Keeping Wanyama as a proper first team option was probably more than a bit hopeful . From what I've heard, his knee is shot and it isn't something that's going to get better. Obviously, we're keen to move him on but if his condition is 'the full Ledley', then it's hard to see any buyers. This is an area where we are poor - if the guy's a write off, let's admit it and move on. Including him in the squad as a proper option is deluded and next to pointless and proceeding on the basis that we have to get a significant transfer fee for him is completely unrealistic. Are we going to continue to include him in squads until his contract runs out because we're paying him a decent wage? The same pretty much applies to Mousa Dembele. His form has dropped off a cliff since 2016/17. The club aren't going to offer him another deal and he wants to play in a less physical league. Retaining him this summer in the hope that someone would be fool enough to bid £25m was another bad decision. Whatever value he had is likely to be all but completely negated by this season's form and his rapidly expiring contract. We can hide behind saying that we needed to sell them but their realistic collective value was less than £20m. We're paying them £4m each in wages, so that's a loss of less than £12m. When we had a turnover below £200m, we wrote off more than that on Soldado. To fail to have done the same this summer makes no sense when looking at their fitness and form. We were grossly negligent this summer to leave our midfield options as Eric Dier, Winksy (who I rate) and Moussa Sissoko, with the other two. If we don't resolve it in January, it's ridiculous.
He's looked good in every game that he's played for us, but there haven't been enough to judge him totally, yet. I'd be happy for him to take the back-up slot and I thought that he'd done that until Wednesday. We should plan an alternative so that we can still make a smooth transition if he doesn't fulfill his potential, in my opinion.
I agree with this but Poch doesn't seem to use any of them to replace Kane When Kane is looking like he's dragging his feet a bit. One of them 3 are always on the bench and are sufficient to do a job upfront. We won't entice a Gabriel Jesus to sit on our bench...we don't have the success or wage structure. So why is Poch so stubborn about playing one of them 3 up front now and again? I think we have a good mixture of players to be able to play the front 6 like Spain do now and again and Chelsea have done in the past. I find Poch mildly irritating when he doesn't budge from his philosophy. I think the very best managers adapt to situations with an alternative plan.
Yeah, I'm surprised we extended Vorm's deal in the summer anyway. I wouldn't be against giving one of Whiteman or Austin a permanent spot in the squad. Adds to the HG quota, both are highly rated and although Gazza has had a run in the side as 3rd choice, it's not often a 3rd choice keeper plays too often. As for Hugo, it's definitely time to start looking for a replacement, we can't have another season like last from him, saying that he's already cost us two goals this season, albeit was superb against West Ham. Question is who? Minus the past 15 months, Hugo's been one of, if not arguably the best keeper we've had, won't be an easy task replacing him. Ideally we need to get with the times and go for a keeper who's equally good with their feet as they are with their hands, "the next Ederson" would be lovely.
I think Poch watches Kane day in day out and therefore is in a good position to make the decision to play him. Not playing Kane doesn't mean he goes for a lie down. He's a young fit athlete who will recover from tiredness in the course of his work and unless you are going to send him on holiday it will make little difference to sit him on the bench and it could delay his return to top form.
I was hoping that Gazzaniga's form in Lloris' absence might make him raise his game and get back to his best. He seems to have been distracted by the summer's events though, be it winning the World Cup or his drink driving charge. The short break might not have helped him, either. He's clearly not playing at 100% consistently. Whiteman and Austin might be decent long-term options, but I'd like to see them loaned out first. Playing consistently in a first team makes a big difference to a keeper, I think. Hard to get regular games at a decent level, unfortunately. Tricky situation.
Dembele hadn't played badly so far this season. No idea why we would keep Wanyama in the squad if he is badly injured. Perhaps he isn't?
I agree, if Poch used the AMs more often in a false 9 formation while Kane is lagging (like he is now), there'd be no need for a backup striker. We hit ten goals in Kane's absence last season against Bournemouth (after he went off injured), Swansea and Chelsea (before he came on), the style works, we're fortunate to have some of the best AMs not just in the Prem but in Europe. It's a shame we don't utilise the formation enough, could really help Kane out as well as there's so much pressure on him at every stage of the season, he doesn't get adequate rest and so it's not ideal for him.
I made no secret of the fact I thought it was harsh - and wrong - of Poch to have dropped Gazza. Doesn't send out a good signal when a player is awarded 3 MOTM awards in a row and then dropped just because the other keeper has returned. The fact Vorm also 'won' his place back on the bench is a real ****ter from Poch. Yeah you may be right RE Whiteman and Austin, if anything this should've been the season to give them some time away.
Judging by MOTD highlights, he looked great for Burnley before his injury. Not sure what he's like with his feet though(?), we really need to keep up with City, Pool and clubs in Europe who are utilising this new breed of 'playmaker keeper', if Pope's got that ability then it should definitely be someone to pursue.
Good keeper, from what I've seen of him, but I can't see him leaving Burnley unless he's first choice. His shoulder injury might prevent anyone moving for him in the near future, too.
I'm not going to be able to prove to you otherwise but Mousa's a fraction of the player he was 2 seasons ago. He adds almost nothing in terms of pressing and the driving runs are fewer. He's not a Top 4 player for more than half an hour in any game. As for 'Big Vic', he was recently called out for his performances for Kenya, where he's been a national hero. I've seen nothing of the player he was and hardly seen him at all, other than very briefly off the bench. Given our limited options, that's very curious and there's been increasing talk of an injury that he won't recover from and the club open to selling a player who was excellent and loved before having knee problems that surgery hasn't resolved.
You say that, but he’s currently behind Joe Hart at Burnley, and they also have Tom Heaton and Anders Lindegaard. Ridiculous amount of experienced/quality goalkeepers for a club like Burnley. If we’re looking to shift Vorm soon, he may fancy his chances at Spurs.
Yeah, Dembele's decline has been rapid. He's gone from undroppable and unplayable to arguably a hindrance - and it's not really been through no fault of his own, the injuries have just demolished his body, I don't often hold too much sentiment in football but I genuinely feel sorry for him. Was such a fantastic player to watch. When he does leave, I'll wish him the very best, hope he goes China as he'll get a mega contract and be a superstar at that level. As for Vic, the whispers of the injury keep popping up over social media. It's not really a coincidence Barrios is supposedly set to sign while rumours over the past 24 hours are suggesting Vic will be sold. Thankfully Vic cost us peanuts in today's market, £11m was a steal. We could probably make that back but even if we took a loss, it'd still be worth it after the one full season he gave us.
It's hard to tell where he is in the pecking order at Burnley, as he's out injured. He was starting before that, though Hart's transfer and Heaton being their captain would suggest he's down the list. It is a bit odd that they've got so many senior keepers, though.
With so many foreign players in the league,are today's youngsters giving up and going into other sports?
As with previous generations, a lot of them are toiling in the fields of France and Germany.....Reo Griffiths at Lyon, Keanan Bennetts at Mönchengladbach, Sancho at Dortmund, Reiss Nelson at Hoffrnheim.....More of them are likely to return, though.
