Are you happy with our squad?

[DCSPUR]

Depends which part of squad.

Very happy with defence, believe it to be by far best in the league. Perfect Walker replacement too.
Happy with CM and Dier and Winks as cover.
Llorente is a very smart signing meaning got Kane cover and sub option.

Where I'm not happy is the attacking mids, right now I believe we're one short and if Lamela doesn't come back as pre injury Lamela possibly two. Sissoko is awful and unless GKN has a massive turnaround season or this is Edwards breakthrough year we need an injury free time or we'll have problems.
If we want to play 3 attacking Mids in a game right now the only fit and proven 3 we have is Son, Dele and Eriksen.

My take is different because I can see us going to 3 CD at the back a lot more and keeping the full backs pushed really high (Sanchez will be invaluable with his pace). That gives us a combo of Dembele and Victor or Eric in the middle. Kane plus Alli and Eriksen up front. Sonny off the bench along with Lamela/Edwards/Winks isn't bad at all. Particularly as Barkley looks likely midyear. As for Sissoko and GKN....not expecting much but who knows! COYS!!!

 

[St José Dominguez]

My take is different because I can see us going to 3 CD at the back a lot more and keeping the full backs pushed really high (Sanchez will be invaluable with his pace). That gives us a combo of Dembele and Victor or Eric in the middle. Kane plus Alli and Eriksen up front. Sonny off the bench along with Lamela/Edwards/Winks isn't bad at all. Particularly as Barkley looks likely midyear. As for Sissoko and GKN....not expecting much but who knows! COYS!!!

Yes definitely think we'll be playing 3 at back very often, Sanchez is too good not to be starting regularly in my opinion. Without injuries it's great and you can't plan for injuries but should at least plan for one. If Eriksen, Dele or Son get injured options get ropey.
However, yeah huge Lamela fan and if he returns fully fit we're fine, an Edwards breakthrough year I would love to see too.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Goalkeepers

Lloris Vorm Gazzaniga

Full backs

Aurier Trippier Rose Davies Walker-Peters

Centre backs

Alderweireld Sanchez Vertonghen Foyth

Central midfielders

Dembele Wanyama Dier Winks

Attacking Midfielders

Eriksen Dele Son Lamela Nkoudou Sissoko

Strikers

Kane Llorente Janssen*

*may yet depart

You put Dier in the CM section just to fuck with me didn't you BBLG?

I think the most glaring hole in that squad remains a real quality "8". I would have loved Tolisso, but that ship sailed, wish we'd have been able to do the kind of deal Liverpool have done for Keita, it's probably the best signing an English club made this summer.

I assume that's why we were after Andre Gomes.

At the moment the only real progressive 8 type we have is Winks, who I like, but I do have some reservations about him defensively in terms of his defensive awareness and application. Maybe if he'd he'd played more than 4 league games some of those reservations might have been allayed? Dembele can play as a kind of 8, but he's way to cautious and holds onto the ball way to long. I just hope Onomah keeps performing at Villa and we bring him back in January.

 

[mano-obe]

Sitting on the fence a bit, I'd like to see this thread bumped in a few months time. If the right back can be as good as Walker then I'll be happy. I'd like to see how we'll fit in Sanchez too and how the likes of Llorente do off the bench

 

[Ekmek]

I am happy with the signings we did. Strengthen some back up positions with Sanchez potentially becoming very good in the future. Foyth is for the future and Aurier was amazing business.

But we still have som holes that need filling. I am very worried about the three first CL games without Alli and no one to replace him. Also we have looked quite uninspired and slow in our attacks so far this season. And we have no one to come off the bench trying to change that. Sissoko for all the stick he gets have actually been our best option this year, and that is far from ideal. Also I do not believe Winks is ready to step in as Dembelés back up in bigger games when he gets injured, because he will get injured.

If the starting XI is fit and in form we have an amazing team, if someone in the midfield or wings get injured, we are fucked.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Personally I think you need to look at the squad and ask yourself how many players beyond the starting 11 do you trust to start a PL game.

If this was our starting 11:

Lloris
Sanchez Alderweireld Vertonghen
Aurier Wanyama Dembele Rose
Dele Eriksen
Kane
​

Then beyond that I trust 6 players (Davies, Trippier, Dier, Winks, Son and Llorente) plus 1 (Lamela) if he returns fit and the same player. Beyond that I don't trust 2 (Sissoko and GKN) and the rest are youth players with chance to step up now but mainly for the future. I'm not sure 6 trusted players is enough right now so it might require GKN turning his time around here or Lamela making a rapid return.​

 

[rossdapep]

I'm very happy with everything apart from the AM/WF position, as everyone is pointing out, an injury and we are short. Hopefully Lamela gets back into his groove quick enough and we can bring Barkley in in January.

I think we are another AM/WF away from having everything we need - I'd like to think next summer we can go big and bring in a truly world class player in this department as we wouldn't need to bring in many. Then we can focus on recruiting more highly rated prospects like Sessegnon and integrating more youth players (Edwards, Onomah, Oakley-Boothe).

All in all we are steadily building a team that can win stuff over the coming years. Just need to keep them all together.

 

[spurs9]

My take is different because I can see us going to 3 CD at the back a lot more and keeping the full backs pushed really high (Sanchez will be invaluable with his pace). That gives us a combo of Dembele and Victor or Eric in the middle. Kane plus Alli and Eriksen up front. Sonny off the bench along with Lamela/Edwards/Winks isn't bad at all. Particularly as Barkley looks likely midyear. As for Sissoko and GKN....not expecting much but who knows! COYS!!!

If we are making a permanent move to 3 at the back, then IMO, we are either a CB or CM short, as we will have 8 players for the 5 CB & CM positions, which is a bit thin IMO.

Whatever formation we end up playing, we lack a back up to Eriksen and would be pretty screwed if he gets injured for a length of time. IMO, if we could add a creative AM, that can also play CM and can dribble, in place of Sisssoko, we would pretty much have a complete squad with a great amount of versatility, options and skill sets. Also add a quick, good dribbling, wide forward/striker with flair in place of GKN & Janssen and that would be pretty close to perfection as we could realistically get IMO.

 

[rossdapep]

Not really sure where to put this other than in the general thread but players are rejecting Chelsea for us and players won't join and can't wait to get out of Arsenal. At the same time young players with huge potential are desperate to join us.

THIS IS HUGE!

 

[Lilbaz]

Strongest squad i've seen. Second 11 of.

Vorm
Trips
Foyth
Sanchez
Davies
Dier
Winks
Sissoko
Lamela
Gkn
Llorente

Better than most prem teams on paper.
Is it as good as the mega clubs? Probably not. But we can't afford the wages.

 

[spurs9]

Strongest squad i've seen. Second 11 of.

Vorm
Trips
Foyth
Sanchez
Davies
Dier
Winks
Sissoko
Lamela
Gkn
Llorente

Better than most prem teams on paper.
Is it as good as the mega clubs? Probably not. But we can't afford the wages.

It does look good for 4-2-3-1, which is why I don't think we going to a permanent move to 3-4-2-1 as so many seem to think as we look a bit short in either CM or CB (depending on where Dier plays).

One think I'm certain of, is that if Eriksen is injured, we need Winks and Lamela to play.

 

[lennondhino]

lets hope rose and lamela get back to full health in october as speculated as they will be needed for their strengths to add more speed in roses case and better attacking runs, and lamelas high pressing work ethic and forward passing guile. think they could be vital for the last 3 games of the CL in particular

but overall i think we have done well enough all things considered. it was a mental case transfer window, one of the wildest in awhile

i think we all want that fast wing forward who can score goals, but alas the search continues. i think it should be a netflix series called in search of Jehova

we need some of the youngsters to have a break out season, i thought it might have been KWP or Onomah. I actually think onomah could have gotten some game time if he was trusted in cm

but can edwards provide the speed and trickery off the bench to change things up?

vs

we added strong and fast players in the defence with sanchez and aurier and a potential ball carrier out of defence in foyth. the fact sampoli spoke to him speaks wonders for his potential future in argentina

we signed an experienced goal scorer who has won it all, who provides a plan b and could play alongside kane

i know most see kane as a 9, but having Llorente to bully and occupy centre backs could open up kane in space a little deeper or widers. kane is a very clever footballer in terms of movement and positioning and the type of shots he goes for by going for the corners

and i think we can all agree is far better backup than janssen. hope VJ can learn from Llorente

Last chance season for Janssen, Nkoudou and sissoko imo

We have a mission to achieve this season, lets get on with it #COYS

 

[Lilbaz]

It does look good for 4-2-3-1, which is why I don't think we going to a permanent move to 3-4-2-1 as so many seem to think as we look a bit short in either CM or CB (depending on where Dier plays).

One think I'm certain of, is that if Eriksen is injured, we need Winks and Lamela to play.

Think we'll change often between the two formations. Think sanchez will get plenty of games.

Yes hopefully lamela is back soon.

 

[SUIYHA]

Objectively - we should come 4th. Obviously it depends on injuries, how long everyone stays in Europe/cup competitions/luck and the Wembley factor, but this is essentially the same squad that took 86 points last season as well as scoring the most and conceding the least goals in the league last season with Aurier in for Walker and Sanchez in for Wimmer, all of our players a year older and also Llorente.

We ripped a lot of teams to shreds last season and had quite a few players out injured for long spells. I don't think for one second we can pretend that we won't have injuries, nor do I think that random factors like Wembley/players losing interest etc won't have an effect....but on paper I think we're 4th behind Man Utd/City and Chelsea. Liverpool are most likely to finish above us but still haven't sorted out their defence and will also have the extra European games to play so I think we've got a good chance of staying above them.

Would LOVE to win a trophy this season but I'll be delighted if we can open the new WHL with Champions League football and I think it's very achievable with what we've got.

 

[glospur]

Pochettino has previously showed a willingness to play two up top as well both here and at Southampton so I wouldn't discount that as a possibility if Llorente hits the same form as last season. Llorente/Kane is a much more complimentary partnership than Janssen /Kane. I could see Kane enjoying the space that Llorente would open up.

With Dele suspended, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this in one of the CL games:

Lloris
Dier - Alderweireld - Vertonghen
Aurier - Wanyama - Dembele - Davies/Rose
Eriksen
Kane - Llorente​

 

['O Zio]

Personally I think you need to look at the squad and ask yourself how many players beyond the starting 11 do you trust to start a PL game.

If this was our starting 11:

Lloris
Sanchez Alderweireld Vertonghen
Aurier Wanyama Dembele Rose
Dele Eriksen
Kane
​

Then beyond that I trust 6 players (Davies, Trippier, Dier, Winks, Son and Llorente) plus 1 (Lamela) if he returns fit and the same player. Beyond that I don't trust 2 (Sissoko and GKN) and the rest are youth players with chance to step up now but mainly for the future. I'm not sure 6 trusted players is enough right now so it might require GKN turning his time around here or Lamela making a rapid return.​

I get what you're saying but I think we need to remember that, with the exception of Arab/Russian-backed clubs like City, nobody can/does have a bench full of players who are all quality starters.

It's fairer to compare our bench to the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, and I think our bench now is absolutely miles better than either of theirs. To a certain extent, even rich clubs like Man Utd and Chelsea arguably have worse benches than us now, Chelsea in particular have very little depth.

 

[dannythomas]

It's a shame there was no available Ryan Air flight from the Algerian team camp base to London City tonight ...

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Satisfied with the signings made. All make sense.

Not bothered about some pace merchant that virtually everyone has droned on and on about all summer.

I am concerned though that we haven't got any alternative to Eriksen and the role he plays. I think that's what fans should be worried about. If he is out for any significant period of time I think we're in quite a bit of trouble.

Lamela.

 

[jonnyp]

It wasn't the worst window, it's stronger now than at the beginning of the window but I would've wished for an upgrade on Sissoko and Nkoudou.

 

[glacierSpurs]

No pacy WF is a tad disappointing no doubt, but considering we have Lamela and N'koudou recovering, it really isn't that bad as one would have expect. I hope N'koudou will carry his fine pre-season display to the real season, which I think he will, as a 2nd-season player for us now.

Overall, healthy squad size and flexible options available. Great sum of all parts in any combinations; balanced I would say. Plus Poch system of play and coaching, we should be fun to watch again ths season!