Given what the Big 5 spent I always thought it would be a big window for Spurs as to what their ambitions are, whether it be to stick or twist etc. The signings they have made seem a little underwhelming but I feel the positives are that the likes of Crouch, Jenas, Hutton etc off the wage bill. I think it will be a transitional season for Spurs and I feel it is an opportunity for youngsters such as Walker, Livermore and perhaps Danny Rose as well to try and break into the first team. It would be very difficult to foresee a challenge for CL given how far the other 5 are currently ahead of Spurs but they can and I'm sure will strengthen in January.
Spurf, you've made some good points. I hope my comments havent been included as part of your "many people" comment. My main concern is over injuries, i think we're a little short. We made good money with crouch and although we will not be adopting the "route 1" tactic, he's still a striking option that we havent replaced. Yes, adebayor has come in, but he's a loan. i'm just frustrated that we haven't furthered our tactical options. i'm not saying to sign sign sign, but we made a little bit of cash and it's evident we need to strengthen at the back and need another striker. even 2 more loans would have been satisfactory if we were dubious of spending. with all the players that have left, it's great that the wage bill has gone down, but i just feel we've gone from 1 extreme to the other.
yeah good post DL, i tend to agree. Strengthening in January I can't see happening though. players cost too much and levy won't budge.
Here we go again! More unsubtle, sly, anti-Spurs Wummery. "The big five" I wish I could be bothered to argue with you - But, I can't.
Agree solid, this maybe is a reaction to the fact that other clubs identified their targets quickly and got them and we identified them and for various reasons didn't get them. it obviously leads to a let down as the end of the transfer window is generally exciting but we didn't get the buzz this time.
I actually think we could do with some more consistency in our tactics, to be honest. Whenever VDV was out last season we'd give up on 4-4-1-1 but hopefully now we'll find Kranjcar or perhaps even Gio replacing him to keep a similar shape to the side. As for Crouch, it was a tactic that we'd grown out of, it never works against an organised Premiership defence. We've still got plenty of players, someone even did a 25 man squad yesterday without VDV, Gio or Bassong.
Harry's not strong in the tactical department and that's the pity. Now if we had improved that area by signing a second in command with a good tactical brain we could really improve. It's pie in the sky because we haven't and probably wont as long as Harry is in charge but I am sure we can get much more out of this squad if used in the right way. The use of VDV for a start.
sorry schteff, what tactics? we had 3 last year. route 1 to crouch, bale or lennon to run down the wing and cross (hoping for the best), and trying to hold the ball up with strikers that had no strength. we were sussed out very quickly by teams who did that little bit of homework on us. I personally think we need to have something new in addition.
I think you will get Cahill in January. His contract expires next Summer so Bolton will have to sell. I personally think Bolton should have bitten the bullet and taken the offer Spurs put on the table, I think you offered a player as well but I can't remember who it was. I am 100% you guys will strengthen in January as a matter of neccesity. You are going to lose BAE and Bassong to ACON in January so I would expect one or two more defensive signings. ACON really is a pain in the backside What the heck are you on about? Are you seriously trying to suggest getting fringe players off the wage bill seriously isn't a positive? Even Ensil thinks so. I guarantee you that Livermore, Rose and Walker will all have to play a bigger role this season.
Agreed. That's why I'm happy to see the back of Crouch. Unfortunately, it leaves us a bit light in the striker dept. One or two serious injuries, and we'll be up **** creek. I wouldn't count either VDV or GDS as outright strikers. That leaves us with just three - one of which is pretty useless, IMO.
Well that's what I mean. Crouch(1 player) comes on and we'd change the way we play. VDV(1 player) isn't fit and we'd change the way we play, with two up top instead. I'd prefer us to try and keep the general shape to our team whenever possible.
Come off it pal. "The big five" "how far the other five are ahead" etc. Please explain how Arsenal and Liverpool are so far ahead of us. Liverpool have beaten nobody of note - they luckily beat a poor, demoralised, Arsenal side who had been reduced to 10 men. Arsenal are in complete transition, and any new players will take time to settle in. Yet, according to you, after having played just two games against the probable top two of the Premiership, we are already, "far behind" If that's not a sly dig, then it sure does a good impression of one.
I still think we can get Damiao in January and should definitely go back in for Cahill. As superal says the main reason we probably didn't get him is because Inter want him for the rest of their season but as I understand it we still have "first refusal" on Damiao so we should be able to get him in January. It's clear that we do have at least £15 million in profit from this window so unless the funds disappear into the financial ether like so much money seems to nowadays then we should have enough to get Cahill out of Bolton as well.
Liverpool and Arsenal have far better managers for starters, plus in terms of wages they can pay more and can also realistically offer Champions League football hence why the better players will be attracted to them. Dalglish is better than any signing Liverpool will make. They aren't the most individually talented but they have players that consistently perform at club level and have players that are playing for each other and all want to be there, more importantly there is a belief at the club and they have the personnel to change things when they need to, whether it be Stoke or Swansea they are playing against. As for Arsenal they have the know how and experience. Mertesacker is slow but he and Vermaelen will compliment each other well. Arsenal will always score goals and will always create chances, so they'll be up there competing for 4th without doubt. The head-to-head games will be telling IMO and I don't see Spurs beating any of the big 5 home or away this season. I just think United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal and Liverpool are so far ahead of everyone else and nobody will want to play them (home or away) because of the quality they possess. Spurs are not that far off Arsenal and Liverpool and with 3 or 4 quality signings I could definitely see Spurs pushing for that 4th spot, but the quality just isn't there IMO I believe Arsenal will win their next 3 games, with Liverpool winning 2 of their next 3 and by then I feel a gap will start to open up. I don't believe Spurs will beat any one of Wolves, Liverpool or Wigan. You'll start to pick up points in October but to be fair you've had a horrendous start fixture wise
Again, biased opinion - not supported by facts. How do Liverpool and Arsenal have "far better managers" Dalglish hasn't achieved anything since he took, what was then the equivalent of Moneybags City - Blackburn, to the title, almost 20 years ago. Wenger has lost the plot, IMO. Arsenal no longer possess any particular quality - where's their Modric? they no longer have one. The quality of Liverpool's singnings, apart from Suarez, are highly debatable - In my view, they have well overpaid for not much better than average players, like Downing. The rest is nothing more than highly biased, heavily anti-Spurs "opinion". I'd call it Wummery, but that's up to the mods - not me.
Definitely not worth listening to district's views it would appear. under what circumstances can you instantly judge Kenny to be a better manager than Harry? Sure he did a good revival job on Liverpool last season, but if we're honest their position was false in the first place. Spent a lot of money on mostly average signings bar Suarez and Enrique and had an easier opening set of fixtures. Harry got a team struggling hugely into the Champions League with at least 2 players valued at over £40 million thanks to his management. If you think Arsenal and Liverpool are lightyears ahead then you are flaming deluded. If you don't think we will pick up a single win against Wolves, Liverpool or Wigan then simply put, you are a moron. Both wolves and Wigan have started well but who have they played? And we did the double over Liverpool last season, with a squad barely improved this summer. I'm not saying we'll win all 3 but your petty remarks really do get boring to read, simply because we've lost to the two best teams in the league AKA Man United and Man City, not CHELSEA.
The best way of including VdV and getting the best out of Modric is 4-3-3 (or strictly 4-2-1-2-1) with an attacking player in front of two more defensive midfield players and a wide player and auxiliary forward behind a striker. Sandro/Huddlestone/Parker/Livermore provide the defensive midfield and Modric/Pienaar the more attacking midfielder. Bale/Lennon/Dos Santos/Kranjcar/VdV are just behind Adebayor/Pav/Defoe. If we could play like this and not let the striker get too isolated (because Pav and Defoe don't work well as a lone striker) we've got the strength in depth to make it work.
