Chelsea sign Michy Batshuayi

[Bus-Conductor]

Need both!

One injury to Bat or Kane and we're back to square one again. If we release Chad, lacazzete can also play behind the front man. CL will take a lot out of our squad next season.

Son, Njie, Harrison ?

there is absolutely no way we need or could keep another 2 strikers happy, certainly not 2 marquee type signings.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

They really can't play up top! Not in system we play anyway. Son no chance. I'll hold my judgment on N'jie but I just can't see it.

As I've said before, if we have 2 proper strikers, it's highly unlikely we'll ever be in the situation where Son/N'Jie/3rd Striker starts. If we worry about every permutation then our squad will be huge, and probably one that is too big.

 

[fatpiranha]

I want us to sign him just so I can get a shirt with "Batshitcrazy" on the back.

 

[Sweech]

How can a third choice player barely play? Providing we have a fully fit team then yes but we need good quality strikers in case Kane gets injured or is being overplayed. It's also silly to regard back up players quality in regards to a challenge in the CL. No team that has won it has an untested 18 year old as their back up to their main striker. They have ability all over the pitch and on the bench.

I've always been happy with using Son up too but N'Jie doesn't cut it for me, although we haven't seen much of him. They're far better options that Harrison as a third choice striker at the moment anyway.

Because a third choice would have barely played this year?

 

[Shadydan]

Harrison is fine for a 3rd choice striker, just because we are in the CL doesn't mean we should pay more for a player who is harldy going to play, that doesn't make any sense.

 

[brasil_spur]

Signing two strikers in a 1-striker system will be difficult - at best.

The third striker will have to be someone who plays a different position - like Clinton, or Son....

By the same token, are you advocating we bring in a third RB and third LB, in case one of our top-2 choices is injured, leaving us to play a single FB in both PL and CL?

The obvious answer to this is that we are going to get more flexibility in our system next season. Personally i think the 1 striker system we have been running has been out of necessity as much as preference from Poch. I would expect that we try to at least have the option available of playing a 4-3-3 formation next season when required. With Kane and Bathsuayi as two of the front 3, that leaves space for someone like Lacazette with Clinton and Lamela as rotation/alternate players within that formation.

 

[millsey]

Harrison is fine for a 3rd choice striker, just because we are in the CL doesn't mean we should pay more for a player who is harldy going to play, that doesn't make any sense.

How do you know he's fine for 3rd choice? If he was close he would have had some minutes or even the bench this season. He is obviously not close to making the squad, and 3rd choice needs to be good enough to start a prem game in 12 weeks time if needed

 

[Shadydan]

How do you know he's fine for 3rd choice? If he was close he would have had some minutes or even the bench this season. He is obviously not close to making the squad, and 3rd choice needs to be good enough to start a prem game in 12 weeks time if needed

If he waant good enough he would have been sold or loaned out, as of now he is on our books and Poch is keeping him around the squad so he must rate him.

3rd choice doesn't need to be good enough to start a Prem game hence being....3rd choice. If you're 3rd choice it means you will get limited minutes, the odd cup games etc...

 

[coy-spurs1882]

can lacazette considered as an upgrade on chadli if we are able to afford both (MB and AL)?

 

[millsey]

If he waant good enough he would have been sold or loaned out, as of now he is on our books and Poch is keeping him around the squad so he must rate him.

3rd choice doesn't need to be good enough to start a Prem game hence being....3rd choice. If you're 3rd choice it means you will get limited minutes, the odd cup games etc...

He may have a chance, but we certainly can't make that call he's good enough for 3rd choice. Only Poch can. And he does have to be good enough to play in the prem as 3rd choice. I think Son for example is more likely to play before him if injuries permitted

 

[Shadydan]

He may have a chance, but we certainly can't make that call he's good enough for 3rd choice. Only Poch can. And he does have to be good enough to play in the prem as 3rd choice. I think Son for example is more likely to play before him if injuries permitted

I don't disagree with that, I'm just disagreeing with those who say we need to sign two strikers this summer as opposed to just Batshuayi.

 

[millsey]

I don't disagree with that, I'm just disagreeing with those who say we need to sign two strikers this summer as opposed to just Batshuayi.

Agreed, we will only buy one striker this summer

 

[Japhet]

can lacazette considered as an upgrade on chadli if we are able to afford both (MB and AL)?

Would be a big upgrade on Chadli but signing both is highly unlikely IMO.

 

[thinktank]

can lacazette considered as an upgrade on chadli if we are able to afford both (MB and AL)?

Erm...like...yah.

 

[Lighty64]

wow getting Batshuayi and Lacazette would be great though.

I'm sure Eriksen, Lamela and Alli will be pleased to get so much rest on the bench

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Erm...like...yah.

Who knew?!!

 

[coy-spurs1882]

wow getting Batshuayi and Lacazette would be great though.

I'm sure Eriksen, Lamela and Alli will be pleased to get so much rest on the bench

i think it would be something like alli,dier;lacazette,eriksen,lamela;kane
yea i know it is not fm...

 

[samsonlevi]

Just an observation:

As much as we (The club) have to try and keep players happy.

They (the players) have to try and keep the club happy.

If we sign players which results in several players fighting it out for a few positions....then great....lets test the lads ability, determination and character to see who makes it at our club....

Some of us need to understand we have the potential to grow to be an elite club and players want to be apart of that.

In summary, if Poch believes we need to sign 2 forwards (for example 'bat' and lacazette) then great....lets see which players sink or swim when faced with competition!

 

[minesadouble]

Cole, Yorke, Sheringham, Solksjaer. All basically strikers, although each offered something slightly different. Obviously those were different times, a different club playing a different primary formation (4-4-2). During United's 1999 treble-run, all were needed and all 4 scored vital goals. I recall there was some tension (mostly around Teddy being 'third choice'?). Solksjaer seemed more ok with his super-sub role. That whole United team could chip in with goals but nobody else (Scholes? Giggs?) could play as a false-striker in PL/CL level matches.

It would be great to have 4 'strikers' in our squad list of 25 but I don't think we have that luxury ! Times have changed, proven scorers cost a fortune anyway, and we play a more fluid 4-2-3-1 than United 99's rampaging but fixed 4-4-2. So what Spurs 16 have is a requirement for flexible players who can play in, and cover, a variety of positions. For many reasons we can't rely on Kane alone as our only out-and-out striker (and even he can play two roles - upfront and deeper). So we need a like-for-like to join him in the squad, such as Batshuayi / Lukaku.

The debate it seems to me is: do we want / need a 3rd striker as well? (that's what this Batshuayi thread has partly turned into, anyway!). Even if we can afford one. The options are (I) rely on our existing flexible midfield/wide 'strikers' such as Son / Chadli / Nje or even Alli if needed (ii) rely on Harrison / the Academy for cover and perhaps Capital One cup (iii) buy a 3rd out and out striker, OR (iv) buy somebody new tailor-made for the role of 'flexible striker' such as Lacazette / Reus who offers creative options, alongside - as well as instead of - a pure goal scorer ? I think Son in particular was bought last year to fit this spec. But a deeper / better squad with CL to play, and more income, could easily justify another 'Son'. BTW, I'm not saying we could buy Lukaku or Reus. I'm merely using them to illustrate the type of player.

Personally, I think we'll opt for Option 4 above, giving us Kane / a Striker (Batshuayi or similar) / a Cover-striker (Lacazette or similar) plus Son / Nje and Harrison as our 6 alternatives up front. I am not advocating selling Chadli but I think his squad number and budget will be the one used for the 3rd striker purchase (if we don't buy somebody I suspect he'll stay).

 

[Chimbo1]

i think it would be something like alli,dier;lacazette,eriksen,lamela;kane
yea i know it is not fm...

Dembele?