Quoting myself here, but just looking at that list of players, I expect Holtby and Siggy to be sold as they won't feature in Sherwoods long term plans and then if Sherwood decides to go with a Modric/Parker type combination then with Eriksen switching to the left we're overloaded with physical midfielders such as Sandro, Capoue, Paulinho and Dembele but where is the Modric type player? Chadli? that could be the reason why Carroll would return.
i've just read that Adebayor and AVB fell out because Ade refused to take a beanie off during a meeting. AVB vowed never to play him again. haha surely not?! Spurcat?!
redknapp has now said that it's likely Tom Carroll will to return to spurs this month. There must be outgoings if this is the case.
I can't see Dembele, Pauly, Sandro or Capoue being sold. Unless Sherwood REALLY rates Bentaleb and Capoue is off. Even so, Carroll isn't a defensive mid. I guess Holtby's days might be numbered?
DEF MID/CM: Capoue, Sandro, Bentaleb, Carroll, Paulinho, Dembele AM: Eriksen Holtby, Siggy, Dembele, Paulinho WINGERS: Townsend, Lennon, Chadli and Lamela Looking at those names, I'd say that there's upto 3 who might not be around much longer, for different reasons. With it looking like youngsters are now going to be given a chance, in addition to a squad which already has an abundance of midfielders, the outlook is bleak for some of the fringe players in there. I don't think we'll say goodbye to any of our summer signings, although I wouldn't be surprised to see Chadli go out on loan. If the club loans Lamela, there will be a lot of fans kicking up a stink and the media will have a field day about how we wasted money. Therefore I don't see that one happening. Sigurdsson must be looking at the situation and considering his future, having not really been a regular starter in the last year and a half. And Carroll potentially coming back is a massive kick in the balls for Holtby, who is currently behind 1 or 2 as it is already.
I'd forgotten about Siggy! Yeah, he's gotta be on his way. If Carroll makes it then i guess Dembele could be on his way in the summer maybe.
Pretty sure Sherwood rates Sigurdsson highly. He played him for the full 90 in each of his first 3 games before Gylfi got injured, didn't he? I'm not so sure Carroll will return in January, unless we get more injuries, but I can still see a midfielder leaving in the window, probably Holtby
I don't see dembele leaving. We've got no one like him who possesses the ability to be able to hold onto the ball. Sigurdsson might be liked, but where is he going to fit in and who is he going to force out of the first XI?
As it is at the moment we do look a bit bloated in midfield when everyone's fit but that never seems to happen. In terms of pools of players for each position: Right back: Walker, Naughton, Fredericks. (3) Left back: Rose, Vertonghen, Fryers, Naughton. (4) 2 centre backs: Dawson, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chiriches, Capoue. (5) Right wing: Townsend, Lennon, Lamela, Chadli. (4) Left wing: Eriksen, Sigurdsson, Townsend, Chadli, Lamela(?). (5) 2 centre mids: Dembele, Eriksen, Holtby, Paulinho, Sandro, Capoue, Sigurdsson, Bentaleb. (8) 2 strikers: Defoe, Soldado, Ade, Kane. (4) When you look at the quality and number of players we have that can play in the midfield positions it's above and beyond anyother area. The only way really to accomodate that many players really is to play 5 in midfield and I don't think that's going to be happening again anytime soon. As much as I dismissed the rumours of Lamela leaving on loan, it might not be such a bad thing. At the moment he doesn't really have a position in the side. His 2 best positions are apparently as a number 10 and as a right winger but with Lennon and Townsend playing well on the right and the number 10 position not existing in our current set up is there really any room for him? Personally I'd like to see him given a Bale-esque free role off the striker to see how he does but if Sherwood doesn't want that it wouldn't surprise me if he's a serious candidate for a move this month.
Could another Premier League team have enquired about taking Carroll on loan, perhaps? Are we reaching capacity on non-homegrown players and need to adjust a little?
If we stay in the FA Cup after Saturday and try to win the Europa league we need pretty much all of those.
We're not because Lamela and Eriksen are U21. Next season we'll be right on our limit if we keep everyone. Shameless plug time http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/216302-Tottenham-Squad-2013-14
