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	<title>Tottenham Hotspur Blog &#124; White Hart Pain &#187; finished article</title>
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	<description>Blog of a long suffering Spurs fan. This is my occasionally obscure take on the ups and downs of life at the Lane.</description>
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		<title>What can we realistically achieve this season?</title>
		<link>http://whitehartpain.com/what-can-we-realistically-achieve-this-season</link>
		<comments>http://whitehartpain.com/what-can-we-realistically-achieve-this-season#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:44:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>mabbs</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Just spurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arsenal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chelsea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[concentration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finished article]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[liverpool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[man city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[man utd]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mental toughness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premier league]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premiership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seven games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spurs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://whitehartpain.com/?p=293</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://whitehartpain.com/what-can-we-realistically-achieve-this-season" title="What can we realistically achieve this season?"></a>After seven games, things all look very rosy. I certainly would have taken 15pts and 4th place in the table at this stage if you had asked me at the start of the season. We can’t stop scoring and our &#8230;<p class="read-more"><a href="http://whitehartpain.com/what-can-we-realistically-achieve-this-season">Read more &#187;</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://whitehartpain.com/what-can-we-realistically-achieve-this-season" title="What can we realistically achieve this season?"></a><p>After seven games, things all look very rosy. I certainly would have taken 15pts and 4th place in the table at this stage if you had asked me at the start of the season. We can’t stop scoring and our only defeats have been to arguably the best two sides in the country. We are certainly improving and very much going the right way under Harry but for me there are still five teams in the league that are better than us and I don’t see what we can do about that.</p>
<p>It isn’t a term I like to use because it annoys me when pundits keeping banging on about it, but the fact is I don’t think we can break into the top four this season or any season in the foreseeable future for that matter. It’s probably too early to be making judgements like that especially when we are playing so well but if you look at the teams that are likely to fill the places this season, they just have too much about them. </p>
<p>Man City are nowhere near the finished article, but are already playing as well as anyone in the Premiership. They are only going to get better and I’ll be shocked if they don’t break into the top five this season, third or forth place would not surprise me either. Obviously, Man Utd and Chelsea aren’t going to finish outside the first three positions so our only chance is to displace two of Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City. </p>
<p>While Spurs don’t have the distraction of European football and can concentration on the Premier League, we will still fall just short. The defeats against Chelsea and Man Utd have shown our players don’t quite yet have the mental toughness I thought they did. To concede three goals in both games is a sign of a slight lack of belief rather than ability. I know we have been brushing lesser teams aside with ease but I worry we won’t pick up enough points against teams like Everton, Villa and even Sunderland. </p>
<p>Sixth spot and a cup semi final would be a good season as far as I’m concerned and that is more or less what I think we will end up with. Whether Harry can unearth enough in the transfer market to improve Tottenham past these achievements in future seasons is unlikely. Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea are untouchable and while I’d like to think Arsenal and Liverpool are on the downgrade, form so far this season suggests they aren’t.</p>
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		<title>Reality Check</title>
		<link>http://whitehartpain.com/reality-check</link>
		<comments>http://whitehartpain.com/reality-check#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:03:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>mabbs</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Just spurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transfer Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arjen robben]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[billionaire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finished article]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[harry redknapp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[man city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[manchester city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premier league]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quality player]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reality check]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roque santa cruz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[salary cap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[samuel eto o]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spurs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://whitehartpain.com/?p=219</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://whitehartpain.com/reality-check" title="Reality Check"></a>For me, this is a great time of year to be a Spurs fan. I love all the stories about who we are going to sign that never come to fruition but year on year people still fall for the &#8230;<p class="read-more"><a href="http://whitehartpain.com/reality-check">Read more &#187;</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://whitehartpain.com/reality-check" title="Reality Check"></a><p>For me, this is a great time of year to be a Spurs fan. I love all the stories about who we are going to sign that never come to fruition but year on year people still fall for the same old bullshit. If you think of all the big names we have been linked with in the last five years or so, how many have we actually signed?</p>
<p>Samuel Eto&#8217;o, Roque Santa Cruz and Arjen Robben are just some of the high profile names that we have been connected with, but in reality, none of them have had Tottenham on their radar. Man City aside, no top quality player in their prime is going to come to a team with no European football on offer, especially those already at a club who are in the Champions League.</p>
<p>The only players we can attract are those who either aren’t quite up to scratch for Utd, Liverpool etc, or they are English and not the finished article, and no other club is stupid enough to pay the kind of money for their services that we are. The thing we have going for us now however is Harry Redknapp’s ability to find decent players for little money. I hope he continues to work this way even though he knows there is plenty of cash at his disposal.</p>
<p>With Manchester City looking more and more likely to crash the top 4 this season, and probably staying there for some time, Spurs chances of ever being able to attract the Samuel Eto’o’s of this world are slim to none. </p>
<p>Personally, I’m quite happy with the position we are in. I’m very keen to see what Harry can do given a complete season and being able to bring in a full compliment of his own players. I realise long term Spurs will likely need a billionaire investor to compete in the Premier League but it’s not something I’m looking forward to.</p>
<p>Having an unlimited budget isn’t healthy and I think football clubs need to be run as viable businesses. It will take a side like Man City or Chelsea going under before something is done but I definitely think there needs to be some kind of transfer and salary cap enforced. </p>
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