Credit Where Credit is Due

DoublePivot · Sep 1, 2011

Anybody who has read me this summer know my opinion on our spending. In case you missed it: http://www.epltalk.com/the-problem-at-white-hart-lane-34299

But whether you are happy or sad or indifferent, I think there is something that Levy AND Harry have done that is quite astonishing and commendable.

How many teams in the world have added
A) A world class defender that has won two titles
B) A proven premiership forward that has attributes we need
C) One of the best goalkeepers of the past 10 years
D) Two products of La Mesia

How many added them for NOTHING

While our poor record in sales has hamstrung us in the market, Levy and Harry have found a way to get around this and even make the team better.

So be angry or whatever you do for a hobby, but recognize and appreciate the amazing ability to get around certain constraints (whether you like these constraints or not) to add quality players for free.

The five players we have picked up for free over the past two summers is an impressive accomplishment.

shelfmonkey · Sep 2, 2011

DoublePivot said:
Anybody who has read me this summer know my opinion on our spending. In case you missed it: http://www.epltalk.com/the-problem-at-white-hart-lane-34299

But whether you are happy or sad or indifferent, I think there is something that Levy AND Harry have done that is quite astonishing and commendable.

How many teams in the world have added
A) A world class defender that has won two titles
B) A proven premiership forward that has attributes we need
C) One of the best goalkeepers of the past 10 years
D) Two products of La Mesia

How many added them for NOTHING

While our poor record in sales has hamstrung us in the market, Levy and Harry have found a way to get around this and even make the team better.

So be angry or whatever you do for a hobby, but recognize and appreciate the amazing ability to get around certain constraints (whether you like these constraints or not) to add quality players for free.

The five players we have picked up for free over the past two summers is an impressive accomplishment.

Correction... Levy, not Harry.

Spurs1960 · Sep 2, 2011

shelfmonkey said:
Correction... Levy, not Harry.

Correction... Both, because if you think Levy and Harry don't discuss transfers then you are a fool.

InOffMeLeftShin · Sep 2, 2011

shelfmonkey said:
Correction... Levy, not Harry.

Yes I am sure Levy thought to himself, I'll go out and buy Gallas, Friedel and Parker.

Of course Harry was involved.

nickchrissi · Sep 2, 2011

Becks on a free in November will give Azza a kick up the arse. Shirt sales will go through the roof too which represents excellent business all round.

Like i've said 100000000000 times, if you offered me Friedel, Parker & Adebayor at the end of last season along with some quality up and coming youngsters and trimming the squad of some dead wood, i'd have bitten your hand off.

All we needed last year was a striker who can put himself about, good in the air, hold the ball up and know where the goal is. Welcome Mr Adebayor! Together with that we've shored up the GK position with a truly seasoned professional and got a top quality midfield player in Parker.

I've been saying for absolutely ages that Livermore is as good as JJ and has the potential to be better, so i'm very happy we've kept Jakey boy here. He's so strong on the ball and won't be bullied, he knows he has to fight when he plays and boy does he give 100%.

We'll get 4th MINIMUM. Call me deluded all you want, just save this thread to your favourites and come and find me in May to say sorry.

YID ARMY

Lo Amo Speroni · Sep 2, 2011

nickchrissi said:
Becks on a free in November will give Azza a kick up the arse. Shirt sales will go through the roof too which represents excellent business all round.

Like i've said 100000000000 times, if you offered me Friedel, Parker & Adebayor at the end of last season along with some quality up and coming youngsters and trimming the squad of some dead wood, i'd have bitten your hand off.

All we needed last year was a striker who can put himself about, good in the air, hold the ball up and know where the goal is. Welcome Mr Adebayor! Together with that we've shored up the GK position with a truly seasoned professional and got a top quality midfield player in Parker.

I've been saying for absolutely ages that Livermore is as good as JJ and has the potential to be better, so i'm very happy we've kept Jakey boy here. He's so strong on the ball and won't be bullied, he knows he has to fight when he plays and boy does he give 100%.

We'll get 4th MINIMUM. Call me deluded all you want, just save this thread to your favourites and come and find me in May to say sorry.

YID ARMY

Struggling to disagree with you :clap:

Gollorius · Sep 2, 2011

4th minimum? That's blind optimism. I prefer not to set myself up for disappointment and accept we'll probably finish 6th. We have not played anyone worse than top 2 yet, not sure if that's good or bad because if results carry on then we are in trouble and Harry could yet face that infamous scenario himself. 2 from 8.

THOWIG · Sep 2, 2011

As DP and countless others pointed out throughout the summer our incomings were restricted by the size of our squad. I think one of the most important things we achieved was shipping out some of the deadwood with more to follow in the future.

nickchrissi · Sep 2, 2011

welshyid5785 said:
4th minimum? That's blind optimism. I prefer not to set myself up for disappointment and accept we'll probably finish 6th. We have not played anyone worse than top 2 yet, not sure if that's good or bad because if results carry on then we are in trouble and Harry could yet face that infamous scenario himself. 2 from 8.

Arsenal are weaker, a lot weaker. Us and Liverpool are stronger, but Liverpool have got a long way to go to emulate what we've done the last couple seasons. Chelsea are vulnerable too, if we sold them Luka it would have been game over and they would have definitely sewn up 3rd.

Spending over £100 million in 8 months doesn't mean Liverpool have got 4th place sewn up, our first team is better than theirs and even our squad depth is better. We'll show them this at White Hart Lane in 16 days time like we did at Anfield last season.

Chelsea could get dragged into it, one defeat and they will implode like they did last season. They've been poor so far, and i can't see a change. 3rd is achievable.

Most like it's a race between us, Liverpool and Arsenal for 4th. We'll come out on top, make no bones about that.

Spurs1960 · Sep 2, 2011

nickchrissi said:
Becks on a free in November will give Azza a kick up the arse. Shirt sales will go through the roof too which represents excellent business all round.YID ARMY

Commercially he would be a must sign, it's not just shirt sales but worldwide media exposure, sponsorship opportunities and generating increased investment for the new stadium.

he has made a fortune for every club he has gone to and made their owners a fortune to as companies who can't get worldwide business suddenly get inundated with orders. It's quite amazing the amount of income club owners have said Beckham's name has brought them in new business.

DogsOfWar · Sep 2, 2011

There's been a huge amount of talk about the lack of transfer activity by us but the bottom line is that it's because we have a decent squad who have shown over the last couple of seasons we can challenge for 4th.

Harry has done what he's always talked about by bringing in experience, which is his MO, and the fact that he hasn't loaned out a group of the kids would suggest that he's happy to bolster the squad with youth.

We could have gambled on a couple of big signings but we are, instead, gambling on the fitness of Gallas and King and the ability to step up of Walker and Livermore etc.

Harry has bought himself another season for the performances of the last couple of years (sacking a Spurs manager for coming 5th would be ridiculous) but he will ultimately be judged on this seasons performance.
If we come 6th we can point to a (very) slow decline and it's time to move on or if we bag 4th then he will be hailed as a genius.

WestBelfast Spurs · Sep 2, 2011

Becks said teh only english club he will play for would be Man U

AUSpur · Sep 2, 2011

nickchrissi said:
Arsenal are weaker, a lot weaker. Us and Liverpool are stronger, but Liverpool have got a long way to go to emulate what we've done the last couple seasons. Chelsea are vulnerable too, if we sold them Luka it would have been game over and they would have definitely sewn up 3rd.

Spending over £100 million in 8 months doesn't mean Liverpool have got 4th place sewn up, our first team is better than theirs and even our squad depth is better. We'll show them this at White Hart Lane in 16 days time like we did at Anfield last season.

Chelsea could get dragged into it, one defeat and they will implode like they did last season. They've been poor so far, and i can't see a change. 3rd is achievable.

Most like it's a race between us, Liverpool and Arsenal for 4th. We'll come out on top, make no bones about that.

Not getting Luka is a huge blow for Chels. So far, their purchase of Torres and 'Pool's purchase of Carroll look to be colossal wastes of money.

Bobbins · Sep 2, 2011

One very important thing we've done by clearing some of the deadwood is to massively reduce the wage bill - I think a lot of people underestimate just how much wages drain from a club's finances - usually a lot more than actual transfer fees in the long run.

If you think that (for guessing's sake) the following players were on the following wages:

Bentley 50k (we are probably part-paying his wages for West Ham so let's call that 25k)
Jenas 40k
Hutton 40k
Crouch 60k
Palacios 40k
Woodgate 60k
Keane 60k

And without including low-earners like our young loaness and O'Hara, that's around £17m a year off the wage bill... That's enormous. Yes, we have got a few new players in and thus the saving isn't quite that much, but we have got some seriously big earners, many of whom don't contribute a great team to the first team, off the wage bill. That not only saves us money in the near-term, but also allows us some room for increasing the wage bill again in January if we need to.

Bill_Oddie · Sep 2, 2011

Bobbins said:
One very important thing we've done by clearing some of the deadwood is to massively reduce the wage bill - I think a lot of people underestimate just how much wages drain from a club's finances - usually a lot more than actual transfer fees in the long run.

If you think that (for guessing's sake) the following players were on the following wages:

Bentley 50k (we are probably part-paying his wages for West Ham so let's call that 25k)
Jenas 40k
Hutton 40k
Crouch 60k
Palacios 40k
Woodgate 60k
Keane 60k

And without including low-earners like our young loaness and O'Hara, that's around £17m a year off the wage bill... That's enormous. Yes, we have got a few new players in and thus the saving isn't quite that much, but we have got some seriously big earners, many of whom don't contribute a great team to the first team, off the wage bill. That not only saves us money in the near-term, but also allows us some room for increasing the wage bill again in January if we need to.

All signs point to Beckham. :wink:

beats1 · Sep 2, 2011

When Beckham came last time it brought a feel good factor to the team BUT do we have quad place to give him bear in mind alnwick is still here and dawkins comes back at the same time

RichSpur58 · Sep 2, 2011

DoublePivot said:
Anybody who has read me this summer know my opinion on our spending. In case you missed it: http://www.epltalk.com/the-problem-at-white-hart-lane-34299

But whether you are happy or sad or indifferent, I think there is something that Levy AND Harry have done that is quite astonishing and commendable.

How many teams in the world have added
A) A world class defender that has won two titles
B) A proven premiership forward that has attributes we need
C) One of the best goalkeepers of the past 10 years
D) Two products of La Mesia

How many added them for NOTHING

While our poor record in sales has hamstrung us in the market, Levy and Harry have found a way to get around this and even make the team better.

So be angry or whatever you do for a hobby, but recognize and appreciate the amazing ability to get around certain constraints (whether you like these constraints or not) to add quality players for free.

The five players we have picked up for free over the past two summers is an impressive accomplishment.

Cheers Goebells.

DoublePivot · Sep 2, 2011

beats1 said:
When Beckham came last time it brought a feel good factor to the team BUT do we have quad place to give him bear in mind alnwick is still here and dawkins comes back at the same time

I imagine they won't give Alnwick a squad place considering we have 3 senior gk's. I was kind of hoping they were saving that spot for Leandro myself. But I could see Beckham too.

beats1 · Sep 2, 2011

DoublePivot said:
I imagine they won't give Alnwick a squad place considering we have 3 senior gk's. I was kind of hoping they were saving that spot for Leandro myself. But I could see Beckham too.

Someone mentioned a rule when you have 25 players over the age of 21 you have to register them

DoublePivot · Sep 2, 2011

beats1 said:
Someone mentioned a rule when you have 25 players over the age of 21 you have to register them

Yikes. That wouldn't be good having to put a 4th keeper on. We can still loan him out to lower league sides right?

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