Lautaro Martinez

[spursfan77]

Can people take the kulusevski chat to his thread please. This keeps getting bumped on the back of it.

 

[djhotspur]

Fine, but - and let's continue with the Nunez comparison - Liverpool need a CF. Long term. He is a long term player who will play in that position, and also has the ability to play wide. No other player in the CF position could be considered first choice. Not Mane (possibly leaving, and arguably best wide left) not Firmino (not first choice), not Jota (not first choice and can play mutliple positions). So they're either all squad players, or versatile. Would they, for instance, have bought Nunez if he could only play in the position Mo Salah plays?

We can have a Kane shaped issue with this.

Lautaro's best position is exactly where our best player is best. If Lautaro could play on the right or the left as well, fine. But I'm not sure he can.

Anyone else slightly confused that this story hasn’t been strongly dismissed by the journalists who cover us yet…

i would imagine it’s because we have enquired but I think there is zero chance this gets done. We no they’re nightmare, it’s Groundhog Day 4.

 

[Flobadob]

Can people take the kulusevski chat to his thread please. This keeps getting bumped on the back of it.

This is why the scouting thread was so good. People could discuss multiple players within our club and other clubs without people getting their back up about it. Really is a massive hole in this site without it

 

[Scot-Spur]

Spurs fans are so broken. The experience with Poch and Levy and us refusing to buy anyone as our first XI was too good has completely warped the mind of fans.

Son and Kane aren't going to be here forever and have no cover as it stands. Liverpool played 63 games last season so to think that Kane, Son and Kulusevski can all play that many games, without injury is mad.

When they aren't playing, if we are to achieve our goals we need as minimal drop in quality as possible.

Not just that but bringing in quality ensures that if you want to be in the starting XI you need to be at the top of you game.

Personally I'm all for it if Conte wants to do it. If Son or Kane did their ACL in the first game of the season we would be in big trouble if we don't bring in quality, we rely too heavily on them as it is.

Exactly this, also players aren’t going to be in form all year. It would be great having world class options to come on and change the game.

 

[Timberwolf]

This is why the scouting thread was so good. People could discuss multiple players within our club and other clubs without people getting their back up about it. Really is a massive hole in this site without it

Yeah. Granted I'm not a mod so maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see why a general transfer/scouting chit-chat thread is seen as a bad thing. Seems to be a staple of literally every other team fan forum I've been on and was a great laugh last summer.

 

[keeole]

Spurs fans are so broken. The experience with Poch and Levy and us refusing to buy anyone as our first XI was too good has completely warped the mind of fans.

Son and Kane aren't going to be here forever and have no cover as it stands. Liverpool played 63 games last season so to think that Kane, Son and Kulusevski can all play that many games, without injury is mad.

When they aren't playing, if we are to achieve our goals we need as minimal drop in quality as possible.

Not just that but bringing in quality ensures that if you want to be in the starting XI you need to be at the top of you game.

Personally I'm all for it if Conte wants to do it. If Son or Kane did their ACL in the first game of the season we would be in big trouble if we don't bring in quality, we rely too heavily on them as it is.

But you don't spend £77m on a player in case one of our other 3 gets injured.

 

[greavesy461]

I completely understand the point that Martinez is a CF and therefore 'arguably' less versatile for Spurs given we have a pretty bloody good CF at the moment. However when you look at his stats last year (I know, I know) a few things stand out to me (partly the player, partly the system he is playing in):
- Like Son he is an elite finisher outperforming his npxG for the last two seasons (unlike Kane this season ). FYI Son posts ridiculous numbers here, one of the best in the world
- He posts the best non penalty goals per 90 of the three (seems to rarely play the full 90 mins)
- This season he didnt assist much (expected or actual) but he has previously been similar to Son (when with Lukaku)
- He takes more shots than either Son or Kane but from shorter distances
- He passes less than Son and Kane
- He tackles and pressures much more than Son and Kane and is a little more successful
- Less progressive carries than Son and Kane

From watching matches, videos and looking at these stats I would agree he is more suited to CF than WF or #10 but he offers something quite different to Kane. He is more of a fox in the box finisher and hassles defenders (which our forwards dont do very much). This could complement Son (drifting in from wide and running in behind) and Kane (slightly more withdrawn creative role, popping up in the box when needed) and Kulu (drifting in from wide and creating or taking long-range shots).

What a set of forwards and lots of different combinations! I do think he could play with Son and Kane if needed (with Kane moving to a narrow #10 role) and with Son and Kulu, clearly. Remember also he is 24 years old and we need to start planning for life beyond Son (almost 30) and Kane (almost 29). I would liken him to Jota at Liverpool.

 

[delawarespur]

How so?

Martinez's skillset and versatility in theory exceeds his versatility in practice.

He really isn't the sort of lone striker that can act as an outlet in our system. Lacks the physicality.

He is also decidedly NOT a winger, he's a bit wasted out wide and his speed/explosiveness in space are overrated.

I am not joking when I say a lot of his biggest strengths remind me of Jermain Defoe.

If Son was going to leave, then I'd say let's go all out for him. But he's not the striker/winger creative hybrid people think.

I’m not saying Martinez is some incredibly versatile player, more so that Osimhen and David are just not that versatile. Osimhen is strictly a lone striker who makes dynamic runs in the channel and is a killer in the box attacking crosses. David for me is strictly a support striker who is a drifter on the edge of the box locating open space to receive and turn. Martinez for me is a killer mover in the box. And he will pick up the ball from deep and carry the ball forward. He will drift across the pitch to link with others. Now I don’t think he is a focal point, nor is he someone who will constantly terrorize teams with athleticism and burst. It’s the versatility not in his position; yes I know he’s been a SS for the past 4 years. It’s the versatility in where he operates and in his actions on the pitch. Like an Argentine Lacazette. Obviously tonnes more quality in his final action, but the play styles are incredibly similar. Neither super fast or strong, but so many different areas where the get touches of the ball. The quick feet and vision to thrive in the build up, but sniff out chances too. Just Lacazette is terrible at striking the ball. Martinez’s versatility isn’t even what I desire, just that he is quite varied in what he does throughout a game.

 

[Yiddo100]

This is why the scouting thread was so good. People could discuss multiple players within our club and other clubs without people getting their back up about it. Really is a massive hole in this site without it

Has there been a reason why it’s closed as can’t remember seeing one? I know it normally is but its such a good thread where you can actually discuss multiple things rather than being told to stick to one thing

 

[van_Pommel]

Personally I don't think this will happen. It feels to me like one that journo's like to make a lot of noise about presumably because it generates loads of clicks.

That said if we did sign him it gives us 2 new options, resting Kane in the 343 or switching to 352. Conte used 352 alot in his second season at Chelsea so clearly feels it can work in the EPL. If Conte is happy to spend 80/90m or whatever it is then he must think Lautaro is pretty special and that the options it gives us will win us plenty of points.

 

[N'Obody]

Lautaro would be one heck of a signing. We need genuine competition for the front 3, and someone who can push the others to excel their games even more. Its a win win. Whoever is dropped from the front 3, is dropped purely based on form, fitness or being outperformed in training.

This is a great headache to have for Conte. It's time we operate and act like a big club and as fans we should start acting like it too.

Let Conte decide who plays and who doesn't, we want to build a squad who's ready to go up a level in every position. This is the next step in our development to go from top 4 to title contenders.

Its a new feeling for us all, but it's time to embrace what's happening. Lautaro would be a statement signing to show the rest of the league we mean business and that we have arrived to the top table. It would shut up opposition fans always claiming we are cheap too!

I'm all for it.

 

[luRRka]

Has there been a reason why it’s closed as can’t remember seeing one? I know it normally is but its such a good thread where you can actually discuss multiple things rather than being told to stick to one thing

I think otherwise all itk etc gets put in there and everyone stays in there and nothing gets posted to the player threads or daily itk forum

 

[dtxspurs]

 

[spursfan77]

and close thread....

 

[glacierSpurs]

I know Inter is a big club, but it's like more than ten lifetimes of honour to play for Inter. Ffs. Their players are all fucking happy there.

 

[DodgyLasagne]

I’m not saying Martinez is some incredibly versatile player, more so that Osimhen and David are just not that versatile. Osimhen is strictly a lone striker who makes dynamic runs in the channel and is a killer in the box attacking crosses. David for me is strictly a support striker who is a drifter on the edge of the box locating open space to receive and turn. Martinez for me is a killer mover in the box. And he will pick up the ball from deep and carry the ball forward. He will drift across the pitch to link with others. Now I don’t think he is a focal point, nor is he someone who will constantly terrorize teams with athleticism and burst. It’s the versatility not in his position; yes I know he’s been a SS for the past 4 years. It’s the versatility in where he operates and in his actions on the pitch. Like an Argentine Lacazette. Obviously tonnes more quality in his final action, but the play styles are incredibly similar. Neither super fast or strong, but so many different areas where the get touches of the ball. The quick feet and vision to thrive in the build up, but sniff out chances too. Just Lacazette is terrible at striking the ball. Martinez’s versatility isn’t even what I desire, just that he is quite varied in what he does throughout a game.

Agreed with your takes on Osimhen, haven't seen as much of David.

I think you've just dressed up Lautaro in pretty language there though. I of course rate him above Lacazette, Defoe, etc. he has versatility in his play bc he's a top quality player and looks to get involved, pass the ball around, has good interplay, touch and movement.

But the fact is all that variation doesn't allow him to play as a lone striker or a winger, which ultimately is what we are crying out for. And crucially, he is not actually that fast or good on the counter. He is constantly getting cut down in transition situations or having to wait for support; his top-end pace and ability to run at defenders is actually quite overrated.

 

[dirtyh]

lets just buy inter ffs

 

[amathews3416]

I know Inter is a big club, but it's like more than ten lifetimes of honour to play for Inter. Ffs. Their players are all fucking happy there.

We also are targeting an Italian and Argentinian (Argentine culture is heavily Italian influenced) to leave one of the greatest cities in the world playing for a historic Italian giant.

 

[mil1lion]

Doesn't want to compete with Chick King in London then

 

[barry]

Someone's definitely going, and I think it's Lautaro. When Lukaku signs we'll see more movement. Only 13 days left for Inter to decide