Really pleased with our transfer business so far, we're shifting deadwood for the best possible prices and signing players in the area which we massively struggled with last season. Trippier's signing will hopefully do to Walker what Davies did to Rose - bring the best out of him, otherwise it could be curtains for Kyle, admittedly I've pretty much lost complete faith in him but hold the slightest of hopes he'll do a "Rose". Alderweireld will likely come in as 1st choice with Jan and I think Wimmer and Dier (plus Fazio?) will provide great cover and competition. I'm hoping Dier's development isn't halted too much as he looks a great defender in the making but learning from the likes of Jan, Toby along with the coaching staff should still do him well. Now just a striker to compete with Kane and I think it will be a complete and perfect window for us, any other additions (RW, DM etc) would just be bonuses in my eyes.
We're all obviously hoping that the C.B. Partnership of Vertonghen & Alderweireld will vastly improve our defensive record and performances. They play together for Belgium ( ok not always as CB partners ) they played together at Ajax, so it shouldn't take them long to form a good understanding. Also, Trippier is more of a no nonsense defender, of the type that we often needed last year. We conceded 53 goals in 38 games last season. Not far off 1.5 goals per game. That kind of defensive record obviously means that you have to score two just to have a chance of winning any game. A lot of Premiership teams ain't going to be that generous!
If Poch gets his defence right, we'll see him playing the high-pressing game that made Saints able to punch above their weight. Except that, with our better quality squad, we should be able to hurt the bigger sides more often, and challenge for a top 4 slot.
Very true, hopefully tightening up at the back will reduce the deficits we get ourselves in, and some reinforcements/more time with Poch to understand the system up top will help us get the two goals we were needing just to make our lives easier!
Reuniting the old Ajax partnership at CB might solve some of the issues we've had there, Verts and Toby are two players of unquestionable quality who have a proven track record of working well together. I think that we also need to sort out another DM because a back 4 is affected massively by how the players in front of them operate, look at Matic at Chelsea, Busquets at Barca, even Southampton last year or any number of other examples - if the DMs don't operate effectively then the best CBs in the world are worthless. I still think Stambouli could do a good job in there alongside Bentaleb (thats actually who I'd like to play right now with Mason working as cover for Eriksen further forward) but I could definitely see us looking to recruit a player of greater quality there if the right man comes up. If we get that sorted then we just need backup and competition for the attacking players, the defence and deeper midfield positions are where we've been needing to add starting XI players, assuming that Lamela is a sure bet to be continuing his 'development' on the right that is.
Anybody think Spurs will make a 'BIG' signing as the window closes! It would be brilliant if we pulled off another VDV type signing.
Must be something in the works, we've not bought ANY midfielders yet which is just not like Spurs at all. Seeing as some papers have reported that Bayern would give Muller, Schweinsteiger and £20m for Di Maria we could probably convince them to take Townsend for Muller right?
Think having CL football to offer was a big thing in the VDV deal...can't see the EL helping us A more likely late deal will be RM getting De Ger and the media unsettling lloris (as with berbatov) during the openning weeks of the season on behave of them...and him leaving on deadline day.
I think Levy's probably well aware of their bullshit now and I think he'd block the move this time. The media's ridiculous insistence on Lloris moving might not be all down to Utd this time, though. L'Equipe have been spouting constant **** about anyone in the French national picture, trying to get them all ready for the Euros. The ludicrous price tags being quoted have probably been sent out from Old Trafford, but at least some of the rumours are from across the channel.
I can't see Levy allowing himself to be bullied in that same way again. He'll be a prisoner or sold abroad if that scenario happens i'd say
I also think we’ve done really well so far, considerably better than I would have guessed, especially with not only moving extra players, but getting great prices for them. But there’s work to be done, to me, in both buying and selling. Bentaleb and Mason did very well, all things considered, last year. They were also make shift, a CAM and a box to box midfielder. As it stands, it’s debatable whether we need a DM or a Cabaye type more, given the probability that we’ll start Bentaleb. While Bentaleb has the potential to be an excellent playmaker, he’s not quite there yet. On the other hand, he has been a good DM when he’s wanted to play like one. I hope there is a big signing. Smaller PL clubs have made surprisingly big ones, so I hope there’s one for us. We should be able to afford it easily, considering how much we’ve made from player sales, not to mention NFL investment. It might not be smart at all to not make a big signing or two, actually.
Yes, good point, Spurs need to make 'BIG' signings to protect their position as one of the worlds top sides. It encourages other 'BIG' or potential players to want to come to Spurs and also gives a reason for players like Lloris to stay.
Al-der-wer-elt ...in other words, the bloke off Pointless got it wrong when calling him "Alderverrld"
Agree with most of the above. For the first time in a long time; a sensible, well-thought out and well executed transfer window where most of our business - both incomings and outgoings - is being done quickly and quietly and below the gutter-press radar. Although that could all change in a heartbeat. The Casillas to Porto rumours seem to be gathering traction, which would surely knock over the first domino in the Casillas-De Gea-Lloris triangle that would surely spark a Marca and Sky Sports joint company picnic. But if Utd do come in for Hugo, I'd expect Levy to dig his heels in a la Luka to Chelsea and basically say 'you can go, but not to a rival'. In any event, rebuilding effectively our entire defense must surely have got Hugo thinking along the lines of 'one more year'.....?
Welcome Citizen Kane good name and cracking avatar I don't think we'll sell Hugo but even if we did Kane is more important. Vorm is a strong keeper who we already have to replace Lloris, while Kane is utterly irreplaceable in every way for a club in our position. Ultimately time will tell if our business this Summer is good or not, but I'm cautiously optimistic so far.
It's looking possible that the Lloris saga might be sidestepped altogether, as talk of Jasper Cillissen being their first choice has picked up a lot of momentum in the last 24 hours. Fingers crossed, eh?
