Fabian Schar

[Spursidol]

Agree with @Bus-Conductor that Vertonghen is our best CB by a long way.

Assuming Fazio joins, that gives us Vertonghen, Fazio, Dawson, Kaboul, Chirches and Dier (6 cb's) with Dawson heavily linked to Hull so probably 5 cb's

Now Fazio has not played more than about 35 competitive matches in any of the last 3 years as far as I understand it due to a combination of injuries and suspensiions (lots of yellow cards fom being a full on in your face cb), so if Kaboul stays (with his dodgy injury record) and Chirches seems to want out then we might well think it sensible to bring in Schar to replace Chirches and run with 5 cb's (Dier also coverung rb) if Kaboul will not leave.

 

[Japhet]

I think we would likely just keep Kaboul around just to add some veteran experience in the event the 'New 3' couldn't cope. Also, Dier as a 5th choice would be smart as he can get match minutes at RB and DM in additional to CB (he's also the youngest/most inexperienced).

Those words create an image of a wise older player who has maybe lost a bit of pace, but compensates by being an excellent reader of the game and brings a steadying influence onto the pitch when all around are panicking. Doesn't really match up to my image of Kaboul though.

 

[Barry Mead]

I'm incredibly worried about him too and his performance against Limassol took it to a new level for me. He just doesn't look like the player from Ajax and 2012/13 like you mentioned. I think if we want to have any chance of exceeding expectations, he needs to play at a high level over the course of the season. I think at this point it's a big ask of him.

Verts is a curious one, he has enough quality in his game to be our best CB but even in Holland he had a casualness about him (normally against the "lesser" competition) either over confidence or lack of focus, probably lack of focus brought on by over confidence when he get punished.
I always hoped stepping up to a tougher league would cure that, but despite a promising first season where maybe a few examples of that might have been put down to adjusting to the team and the PL last season he was very poor at CB and often down to being far too casual.
I kind of put it down to being unhappy at playing LB early on in the season but either way you want players that don't get miffed and keep focused and play their best regardless
Sad to see he was poor midweek and maybe we can put that down to rustiness and being behind the others in pre season but without being too unkind to the opposition it wasn't as if we were playing a major force in European football
I really wanted us to sign Verts but I do worry that he actually does have a weakness in his psyche and the player I thought could maybe develop into a really world class CB will not make that grade. I just hope he can get his mind focussed going forward and show he can

 

[prawnsandwich]

He scores goals, too. Very, very interested in this one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Schär

 

[diamond lights]

Centre backs Verts, Fazio, Schar, Kaboul, Dier. Full backs Walker, Naughton, Davies, Rose
Sell Daws (Hull), Chiriches (Roma), Loan Fryers. Loan Fredericks. Release Benny.
Defence sorted and Naughton to move on when Yedlin arrives. Simple really.

 

[SpurSince57]

And after our last season, it may be necessary.

It's really unfortunate that when looking over all of our positions in the backline (RB, RCB, LCB, LB) with the holdovers from last season we really have no one who I would say "We can rely on him to perform at a high level." That includes Vertonghen which seems crazy after his 2012/13 season. Walker has this ongoing pelvic injury, Naughton is okay but he's a backup RB that can do a job in a pinch, not necessarily for a long period of time. Rose's shortcomings are well documented. Dawson, Kaboul have injury/performance concerns and Vlad has that shit-your-pants factor along with injury problems.

I think a lot of what is being done this transfer window is trying to find guys that can bring solidity in terms of defending. Fazio is by all accounts a very solid defender. He may not be the flashiest athlete but he appears to be able to get the most out of his monstrous frame and football intelligence. I also love the idea of on certain occasions, should he not be starting, bringing Fazio in at the dying embers of a match to win those valuable headers in and around the box.

Schar would really be a great addition as I view him as a player that could really become a Mateo Musacchio type of defender. Having a player like that in the RCB position could be incredibly valuable with clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool that have quick interchanging forwards that can really lose their CB, despite their experience/intelligence. I view Schar as an athletic alternative to the defensive unit that is Fazio.

We only let in five more goals than in 2012-13 and 2010-11, though, and if you take out the seven games in which we conceded three or more the average was well under one a game (0.67, I seem to recall). We even equalled our clean sheet record. If we'd had a settled back line and a functioning Sandro or Capoue things would almost certainly have been a good deal better. For a further comparison, in 2011-12 Friedel made more saves than Lloris (and Friedel) did last season, so one has to conclude he was less well protected.

That doesn't invalidate the rest of your points, but things are maybe not as doom-and-gloom as is generally supposed.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I think all things are possible with our central defenders in this last week of the window. Easily see multiple players coming in and multiple players going out.

I think Poch has stated that the defence needs to be sorted, and quite honestly apart from Dier I think anything could happen.

 

[prawnsandwich]

We only let in five more goals than in 2012-13 and 2010-11, though, and if you take out the seven games in which we conceded three or more the average was well under one a game (0.67, I seem to recall). We even equalled our clean sheet record. If we'd had a settled back line and a functioning Sandro or Capoue things would almost certainly have been a good deal better. For a further comparison, in 2011-12 Friedel made more saves than Lloris (and Friedel) did last season, so one has to conclude he was less well protected.

That doesn't invalidate the rest of your points, but things are maybe not as doom-and-gloom as is generally supposed.

Apart from that-what did you think of the play, Mrs Lincoln?
We need to address how to deal with the better teams and also the long ball merchants.

 

[Barry Mead]

Centre backs Verts, Fazio, Schar, Kaboul, Dier. Full backs Walker, Naughton, Davies, Rose
Sell Daws (Hull), Chiriches (Roma), Loan Fryers. Loan Fredericks. Release Benny.
Defence sorted and Naughton to move on when Yedlin arrives. Simple really.

I think we'd still need a quality first choice RB who can defend, though I don't know enough about Yedlin to know if he can step up, likewise I really can't see Rose improving so need serious competition at LB. Personally I'd love to have seen Umtiti signed instead of Fazio to provide a serious challenge both at LB and CB though whatever I might think of Fazio's play on the ground he would be a dominant aerial force at the back

 

[Kaboul'sForehead]

Centre backs Verts, Fazio, Schar, Kaboul, Dier. Full backs Walker, Naughton, Davies, Rose
Sell Daws (Hull), Chiriches (Roma), Loan Fryers. Loan Fredericks. Release Benny.
Defence sorted and Naughton to move on when Yedlin arrives. Simple really.

Agree apart from the willingness to let Vlad go. He is some player and despite some errors last season he will continue to get better. Gutted if we see him leave

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Sorry BC:

• 
  Hotspur Related ‏@HotspurRelated 11h
  Daily Mirror claim Franco Baldini watched Switzerland international Fabian Schar last week and is keen to push through a move. #THFC

• The original JJetset ‏@jetsetyid Protected Tweets 33s
  @HotspurRelated @Nick_Thfc sorry daily mirror but thats crap

 

[Twizzle]

crap that Baldy went to Switzerland, or crap that we are interested ?

 

[WiganSpur]

Sorry BC:

• 
  Hotspur Related ‏@HotspurRelated 11h
  Daily Mirror claim Franco Baldini watched Switzerland international Fabian Schar last week and is keen to push through a move. #THFC

• The original JJetset ‏@jetsetyid Protected Tweets 33s
  @HotspurRelated @Nick_Thfc sorry daily mirror but thats crap

FFS

 

[Spursidol]

Verts is a curious one, he has enough quality in his game to be our best CB but even in Holland he had a casualness about him (normally against the "lesser" competition) either over confidence or lack of focus, probably lack of focus brought on by over confidence when he get punished.
I always hoped stepping up to a tougher league would cure that, but despite a promising first season where maybe a few examples of that might have been put down to adjusting to the team and the PL last season he was very poor at CB and often down to being far too casual.
I kind of put it down to being unhappy at playing LB early on in the season but either way you want players that don't get miffed and keep focused and play their best regardless
Sad to see he was poor midweek and maybe we can put that down to rustiness and being behind the others in pre season but without being too unkind to the opposition it wasn't as if we were playing a major force in European football
I really wanted us to sign Verts but I do worry that he actually does have a weakness in his psyche and the player I thought could maybe develop into a really world class CB will not make that grade. I

All that may have elements of truth in it - but at the moment imo he's better than the recently seen Kaboul, Dawson and 'still adapting' Chirches.

So I think we need to hang on to him and ' just hope he can get his mind focussed going forward and show he can' be a top class cb.

 

[prawnsandwich]

Crap that Baldy went to Switzerland, or crap that we are interested ?

I would like an answer to that. FB was in Italy last week-did he sneak over the border?

 

[Barry Mead]

All that may have elements of truth in it - but at the moment imo he's better than the recently seen Kaboul, Dawson and 'still adapting' Chirches.

So I think we need to hang on to him and ' just hope he can get his mind focussed going forward and show he can' be a top class cb.

Well actually I don't think last season he was any better than the others and I don't think his "at the moment" form the other night showed that either, but I do think he has enough to his game to become a world class CB if he gets his focus and attitude right. World class players play well regardless of opposition and want to keep focussed and trying whether their team is four or five up or four or five down

I certainly wouldn't be thinking of selling him, but I would be on his back if he slackens and loses focus against certain opposition or lets his head drop when things weren't going well

 

[Japhet]

If the rumours that we are prepared to let Vlad go have any substance I can't see any reason why we would be after Schar. I think he's a great player BTW but losing Vlad would only make sense to free up a squad place. Vlad, IMO, has great potential as does Schar. It just seems to be like for like with no net gain.

 

[diamond lights]

Agree apart from the willingness to let Vlad go. He is some player and despite some errors last season he will continue to get better. Gutted if we see him leave

I like Vlad and hope he stays - that would mean no Schar and he would be replaced by keeping Vlad on my original post. Just had Vlad leaving due to all the rumours about Roma but if we keep him and give him a chance I'll definitely be happy.

 

[Twizzle]

The original JJetset @jetsetyid · 1h
@Denizsea82 @HotspurRelated @Nick_Thfc Baldini wasn't there at all

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[Twizzle]

Answers my question so we may have an interest.