Well, Bod, it looks like we're going to be the team to beat in the Prem, this season - we're still top, so I don't think the Europa is a competition that we need to win. However, I am sure (and hope) that Poch will continue to take it seriously, He ought to, as it's becoming increasingly clear that we have great depth to our squad. For me, though, winning the league has got to be the No.1 priority.
See, I truly believe that Walker is going to have a hard time shifting Dier from RB. Also, I'm not yet certain that either Kaboul or Vertonghen are guaranteed a first slot over Fazio. I agree with your other choices, though.
I honestly think Walker will have a very tough time regaining his place if Dier keeps up this form. He's been our best player in our first two league games, I don't think we've ever really said similar about Walker in terms of continuously being a standout player, he's been consistent but never really spectacular. Walker's a good RB don't get me wrong but Dier's form makes him un-droppable at the moment. Dier's form may well just be the result of a honeymoon period and maybe he'll get caught out of position or make some poor decisions in games to come but so far, I don't think the kid has put a foot wrong defensively and as we've seen already, it seems he's found an eye for goal since joining us.
As we have said, it looks like everyone is going to have to raise/keep their level high to stand a chance of getting into the starting XI for PL/important games. As long as the manager has a meritocracy, and is transparent about the reasons for (non) selection for each position for every game, all will be well within the squad.
Walker does not currently have the nous or crossing ability for a flank player. After yesterday, I would want to see Pochettino playing the current flank players on their correct sides before trying to be clever with Walker.
I also think Dier is in the first team for the foreseeable, and Fazio may join him. But the main point I agree with you on is that we need to give our second team a chance to get out of the group. If they get us in a certain degree of trouble, we should probably start dipping into the first team. But not until then. Since we have a squad as deep as we do, we need to keep the second team playing the cups. The only big dropoff, to me, is in the attacking midfield, and even there Paulinho looked good last night. I hate to say this right after saying please don't get him, but Welbeck would be a considerable improvement over Townsend, as, of course, would Holtby. Oh, well. The desire for consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. Another decent idea, to me, is to move Dembele forward. Of course, we should get Soldado back soon, in which case Kane can play as one of the attacking midfield. Though who knows who may go and who may come in the next few days.
See that's the sort of lads we have at Spurs. Sure, we may not have a winning mentality, or the kind of temperament to bully refs into giving us unjust decisions, but at least they have with in them the milk of human kindness.
