Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction

I don’t disagree with you at all, it takes all sorts. And we can pick out examples to show that any manager misses players who go on to be great elsewhere. But I also think that the onus has to be on a player to do everything to make themselves available for selection and it may be that Parrott isn’t doing that. Mou’s positive reaction to Lamela making himself available and giving his all despite not being fully fit should be an indicator of what he looks for in a player IMO, in that he’s not dissimilar to Poch who likely would also have looked unfavourably on BAE, rightly or wrongly.

And importantly I think we both agree that we need a striker, Parrott is the one we have right now. So he should be getting minutes. If his attitude continues to be off once we have alternatives again, then that’s the time to take him to task IMO.

 

He had to stay for a day past the transfer window in order to count as homegrown and/or club grown, IIRC.

 

I'd probably say our squad is more full of players who have seen their best days or gone completely stale. The Summer and Winter recruitment has started to address those issues as none of our new signings were older than 23 but in total our squad is one that would be classed as senior. Although I'd personally apologise to Poch for initially saying he didn't have the minerals to manage a senior squad, it's now apparent that too many players are just no longer up to the task, unfortunately Poch must take blame for that instead - along with Levy - but I would retract the notion he can't handle an experienced side.

As for Jose at Utd, Pogba has proven to be a cancer of a personality whilst Shaw was overweight, I don't really think Jose done much wrong with his handling of them. Shaw to this day has still struggled for form and there's an expectation that he's going to permanently lose his place to Brandon Williams before long.

As for Kane, it's worth remembering he broke through under Sherwood towards the end of the 13/14 season, finishing with three goals and two assists in the final six league games. Also, he'd had first team experience both in the Europa League and on loan in the Football League. He was scoring for fun in the Europa in 14/15, and along with Soldado and Ade being poor, he eventually forced himself to be the main man that season. Another positive to Kane is his attitude and mentality, doesn't party, doesn't drink and is a renowned model professional, hence why he's captain of England.

Parrott on the other hand has played a combined total of 71 minutes for the first team, the majority of that a dud performance for 65 mins against a League Two outfit. Add in that it's now being widely reported he isn't putting in the graft whilst we've seen him party it up in Dubai where he could've made a conscious choice to stay behind and impress the coaching staff, it's a chalk and cheese comparison to put him and Kane in the same sentence in my opinion.

We definitely need a striker but I'd disagree with any notion that we just give a chance to a player who isn't earning one. That sets a dangerous precedent throughout the club as not only will players who have been grafting feel let down at not being given a similar chance but others will then start to feel they don't need to put the work in in order to feature for the first team.

 

The only player I think Jose is giving a rough deal too at the moment is Oli Skipp. Weirdly enough Jose has said himself Skipp will be a huge player for the club yet his lack of game time is bemusing. I would also say Foyth but when he got his chance against Norwich he cost us a goal and picked up an injury a couple weeks ago too which probably hasn't helped.

Far as we're aware, Skipp is a strong trainer and in his sporadic appearances over the last 18 months he looks a very decent player in the making, so at a time where Dier is shocking, Winks has a 1 good game in 10 ratio and Ndombele can't get fit to save his life, I really don't see the harm in him getting more game time.

So if anyone criticises Jose on that remark, I'd agree but I can't get behind the notion to give him grief for not giving Parrott game time as all the whispers about the lad really aren't too positive, regardless of how talented he is.

 

All correct but Kane looked like he was still developing physically during those loans. He came on in the win at OT under Gillet Tim and looked well, well short of ready. Those loans may have helped him but he wasn't ready as a result. However, Tanganga's not gone out on loan and is ready now.

Parrott's performances in the pre-season games showed that physicallity's not an issue in the same way. Physically, he's ready to come on from the bench, as are Sessegnon, Foyth, Skipp, etc. They're not getting selected for other reasons...and the fact that Mourinho's doing it to a number of young talents isn't a surprise to many of us and certainly doesn't mean that he's right.

 

I don’t think giving Parrott game time now sets a precedent, as having literally nobody who can play up front is hardly a usual set of circumstances. If he’s still being a dick when normality is resumed then that’s when you take him to task. These are exceptional circumstances, Jose has highlighted his feelings vocally to the press and I don’t think anyone would be under any illusions as to the situation if Parrott got minutes for the rest of the season.

I agree with DH that Skippy not getting more time baffles me. I think José isn’t as sold on Dier as he first thought he would be, so really it’s between Winks and Skipp for that deep lying midfield position in the 3. Winks has been decent under Mou but he can’t play every minute.

 

I'd say maybe give Etete a go. He's actually older than Parrott and joined us in the summer after breaking through at Notts County last season. For sure, Notts County to the Prem is a huge gap but if Etete is putting in the work (not heard anything negative about him thus far) then I'd rather give him a shot. 6'4 too, Jose likes a big striker. Ultimately for me, chances should always be earned not given, even if there's a shortage.

As for Skipp, yeah I think Jose has began realising that Dier isn't the Matic he was probably hoping for when he joined. Giving him the start against Villa was odd but his game time has been very limited since December, only starting in the FA Cup games prior. I disagree Winks has been decent though - and this isn't just me being anti-Winks - he had a blinder against City and done well against Pool but outside of those he's been his usual Crab-like self offering us next to nothing. If Jose wants a defensive presence then Skipp is our current best bet, he's not a unit like Dier or Wanyama but he's sort of in the Scotty Parker mould in that he's a smaller framed guy yet willing to get stuck in.

 

Even as a fan of Winks it’s surprised me how steady he’s been, he’s had one or two blinders and with GLC in the team (and even more so with NDombele there too) he understands his role a lot more, it seems. Definitely keen to see Skipp get more time though.

On Parrott I would 100% agree with you that we shouldn’t reward bad attitude with playing time if we had a first team alternative but I think playing Etete instead of Parrott is cutting off our nose to spite our face. We’re a bit further down the road than a shortage right now IMO.

 

Winks just isn't consistent enough to play regularly for us whilst his style is also too reserved for the most part. Luckily for him, half our team isn't consistent at the moment so he doesn't look too out of place but if fans want this club to go on to higher levels then Winks (amongst others) isn't a player we should be relying upon.

I think the fact we don't have the first team alternative and he still isn't putting in the work is what annoys me most. A solid amount of effort would likely be enough for Jose to at least put him on the bench yet after Jose saying he's not "physically or mentally" ready, it just feels like Parrott is coasting by in sessions and that's probably being polite. Surely he's watching Tanganga in training? Mimic his level of work rate and professionalism and chances are Parrott could be in the squad within a week or so.

 

Parrott has a bad attitude? Who from the club has said that?

 

Winks is basic but neat and tidy, there’s always a place for players like that in a team as long as the ‘talent’ alongside him and up front performs.

I know you’ve been very vocal in your criticism of Winks but for me he’s definitely one to keep.

 

At United...under...?

Pogba wasn't a problem at Juve or with France in the World Cup. Juve are said to be keen to bring him back and Zidane is very keen on him, above Eriksen...for massive money. Maybe, they have managers who can deal with a personality that isn't a perfect match for what they want?

Mourinho has a history of falling out with some players - Samuel Etoo, Iker Casillas, Pepe, Sergio Ramos all fell out with him. All of them top pro's. All of them weren't having any more of him.

My concern is that, at United, Mourinho had the issues of Pogba (attitude); Shaw (fitness/weight); Martial (confidence/consistency). None of them were successfully resolved. At Spurs, it is suggested that he's got Parrott (attitude), Ndombele (fitness/weight); Sessegnon/Foyth (confidence/consistency). Time will tell if he he's progressed and can do more this time around.

As you can guess, given his track record, I'm not hopeful.

 

Agree on both. We need a proper midfield destroyer (not the top priority over the summer but probably 4th in line behind RB, LB and a striker). Winks will put in 110% and covers multiple positions in a midfield 3 and as a club man too he’s important to have around the squad IMO but we could do better at DM.

This is 2nd/3rd hand from DH so you’d have to quiz him. Maybe I/we are jumping to conclusions but it’s hard to believe there’s many other reasons why he isn’t getting time.

 

He doesn't offer protection, nor does he offer enough going forward. Neat and tidy works if you're battling for a position in the Prem ranging from around 14th to 7th. If you want top 6, or more importantly top 4, he's not a player you should be relying on. He doesn't make the strongest XIs of Liverpool, City, Leicester or Chelsea, whilst he probably doesn't make the Utd XI either. At the very best he's a sporadic squad player for us or any of those clubs but can easily be improved upon, we'd have done that if we signed Jack Grealish.

 

Tbf I don’t think Grealish can play the role Winks does right now, which isn’t to say he wouldn’t have improved us if we’d got Jack. Winks could learn a lot from Henderson (god I never thought I would write this...) because the latter has really developed himself into an intelligent footballer who works tirelessly for the team and adds a lot to the Liverpool midfield despite not being as technically gifted as others.

 

Getting rid of Winks would be pointless, as we couldn't replace him.
We're already short of club and homegrown players and we've got lots of deadwood on top of that.
He's a free player, essentially. Does whatever job he's asked to do, often while utterly isolated.

 

Jose and to an extent, Ole. Rumours that Ole wanted to sell him in January.

He's fantastic player, despite inconsistent spells, so it's not a huge surprise Juve want him back or Zidane wants him at Real. But he has a huge ego (coupled by having a dick of an agent) so I suppose when two big egos are in the same proximity it'll likely end badly more often than not.

Professional footballer's being out of shape really isn't a manager's problem, all it shows is a lack of a professionalism on the player's part. With Ndombele we've already heard Jose say about the special program he's now on, ultimately though it's on Tanguy to get fit and no one else. Sessegnon more so than Foyth have been very poor when they've played under Jose. Unfortunately I don't think Foyth has a future under him as Tanganga has already jumped ahead in the pecking order, Sessegnon on the other hand needs to improve when given chances in the side otherwise he's probably going to be sent on loan in the summer. Parrott just needs to mimic Tanganga's work rate behind the scenes and he'll likely get his chance.

 

No but Grealish would've played the role we needed at the time. Grealish has also shown this season he's a much better midfielder, if he doesn't make the England squad for the Euro's it'll be a travesty, England is crying out for someone like him to assist the likes of Sterling, Sancho and whoever the striker will be.

Winks' role is what it is because we don't really have alternatives. That doesn't mean the role itself is what we need, it's just a case of what we have.

 

Exactly, not having a dig at anyone on here but Mourinho won’t change and I’m not quite sure why so many think he has, he’s maybe come into Spurs and disguised himself a bit but the real JM isn’t far away and the toxicity around him will arrive soon.

 

Do you need Grealish if you have Lo Celso? A strong physical DM should be the next midfielder Spurs sign. Also need Ndombele to get fit and be able to play regular football and then the midfield 3 pick themselves.