Forgot about Toure. Was just listing some of the main defenders that would've played in the same time frame at some point as some of our lot. Most teams over the past 3-4 years have pretty much had 3 or 4 main CB's followed up with youth or those at the end of their careers. We've somehow gone through 8, all of whom have had a good run of games and would be considered as a "first teamer" at some point. Fryers is only 21, definitely wouldn't sell him, a loan to a Prem side would be good for him if we had enough cover at LB & CB.
Pritchard has signed a new contract taking him up to 2016 and he's off to Brentford for a season on loan http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/new-deal-for-pritchard-brentford-loan-170714/
I'm interested to see how we're going to turn defence to attack this season from a central area. We've got pacey wingers who the opposition know will cause problems, but throughout many games last season we saw sideways passing and just dreadful midfield play. I'm sure a lot of it was to do with AVB's negative style of football and Sherwood's naivety, but IMO some of it comes down to the type of players we have. I'll be the first person to praise Pochettino if he can get these "samey players" playing some creative football in central areas, as it's a big issue IMO. If he can save us from having to buy someone, he'll have made an istant impact. However, I do have my concerns and would love to see us get a playmaker just to be safe. I saw a rumour that Pirlo could be available. - we should go all out to get him, even if it's for 1 season. The youngsters would learn so much and the bloke is a bloody genius.
I'm in two minds about this: on one hand if he gets a full season of games he'll continue his development, but on the other hand I was hoping that he might get a few games in the cups or Europa League to see what he could do.
Horrible fate for Pirlo to be in a Spurs team where the PL physicality would flatten him due to no MF protection + nobody getting into decent positions up front to receive the master pass.
"I'm in two minds about this" Last season was a waste, as he should have been playing in the league below.
This will be the acid test for me, if Poch introduces a positive, aggresive, forward moving team I for one will allow him some leeway on finish position and even results. Dembele for one; at the start of his Spurs career I was full of hope and excitement for what he could do, by the end of the season I was glad he was not on the pitch. I did notice a bit of this sideways movement from Belguim in the WC then they dropped Dembele. Hmmm!
I think thats the biggest issue Roo - football these days IMO is largely (with the exception of teams such as Barca and Spain that play heavy possession football) won and lost in the 'transition' phases between defence -> attack, and attack -> defence. The quicker and better you perform in these phases the more likely you are to win the match. You'd think that the players we have are actually capable of doing these things quickly as you'd think we have players who are intelligent and technically capable enough to receive the ball after a tackle/interception, get their heads up and play the right balls. The trouble is that these last season the only person who really fitted that bill was Eriksen, and he plays higher up the pitch than the player who will often have to be making those passes normally does, which is why I think we need a midfielder who can do such things to play in a deeper role - whether thats using Carroll, Bentaleb or Holtby there or buying in someone like Schneiderlin to do it remains to be seen. Similarly we have players like Sandro and Capoue who are defensively aware enough to make tackles and interceptions in midfield and we have players who are fit enough to enact a press as soon as the ball is lost. Poch seems to be big on winning the ball in the opponent's third of the pitch. I think a lot of it is in the training - drilling players to follow pressing patterns and triggers etc. - and fitness of course can be worked on to ensure that players are able to press more throughout the game, as well as having the energy to take up attacking positions as soon as we win the ball back, wherever that is. At least we know Poch is big on fitness! I think he was only half joking about the extra sessions in his first interview. Analysis of tactics can sometimes go too far, but I think this article explains it quite well regarding what Poch likes and may try to enforce at Spurs. http://eplindex.com/37849/marcelo-bielsas-tactical-influence-mauricio-pochettino-tactics.html
Our loanees haven't done too well there of late, they usually start well and then tail off but they play fast attacking football these days and that should benefit him.
Various clubs seem to be triggering Caulker's release clause with Cardiff. We should join them. Selling him to a Premier League side and then re-signing him for less than we sold him a season later would be superb!
Dembele will bring the ball forward slowly and safely. He's the ideal man for the job when protecting a lead late, and at when the tide's going against the team, as it often does away or against the best teams. But it prevents us from scoring by allowing the opposing defense to settle. We need somebody who can get the ball forward quickly for the majority of times when what we want to do is score. The only two players I see as realistic possibilities who are currently on the squad are Bentaleb and Carroll. I thought Bentaleb was okay but no more last year. Carroll looked a bit better from what I remember, but has never been a PL starter, and wasn't even a Championship starter last season. We may expect a lot from Poch but retooling a veteran's game in a couple of weeks is too much. I would say his main priority should be to see if Bentaleb, who has improved greatly in a year, can do the job. If not, sell some combination of Dembele, Paulinho, Capoue and/or Sandro and get someone who can. If we don't we're going to have a team that's much worse than it could be. Why the other players won't work, IMO. Paulinho: not a playmaker or a passer, really, though he'll occasionally dribble the ball forward quickly. Dembele: too slow and cautious. Holtby: not a deep lying player; has never looked other than average in a deep-lying role.
I've updated the front page. And nah I'm not adding that - the list is only going to show what happens specifically regarding Tottenham - Gomes, Stewart and Vigeroux all left and then joined their new clubs separately (rather than us selling/loaning them there). Edit - also updated for Pritchard ------------------ In transfer news, Sig to Crystal Palace is apparently nearing completion and we're considering whether or not to trigger Antoine Griezmann's release clause of £24m from Real Sociedad. I would love Griezmann at Spurs - great LW - front 3 of Griezmann Soldado/Ade and Lamela with Eriksen playing a CAM? Yes, yes please.
I've said it before but I genuinely wouldn't be fussed if we sold Dembele and Paulinho and bought one player such as Schneiderlin who can actually play the role we really need. Holtby could for me eventually fill that role but needs the right coaching to adapt. Also he can cover for Eriksen so we shouldn't be selling. But really for me the other two can go if that means we get the right player in. I've had enough of square pegs in round holes.
Griezmann looks a good player but he's a waif and with Eriksen and Lamela also being skinny bastards I'd rather we didn't spend such a large amount on another.
I think Dembele could be half of the solution. Getting the ball slowly and safely upfield is very useful at various times. He could have been the perfect partner for Modric, I think, considering he protects the back four and battles for possession in midfield well. But we need a Modric or a Huddlestone even more. Do you think Schneiderlin or Griezman are realistic possibilities (I'm guessing no for Griezman)? I should have but haven't watched Schneiderlin enough to know if he would work well in that role.
Rumours are that we're looking at Schneiderlin, but Southampton are understandably unwilling to let any more players go, and apparently will only let one more big name (Schneiderlin, Lovren, Rodriguez etc.) go now in any case. It'd be an understandable move for us to go in for him considering that he and Poch seem to enjoy a close working relationship, and he played a key role in the system at Southampton.
The problem with Southampton is their favourite number is 20,000,000 - which is the minimum they're expecting for Lovren and Schneiderlin, as well as the starting bids for Shaw and Lallana.
