Morning all, Seeing as we're nearing the end of the season and we've started discussing about transfers in and out of the club, many of us tend to agree on some points (striker) and others feel other area need strengthening etc so I'm interested to see who you'd guys want and how they'd fit into the team. Try and keep it realistic, we'd all love a Messi/ Lewandowski/ Falcao/ Lahm but unless we get a Man City-esque take over, we've no chance. I'd really like to see a starting XI of: Lloris, Walker, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Ekotto Sandro, Dembele Lennon, Eriksen, Bale Benteke Hugo is the best GK in the league in my eyes, we're blessed to have him here. If Walker's on form, he's one of the best RBs in the league, same applies for Benny at LB. Kaboul is our best CB and up their with the best in the Prem, Vertonghen made TOTY in his debut season so we know his quality. Sandro had the most interceptions in Europe prior to injury and struck a great partnership with Dembele. Lennon is the un-sung hero (well... We all know how good he is but the media tend to forget him) and Bale is the league's best player, no question for me, not just because of the PFA awards but quite simply, he's breath taking to watch and only just behind the two best players in the world - Messi and Ronaldo. I've added Eriksen from Ajax, I think he's an amazing player with so much potential and the creative spark we've sorely missed many times this season. Benteke... I think it's fair to say every Spurs fan wants him, he's proven himself at a struggling club just what he can do, he has pace, power, aerial prowess and great finishing ability. Harry mentioned before he was sacked he always felt Spurs were just a couple of signings away from title challengers, I think AVB has mentioned something along those lines too while Lennon done a Q&A yesterday and stated that the lads have grown up together and believe the potential is there to really challenge. I really believe them two would make us a massive force. Your thoughts?
That is a great line-up, but i think realistically Eriksen will go somewhere bigger and worse than Spurs. I like Holtby in the middle tbh, i don't think he has fully settled and i'd like to see him play. Perhaps with him and Dembele taking turns as the more forward of the 2 throughout a match. I wouldn't be unhappy with: Lloris Walker Kaboul Vertonghen Benny Sandro Dembele Lennon Holtby Bale Benteke/Dameow (assuming Dameow is as good as he sounds). But squad depth is key, we need another winger and probably another striker (2 new + defoe).
I think we are pretty well off in every position but striker and goalie really. If we could sign two strikers better than Defoe and Adebayor we'd have a strong line up and decent options
Yeah definitely depth is vital too. Dameow () better be as good as he sounds, otherwise what a waste of 2 and a half years we've spent! Do you mean competition for goalie PS or do you not rate Hugo?
I did pretty much this exact thread about 2 weeks ago! There's so many factors that come into play, as it revolves around Bale staying/leaving and whether we make the CL. Presuming we don't lose any top players, IMO, we need: A Striker A creative spark in midfield A LB (as it's likely Benny is going) A back up winger (perhaps a new reserve goalkeeper depending on Brad's plans.) Therefore I think realistic signings are: 1 of Benteke/Remy,(possibly Damiao), Eriksen, Shaw, Ince, + 1 of a number of possible goalkeepers. our "strongest" team could line up something like this. (but I'd prefer us to not know what our strongest team is, by having enough depth to deal with each individual game, depending on our oppositions weaknesses) Lloris Walker Verts Kaboul Shaw Sandro Dembele Lennon Eriksen Bale Benteke/Remy/Damiao 1st team reserves: Goalkeeper, Smith, Dawson, Caulker, Rose, Townsend, Holtby, Ince, Defoe, Sig I think there's enough quality there for straight swaps and changes for certain games, where the squad doesn't feel like it's got a first team and "the rest". Obviously only 7 can make the bench, but I'd like those who don't make it into the matchday squad in 1game, to feel that they could easily start the next game. Let's say the above is our "strongest team", but against weaker prem opposition, I'd like us to be in a position where we could easily play a mixture of those plus "the rest". For example, something like: Lloris Walker Dawson Caulker Rose Holtby Dembele Lennon Bale Townsend Defoe There's loads of different combinations, but those signings to me look like we'd have great balance which would help us deal with the Prem, Europe and possibly the Fa cup too. The Europa campaign, for most of the season, results in 2 games a week. So it's not like the players would get frozen out or feel unwanted.
Is it just me or does anyone see Bale doing a robben? Cutting in from the right in a front 3 instead of the left; allows him to dominate the middle more when he wants to roam; ie ronaldo on the left. So my line up would look something like this: LLoris Walker kaboul SuperJan LEFT BACK Sandro Eriksen Dembele Bale Damiao Son That would be devestating. Holtby could cover any of the 3 middle roles there in my eyes (I see him getting deeper as he gets older), and if we wanted to switch up the formtion to 4-2-3-1 allowing for use of sig, lennon, townsend, rose as cover. I have no ideas about a left back but they'll have to be attacking to work with the narrow 3 in the middle. Baines, Cointrao esq but obviously not as well known in the game - we just can't compete for these sorts of players! Shaw is a lost cause regards chelsea and at 15m... waste. I don't want ince or remy. Atsu from porto might be interesting and moutinho/ rodriquez far more but the asking prices will be disgusting.
I could follow on from this, but I've already done so over the last few days. It results in an essay. In a nutshell, my view is that we must have an established, experienced player in every poistion, as well as the up and coming youth. Take the LB position of our rivals as an example. United: Evra, Buttner City: Clichy, Kolarov (different with City as they just blow money stupidly) Chelsea: Cole, Bertrand Arsenal: Monreal, Gibbs. we need to be in the same situation to we can sufficiently compete, IMO.
you and I are almost identical in our thinking. Totally agree about holtby. Many think we need to get a replacement for Parker, which may be the case. However, I think we can save money by getting holtby to adapt into that position. - As well as any other central midfield role, like you say
i literally can't even think beyond NEW STRIKER tbh. I would take just NEW STRIKER right now. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease Levy!
Sorry mate, remember my comment about temporary hibernation yesterday? Yeah that comes into play again You'd have Son over Lennon KOTL, brave choice their mate! I've seen nothing of that Son guy to be fair though, any good? More of just a "why do you want these players and where do you fit them in" sort of thread
Can play anywhere along the front three but is very two footed, fast and tall. Similar to bale, with less flare and more of a right foot. More a decent prospect I should add, not one to walk into any prem team just yet. Word is it's him or eriksen to replace gotze at dortmund so can't be too bad! Only 20 playing for Hamburg as one of their top scorers from the wing and on something like 15000 a week with a year left... Bargain. Without the added hype, this is an excellent signing in my eyes. I only put him in instead of lennon because lennon wouldn't be good on the left in a 4-3-3 because he lacks the goal threat and upper body strength to play that high up the pitch. If it were a 4-2-3-1 I'd put bale on the left and lennon on the right obviously. Son just suits the need we have in a 4-3-3 system more and hence why I think both Levy and AVB might be keen
Walker Kaboul Jan/Dawson (Beni come back! or someone)/Jan Sandro Moutinho/Huddlestone Dembele Damn you (hoohoo, haha)/Gylfi Bale Lennon My idea is to shell out big bucks for Moutinho since a team with our pace, Bale and Moutinho could be amazing, even without a new striker. I think we might move to a 4-3-3 both because AVB seems to be heading that way, and Sandro Hudd Dembele seems like an ideal trio: Sandro to destroy, Dembele to maintain and Hudd to create. I see Bale staying in the center for the most part, though with stints on the right and left. Lennon will be on the right. For the last spot Gylfi would be okay, Defoe's the incumbent, more or less, and we all know we want a new striker. If it's 4-2-3-1, Dembele Sandro Gylfi/Holtby Bale Lennon Damnyou/Defoe I'm still wondering when it is we discover Carroll is our linchpin....
I'd be more than happy to see Rose as our 1st choice left back next season based on his performances for Sunderland, people seem to forget about him or seem resigned to losing him.
Indeed, Chelsea are probably the only team that may tempt him, and the only team that would stump up whatever ridiculous fee it would take for us to accept. Personally from an outsiders perspective I think with no departures (Especially not the notable one) you're a striker away from being a lock for top-four, I really rate Sandro and Kaboul so adding them back into your team, along with Rose and Townsend returning from loan and a big-time striker and perhaps another winger for depth and you are there. I think City and Chelsea will spend big this summer to compensate for their relative failures this season, which will re-invigorate the title rice, United will almost inevitably be there or there abouts but I don't think Arsenal are going to have the summer window that their fans hope they will, leaving you to comfortably claim fourth or possibly third. Then of course Saints storming into fifth!
