I think and hope Pochettino will keep Dembele. I think he's a player who can boss big games on his day, and if he's only a sometime starter, it may suit him, as I think a chronic hip problem will wear him down otherwise. I'd regret Paulinho going less than Holtby. No doubt Holtby wasn't good against Limassol, but neither was anyone else till Lamela came on. It reminds me of Gylfi's start against Crystal Palace in the opener last year. He wasn't very good when the team wasn't, he was blamed, so he never really got a run in the team. And now he's topping the league in goals + assists. (I know, I know, after two games, but still). In any case, we need to figure out who besides Eriksen, Lamela and Chadli can work as the three behind the striker. Kane is one, I think. Holtby is another. Lennon may be a third. Paulinho is worth a try, I think, as, perhaps, is Dembele. I don't see Townsend working very well.
Telegraph reporting that £8m for Fazio is a done deal, and also that the Dawson fee is as high as £6m http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Federico-Fazio-for-8m-on-four-year-deal.html
6 sounds pretty reasonable to me. Anyone know how all this "undisclosed fee" business works? Don't these fees have to be made public at some point for tax purposes and the like? Do I remember something about there being a limit for fees over which they have to be made public? Or was all that just when Spurs was a PLC? I don't remember any undisclosed fees until about 10 or so years ago. How/why did they start happening, anyone? Unfortunately Spurs seem to be particularly fond of doing deals in this way it seems.
Out of interest, has anyone seen Fazio play? Any La Liga experts here who can give a good summary of the guy? (YouTubers banned from commenting).
If I remember rightly, Dembele played on the right against Liverpool at Anfield the season before last - where Jan scored 2 in the 3-2 defeat - and I thought Mousa looked great there. I have a bad feeling Paulinho may be a surprise departure, which will be a huge shame in my opinion. I know he had a below-par season last year but you only have to look at Lamela and Chadli to see that maybe the new lads are starting to find their feet and have a manager that is playing the brand of football they excel in. I'm surprised Holtby hasn't featured more, he was one of the best players in pre-season and despite the fact I wasn't much of a fan, I felt a chance was earned on how he performed. It's hard to tell if Poch rates him or not, he seems a player who I think would suit Poch's style so it's going to be an interesting few days to see if Poch feels the same way.
No, but he's tall, i think. Pretty sure he's awesome, which is about as much of a useful opinion as anyone's when commenting on these players.
Yeah 6"4 apparently. I suppose joining the team that is top of the Prem, you have to be a pretty awesome player...
"Anyone know how all this "undisclosed fee" business works? Don't these fees have to be made public at some point for tax purposes and the like? Do I remember something about there being a limit for fees over which they have to be made public? Or was all that just when Spurs was a PLC?" You are under no obligation to inform the public what you paid for particular players. The bought/sold prices would be a lump sum on the accounts. Keeping the values secret is difficult nowadays as info leaks at clubs will result in roughly accurate figures escaping into the wild. As a PLC, if you sold a key asset to the business you would be expected to state what you were paid. Similarly if you spent a lot of money for such an asset.
Fazio will captain Spurs next season I'd say because for me the keeper isn't best placed to boss the others on the pitch. Now what are the odds of if LVG maintains this losing form Maureen will take over?
Also: From BBC: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will not sell Andros Townsend or Roberto Soldado before the transfer window closes on Monday. Soldado has struggled for form since joining from Valencia last summer and AC Milan have been linked with a move for the Spaniard. "He is in my plans. For the future? Yes. Yes. We've only had two games in the Premier League and one in the Europa League," says Pochettino, who says he needs 24 or 25 players to manage this season.
Chav fans will recall that I predicted at the beginning of last season that The Smug One would, one day, take charge of United.
Tomislav Gomelt loaned to Bari: http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/calciomercato/tottenhams-gomelt-has-signed-with-bari-the-pictures/
Holtby seems like he will be either very good or a useful impact sub, and would be worth keeping in either case. I get the feeling Pochettino likes Dembele and doesn't like Paulinho, based on nothing. Paulinho could work as one of the attacking three, IMO, though I don't think he has worked or will work as a deeper lying player.
So with the Napoli result effectively done and dusted, even if the manager allegedly doesn't want you, if you are Sandro do you stay and prove them wrong like Dawson did last season, or say sod him and then go ??
I don't see why we'd want rid of Sandro unless we're still looking to bring in Schneiderlin, RDBD. Capoue's showed the value of someone capable in that role already and we need competition all over the park.
Last season showed that Capoue is no less vulnerable to serious injury in the DM cause than Sandro. But to read some supporters this summer you would think the difference between them is akin to the difference between a fully fit Ledley and Dawson.
