"Bumper TV deal plus a few departures with the promise of more out the door." Coentrao could be covered by the outstanding Modric money. There is also bound to be some cash on the club balance sheet (how much I know not - despite asking various 606 accountants in their day jobs to work out the figure ) . If the last of the incomings is done now, then I expect 2-3 weeks of serious Levying to clear out some deadwood.
I thought it was as much as 20m. - therefore if he's worth 13m, they'd still need to give us 7m! What is this guys?!
Good read http://www.cartilagefreecaptain.com/2013/6/26/4462998/tottenham-prospect-rankings-6-milos-veljkovic
Assuming for a second that Capoue and Coentrao sign and Assou-Ekotto, Parker and Huddlestone leave, then how do we look? Lloris Walker Kaboul Vertonghen Coentrao Paulinho Sandro Dembele Bale Soldado Chadli Back up: Friedel Naughton Dawson Fryers Rose Holtby Capoue Sigurdsson Lennon Defoe Townsend Gomes, Carroll, Livermore, Falque and a variety of youth players not included. Still need more depth at the back, for me, but a pretty impressive side.
PNP : You have to be more visionary than that. This is a squad game now. Trying replacing various players from your First with your Second, and see how that lineup measures up.
Though I haven't seen much of Chadli, I personally think Townsend's ahead of him (after his ban). I think he could surprise a few this year.
I think Townsend deserves some serious game time, whether he is above Chadders is totally beyond me though
This is what me and spurs guru did the other day, a few pages back. You can make 1 outstanding team and one average-quite good team, or by mixing it up, you can make 2 very good teams. The latter would be my choice if we're serious about a European campaign next year too.
Would be a fantastic signing, LB has been a weak spot for us for years. I've never seen this player (knowingly anyway) but from all counts he will be a definite upgrade. Oh and Dawson in front of Kaboul all day long, unless Daws has a serious injury. He's our captain and part of any 'first XI' if we're going to start counting injured players.
You are never going to see your "outstanding" team on the pitch for at most 3 games in a season, PNP. So you better start playing with the various combos and see how that soothes your soul.
The thing with first XIs and second XIs is that i think there is a phrase i used to use as a snooker player than kind of applies: "You are only as good as your worst performance" Lots of players are capable of beating others when they play well, but its when you aren't playing well that defines how good you are. Similar to the old "playing badly but winning" thing I think this applies to football squads in that you are only as good as the worst team you are _likely_ to put out. Man U, Chelsea and City can take a few injuries and still put out a team that will take out most the league. We're not quite there, but we are close.
I think that's the benefit of picking up players like Capoue and Holtby though, RDBD. Filling in for different absences, rotating or offering something a little different without too much disruption. Might explain why we've been linked with a few defenders that can play more than one position, too.
Wise words, Spurm. When the injuries start coming in (as they will) , then we'll see whether the squad signings have paid off.
The ironic thing is, if Townsend was playing in the dutch league, I bet fans on here would be saying "he looks a class act" but because hes our youth player there is always "he probably isn't good enough, hasn't done enough to be given a chance, too much of a risk etc""....but Townsend showed last year with QPR that he can perform in this league and we should start him agaisnt palace if bale isn't playing on the left.
You have a good point, but I think you exaggerate a little. Real NFL-style tackle call-it-what-you-will and real baseball are unplayable by almost everyone, which is weird. But basketball is very popular (though not by everyone, everywhere.) Touch football and softball are, along with it, the most popular games for kids (with touch football having the virtue of being fun to play with only three people), and continue to be popular with adults. Ice hockey for kids is beginning to become a religion for middle and upper middle class kids in the northern US as it remains in Canada. Adults are more likely to run, work out, play golf or tennis, true. And all too many of us don't get off our fat asses at all.
I've never understood why Rugby's not popular in America. It's like the NFL but without the pads and pissing about for a minute between plays.
