I do not follow overseas football and think that prem clubs are unlikely to sell good players in january so cant comment on who we could or should buy. However I do have a wishlist of players to go. Adebayor...if his wage demands prevent him being sold or loaned out I would offer him a free transfer or even pay off his contract. He is a problem in the team imo. Inviting toon players in and slating our fans for bad performances at white hart lane (would love to know his views on why we were so **** away in europe and at villa or why we have a home record of w 5 d 1 l0 in the cups at home if its us that are the problem). Soldado...looks shot to pieces...best for us and him togo imo. Chiriches...not trusted by MP, has been poor. Paulinio...has not had a good game all season, premier league does not seem to suit him. Dembele...is 3rd choice behind Bentaleb and Capoue...his sale will raise money and reduce the squad size. Vertongen...ego outstrips his skill...clearly not trusted by MP as out of form kaboul starts before him BAE...just pay him off as he will not be playing for us again. Was wondering what others think.
Everyone. I'm probably half joking, to be honest. Assou-Ekotto should just be let go or paid off, whichever he'll accept. I'd probably sell Adebayor and possibly Soldado too, if we could get anything substantial for them. Not sure I'd bother with selling anyone else. Bring Yedlin into the country and loan him out for the rest of the season, as he's now a bit Latvian, for passport purposes. As for replacements, I think that we could do worse than to have another look at Benteke, especially as his silly red against us restricts the number of games that he has to impress in. Other than that, I'm not sure. Not Ched Evans.
To keep , Loris (but he will be gone ) Rose (backup) Fazio ( still to early ) Verts (only quality back ) Walker Dier Mason (lightweight but a fraction of a chance he will come good, if not after 1 more year sell ) Eriksen , Lamela both flops so far but the same as above. Kane ( 2 more years , if not sell) The rest are so **** , better having a good first 11 , than 2 teams full of dross. Nothing will change as Levy will have to sell at a major loss and he will only spend lf we are in a regulation battle. Football is not the aim of the game but profit,
Adebayor Dembele Paulinho Assou-Ekotto Chiriches As for Vertonghen, I can't help remember that Barca were linked in January, and after that is when he started getting stroppy, so here's a hypothetical in case they come back for him in January - would you accept... a.) Straight cash? b.) Cash + Mascherano? Personally, I say the latter option solves three problems at once.
The thought that occured to me the other day was this: If you could get the price we paid for them, which players would you NOT sell? And frankly there an awful lot of players for which the answer is not just "Yes" but is more like "Bite their bloody hand off". Players I would not sell for the fee we paid for them: Lloris, Dier, Walker (assuming we're calling his fee 4m), Rose (was 1m or something?), Capoue, Chadli, Lennon, Adebayor (5m and there's still a player in there), Vorm, Eriksen. Everyone else would be very sellable at the fee we paid for them. And Eriksen and Adebayor can think themselves lucky that they're on that list above (I'm not taking wages into account). Obviously I'm excluding all the academy players who we didn't pay fees for. So out of 27 players I'm hoping we kept the receipts for about half of them. And I'm not simply saying "I don't rate them" I'm saying that I would sell them for the price they cost us and think I've got a good to great deal. (Of course in this fantasy squad disruption and finding replacements etc is not relevant).
I hate to say this, but I believe that only Lloris and Walker are good enough for a side that has expectations of regular CL footy. And this comes back, yet again, to my perennial argument: if our expectations ought (notice my deliberate use of that word) be for nothing more than mid table obscurity, safe from relegation, and with the odd good domestic cup run, then we have a perfect team for that. Outsiders will say that we are deluded because we are expecting something that is never going to happen - and, at the moment, I would have to agree with them. If Levy were to come out and make it absolutely clear that he is away that we have a team that is simply unable to compete at the top of the table, all pressure would be off the players and the manager. But, we all of us, know that his expectations are as deluded as that of any fan. We know (or, at the very least, strongly suspect) that he expects the club to finish among the top 4. Sorry, but that is utter delusion, and most of you, in your heart-of-hearts, know that.
I actually just laughed out loud at the idea of someone offering us 30m for Lamela. Could you possibly imagine?! I mean I could just about imagine someone offering 10m for Townsend and in that case someone offering North of that for Lamela, who has done so much less, is just pure fantasy.
Chadli has been a big improvement from last year when he was awful . His goal record is one shining light . Overall I see so little in build up play , invention and pace to warrant keeping him . When you think he plays in a similar position to Bale its enough to make you cry. For me , just an average sort that has been a downgrade of players past. One of the many reasons we are in such a pickle .
Ekotto - A huge shame how his final years has gone with us, our best LB in the Prem era and will take a lot of beating to have that title removed in my opinion. Would wish him the best wherever he went. Chiriches - Initially looked a good signing but as time went by he got worse, this season he's been shocking. Fazio - I'm someone that's campaigned for players to be given chances so I'm looking very hypocritical here but the guy seems like a walking red card machine (I've done a bit of research, got a few reds for Sevilla too) and his actual performances against half decent sides have been well below par. Looks a League 1 defender trying to step up. Kaboul - Terrible shame to see him play so badly, pre-injuries he was immense, a real beast of a CB, there was a period where I thought he was regaining his form but sadly that lasted for only a few games. Shadow of the player he was back in 2010/2011/2012. Naughton - Someone who's been harshly criticised by Spurs fans but I think for his benefit, a move would be good for him as he's never going to be a first choice here. Yedlin (hopefully) coming in Jan will add some good competition for Walker, who'll hopefully be fit by Jan. Paulinho - Technically left already seeing as he's nowhere to be seen . Dembele - Very tough choice, I like watching Mousa at times, he has that extraordinary keep-ball ability but after his fine work of beating a man, he then becomes clueless as to what to do next. We can recoup our £15m on him I'd say, which'll be good business. Soldado - He tries but the Prem just isn't for him, unfortunately we'll make a huge loss. Ade - Has gone back to Lazy Ade again, we can't persist with a guy that only wants to play when he wants. A damn shame though, fantastic player when on form. Players to keep but who need to get their act together: Eriksen - Technically our best outfield player, struggling big time for form though, I believe he'll come good soon enough. Lamela - Needs to transfer Cup form to League. Townsend - Gone back to his early years of trying to do too much, last season before his injury he showed what a fine player he can be, he has the skill to beat a man and a good cross on him, go back to being more team-orientated and less selfish and he may find himself in the first team picture more often. Capoue - Great start to the season but has looked ****e in recent games, Bentaleb I presume isn't far from injury and I'm sure him and Stambouli are eager to get some chances to impress.
Vertonghen - sell him Chiriches - sell him Dier - loan him out to get to grips with English football Naughton - sell him Fazio - sell him Assou-Ekotto - sell him Khumalo - sell him Paulinho - sell him Lamela - loan him out to get to grips with English football Dembélé - sell him Capoue - sell him Soldado - sell him Adebayor - sell him
Sell Khumalo?! Are you crazy? He's got to be one of our longest-serving players now, hasn't he (without ever actually serving the club)? I tell you - the next Lucas Radebe.
So our players do badly under system a. We switch to system b and the players do very well, in terms of getting points, anyway, and improve during the time system b is in place. So we switch back to system a, and they do badly again. Clearly the thing to do is change the players.
SoS - its true that Fazio does look utterly, utterly clueless but i'd give him the benefit of the doubt seeing as so does Kaboul and he should be well and truly settled by now. My list is gonna be controversial Out: * Lloris - Put those pitchforks and flaming torches down! He is the only one in the squad we're gonna get a LOT of money for (£35-40m). We won't be gifted a big transfer budget to correct this mess so the money has to come from somewhere. Vorm is a very good keeper, imo. * BAE - might as well have already gone * Kaboul - I used to call him KaBOOM. He looks done, maybe its the injuries. * Vertonghen - Would also go for a sizeable sum and doesn't look interested * Naughton - enough chances, Yedlin can come over in Jan. * Capoue - Bentaleb is a better DM, and puts in more effort * Paulinho - What. The. f**? * Ceballos - he's never gonna play * Soldado - Does not suit our system. Will go to Spain/Italy and bag 30 goals. * Ade - isn't trying, high wages, seems disruptive Deffo keep: * Vorm - new number 1 * Rose and Davies - both young and decent * Walker and Yedlin - Walker would be probably be our best remaining player, when fit * Chiriches - As PNP says, there must be a player in there. The Europey performance was shocking, but he's been injured. * Dier - The future of our central defence, or should be. * Fazio - Could work alongside Dier once he's been allowed to settle, but the jury is very much out. * Bentaleb - Puts in a shift, does a good job imo. * Dembele - Can do a job as attacking option and defensive mid option. * Stambouli - Looks decent, not been given enough time * Eriksen - Talent, off form * Chadli - Much improved. Might not do mega loads other than stick the ball in the back of the net but that can't be underestimated right now * Lamela - Talent, needs time, and a cuddle. * Townsend - I've gone full circle on this guy now. Shoots too much but can make things happen and tries * Mason - great season for a newbie so far. Seems weird he's only just broken through at 23 * Kane - effort, potential, knack of goals * Lennon - impact sub/good at protecting Walker (or Yedlin) against better oppo Ins Promote up to bench all players in the youth set up we genuinely think have futures. Velkovic? Pritchard? Onomah? Etc. Give them minutes in the prem and big chunks of minutes in europe (if we qualify again) and cups Striker or 2. One young, one workhorse. We won't be able to get him but someone like Shane Long Central defender - someone like Shawcross, or Dawson. Preferably a leader as i have no idea who out of my keepers could be captain, Bentaleb/Stambouli? As others have said though the first thing we need to do is have Levy come out and publicly say he doesn't not expect us to challenge for the top 4
