Asier Illarramendi (to Real Sociedad)

[raggy]

Rodgers is a manager that bought 8 strikers, don't think he's too concerned about over stocking positions.

 

[ItsBoris]

Well apparently he's holding out to see who else is in for him. In terms of teams that he would move to, we're probably quite low on his list so he's probably gonna hold on right until the end

Why? I think we have a lot more pulling power than our fans give us credit for. Aren't we in the top 10 in the world revenue wise plus we're located in a global city. Just because we're stingy and spend less on players than the likes of Stoke doesn't mean that we couldn't make big signings if we wanted to pay the money for them. Money motivates clubs to sell and players to move, and there aren't many clubs with more money than we have. Probably just the top 4 in England plus a few elite clubs in Europe.

 

[Harry Barber]

Why? I think we have a lot more pulling power than our fans give us credit for. Aren't we in the top 10 in the world revenue wise plus we're located in a global city. Just because we're stingy and spend less on players than the likes of Stoke doesn't mean that we couldn't make big signings if we wanted to pay the money for them. Money motivates clubs to sell and players to move, and there aren't many clubs with more money than we have. Probably just the top 4 in England plus a few elite clubs in Europe.

The itk suggested he wants CL football. Not a lot you can do with someone like that, unfortunately.

 

[quackers]

The itk suggested he wants CL football. Not a lot you can do with someone like that, unfortunately.

It's not like he is playing any football at real. ....

 

[SpursSteveLincs]

I'm not sure why people keep mentioning Liverpool. If he wants CL that rules them out, same as us. If no CL clubs come in we have a solid offer on the table by all accounts which is acceptable.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

He's the closest available midfielder to what we need. He is a quick thinker and a tempo setter who can get the ball from defence to attack but also offers a calmness and authority in the middle to keep our discipline and shape. I personally hope we can get him permanently, never mind on loan. He's had a rough time at Madrid but then so have Van der Vaart, Robben, Sjneider and many others who were great again once leaving.

Him dictating and Mason providing energy would be a superb midfield.

 

[matty74]

Energy is about all mason provides. Good heart but not good enough for us to move forward and push for a top 4 place and at 23-24 won't improve much more. Our centre midfield options are as bad as I can remember tbh

 

[KalSpur]

Energy is about all mason provides. Good heart but not good enough for us to move forward and push for a top 4 place and at 23-24 won't improve much more. Our centre midfield options are as bad as I can remember tbh

Disagree. For me, the turning point against Stoke last week was when Mason was substituted. After that Stoke came on stronger and started piling on the pressure. That and the introduction of Ireland for Stoke made the difference in the game imo.

 

[yaniv297]

I disagree with people saying he couldn't hack it at Real. The trouble was he was often replacing Khedira in the line up, who was essentially a defensive brute in the role he had at Madrid. I think he was probably told to play a similar to Khedira which simply doesn't suit him.

I'm sorry, this is factually wrong. Khedira was injured or not used for the majority of Ancelotti's time at Real. He's not relevant here. Illarramendi was either played as the deepest midfielder in a 4-3-3 (with 2 runners infront - Modric and Di Maria), or at 50-50 with Alonso/Kroos behind him. He didn't do particularly well at either position.

People tend to think that if a player is from Real/Barca, he is automatically quality. Remember when Granero came to QPR and everyone thought he'll be great? Illarra is talented and a good passer but he's a liability with his non-existing pressing and amazingly slow play. I watched at least 30-40 games of him in those last 2 seasons. Wouldn't want him at Spurs, he just doesn't fit us.

 

[y1dk1d]

Why? I think we have a lot more pulling power than our fans give us credit for. Aren't we in the top 10 in the world revenue wise plus we're located in a global city. Just because we're stingy and spend less on players than the likes of Stoke doesn't mean that we couldn't make big signings if we wanted to pay the money for them. Money motivates clubs to sell and players to move, and there aren't many clubs with more money than we have. Probably just the top 4 in England plus a few elite clubs in Europe.

I don't think we're not an attractive prospect out there but he's probably seeing if a Champion's League club will come in for him, maybe Arsenal who can offer what we can but champions league on top, maybe Juve, I don't know. All I'm saying is I'm sure there will be a few clubs vying for his signature and he's probably weighing up his options before making his decision

 

[IMissTheWaddler]

Never seen him play but from what people are saying he seems like the type of player we should be going for

His nickname should be Scrabble as he's worth about 82 points

#oldmanjoke

 

[walworthyid]

I'm sorry, this is factually wrong. Khedira was injured or not used for the majority of Ancelotti's time at Real. He's not relevant here. Illarramendi was either played as the deepest midfielder in a 4-3-3 (with 2 runners infront - Modric and Di Maria), or at 50-50 with Alonso/Kroos behind him. He didn't do particularly well at either position.

People tend to think that if a player is from Real/Barca, he is automatically quality. Remember when Granero came to QPR and everyone thought he'll be great? Illarra is talented and a good passer but he's a liability with his non-existing pressing and amazingly slow play. I watched at least 30-40 games of him in those last 2 seasons. Wouldn't want him at Spurs, he just doesn't fit us.

The granero comparison is unfair really. He hadn't been playing much for a while. When I watched him for QPR you see he was talented but he was playing in a very poor side with loads of negative characters fighting relegation.
You could be right and you clearly know more than me about him, garner is just not a great comparison.

 

[HW61]

I'm sorry, this is factually wrong. Khedira was injured or not used for the majority of Ancelotti's time at Real. He's not relevant here. Illarramendi was either played as the deepest midfielder in a 4-3-3 (with 2 runners infront - Modric and Di Maria), or at 50-50 with Alonso/Kroos behind him. He didn't do particularly well at either position.

People tend to think that if a player is from Real/Barca, he is automatically quality. Remember when Granero came to QPR and everyone thought he'll be great? Illarra is talented and a good passer but he's a liability with his non-existing pressing and amazingly slow play. I watched at least 30-40 games of him in those last 2 seasons. Wouldn't want him at Spurs, he just doesn't fit us.

Very interesting to read this. However, it does beg the question why Poch would love him at Spurs given his preference on a pressing game.

 

[SFCS]

I'm sorry, this is factually wrong. Khedira was injured or not used for the majority of Ancelotti's time at Real. He's not relevant here. Illarramendi was either played as the deepest midfielder in a 4-3-3 (with 2 runners infront - Modric and Di Maria), or at 50-50 with Alonso/Kroos behind him. He didn't do particularly well at either position.

People tend to think that if a player is from Real/Barca, he is automatically quality. Remember when Granero came to QPR and everyone thought he'll be great? Illarra is talented and a good passer but he's a liability with his non-existing pressing and amazingly slow play. I watched at least 30-40 games of him in those last 2 seasons. Wouldn't want him at Spurs, he just doesn't fit us.

Kroos arrived last summer and I never saw him play as the deepest player. Alongside Modric in a 2? Yeah, loads but never the deepest player in a midfield 3.

Last season they had Ronaldo, Benzema, Rodriguez, Bale, Isco, Hernandez and Jese. If you add up their league starts and divide it by 38 you'll find that on average 4.2. Now Isco did play deeper sometimes which is why that number is slightly high but it's clear to anyone, even if they didn't watch them, that they didn't play 433 with those players and infact player with 4 attackers in a 4231. The season before that, yeah fair enough, it was a very attacking 433.

Aaanyway, we're well of my point here. My point was that frequently he was playing alongside Alonso, Modric, or Kroos, who are superb passers of the ball, with the likes of Bale, Di Maria, James, Isco and Ronaldo further up the pitch. His best qualities are not going to work in a side like that because there are already so many others that have that and more. What else was there for him to do but cover defence whilst a striker, 4 midfielders and 2 attacking fullbacks bombed on all game?

Khedira was brought up because of the role he played, not how often he played. Pretty sure Varane or one of the other centrebacks also played that kind of role on a couple of ocassions too.

It was the same for Fabregas at Barca. They already had Xavi and Iniesta so he was played further forward, which didn't get the best of his qualities. It still happens at Chelsea for big games where he's pushed to number 10 and less effective. Modric too. In his first few months he was mostly played at number 10 for Real and labelled a flop, remember.

I don't think he's a great player because he's played for Real and no one else has intimated anything like that. I want us to sign him because I think he's a very gifted player who would offer the kind of passing we don't have enough of at the moment. I expect others want him for similar reasons too.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Forgive this emperors new suit type question, but is he really a better central midfielder than Bentaleb is or certainly could be with some good coaching ?

I've seen bits and bobs of Illarramendi and he is a good footballer no question, but I've not seen what he can do that Bentaleb didn't do for us last year, or what I believe Bentaleb is capable of with good tuition and experience.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Forgive this emperors new suit type question, but is he really a better central midfielder than Bentaleb is or certainly could be with some good coaching ?

I've seen bits and bobs of Illarramendi and he is a good footballer no question, but I've not seen what he can do that Bentaleb didn't do for us last year, or what I believe Bentaleb is capable of with good tuition and experience.

We're not looking to replace Bentaleb with him so I'm don't think it's relevant.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

We're not looking to replace Bentaleb with him so I'm don't think it's relevant.

Ideally with the attacking players being linked we will change to a 433 which would allow us to play Bentaleb, Illarramendi and Mason/Eriksen. With a front 3 of N'Jie, Kane and Berahino.

 

[ilikeost]

Ideally with the attacking players being linked we will change to a 433 which would allow us to play Bentaleb, Illarramendi and Mason/Eriksen. With a front 3 of N'Jie, Kane and Berahino.

Where are you getting the idea that we will switch to a 4-3-3? As far as I'm aware Pochettino never played a 4-3-3 at Southampton and he never expressed a desire to play 4-3-3.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Forgive this emperors new suit type question, but is he really a better central midfielder than Bentaleb is or certainly could be with some good coaching ?

I've seen bits and bobs of Illarramendi and he is a good footballer no question, but I've not seen what he can do that Bentaleb didn't do for us last year, or what I believe Bentaleb is capable of with good tuition and experience.

Never seen him play tbf but I'm sure we're just looking for another option rather than continuing to play Dier in midfield.

 

[Lilbaz]

Where are you getting the idea that we will switch to a 4-3-3? As far as I'm aware Pochettino never played a 4-3-3 at Southampton and he never expressed a desire to play 4-3-3.

He did say he wanted options so that he could try different options/formations.