our squad is not strong enough

[dannythomas]

If we assume our preferred first team is our starting line up yesterday with Hutton, King and Bale in for Zokora, Dawson and Ekotto , our back up players are : Gunter, BAE , Gilberto, Dawson , Zokora, Huddlestone, Ohara , Lennon. Assuming Berbatov stays . It appears Lee, Salty and Boateng are rightly on the way out.

Out of those 8 ( or 7 if Berbatov goes ) how many are good enough for a side with top 4 aspirations ? You could make cases for Zokora ( at RB ) , Dawson , Hudd and Lennon. But we are woefully short of quality strength in depth. Especially with doubts over King and Woodgate getting through the whole season.

I know there are still a couple of weeks to bring in new players. But does anyone else think that our pre- season results where we have had only Hutton injured obscure the real problems we have with an inadequate squad ?

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

I know its early, but did that make any sense?

 

[robbiesavagehasbreasts]

If we assume our preferred first team is our starting line up yesterday with Hutton, King and Bale in for Zokora, Dawson and Ekotto , our back up players are : Gunter, BAE , Gilberto, Dawson , Zokora, Huddlestone, Ohara , Lennon. Assuming Berbatov stays . It appears Lee, Salty and Boateng are rightly on the way out.

Out of those 8 ( or 7 if Berbatov goes ) how many are good enough for a side with top 4 aspirations ? You could make cases for Zokora ( at RB ) , Dawson , Hudd and Lennon. But we are woefully short of quality strength in depth. Especially with doubts over King and Woodgate getting through the whole season.

I know there are still a couple of weeks to bring in new players. But does anyone else think that our pre- season results where we have had only Hutton injured obscure the real problems we have with an inadequate squad ?

Then don't you think this thread should be made September 1st?

 

[yiddotilidie]

I had this same discussion yesterday with my Gooner supporting cousin. He said our squad is too weak to mount any serious challenges....so lets have a look at it.

GK - Gomes and Cesar
RB - Hutton / Gunther / Possibly Corluka
CB - King / Woody / Daws / and need one more
LB - Bale / Gilberto
RM - Bentley / Lennon
CM - JJ / Modric / O'hara / Hudd / Zokora (still need a top class DM tho)
LM - Dos Santos / Bale / Gilberto
Strikers - Berbs / Bent / Dos Santos / Peckhart

Looking at that, I think we need a centre half, a DM and maybe one more striker depending on outgoings. I think its beginning more healthy. Its trimmed down now, the dead wood is drifting away, so bring it on.

 

[vegassd]

Bendtner, Hoyte and Fabianski are not top 4 quality.... oh hang on.

Unless you have Chelsea-like millions or Man U-like "glory" then it is very hard to have superstars sitting on your bench. We have a number of flexible players and a manager who isn't afraid to use them, so I'm not too worried.

 

[liberty]

Our squad has ample enough quality. I think we've shown that through pre-season. Our back up players are good.

 

[striebs]

Bendtner, Hoyte and Fabianski are not top 4 quality.... oh hang on.

Unless you have Chelsea-like millions or Man U-like "glory" then it is very hard to have superstars sitting on your bench. We have a number of flexible players and a manager who isn't afraid to use them, so I'm not too worried.

Zokora is a flexible , extremely fast injury free player .

He's not a master of anything though and his skills aren't on a par with Tanio's .

Need a better defensive mid .

 

[gooch]

we're better than last year when levy was saying he expected jol to get 4th with the squad he had, so who knows

i think we're fine, but we should always be looking to improve

 

[orkneyspur]

Yes it is. :uproviding our tactical awareness improves, we can challenge in every game we play.

 

[buttons]

I think were only a couple/three of players short......maybe a utility/defensive player i.e. Corluka, a back up keeper i.e. Sanchez and a striker.....if Berba goes then a top striker, if he stays a young pretender!

 

[Spurs_Q8]

you're right mate, the improvement on fitness level plus the new arrivals upfront the fans was the key last night.

- Bentley & Dos Santos .. are very good players, but we still need to see them doing like that away from home against teams like Villa, Pompey, Everton, Newcastle.

- when Ramos took Modric off, our good football stopped. we still need another good addition to the middle, as he looks like irreplacable. He chased Roma players as much as he can and worked as 'Ball winner', then connected with every one on the middle and create something for his teammates which mean he did DM, CM, AM jobs in one time, he is World Class and I'm afraid that we won't be that good without him. Huddlestone & O'Hara are useful but not to replace player like Modric. Let alone that they aren't top 4 quality. CM needed.

- we are short of strikers, only Berbatov and Bent, Dos Santos is option but not finisher and experienced enough, so we still need Arshavin and make dos Santos as left winger/4th striker. Bale to return to his favourite position LB with Ekotto backup would be decent. Gilberto not needed IMO while Gunter/O'Hara are options too for LB.

- Corluka to be added, to add competition for backline while Kaboul, Chimbonda, Gardner are gone. Rocha & Stalteri to follow.

 

[Dougal]

Yes it is. :uproviding our tactical awareness improves, we can challenge in every game we play.

Exactly. A good manager and a bit of luck can get that extra something from a group of players. It's way to early to make assumptions.

 

[dvdhopeful]

The positions people are talking about are basically filled by Cesar Sanchez, Corluka, Veloso and Arshavin. I know that is four players, but if we could bring those in, then imo, any talk about a weak squad disappears. You suddenly have Corluka and Dawson, Jenas drops to bench, add in Hudd, Lennon and Bent......thats a quality bench imo.

 

[Evolution]

Way to early to be having this thread

Although one thing I will agree with is the lack of a steely midfielder which I felt sure we would get in the summer but nvm.

 

[si_yidarmy]

im not 100% sure.

I think our defence is fine. I am sure Corluka will still join, and we must remember our youth back up. Dervitte, Mills (i know hes on loan as is archibald) adam smith!!! lol

The next ledley king could be waiting and we wont know because we keep buying players in those positions.

 

[Krafty]

It would be silly to have a chelski esque system of two internationals for each position. Look at Ryan Bertrand, a guy they stole from another club. 18 yo left back, waiting behind Bridge and Cole. He will never get a game, hence he has been loaned out to norwich, and will probably keep on being loaned out for the enxt four years before they sell him to reading. Scott Sinclair, was going to be the enxt big thing, but he wont get a look in.

Look at the 18 we had yesterday, I'm pretty happy. Yes we need a leader in midfield, could do with another centre back and striker, but we also have good youngsters who could cover those positions for a game or two. I'd rather have a great 15 or so, some top youngsters who get a chance, than have some average 28yos earning 40K to sit on the bench most weeks.

 

[dcarney75]

As a non-CL club, we have to be realistic about the players we can attract. A squad with impressive strength in depth throughout will never be completely achievable while we're at this level.

But also, as a non-CL club, our squad looks pretty bloody impressive. The important thing is whether Ramos can instil the right mentality to make us play above ourselves this year, cos any team wishing to break into the top echelone will have to do that at some stage. So for me, it's not about whether we can fill the squad with two proven players for every position (would be very difficult to do) but whether the new lads can bed in quickly (no probs on that front so far) and, maybe more importantly, whether the likes of Huddlestone, Jenas, Lennon, Dawson etc... can build on what they've already done and achieve that little bit more consistency which is required to take things up a notch.

 

[dynamoSpurs]

Bendtner, Hoyte and Fabianski are not top 4 quality.... oh hang on.

Unless you have Chelsea-like millions or Man U-like "glory" then it is very hard to have superstars sitting on your bench. We have a number of flexible players and a manager who isn't afraid to use them, so I'm not too worried.

good post babe. rep.

 

[theaman]

Starting from the back, the GK situation seems as if it will be resolved with the signing of Cesar.

In defence, Corluka is definitely what we need but we probably do need another CB too, (like Cuellar) to cover Ledley and Hutton. Also, I'm not sure our LB position has enough strength. Is Bale an LB? If JR doesn't think he is, then we are left with BAE and Gilberto - neither of whom seem top 4 quality.

In midfield, we are still desperately short of a DM and we also need an attacking player who can also play out on the left - GDS is the only such option available to us right now. Arshavin would be the ideal here.

And then there is the situation up front - it's just a matter of time before Berbatov goes, so another big man up top will be required - Santa Cruz would be great here. Or perhaps we might even need 2 strikers if we don't sign Arshavin and we decide to stick with 4-4-2.

All in all, I think we are 6 players short of having a top 4 squad - but apart from that, our squad is strong enough - on paper at least - to challenge for a Champions League place...

 

[addlestonespur]

The next ledley king could be waiting and we wont know because we keep buying players in those positions.

With seven subs places now we might just be able to bring more youth/reserve players into the team (as can everyone)