The beginning of a new Spurs season, predictions etc

I’ve just received my ticket for the Newcastle United away match. What will this season hold for us supporters of this great club?

We all want improvement on last season with a few trophies thrown in (not being too greedy). But a new stadium means effectively another season of away matches until we start to feel comfortable in our new home. Last season we had the same problem, all our “home” games were essentially away matches, but, still, we didn’t do too badly. We only lost five games at Wembley; Chelsea & City in the league, West Ham in the League Cup and Juventus in the Champions League (I am not counting the Man United Semi-Final as that was basically a neutral ground).

But this time around our home games will be more compact, and we are closer to the pitch. The atmosphere should be a lot better as well.

Of course, we are going to have to wait until the 15^th of September (Liverpool), before we are indeed home (test matches are not really the real McCoy, but interesting nevertheless). Before we get to our new home we will face Newcastle, Fulham, United and Watford. By then we should know what quality and squad we have for the rest of the season. A good showing will send out a strong message, a poor one could affectthe squad’s psychological mindset.

Standing at this point in time – with no purchases – and going by the other teams, I see Liverpool and City the strongest, while United, Spurs and Chelsea challenging for two otherspots. I can’t see Arsenal pushing their way through for a top four spot this season.

I can hear some of you shout, “Spurs not higher or winning the league?” Citywill be a potentforce, Liverpool hasbought well, but nothing is tickling me from United and Chelsea. As for us; we’ve got a good squad, but we do need to improve (and nothing in the transfer window at the moment). On top of that, we are going to a new and unfamiliar ground. All that could take its toll. We really need to hit the road running and purchase a few more players, unless Pochettino is going to rely on some of the youngsters coming through… we did well against Rome (4-1), Barcelona (2-2) and AC Milan 1-0 in our friendlies in America and our young squad performed well. Granted, we lost on penalties to Barcelona, but penaltiesare about the luck of the draw, rather than 90 or 120 minutes of hard grafting. So overall we did well.

As for teams to look out for: West Ham & Everton are a bit of an unknown, with new managers and their spending. Just think of Leicester, and you will know that anything is possible.

Relegation possibilities from those that managed to stay in the PL last season: Huddersfield, Watford, Brighton and Bournemouth could struggle to keep their heads above water. As for those teams that came up I fancy Fulham to do well. Wolves and Cardiff could struggle, but I think they might just manage to stay afloat, unlike the possibilities I had mentioned from last season’s Premier survival.

Of course, my thoughts can change from now until we’ve passed the transfer window deadline. That is on Spurs, and then as we go through the season I could have another revelation (they are not just for the Bible, but for the poor Spurs followers clutching at straws… or just brilliant performances transferringmy thinking processes to another level!).

Whatever way I/ we look at it, let us hope this year is the year of Cockerel. But then again I’ve been saying that every year… and the law of averages will say that I should get it right eventually!!!!!