it does now and also has Ceballos in the squad so we've got 17 foreign and 6 home grown, plus Dier, Bentaleb and Kane
It looks like you're missing Bentaleb, unless my eyes deceive me. Also, what's up with Mason and Ceballos? Are they going to be loaned out somewhere, or is the plan to start working them in to the team in the Europa and Cup games? (Pardon my ignorance...)
"What's up with Mason and Ceballos?" Is loan-out to a PL club possible before the next transfer window ?? I cannot see either getting much game time unless there is an injury plague.
I thought the answer to the first question was no, and also couldn't see them getting much game time. You never know, though. Lamela and Eriksen are the only #10s we have, unless we think Kane and/or Soldado could work there--in which case we're short a striker. So maybe Mason and Ceballos are last ditch options. I can't see how it will help their development, though, except perhaps that practicing with the first team may be deemed at least as good for them as playing games in the Championship. I'm honestly so sick of Townsend, I'd take my chances with either of them before him, though.
I thought Ceballos would have been sold this week. IMHO he was good when the U21s played 4-3-3, but that formation does not seem to figure in Pochettinos' plans. But both have remained in the fold while Obika and Fryers have not (if that is any significance/consolation ) .
What gets me is that Ceballos would've qualified as a HG player if he remained at the club last season or was loaned to an English club...but instead he was loaned to Arouca over in Portugal, so now he will never qualify as HG.
Don't think that's how it works: "A home-grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21)." (from various sites). So even though he was loaned out he was still registered with us and all is well, no?
An article elsewhere prompted me to return to this. Why is Ceballos listed as part of our squad? He's currently 21, so he shouldn't count towards the 17 non-HG players, unless I've got the rules wrong completely.
The rule is if the player was under 21 on January 1st that year - Ceballos' 21st birthday was last December, so he is not U21.
IMHO the game against Partizan showed that without one/both of Eriksen and Lamela, the CM creativity is looking as bad as it was last season. This does not bode well.
I'd say that it was more a combination of missing Eriksen, Lamela and Chadli, whilst using a system that didn't suit those that replaced them. Going to a 4-4-1-1 with Lennon and Townsend providing proper width on the correct sides and Paulinho supporting Soldado in attack would work well. Kane can replace a holding player if we're in real need of a goal and just switch to a traditional 4-4-2. We've never really replaced Modric, though. Having someone like him in the midfield can really help a side tick.
