I think your bar for top 4 is too high.
Blame my expectations on our beloved chairman...oh wait
Is Pope- Botman - Guimaraes - Wilson the spine of a top 4 side?
Well, seen as they've qualified for the CL, the answer is yes. But I know what you mean. On paper it doesn't look all that. But Pope has been (much) better than Hugo or Frase. Botman would be our best defender by a country mile, he makes Dier & Lenglet (even Romero though to a lesser degree) look like Isthmian League CB. Guimaraes is an unreal CM...even Bentancur doesn't get close to him. Wilson is no Kane, sure...not many strikers are. But he still does the job real well...I think our league position would be sensibly different had we signed him rather than Richy.
Is Ramsdale - Gabriel - Xhaka - Jesus?
I think Saliba is their real leader at the back. Same with Rapey Tom/Odegaard in the middle and Saka up front. But again, they're finishing second, having really pushed an incredible City, so they're doing something right (as much as it hurts to say it)
That spine is comfortably good enough in a well-coached, motivated side. We’re aiming for top 4 not champions league final.
I disagree. That spine gets nowhere near City, that's obvious. But even Woolwich, provided their season wasn't a fluke. Newcastle are here to stay and only gonna get stronger. United finding their mojo again under ETH...wait til they get loaded new owners too. Chelsea & Liverpool will come back from the dead.
Slot - if he is our next boss - gonna have to perform absolute miracles for us to even get top 5-6. He's got a weaker squad to begin with and he'll get nowhere near the cash our competitors will to reinforce the team.
Til there's real change at the top and we get rid of them players who've got so used to losing it don't hurt no more...then I'm afraid they'll be nothing comfortable about Spurs