‘Needs a reboot’: Postecoglou ready to offload Spence after having zero impact

[Neon_Knight_]

This is bang on.

I've thought this for ages. We just buy based on potential or resale potential., or whoever is flavour of the month.

We never seem to really buy for the eleven. We never seem to consider the mental attributes of players. I remember watching Liverpool a few years ago under Klopp buying players who always had one thing in common - really hungry, aggressive players, with an apparent positive mindset, who above all, work hard. This seems like the pretty obvious way to build a cohesive squad.

Within the last two years, all of the following were signed "for the eleven" and are/were used for exactly that:
Maddison, Vicario, VDV, Romero, Udogie*, Perisic*, Bissouma, Bentancur, Kulusevski, Royal*, Porro*.

That's almost an entire new starting eleven signed. Sarr was signed as "one for the future", but in Bentancur's absence, is now providing exactly what we need from a CM.

*Perisic was signed to start while Udogie was loaned back to his club for a year. That was very logical business.
Royal & Porro were both signed to start, but each was for a different manager with a different system. While they have each faced challenges with adapting between RB/RWB in very different systems, they have both contributed to the starting line-up and have both demonstrated positive mental attributes.

I do think the last couple of windows have seen an improvement when it comes to recruitment though. Bentancur, Kulu, Richarlison, Romero etc, all seem like more more positive and mentally strong characters, regardless of current form.

I would stretch that to the last five windows (summer 2021 through to now). Aside from Spence (1/22 signings), I think we've been very measured in who we've signed since Paratici came in. Not every signing has been perfect during that period, but we're never going to have 100% success with signings and we're never going to only buy people who improve our starting line-up (we need to sign young, upcoming players too, which was our intention with players like Sarr, Gil & Spence).

Our recruitment during the early years of Poch's reign was also very astute. The big criticism at the time was the lack of a quality back-up for Kane, but that clearly wasn't an issue with the starting eleven.

I therefore think it's more accurate to say we had a three year blip (the summer without signings through to Paratici's appointment).

 

[newbie]

Spence is a lovely kid, lovely family.

He turned 23 a few weeks back, his not flas not a prick he is a lovely kid.

My perception from meeting him was his not hungry and is a young 23 yrs old. He is a kid in mentality and I think he hasn’t got the drsire to be the best his just not competitive enough in himself. If he could want it I think he could become awesome.

 

[mightyspur]

Don't care what anyone says, he was totally worth buying purely so Spurs Official could use the tag line "The 6th Spence" to announce our 6th signing

 

[barry]

Spence is a lovely kid, lovely family.

He turned 23 a few weeks back, his not flas not a prick he is a lovely kid.

My perception from meeting him was his not hungry and is a young 23 yrs old. He is a kid in mentality and I think he hasn’t got the drsire to be the best his just not competitive enough in himself. If he could want it I think he could become awesome.

I was gonna say exactly this. I know lovely kids, one's a steward at the stadium actually, who just don't have the drive to really better themselves. They're content with where they're at, and who are we to judge. I know I'm not the most driven but I'm happy in life.

 

[Tarricko]

I therefore think it's more accurate to say we had a three year blip (the summer without signings through to Paratici's appointment).

Fair assessment mate. Nice one!