Aside of the merits of the players we currently have, I think it's important when looking at the 'destination' of our club, to remember the infra-structure is very much in place. We have first class facilities at our excellent new training centre, we have genuine talent beneath the first team looking as if one or two at least can come through and we have a stable and good environment for our younsters to work in. Plus of course the ongoing new stadium project. If we do get it right on the playing field, this club is ready to really take off. .
We agree Boss as I see it! We're not in the oppo's half just by our own choice, we're invited on to teams because we're **** at breaking them down...generally. We're bound to get through eventually some time, its just a poor tactic to rely on without the right players, so far we've got away with it is how I feel.
Don't think you're over rating players one bit Spurf, this is one of the most talented teams with individual stars we've had in yonks. I'd say: Lloris --RB--, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Ekotto Lennon, Sandro, Dembele, Bale --ST--, --TM-- The likes of Friedel (is there a better back up keeper in European football?), Caulker (currently), Walker (currently), Parker, Defoe & Adebayor would be "benchers" in a league winning side in my opinion, good quality but just that bit short. I say currently by Caulker and Walker as they both have the potential to become top players worthy of a first team slot, though Walker's form of late, he'd be lucky to make a relegation team! In a dream world (with a slight touch of realism), players I'd love to have in the blank positions would be: RB: Zabaleta/ Piszczek - Best RB in the Prem in my opinion/ Part of a very solid Dortmund back four. TM: Llorente - Been a fan of his for about 2 years now, gutted we've seemed to lose interest/ lost out to Juve on his signature. An ideal target man. ST: Villa/ Hernandez - It seems Barca, although not this window, would be open to letting him go in the Summer and no doubt the Prem would surely be a place Villa would want to test himself in/ Hernandez knows that he'll always play back up to Rooney and RVP yet is still one of the most dangerous strikers in the league.
I know I'll get stick for saying it, here goes. It's not how good your players are at the peak of their powers and playing well as at team that determines success. It's how you grind out results consistently every week, with very few blips, when you're not playing well or when key players are missing etc. Creating and taking chances at crucial times under the greatest pressure is what singles out the best in any sport. It's not so long ago that Spurs had an uninspiring draw at QPR. Before that there were poor results at home to WBA, Norwich and Wigan. The defence capitulated v Arsenal and Chelsea. I'm not saying Spurs are doing badly, but there is another level to step up to and it's not necessarily about having players of greater ability, but getting more out of those you have.
We have to have players of a greater ability to compete with Man Utd & Man City, as there is only so much you can get our of certain players when teams around you are signing RVP to make sure they win the title. Also, remember its not just about their ability, certain players have an arrogance, belief and that also comes with being at the peak of your game. With our current squad and type of player we sign, I can't see us ever challenging for the title while we have Man Utd & Man City at the level they are, and also Chelsea being able to spend near to 100 million without batting an eye lid.
Lloris is probably the best goalkeeper in the world, even if so far he hasn't quite hit the standards he was at during his time in Lyon. Kaboul and Verts are potentially two of the best CB's in the Prem, unfortunately its still only potential, we'll have to wait and see. Left back is notoriously difficult to find a true world class player, so as it stands, Benny is probably the best we are going to get for a while. Walker unfortunately has just been a disappointment this season, consistently bad, and I can genuinely see Naughton overtaking him for first team duty's. In Midfield, Bale and Lennon are fantastic, but our lack of genuine cover in those positions could be detrimental over the next few years unless its properly addressed. Dempsey can only help so much in that position. Centrally, we have both quality and cover, Dembele, Parker, Sandro and from June, Holtby, with Dempsey beginning to come into his own further up, but still not quite top-4, title-challenging quality. Up front we are ridiculously short of quality. Adebayor was possibly at that standard last year, but we really need a Hernandez or a Negredo.
Not wishing to be over-critical of a young player, but Naughton has done nothing to suggest that he will be an improvement in Walker. He has had a decent run of games at LB (not ideal I admit) and has hardly shone - defensively his positioning has been suspect and he has added little or nothing going forward. He had a chance to impress at RB against Coventry, but again didn't exactly grasp the nettle. He doesn't have Walkers pace either. Personally think we might have a possible top RB in the form of Adam Smith. Maybe he does need another 6 months on loan, but he appears to have potential star quality.
Sorry but I think that's pseudo-wisdom. It's as important to get the points when you're playing well as it is to get points when you're not playing well, infact it's actually a lot more important if you want to compete at the top. "there is another level to step up to and it's not necessarily about having players of greater ability, but getting more out of those you have." Again, sorry, but that's just cliche and counter logic, the words are actually hollow and I struggle to find any meaning in it. I'm surprised you didn't end any of your points with "that's why SAF is so successful". You compete for or win the league by consistently getting results whether that's by being at your best for long periods of the season like City and United were last season or by grinding out results like some Chelsea and United sides have in the past. Of course it can all be derailed by bad luck though or even just a single moment as United found out last season. If we're going to win the league then with our current squad you feel we'd need nearly everything to go our way, that means playing like the best side in the league, getting results when we don't turn up and no side having an exceptional season to eclipse us. That basically means we're not ready and therefore our side needs to get better across the board.
Not stick just a dose of realism, we are talking now not then, Arsenal & Chelsea games are history in the context of this season and the move forward. Arsenal in fact was the wake up call to AVB and since I do believe the team has moved on big time. As some of us said it would take time for the AVB changes in tactics to bed in and again I believe we are a lot closer to that than we were even a short time ago. Man U and City despite their dominance still come unstuck sometimes against 'lower' teams. If we had the recent history of United we would be up there I would even suggest that if Fergie had our squad of players plus RVP he would be in a similar position to the one he is in now.
"If we do get it right on the playing field, this club is ready to really take off." Bar the lack of silverware, the club is almost back to where it was before the true folly of Irving Scholar turned up with a vengeance circa 1990.
I'm a big Caulker fan, but think he's good enough to be in PL-winning side in a year or two rather than right now. On the other hand, I'm not sure we need to exclude Walker, who was good enough last year and is coming around now. Finally, while I admit neither Ade nor Defoe make it, quite, they're both close.
Big Caulker fan as well,i think he will become another ledley!,don't rate Ade,never have,we still need a creative M/F and a top draw striker,but it look's like Levy has different idea's
Ade on top form would make it, but atm? We still need the modern day Klinsmann to push this team to the top. 20 million for that, would, in the end, be a small price to pay.
