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Kane back up

Flashspur

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2012
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as a few have noted on here Clinton is out with a knee op and will be out for weeks if not months.

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/footbal...62519.html#$$nzno6v&&zPoVOKcREeW1DwqapbHBvQ$$

So what happens with Kane's back up? Son hasn't set the world on fire and needs to adjust to the pace of the PL plus he isnt a CF. I can see this season falling apart with an injury to Kane.

The January window looks crucial for us to get a CF on board. Somehow I dont believe Poch when he says Son and Chadli can play there. Who is he fooling?
 

Mullers

Unknown member
Jan 4, 2006
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He's not going to get anyone unless it's the right fit for the team, I do't blame him at all, he's thinking long term, not just this season.
 

DanielCHillier

Well-Known Member
Feb 26, 2014
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I think Son can play there, but as a short term fix, not a long term option. I like the look of Gray and Dembele in the championship and Embolo and Batshuayi who'd be more expensive options.
 

beats1

Well-Known Member
Feb 22, 2010
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N'Jie couldn't play upfront on his own anyway but worth noting that Son has played about 20 or so games as the lone striker(tbf 20 more than N'Jie as the main striker)
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
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104,956
He's not going to get anyone unless it's the right fit for the team, I do't blame him at all, he's thinking long term, not just this season.

I think that's the wrong approach right this minute. I like the long term thinking but not at the expense of the now. Get a quality striker in in January and we've got a chance of top 4, the league whatever.

Trouble is, we all know we won't get one in. We never push on in January. History tells us that.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
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I think that's the wrong approach right this minute. I like the long term thinking but not at the expense of the now. Get a quality striker in in January and we've got a chance of top 4, the league whatever.

Trouble is, we all know we won't get one in. We never push on in January. History tells us that.

Always a risk buying players in January particularly as they're about 3x their market value and there's no guarantee that we will end up with CL football.
 
D

Deleted member 29446

If this injury didn't happen for Njie, Poch could defend himself for not buying a striker in jan. But now with this injury there is no excuses. We NEED a striker in jan.

We cant play with Son(who has been dissapointing)/Chadli up front if Kane gets a injury for several games.
 

SlickMongoose

Copacetic
Feb 27, 2005
6,258
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It's not easy though, is it?

They'd have to fit into the great team mentality we have at the moment, be good enough to lead the line for us and also happy to sit on the bench. I imagine it's a small list.
 

tobi

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose
Jun 10, 2003
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He doesn't need back up, he needs competition.

It's brought the best out of others and will happen with him too.
 

Mullers

Unknown member
Jan 4, 2006
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I think that's the wrong approach right this minute. I like the long term thinking but not at the expense of the now. Get a quality striker in in January and we've got a chance of top 4, the league whatever.

Trouble is, we all know we won't get one in. We never push on in January. History tells us that.
But Poch is not looking for an out and out striker, he's looking for someone who can play as striker and other positions if needed.
 

TH1239

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2011
3,691
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The biggest difference between this year and 2012, when we failed to sign a quality striker in the January transfer window, is that the club's revenues have exploded since then due to the increase in television money. Our total revenue for 2011-2012 was 144 million pounds. With the new television deal, our projected revenue will be around 235 million pounds starting next season. Considering our wage bill has only marginally increased in the last 5 years, we undoubtedly have the financial standing to go out and spend big to bring in a quality striker in January if one is available.

Concerns about a player being brought in and upsetting team chemistry is unfounded and unlikely. A player like that probably wouldn't be purchased by us in the first place, and anyone willing to move teams in January to come to us likely will want to succeed.

The only issue with signing a striker is if the club can convince a selling club to part with a quality player. Batshuayi appears to be, and should be, the number one target for us. He'd be worth spending 25 million pounds on, as he is not just cover for Kane, but could actually supplant Kane as first choice. That's the type of competition we've seen helps players raise their levels, and if we want to be a club in ascendancy challenging for trophies, no player in the squad should be sacrosanct in his place in the starting XI.

One thing I do disagree with some people about is what to do if there simply aren't any top shelf options available. I think a loan, even if the player is a bit older, would make a lot of sense. We need to guard against a Kane injury, as that could see us go from a top 3 challenge to out of the top 4 in a season unlike any other. Someone like Negredo, if he were open to it, would be a great stop-gap options. This is where I think not having Baldini hurts a bit. He had the contacts throughout Spain and Italy to explore loan deals for players, which I'm not sure anyone in our current set-up can match.
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,312
77,539
He doesn't need back up, he needs competition.

It's brought the best out of others and will happen with him too.
Maybe it will but Kane is the type of player who gives everything regardless of whether he has competition for his place. I'm not sure what more we would get out of him in terms of effort.
 

Adam456

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2005
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Concerns about a player being brought in and upsetting team chemistry is unfounded and unlikely. A player like that probably wouldn't be purchased by us in the first place, and anyone willing to move teams in January to come to us likely will want to succeed.

You are right about finances but not sure about this bit.

Of course we would use Paul Mitchell and team to filter out Adebayor types but you never really know until a player gets into the dressing room

And virtually any top striker is going to be demanding well over £50k a week. With Kane on £35k and most of our younger players on similar or lower deals we would have to tread carefully. Bentaleb, for example, was rumored to be getting lairy with his new deal when he was first choice.

I also think there's no point doing this unless it's somebody who can score goals straight away. Charlie Austin ticks that box and wouldn't demand that much and is only moving across London. Great work rate, knows where the goal is. Not the paciest but neither is Kane

(That's not to say that we shouldn't pick up younger stringers wherever we can, just in terms of contribution this season)
 

Ledleys Knee

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2014
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Son's fine for me

Maybe fasttrack Harrison or hang on to Coulthirst for a bit if Njie is going to be out for a while.

I like Dembele, but would buy him then loan him back to Fulham for the rest of the season to develop there
 
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