I agree. He's no Modric. I do think he can play in the middle of the pitch as a CM as well as being an AM & F though. He has the strength and guile to do it. I'd rather someone of his quality be used as a CM than Willian, who is lightweight in comparison and doesn't have the presence or upper body strength that Dembele has. I remember it took Modric a while to get used to that middle pitch role as he needed to develop his resilience. That's partly why I think we should get both.
I tend to agree with you PS, but not for Vital players that are needed. our striker situation has been diabolical for a couple of years, and the Modric saga was inevitable. those two should have been sorted. As for a goalkeeper, yes, I agree we could, and probably should wait to pick up a last min deal. But when you know that one of your core players is leaving, and you're desperately short of options upfront, there's no excuse. there's also plenty of other options out there, other than Loic Remy.
We cannot compete either financially or just pulling power with Chelsea, Man U.,Arsenal,Man. City, or Liverpool. That's five teams leaving us 6th in the pecking order and yet we have and we want to finish in the top four. At the start of any transfer window we are competing head on with these teams, we are likely to lose out. The end of the window brings more space as our rivals have done their business we move up the order of potential clubs for players to move to. Doing our business late means we are more likely to get higher quality players than if we were to buy earlier. The only other way is to unearth hidden gems which becomes more difficult year on year in the face of the internet and the power and scope of modern communications. To reach the higher level we need the new stadium until then we have to duck and dive and Levy does this very well.
As Spurf says we are realistically 6th in the pecking order, which is why Harry was right when he said he had us punching above our weight. Such has been the pig's ear of a transfer window so far, we'll do well to make 6th this season. We might just scrape it, but I do think we need at least one in very soon to bolster the team for Norwich. Hopefully by then Ade will be ready to start, and we won't have to suffer again the sad sight of JD the lone striker, with no Tonto in sight to help him out.
Personally I think Harry inherited a squad which was far better than we 'ought' to have due to good dealings that predated Harry (King, Modric, Bale especially) and some good business when Harry was in charge (Sandro, Walker, Parker, Ade, VdV). It should have been good enough to get third and win us a trophy, and would have been under a better coach. Whether AVB is that better coach, only time will tell, but Audere est Facere.
very well put spurf. This is what bugs me. Levy has this EXPECTATION that our manager should qualify for the CL, but our financial weight doesn't back this up. AIMING for the top four, however, is perfectly acceptable.
These names here worry me a little, we need to boost our goalscorers at the club, we need a goalscoring mid, and none of these fit the bill. Willian has 4 goals a season for the 5yrs he's been at Shaktar, Dembele can't hit a barn door either, top clubs have MFers that chip in 10 goals and thats what we need, we have far too many players only capable of a handful if you're lucky. It puts too much pressure on just strikers to score every week.
There is no doubt that top strikers are the most difficult players to get, fetching astronomical prices and expecting wages to match. When players like Bent fetch 16 million you can see the problem. Put a top striker in the the Spurs squad of recent seasons and we would be challenging. We are going to have to be very lucky or extremely shrewd to get one in the next couple of seasons.
Apparently we've submitted another bid for M'Vila. I'll be furious if we go into the season with the intention of playing two holding midfielders in every game. It doesn't work. Simple as that.
We've got Sigurdsson and VDV. Dembele would be a great replacement for Modric and that's what we need urgently. There's definitely goals in Lennon and Bale but we need to be playing freely and with confidence, which Modric helped bring to us so getting someone new in that can do similar would be the priority for me and Dembele falls into that catergory. Never seen Willian play and have no idea whether he'd be any good for us.
If there is any truth in it I hope it's just a decoy whilst we finalise a deal for Moutinho or Dembele.
Jol's turned Dembele into a player that can keep the game ticking over, getting stuck in at both ends and he's more dynamic than Modric in the final 3rd, even if he doesn't have his passing range(not many do).
I've got a feeling, that this week's gunna be a good week. But the bottom line is - we Mousst sign at least 2 or three people. And what about outgoings - hmmm Villa are interested in someone.
>RUN RANT Honestly, it seems the scattergun approach is now in full effect. When the sh*t hits the fan, then throw that sh*t far and wide and see what sticks. Its not the way to run a transfer window for a 'decent' club, and at the minute I'd not be at all surprised that every single other club out is laughing the f*cking guts out! Every single bid we put in will now be rejected until deadline day as we have money to burn (apparently) following the sale of Modric, and it is increasingly apparent we are in desperation. And don't get me started on the 'partnership' agreement, which basically smacks of Modric this year, Bale next, Sandro the year after, Walker the year after that and we get f*ck all back as no player wil want to go from Madrid to us EVER, not even on loan (even Liverpool are a better f*cking option apparently) I'm in a f*cking awful mood this morning I will attest, I can't even be bother with pessimism today and am straight into ANGRY! >RANT OVER
very very very sad not with modric going, entirely expected more with the use of spin to make out like its a good thing, who have we got in Spurs PR these days Andy f*cking Coulson? £33 million or whatever is a good fee, fine and dandy by me. 'Partnership' don't make me f*cking chortle.
I don't get this. so that'll be 4 holding players. does levy not have belief in Livermore? or is he looking to completely sweep aside scott due to his age? we do not need players in this position! I really hope this is a decoy like YV says. it's utterly bizarre to be even hearing of interest in a player who fills this position, when we clearly have bigger concerns.
Its really not, its the Spurs way, we are now collecting DM's like we did RB's a few years back. Still, lets hope one of them turns out to be Walkeresque
AVB said in an interview, his ideal formation only has one striker, so that is either 4-3-3 (with two wingers/inside forwards), 4-5-1, or 4-2-3-1 BUT clearly going by his tactics so far, it suggests to me he likes 4-2-3-1 and possibly wants one traditional dm like parker and a more dynamic dm alongside. Either way, am not a fan so he has a big task in not only changing the way we play, also getting results AND getting a system to work that no one else has managed to get to work.
