Summer Transfers

The last week or so has shown that our squad needs some adjustment.
The problem is, how do we go about it and how do we do it without pissing off too many of our players?
Assuming that we keep all of our best players, where can we upgrade?

Our starting XI for the League Cup final is presumably our best side.
Lloris; Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose; Mason, Bentaleb; Townsend, Eriksen, Chadli; Kane.
Lots of youth, a fairly strong spine and a few places that could do with work.

The rest of our squad probably doesn't fare so well.
Vorm; Chiriches, Fazio, Kaboul, Davies; Stambouli, Capoue; Lamela, Paulinho, Dembele; Soldado.
That leaves Friedel, Yedlin, Lennon, Holtby, Pritchard, Carroll and Adebayor as considerations, in my opinion.

So who do we keep, who do we upgrade on and who do we ship out?
Who's good enough for a squad place, but not a starting one?
Where do we promote and how do we deal with our striker situation?

 

Need to go
Adebayor - as much a waste of space as he is a waste of wages
Capoue - dawdles around the pitch when he should be putting in effort on the press
Kaboul - it's sad to see he's past his best, but he's been a liability this season
Friedel - nothing wrong with him, but he's surely going to hang up his gloves at the end of the season

If we get a good offer
Soldado - it's just not worked for him, so if we get a good offer we should let him reignite his career
Paulinho - seems out of place in whatever role we play him in
Fazio - aerial prowess doesn't make up for his lack of pace and ability to make one colossal error per game, we only signed him as Moreno was injured and Musaccio was wrapped in red tape, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was used in a cash + player deal for Musaccio this summer
Chiriches - another defender with the ability to make one colossal error per game, plus there's interest from Serie A
Townsend - he isn't going to learn not cutting inside to shoot every time he has the ball, even though defenders have sussed him out

 

The LC final team is IMO the best XI we have and hopefully will form the core of our Spurs side for a good few years to come. If I was to go through the squad one by one...

1. Lloris - keep at all costs
2. Walker - keep
3. Rose - keep
4. Kaboul - sell. He's never looked like recapturing his form that made him a key player and captain for us, and him and Poch appear to have issues
5. Vertonghen - keep
6. Chiriches - sell as long as we can bring in a replacement
8. Paulinho - sell. Its never going to happen for him at Spurs
9. Soldado - can only praise his attitude but it might be best to take the money and run, if we can find a buyer
10. Adebayor - sell sell sell, we will need to find another striker but out of him and Soldado I know which one we need to get rid of if only one of them goes
11. Lamela - contentious but I'd take the first decent offer that comes our way. We can't afford to carry him in the team and although his attitude and effort are excellent he just always seems to get things wrong. There is a very good player in there somewhere but I don't think we'll see him at Spurs unless we dedicate the entire efforts of the club to his development. We can't do that. However, I think he could well still be here come September because Poch and Levy won't want to give up on him
12. Yedlin - I assume he'll be staying
13. Vorm - keep him if he'll lump being on the bench a lot
15. Dier - looks a good young modern centre half, good on the ball and quite quick too but can mix it a bit as well. Still needs to improve aspects of his game but I think we have a gem there
17. Townsend - a tricky one. I think we'll keep him and I'm pretty ok with that. Needs to improve a lot if he is to hold down a starting place though as I expect us to bring in players in his positions in the Summer
18. Kane - keep him please. I think we'll be able to as well as he seems to want to be with us for a long time, if not for good
19. Dembele - sell if we get the right offer and are set for a good replacement. Has had a mini renaissance in the last month or so but he would be better suited to playing in a team who play a slower game. Doesn't have the footballing brain to go with his admirable physique and technical skills
21. Fazio - feels harsh to write him off after less than a year, but he doesn't inspire much confidence when he plays. Always has a mistake in his locker. If we lose Chiriches and Kaboul though then that is a lot of turnover in the CB position, might be best to keep him
22. Chadli - looked in good form before his recent spell out of the team. Handy player if he can return to that form
23. Eriksen - keep at all costs. I'd rather lose Lloris than Eriksen because we absolutely have no replacement for what he brings to the team
24. Friedel - I assume he'll be retiring finally
25. Stambouli - a player I have a lot of time for. Keep
29. Etienne Capoue - seems to have fallen out of favour and I wouldn't be surprised if he was sold
33. Davies - keep
38. Mason - keep
42. Bentaleb - keep

Of those on loan I'd like to see Carroll integrated into the squad and I think we may well see Pritchard in the PL next season, perhaps on loan to another club though. We won't see Holtby or Lennon in Spurs colours again IMO. It may be too early for young Alli too but I've hardly seen him play so I can't pass comment. I couldn't say much about the others either, although I've heard people say that Grant Hall is very promising at CB, and that Velkjovic might be worth a look.

I think we will look to bring in a CB or two (Winston Reid perhaps and A. N. Other), a CM (maybe more than one if Carroll doesn't make the grade), a wide player or two (Depay and Konoplyanka have been bandied around and I like Redmond although they may be unrealistic options), dedicated cover for Eriksen and a striker or two depending on who gets sold. I expect and hope for a busy Summer, and I hope Pochettino is allowed to do the business that he wants and needs to do, without bankrupting the club of course!

 

Pretty much agree with the Huddlefro,except i would keep Lamela,still think he might come good

 

To keep:

Lloris
Vorm
Walker
Yedlin - Excited to see what he can do, hope he gets a chance before the season is done.
Dier - Incredible young defender, has rightfully claimed a starting role over older, international defenders.
Vertonghen
Rose - Has showed he can actually be a good LB, still has those games where you wonder how he's a professional footballer but for the most part, he's had a good season so far and has arguably been one of our best players.
Davies
Mason - One of those fairytale stories of persistence, patience and hard work eventually paying off.
Bentaleb - Best young CM in the league? Yes. One of the best young CM's in Europe? Yes. One of the best young CM's in the world? Yes. I rate him that highly.
Stambouli
Alli - Very excited to see this kid play for us, looks far too good for League 1 football, his strike rate for an 18 year old CM is crazy.
Chadli
Townsend - Still lacking end product but there's something about Andros that makes me believe he still has what it takes to become a good wide player, the home grown-Academy factor also works in his favour.
Pritchard - I reckon he'll be a candidate for Championship POTY/ YPOTY, deserves a shot in the first team.
Kane - Holy ****ing ****. I always believed he'd be good enough for a place in the 18 man squad, but becoming our best outfield player this season at 21 years old is phenomenal. He's got the whole of Europe taking notice.

To go:

Friedel - Hire as a coach/ continue further with ambassador role, promote McGee or Archer as 3rd choice.
Chiriches
Fredericks - Looks to have done well with Boro this season but with Walker (who's only a couple of years older) and Yedlin (who's younger), you'd have to say his chances of breaking through any time soon would be slim, it would probably be more beneficial for him if he was able to join Boro on a perm.
Kaboul
Fazio - Way too error prone for my liking, I know he hasn't even been here a full season and I'm usually someone that bleats on about giving players time but he's like the Argentinian Anthony Gardner.
Khumalo
Paulinho
Capoue
Lennon - Will be gutted to see him go but doesn't seem in Poch's plans, surprising in a way as I'd have thought his work rate and determination would've been something that Poch would have loved.
Adebayor
Soldado - Worst striker since Rasiak.

Sell for right price but content to keep:

Dembele - One of the most naturally talented players you'll see but doesn't know how to utilise his superb skill set.
Lamela - A big call, as I still believe the kid can become a great player but you'd have to admit that after nearly two seasons now, he's just not made an impact and I'm worried that he may now mentally be doubting himself. Has plenty of time on his side but is this time we can continue to allow on the pitch with very minimal results? I'm more than happy for him to stay but IF a club came in with a big offer, near to what we paid, then if I were Levy/ Poch I'd have to seriously consider it. If he were an academy product or a cheap signing then I'd definitely have him in the keep section but unfortunately for Erik, through no fault of his own, was purchased at a massive price and therefore had a lot of expectancy on his shoulders when he joined and I think that pressure may have affected him.
Carroll - Hasn't really done the business with Swansea, a talented lad though and Poch's faith in youth may work in his favour.

I've listed a lot of outs but all of those are players who have barely had a positive effect on the season and with youngsters coming through plus a Summer window for additions, I think with the money generated from those sales, Poch could add exactly what he feels the squad needs.

If it were down to me, I'd like:

Reid - Not only to piss West Ham off by getting him on a free but he's one of the league's most solid CB's.

Two from Ings/ Austin/ Berahino - Ings on a free would be great value for money. If QPR go down, Austin won't be joining them and I don't think would cost more than £8m. Berahino is costly but is the younger of the three and has played with Kane at England U21's where the pair have obliterated defences.

If someone like Depay was available and interested in joining us then I'd love us to make a move for him and be the marquee signing of the Summer for the club.

Finally a CM and CB, both of whom are in their last year or two at top level football, that can come in, do a job when required and pass on knowledge to our young squad.

 

To go:
Adebayor - if we can not sell him give him a free transfer. If we can't give him a free transfer, pay off the off his contract.
Soldado - will not be a goal scorer for us so we should cut our loses and let him get his career back on track.
Paulinio - does not get into the team so not fancied by Poch.
Capoue - see above
Townsend - think we were right to give him another year but has not developed enough. Works hard but not effective.
Dembele - I do not want to have to watch another one of those ballet turn things he does to avoid driving forward.
Kaboul - legs have gone
Fazio - too many mistakes in him
chiriches - as above
Lennon - not wanted by Poch
lamela - not making a difference in most games. Way too inconsistent for my liking.

I suspect that lamela and dembele will be here next season but that won't be terrible.

I would like 2 strikers in and 2 centre backs to come in .... 11 out and 4 in would also sort out our stupidly big squad

 

I know you all enjoy your speculation on the ins and outs but personally I hope we have as little change as possible. Right now with this team beginning to come together a run of stability for manager and players can only be for the good of the team IMO.

Yes I can see the reasons for players like Kaboul to move on, but youngsters like Lamela we need to nurture and be a little patient with. Obviously if a an opportunity to improve the squad arises then of course we should take it, but for me that would be an experienced midfielder in the mould of VDV or Davids, a class player near the end of his career who can lend his ability and his experience to pass on to our youngsters.

 

Spurf I get your point but
1) we have an enormous squad and
2) our squad has players in it that are not suited to the way MP wants to play.

The only solution is to let those players go else where to get first team football and so he can get the players he thinks will suit his style of football.

I am torn on lamela as he works hard and gives 100% like Soldado but sometimes that's not enough. But maybe you're right about him cos of his age.
He was the one I ummed and arred about along with dembele.

 

I see what you're saying Spurf - change for its own sake is a fairly pointless and often expensive (in financial and performance terms) exercise in football. But there is no hiding from the fact that there are plenty of players on our books who are not fit for purpose and who need moving on, and that there is also room for improvement in our starting XI.

Yes Lamela needs our patience and our support and I said I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay. But if I were chairman I would be sorely tempted to take any bid over £10m because I really don't know if we can afford to keep him around the match day squads to the detriment of the overall performances of the team. If he stays past the Summer transfer window its a risky statement of intent from the club that could prove costly in the long run IMO.

Then again I guess any move in football is a risk, success comes from taking them successfully.

 

Adding onto my previous post, the Cup Final side suggested to me that that side is currently Poch's first choice, we've had a fully fit squad the past couple of weeks too and so I'd like to think that the guys on the bench were Poch's "best subs", so that some what says those were the 18 men Poch sees at this club right now as being the men to win us games and get results.

Realistically, and be brutally honest here, who on that bench filled any of you with confidence of "if we bring him on it could change the game"? Because for me I felt no major excitement and expectation when the likes of Lamela, Dembele and Soldado were brought onto the field of play. Lamela as I've already said is young and so you can allow time but Dembele and Soldado should be as near to finished products as can be and yet offer/ offered very little. Despite a big squad, filled with a lot of internationals, many of them just aren't doing the business and aren't living up to former reputations and standards, hence the reason why I'd be happy to see a large number of faces leave.

I think Poch/ Levy/ The Club need to be a bit ruthless in the Summer, I wouldn't call it a transition period (providing none of that first XI are poached) because we're not looking to change tactics or bed-in many first teamers but we need to add the right quality to the squad and not just a have load of mediocre in large quantity.

 

Dembele is not a game changer when we are behind. I'm not sure "excited" is the word i'd use but i'd be happy to see him coming off the bench when we are 2-0 up as he helps control games (eg, he slows them down and retains possession pretty well).

Our best possibly-game-changing-impact-sub is Townsend. He started though. I think a key attribute of an impact sub is they have to come on and do THEIR thing regardless of how the game is going. Needing an impact sub signifies something isn't going quite right so you can't just have someone who will come off the bench and slip into how the game is already panning out

 

IMO very few changes are needed. I am actually already looking forward to next season after our recent performances have shown what this team is capable of doing.

Kaboul, Capoue and Ade are definitely on their way out.

Pritchard and Carroll I'd like to see return. We also have Alli, so our midfield is sorted with young British talent-the way Poch likes it.

We need a left CB to cover Jan and a ''new striker'' (where have I heard that before? )

So also dispensable will be:
Vlad; Paulinho; and Lennon

 

The two areas that need to be addressed are defence and central midfield.

Of our current centre backs, Vertonghen and Dier are worth keeping hold of, while Kaboul and Chiriches both look set to depart at the end of the season and Fazio could go either way depending on whether a suitable replacement can be brought in (as I said a few posts further up, I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved in a cash + player deal this summer) Of the likely candidates, Hector Moreno has a year left on his contract at Espanyol so would be cheap, Winston Reid is out of contract at the end of the season, while Musaccio has three years on his contract plus the third party red tape so would be pretty expensive. As we're letting two or three centre backs leave, we need to sign two of Moreno/Reid/Musaccio, so we have three senior centre backs, plus we can offer more opportunities for Dier to develop as well as potentially letting one of Ball or Veljkovic get more opportunities.

Similarly, in terms of central midfield, we need to build around Bentaleb, although we need to find the right partner for him, and that's the problem as there isn't one: Capoue and Paulinho are the most expendable as the former is lacking the workrate or motivation to press for the ball while the latter just doesn't seem to fit into the team regardless or position (or manager), Dembele was superb in his first season but hasn't found those heights on a regular basis ever since (although the recent Dembelessance indicates he may have a future), Mason puts in a lot of effort but his poor positional sense means he gets caught out of position which leads to either the opponents countering or him getting booked, Stambouli has looked tidy but so far hasn't had a standout performance, while Carroll and Ali are unproven at Premier League level.

 

I think we also need options in attacking positions hbic, considering that Ade surely has to be on his way out (or at least isn't going to be in the named squad like BAE) and thus needs replacing, Soldado cannot be relied upon, we could do with some new blood in the wide positions and cover for Eriksen too.

 

True, but while the attacking options are a case of getting rid of Adebayor to bring in Carlos Bacca or Salomon Rondon or Jay Rodriguez (or whoever else we're linked with...) up front, our defence needs a complete overhaul as too many of our centre backs are an outright liability at the moment. Similarly, in the attacking midfield slots, there's options available: Konoplyanka will be a free agent in the summer, Depay will be available, plus we can offer Pritchard his chance.

 

TBH, in my view, the only must keeps are Lloris, Mason, Eriksen, Bentaleb, Walker, Kane and Chadli. I could also make a case for Dier, given his youth and inexperience. The rest I couldn't care if they go or stay.

We have glaringly obvious problems at both ends of the pitch. We could use cover on the wings. A good striker is an absolute must.

 

Just had a text from a Chelsea season ticket holder suggesting that we're monitoring the Ivanovic contract situation.
Apparently they only want to offer him a one year deal, because of his age. He's still got a year left, though.
Sounds like a totally unLevylike deal, to me. Can't see it.

 

The spots I thought we weren't good enough all too often were Mason's and Lamela's/Townsend's. They weren't bad, and might get better. But the one player who could most improve this team would be a Moutinho-type. Could Pritchard be it? I'd be okay bringing him in to challenge Mason, and hoping one or the other will provide an upgrade on what Mason offered this year, which wasn't bad. I don't know about Lamela and Townsend. Lamela never looks like a right-sided player, to me. It's so rare he provides a threat on the right. On the other hand, there are the moments of brilliance, the combative attitude and the potential. At the beginning and end of the year he's shown a good eye for a pass as well. Townsend provides threat and distraction on the right, but he seems the more limited player. The combination of both weren't bad this year. Lamela might get much better. But a right-sided goal scorer would be the other big signing I'd consider, along with a deep-lying playmaker. On the other hand, giving Yedlin games here might be interesting. Rose certainly provided a good plan B as LM this year.

I'd hang on to Soldado because I don't think anyone will give us anything much for him, and he's a useful squad player. I would sell Paulinho if we can get a decent price for him, which I think we can. Dembele I'd keep. I think he's the one player who can spell Eriksen effectively at CAM, though Pritchard or Carroll are both thoughts. Ade, Kaboul and Capoue all seem worth shifting. Capoue and Ade could conceivably turn back into valuable players, but it doesn't seem likely enough to gamble on.

 

I think you probably mean Carroll coming in to compete with Mason rwaeb, Pritchard is a winger/attacking midfielder and I don't think he really has it in him to play the deeper midfield role. If we're talking players to come in and challenge Mason for a place in the team, unless we're talking about going and buying someone from abroad like Cabaye (who I think would be excellent if maybe a little out of our reach) then we're probably looking at someone like Westwood at Villa or McCarthy at Everton.

I also disagree completely on Dembele, I think our game is too fast-paced in attack and defence for him to handle.

 

Feel like the only person that is hoping Holtby gets another crack. Quality player. Has a bit of that "fight" everyone was moaning for a few months back xD