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Player watch: Toby Alderweireld

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
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He wouldn’t even get in City’s Team. Not sure he’d get in ours next season either. Sanchez is light years ahead of where Toby was at the same age and Vertonghen is the best centre back in the world in my opinion.

Classic football fan. He is the best defender in the league and we are weaker without him. I doubt we would be out of the CL if he was playing to his ability regardless of how good Jan and Sanchez have been.

I'm convinced he will be gone and I doubt I can be convinced that its in any way good for us.
 

The General

Active Member
Sep 10, 2014
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Doesn’t really matter if Toby wasn’t as good as Sanchez as his current age though. If Alderweireld hits the form that he’s previously had with us he certainly gets the nod ahead of Sanchez for me.

Is that the form that Toby has showed since returning from injury you are referring too? Or the form he showed on his debut for Spurs when he gave away that ridiculous penalty or his form the last game of that season when we got hammered by Newcastle? Don’t get me wrong, I loved Toby and there was a period when I thought he was maybe the best centre back in the league and certainly part of the best centre back partnership. But that was 12 months ago. The game moves on.

How much better Sanchez is than Toby at the same age really does matter, because it means he may have a higher ceiling. Another pre season and 6 months playing under Poch he may alraeady be better than Toby. Especially a Toby who isn’t fully committed to the club and who may never be the same player after a serious hamstring injury.
 

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
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Is that the form that Toby has showed since returning from injury you are referring too? Or the form he showed on his debut for Spurs when he gave away that ridiculous penalty or his form the last game of that season when we got hammered by Newcastle? Don’t get me wrong, I loved Toby and there was a period when I thought he was maybe the best centre back in the league and certainly part of the best centre back partnership. But that was 12 months ago. The game moves on.

How much better Sanchez is than Toby at the same age really does matter, because it means he may have a higher ceiling. Another pre season and 6 months playing under Poch he may alraeady be better than Toby. Especially a Toby who isn’t fully committed to the club and who may never be the same player after a serious hamstring injury.

Yeah it matters in terms of the future but not so much in the present, the now. You're not gonna say 'lets play Sanchez ahead of Alderweireld today because Sanchez is way better than Toby was at his age', you're gonna judge them on current ability.

I think Alderweireld looked a bit heavy after returning from injury but you can't yet come to a conclusion that he can't regain his form. Plus, I also don't know how his debut game for us or the Newcastle game has any relevance whatsover. I honestly don't know what you're trying to say by bringing up those games from the past. The best of defenders give away penalties, the best of defenders play in a defence of a team that gets thrashed etc.
 

The General

Active Member
Sep 10, 2014
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Classic football fan. He is the best defender in the league and we are weaker without him. I doubt we would be out of the CL if he was playing to his ability regardless of how good Jan and Sanchez have been.

I'm convinced he will be gone and I doubt I can be convinced that its in any way good for us.

Never said I wanted him to go or that we’d be better with him gone. Just might not make our or City’s starting eleven next year.

But just out of interest, when did it become fact that Toby was difinitively the best centre back in the league? I think perhaps with that comment it is you sir who is the classic football fan. But that’s not a bad thing. I prefer the classic football fan to the anomalous kind.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
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He wouldn’t even get in City’s Team. Not sure he’d get in ours next season either. Sanchez is light years ahead of where Toby was at the same age and Vertonghen is the best centre back in the world in my opinion.

No space for him at City

Of course he would, and of course there is. Alderweireld is an upgrade in every department on Otamendi, and Kompany's injuries are always a concern. A club with the limitless resources of City always has space for the very best players, which Toby is.

Don't mistake me, I'm not trying to sell him off here. But I just see it happening.
 

ilya

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
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If he is about to go then let him sit on the bench for the rest of the season. No, actually he can stay in reserves.
 

The General

Active Member
Sep 10, 2014
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Of course he would, and of course there is. Alderweireld is an upgrade in every department on Otamendi, and Kompany's injuries are always a concern. A club with the limitless resources of City always has space for the very best players, which Toby is.

Don't mistake me, I'm not trying to sell him off here. But I just see it happening.

Is that you Pep? I’m surprised to find you on a Spurs forum, but it must be you because you are the only person that could say with such certainty that Toby would get in the city first team.

Toby was obviously quality pre his injury but none of us know exactly what any top manager looks for in a player, so none of us can say with certainty that Toby would get in any particular team.

What we do know is he is a very good player so will have a number of suitors if he goes, which I agree it looks like he will. I will also be very disappointed, but equally confident we will be just fine without him. Our form in 2018 would suggest we’ll be ok.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
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Of course he would, and of course there is. Alderweireld is an upgrade in every department on Otamendi, and Kompany's injuries are always a concern. A club with the limitless resources of City always has space for the very best players, which Toby is.

Don't mistake me, I'm not trying to sell him off here. But I just see it happening.

They've bought 2 cb's in 2 years who will be very much apart of their future and Otamendi has been in fantastic form under Pep and just signed a new contract, that leaves Kompany their captain who still has 18 months left on his current deal and has already replaced him with Laporte

So where does he fit in...?
 

The Scarecrow

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2013
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Classic football fan. He is the best defender in the league and we are weaker without him. I doubt we would be out of the CL if he was playing to his ability regardless of how good Jan and Sanchez have been.

I'm convinced he will be gone and I doubt I can be convinced that its in any way good for us.
I'd accept it if can replace him with De Ligt. It would obviously be a downgrade, but De Ligt's potential is absurd, and I think we would benefit from it long term.
 

The General

Active Member
Sep 10, 2014
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191
Yeah it matters in terms of the future but not so much in the present, the now. You're not gonna say 'lets play Sanchez ahead of Alderweireld today because Sanchez is way better than Toby was at his age', you're gonna judge them on current ability.

I think Alderweireld looked a bit heavy after returning from injury but you can't yet come to a conclusion that he can't regain his form. Plus, I also don't know how his debut game for us or the Newcastle game has any relevance whatsover. I honestly don't know what you're trying to say by bringing up those games from the past. The best of defenders give away penalties, the best of defenders play in a defence of a team that gets thrashed etc.

I bring up those games to remind people that Toby is not infallible, as this suggestion that we would definitely have beaten Juventus with him in the team is frankly ridiculous. He could very well have had a stinker as he has on occasions in the past.

I also bring it up to highlight the fact that he improved as a player after being coached by Pochetino. I expect the same to happen with Sanchez.

My original point was that next season Toby might not get in our first eleven. This is because on current form he hasn’t looked great and we can’t be certain he will be 100% the player he was pre injury. But more importantly that I expect Sanchez to get better and better under Pochs tutelage.

Like you I hope he stays at Spurs and returns to previous form, but think it is unlikely. But if he does it will be great to have him as an option, even if he won’t necessarily be a guaranteed starter!!!
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,355
87,832
They've bought 2 cb's in 2 years who will be very much apart of their future and Otamendi has been in fantastic form under Pep and just signed a new contract, that leaves Kompany their captain who still has 18 months left on his current deal and has already replaced him with Laporte

So where does he fit in...?
He would replace Otamendi.

Anyway, whatever, I can see it happening, but would prefer he sorted things out and stayed here. It's a very big shame.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,355
87,832
Is that you Pep? I’m surprised to find you on a Spurs forum, but it must be you because you are the only person that could say with such certainty that Toby would get in the city first team.

Toby was obviously quality pre his injury but none of us know exactly what any top manager looks for in a player, so none of us can say with certainty that Toby would get in any particular team.

What we do know is he is a very good player so will have a number of suitors if he goes, which I agree it looks like he will. I will also be very disappointed, but equally confident we will be just fine without him. Our form in 2018 would suggest we’ll be ok.

Ooooooooook...
 

George94

George
Feb 1, 2015
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19,454
I don't really buy into Poch saying Toby still isn't match fit and we need to be careful with bringing him back, but at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if he injures himself again playing for Belgium.

He's gone in the summer, isn't he.
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
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Never said I wanted him to go or that we’d be better with him gone. Just might not make our or City’s starting eleven next year.

But just out of interest, when did it become fact that Toby was difinitively the best centre back in the league? I think perhaps with that comment it is you sir who is the classic football fan. But that’s not a bad thing. I prefer the classic football fan to the anomalous kind.

He was the best defender in the best defence in the league last season. He has missed a large portion of the season and we no longer have the best defence in the league
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
He would replace Otamendi.

Anyway, whatever, I can see it happening, but would prefer he sorted things out and stayed here. It's a very big shame.

I'm afraid you're living in 2015, Otamendi has been their best defender and just recently signed a new contract furthermore he's fit and Toby isn't and there's no garantees that Toby would get back to the levels that he was 2 years ago and it certainly wouldn't make any sense to sell their best defender for a risk purchase.
 

nicdic

Official SC Padre
Admin
May 8, 2005
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He was the best defender in the best defence in the league last season. He has missed a large portion of the season and we no longer have the best defence in the league
Nah, Vertonghen was the man last year. Toby was the best defender in the league in his first season with us, but Jan was the man last year, and this.

This season is down to more than just missing one player. We've had a lot of injuries, team has been relatively disrupted through the middle all season.
 

Saoirse

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
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15,550
seems, from different bits of ITK, that Poch pushed Levy who offered a big deal to Toby....they shook hands and then Toby's agent tried to renegotiate....Poch (and one assumes Levy) very unhappy.

How awful. Thank goodness Mr. Levy would never, ever go back on his words after shaking hands on an agreement!
 

Univarn

Lost. Probably Not Worth Finding.
Jul 20, 2017
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Nah, Vertonghen was the man last year. Toby was the best defender in the league in his first season with us, but Jan was the man last year, and this.

This season is down to more than just missing one player. We've had a lot of injuries, team has been relatively disrupted through the middle all season.
Honestly a big part of Jan's value to us is he is our only senior LCB. Dier is probably the next most capable/willing LCB then Sanchez or Davies, but the dropoff is massive. I don't want to diminish just how good a fit and in form Toby is, because he really can be elite for long spells, but we do have other right footed CBs that can do a job and are getting better. I would be absolutely over the moon if he stayed and him and Jan reformed that partnership but I also don't think keeping him is the requirement it would have been at the end of last season.
 
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