tottenham
Hotspur at White Hart Lane, we spoke with Alan from the Spurs' blog
Tottenham On My Mind.
He gives us his views on Spurs' start to the season, Sunday's match,
Mauricio
Pochettino
and more. You can also follow
Alan on Twitter @spursblogger.
It’s been a
decent enough start results-wise to the season for Spurs, you're currently sixth
in the league and through to the group stages of the Europa League, how have
performances been?
Performances have been mixed as you would expect from a side
that’s being rebuilt again during our umpteenth ‘transitional season’ but
broadly speaking we have been better organised as new manager Pochettino is
clearly getting his message across. Playing a 4-2-3-1, the attacking midfield
three have weaved some pretty patterns and scored a few decent goals, while we
work hard to press and cover without the ball. It’s good to see Lamela playing
regularly - bursting with potential.
That said, as soon as we came up against one of the top
sides, Liverpool, we were
well-beaten and Poch hasn’t yet exorcised the Spurs curse of the unforced
defensive cock-up.
First thoughts
on Mauricio Pochettino, happy with his appointment or was there anyone you would
have like to have seen given a chance?
I’m happy enough with Pochettino. We needed a man who could
organise the team to make us more solid without stifling the attacking instincts
of our best players and in so doing maintain the
Spurs Way of playing decent
passing football. Already he’s getting more out of almost all of the squad than
his immediate predecessors did.
I like the way he goes about his business. He’s centred,
poised in the calm, unostentatious way of a man who is sure about his own
ability without teetering over the edge into the abyss of arrogance.
Supporters have so far allowed him to get on with his job of
developing the team. However, the feeling lingers that he was a perfect
appointment for chairman Daniel Levy as much for his ability to work within a
limited budget without protest as for his work in bringing players on.
Fans’
expectations for this season?
Not getting Van Gaal after we pursued him last winter has led
fans by and large to lower their sights. The top four is beyond us, given the
huge investment from other candidates and the amount of teambuilding we have
ahead. At this point it is compulsory as a Spurs fan to add: ‘Let’s hope for a
good cup run.’
What’s most important for me is that we make progress towards
a three or four year plan with the team developing and reinforced by player
upgrades in key positions. That’s the only way we can challenge for top four
again unless our chairman or owner change their buying policy and spend heavily
on players, a highly unlikely scenario. Trouble is, it feels as if Spurs don’t
have a three or four month plan, let alone anything longer, and there is added
uncertainty because of further delays in building a new stadium and the threat
of playing a season in Milton Keynes, for goodness sake.
How important
is the Europa League to the club?
The trick with the EL is to muddle through the group stage
with the minimum of effort and we have a big enough squad to do so. The fun
starts after Christmas with proper European knock-out ties. There’s been a good
atmosphere at the Lane for those games and I think the club should approach the
competition wholeheartedly. That’s not a view shared by large swathes of our
support.
Were
supporters happy with the club’s summer transfer dealings? Was there anything
else you feel the club needed to do?
I can’t understand why we have left ourselves with only three
strikers, one of whom, Adebayor, could go to the ANC for a month and is not
known for his consistency, another, Kane is promising but not an out and out
striker, and Soldado who can’t score. Have made the same error for three out of
the last four seasons.
Player to
watch this season?
Christian Eriksen is a clever, inventive, busy midfielder
able to run a midfield. Scores goals and has a fine free-kick on him.
Erik Lamela could make his breakthrough - a natural on the
ball, just needs to find his way. A goal would help.
Final thoughts
on 2013/14, enjoyable or a season to forget?
Best forgotten. If only I could follow my own advice and
erase the images of Sherwood in the stands as we lost to
Liverpool and Benfica,
play-acting as experienced manager
Player of last
season?
No one had a consistently decent season but I’ll go for
Eriksen.
Villain of
last season?
Tiny Tim the temp.
Prediction for
Spurs’ season?
6th - Both league position and round of the FA Cup.
Prediction for Albion’s season?
Tough times, I’m afraid, but will avoid relegation.
Premier League
Champions?
Chelsea
Relegated?
Burnley, Palace, Leicester
Prediction and
thoughts on Sunday’s game?
Spurs will take the game to the
Albion from the start, get
tangled up in a congested midfield but run out 2-0 winners.
Best of luck this season.
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