Could Lewis Holtby be the answer?

[Bobbins]

Can I just say as well off-topic but being able to write up team formations and put 'Lloris' in the goalkeeper slot still makes me moist. It's the kind of thing I would do when drawing up a silly fake FM-style 'too good fos us but it'd be nice' type team.

We've bloody got Hugo bloody Lloris. And I bloody love him.

Anyhoo back to Holtby.

 

[E17yid]

Can I just say as well off-topic but being able to write up team formations and put 'Lloris' in the goalkeeper slot still makes me moist. It's the kind of thing I would do when drawing up a silly fake FM-style 'too good fos us but it'd be nice' type team.

We've bloody got Hugo bloody Lloris. And I bloody love him.

Anyhoo back to Holtby.

As Ugo would say:

"I am soooooo appeee"

 

[sim0n]

Perhaps Holtby AND Pritchard are the answer,.... just watched a bunch od U-21 Premier League highlights from last season

 

[Tottenham_God]

sig and holtby 20 goals 20 assists between them next season

 

[Snarfalicious]

I've said this many times, Holtby/Siggy should be operating through the middle. Bale, while he's capable of the spectacular, does not have the vision in the pass to really excel in that position. Hopefully AVB understands this, puts Bale back on the right where he was so dangerous with cutting in and also playing outside of the boot crosses and puts a true AM in Holtby/Siggy behind the striker.

Holtby is a fantastic talent that was asked to pretty much play out of his normal position in a new squad. It's a tall order for a seasoned veteran, let alone a 22 year old.

Almost every match we played in we lacked a creative flair in the middle of the pitch. Go watch Germany's U21s against Netherlands and keep an eye on Holtby. Tell me the way he played in that match wasn't exactly what we were missing. If we play him in the correct position, he will come good.

 

[king26]

love holtby as said played in right position he will be some player

 

[raf18]

unbelievable tekkers

 

[Tottenham_God]

unbelievable tekkers

Boss

 

[Misfit]

Holtby was always going to be a major part of our success this upcoming season. I'm very happy that we have Holtby and Siggy as the AMs. Both very capable players who can score goals. Out wide, striker and comp/depth for Sandro is what we're lacking.

 

[Main Man]

Post match silence...

I am assuming Holtby wasn't very good last night?

 

[michaelden]

i missed it, was it any good?

 

[ostrov]

Post match silence...

I am assuming Holtby wasn't very good last night?

German team wasn't very good last night altogether. No point of singling out Holtby.

 

[jayesar]

Post match silence...

I am assuming Holtby wasn't very good last night?

He was, but it was much like the first half against the Dutch, the opposition midfield overpowered the guys at the back and the ball rarely made it forward. It's disappointing that Germany didn't progress as Holtby was having a good tournament.

 

[spurs9]

A fact I found interesting. Holtby has scored 4 more goals for the Germany U21s than Rudi Voller did, in just 5 more appearances.

 

[walworthyid]

Holtby gave me the same impression as Sandro did in his early games. I ALWAYS knew that Sandro would be an immense player, and I am confident that Holtby will be also.

If he was playing for another team we would all be getting chubby's on and complaining that we don't buy players like that. He has everything (except pace) you need to be a success in the prem. He is a volume-ball player ie he needs to see a lot of the ball to be at his most effective. He won't produce a moment of magic in an otherwise quiet performance like Bale, he will produce an outstanding piece of play intermingled with a great many ordinary pieces and so far when he has played he has not had enough of the ball to do what he does best.

AVB is a very shrewd and calculating manager. He puts players in positions for very specific reasons, Caulker, Naughton even bloody Hudd. For me, he could see that Holtby wasn't up to speed in the prem, he didn't want to upset the midfield balance and so played him out wide to give us balance and keep us compact. Next season with Sandro fit I think AVB will be far more willing to allow both Holtby and Siggy to play centrally or at least to interchange with Bale.

Been very impressed with Holtby and I think he will be a player of important dimensions for us next season!

 

[HildoSpur]

Call me crazy but I could see him as future captain material if he progresses like I hope he will over the next few seasons.

 

[WiganSpur]

Holtby gave me the same impression as Sandro did in his early games. I ALWAYS knew that Sandro would be an immense player, and I am confident that Holtby will be also.

If he was playing for another team we would all be getting chubby's on and complaining that we don't buy players like that. He has everything (except pace) you need to be a success in the prem. He is a volume-ball player ie he needs to see a lot of the ball to be at his most effective. He won't produce a moment of magic in an otherwise quiet performance like Bale, he will produce an outstanding piece of play intermingled with a great many ordinary pieces and so far when he has played he has not had enough of the ball to do what he does best.

AVB is a very shrewd and calculating manager. He puts players in positions for very specific reasons, Caulker, Naughton even bloody Hudd. For me, he could see that Holtby wasn't up to speed in the prem, he didn't want to upset the midfield balance and so played him out wide to give us balance and keep us compact. Next season with Sandro fit I think AVB will be far more willing to allow both Holtby and Siggy to play centrally or at least to interchange with Bale.

Been very impressed with Holtby and I think he will be a player of important dimensions for us next season!

This 1000%. Unless we can pull off an absolute gem of a creative CM signing, this guy can turn out to be top class for us. For £1.5m it was an incredible piece of business. I'm not sure we're desperate for another passer in CM, Sigurdsson & Carroll can cover for Holtby. The players we really need in CM are proper competition for Sandro (Livermore replacement) and another box to box midfielder like Guarin or Paulinho to rotate/compete with Dembele. Our issue in midfield is strength in depth when our best midfielders are out or need to be rested. I don't believe Livermore, Hudd and possibly Parker are up to the standard required to fulfill that role.

 

[dk-yid]

He was, but it was much like the first half against the Dutch, the opposition midfield overpowered the guys at the back and the ball rarely made it forward. It's disappointing that Germany didn't progress as Holtby was having a good tournament.

Rather ham him back with us well rested for the pre season.

 

[spurs9]

This 1000%. Unless we can pull off an absolute gem of a creative CM signing, this guy can turn out to be top class for us. For £1.5m it was an incredible piece of business. I'm not sure we're desperate for another passer in CM, Sigurdsson & Carroll can cover for Holtby. The players we really need in CM are proper competition for Sandro (Livermore replacement) and another box to box midfielder like Guarin or Paulinho to rotate/compete with Dembele. Our issue in midfield is strength in depth when our best midfielders are out or need to be rested. I don't believe Livermore, Hudd and possibly Parker are up to the standard required to fulfill that role.

I agree with this. I think if we can get a Ball winning mid that can also recycle possession/has an eye for a pass (I believe Emre Can will fit the bill once he has developed enough for the first team) as back up/competition for Sandro and Box to Box that is also a bit creative and can add the odd goal (Paulinho or Belhanda could both be good options) then that would be perfect.

This would give us a fantastic Midfield for years to come (Dembele would be the oldest CM at 26) that would just get better and better.

 

[Tottenham_God]

Luongo?