Toney Toney Toney - Armchair thread w/e 18/9

[Ray de Galles]

Well, I swerved that since penalty shoot-outs are a whole different 'kettle of' - you're always likely to get takers who've barely played, or in some cases not at all.

And in the latter case it will be a huge risk, as it was with Sancho, Rashford and especially Noble - who was effectively competing in a penalty shootout all of his own.

As for Ferguson's quote, he was giving voice to an eternal truth. Spurs may have appeared a little less Spursy in recent seasons but that seems like a blip and performances like Sunday's always seem to hint at their default setting.

[Jah Womble]

But that's rather the whole point - even if there might've been substance for that comment over the past 25 years or so, it 'isn't' an eternal truth. Spurs are a club that used to win stuff. (But, y'know, 'narrative' and all that.)

As for the way Spurs are heading now, there are many obvious reasons for this, despite those in charge seeming routinely incapable of seeing them for what they are.

[ursus arctos]

I am not so sure that it is incapacity as a lack of interest.

Levy and Lewis strike me as operating very much in the US mode of sport ownership, in which the primary imperative is making money and increasing franchise value rather than winning silverware or any form of non-monetary "glory".

Which is not particularly surprising given how Lewis made his money and runs his life (I can't recall if his number three superyacht made its annual visit this summer or not)

[Jah Womble]

Yep, something in that, I think.

That said, Spurs certainly 'should' have won something during the 2010s. That we didn't isn't necessarily down to Levy and Lewis.

[Southport Zeb]

Yep, something in that, I think.

That said, Spurs certainly 'should' have won something during the 2010s. That we didn't isn't necessarily down to Levy and Lewis.

Spurs won six trophies in the 2010s (Eusebio Cup 2010, Vodacom Challenge 2011, AIA Cup 2015, Jockey Club Kitchee Centre Challenge Cup 2017, International Champions Cup 2018, Audi Cup 2019). Winning your trophies in pre-season strikes me as an efficient use of time and resources, as it means you don't have to worry about the physical impact of trophy celebrations later in the season when fatigue is more of a factor.