Centre Back Options

[beats1]

I wouldn't mind buying Lascelles and loaning him out, either straight back to Forest or to a bottom prem side. That way going forward we'd have three fantastic youth CH prospects in Dier, Veljkovic, and Lascelles (four if you count Vlad as youth) and it will become much easier for us to replace Dawson moving on / Kaboul's injuries worsening / Verts being sold.

The thing is at the moment our young CB options are:
Dier - 20 - 26 sporting first team appearances and 7 england u21 apps - naturally CB but plays DM
Vejlkovic - 18 - 2 first team appearances(us) - Naturally DM but plays CB for club and country
Ogilve - 18 - best defender in his age group(that doesnt include Milos) - CB and LB
Carter-Vickers - 16 - looks a top prospect, been outstanding so far and looks like he may be a top player - CB
Maghoma - 16 - another top prospect - CB

They have the potential to make it at the club but it is possible for none to make it. Perhaps we need to take a leaf out of Chelsea's book and say fuck lets sign a large group to minimise our risk. Dier even if he doesnt become a top CB should be good enough to be a PL CB and be sold for a profit

Lascelles - 20 - 31 first team appearances and played a couple games with Dier

Also worth noting that Vlad is young
Chiriches - 24 - 25 caps for country, CL experience - CB but can play DM, LB and RB(so we are led to believe

 

[Dharmabum]

I wouldn't mind buying Lascelles and loaning him out, either straight back to Forest or to a bottom prem side. That way going forward we'd have three fantastic youth CH prospects in Dier, Veljkovic, and Lascelles (four if you count Vlad as youth) and it will become much easier for us to replace Dawson moving on / Kaboul's injuries worsening / Verts being sold.

Vlad is turning 25 in a few months time. You may as well count Daws as you too then

 

[Mouse!]

We really don't need Lascelles too.

Fryers (21)
Dier (20)
Veljkovic (18)
Ogilvie (18)
CCV (16)
Maghoma (16)

That's enough CB prospects to be trying to develop.

 

[beats1]

We really don't need Lascelles too.

Fryers (21)
Dier (20)
Veljkovic (18)
Ogilvie (18)
CCV (16)
Maghoma (16)

That's enough CB prospects to be trying to develop.

The thing is Veljkovic is already better than Fryers imo and shouldn't be developed by us(i.e. loaned out)

Veljkovic would probably end up as DM and last season played DM despite our youth teams struggling for defenders
Ogilve again seems his future will be at LB

that then leaves 3 players for CB. Only Dier would be ready for the first team in the next two seasons as CCV and maghoma are very young(not to mention as Lancaster, Dervitte and etc. has shown one injury and they wont look like the same player anymore).

Dawson and Kaboul will be gone next season(if not before for dawson), I think that is clear that will only leave us with Vertonghen and Chiriches as senior CB's. If Vertonghen wants to leave(assuming we don't do well) then we could be fucked.

Chiriches has been linked away as well, but hopefully that is paper talk.

I think taking a page out of chelsea's book will be wise and its interesting that we have gone from having no proper defenders in the academy to a real back four. Also justifies the club letting Stewart go.

 

[Spursidol]

The thing is Veljkovic is already better than Fryers imo and shouldn't be developed by us(i.e. loaned out)

Veljkovic would probably end up as DM and last season played DM despite our youth teams struggling for defenders
Ogilve again seems his future will be at LB

that then leaves 3 players for CB. Only Dier would be ready for the first team in the next two seasons as CCV and maghoma are very young(not to mention as Lancaster, Dervitte and etc. has shown one injury and they wont look like the same player anymore).

Dawson and Kaboul will be gone next season(if not before for dawson), I think that is clear that will only leave us with Vertonghen and Chiriches as senior CB's. If Vertonghen wants to leave(assuming we don't do well) then we could be fucked.

Chiriches has been linked away as well, but hopefully that is paper talk.

I think taking a page out of chelsea's book will be wise and its interesting that we have gone from having no proper defenders in the academy to a real back four. Also justifies the club letting Stewart go.

Good analysis as always.

Not sure what position Ogilvie will eventually take up - he's played LB a lot at youth level but think that''s because we are VERY weak in that position in Spurs youth. He's not the fastest and on that basis might better suit the CB position - but I guess you could argue the same way with Ben Davies too !

Milos Veljkovic again seems able to do either - height wise at about 5' 11''' he's slightly on the short side to be a CB (but there are top CB's of a similar height) so you may be right that he could be a DM, but atm there seems a worldwide glut of good midfielders and a shortage of good defenders, so IMO we should try to push him into the CB position, whilst keeping his options open to be a DM>

Our weakness in the youth set up is having CCV and Maghoma being so young (age 16) so there could be a gap before they get into the first team - although both look very capable - and it might backfire to push them into that position too quickly. So I'd prefer to concentrate in the next say 2 seasons in getting Dier, Veljkovic and Ogilvie in to the first team (not sure if Ball and McQueen are up to it - but we might get lucky with one) with CVV/Maghoma following on from there (even if ewee give them a tiny taste over the next 2 seasons)