PLAYER WATCH: Benjamin Stambouli

[guiltyparty]

Would he be seem as a Holtby replacement if we to let him go?

Or the ITK on MS not happening is true

 

[flamsteadspur]

time will tell but not really impressed with this one.... really more useful than what we already have? He is already 24 as well. We dreamed about MM and MS and got Fazio and Stambouli for cut prices. While teams around us buy Barry, Lukaku, Etoo, di Maria, Alexis, Costa, Fabregas or Balotelli we are in for these guys. Nothing wrong with them, but are they taking us forward? Stambouli was a Swansea target. You say its good to find these players before they are stars. But hey, can we allow to give them enough game time if they are not good enough straight away? We have a huge squad. I am still optimistic cause I trust the Poch but if that it is this window I would be disappointed (Dier, Davies would still be good business).

#gimmethatargi

As you said we have to have faith in MP! We paid a lot of money last year for 6 players who AVB and TS could not turn into a team?

 

[Dan Yeats]

Wow. Their strikers are shit.

 

[SpursManChris]

I wonder why Montipellier are being so open about this at this early stage. Why should they bother? Or is it just that we're so used to our club being so closed?

 

[SamR]

time will tell but not really impressed with this one.... really more useful than what we already have? He is already 24 as well. We dreamed about MM and MS and got Fazio and Stambouli for cut prices. While teams around us buy Barry, Lukaku, Etoo, di Maria, Alexis, Costa, Fabregas or Balotelli we are in for these guys. Nothing wrong with them, but are they taking us forward? Stambouli was a Swansea target. You say its good to find these players before they are stars. But hey, can we allow to give them enough game time if they are not good enough straight away? We have a huge squad. I am still optimistic cause I trust the Poch but if that it is this window I would be disappointed (Dier, Davies would still be good business).

#gimmethatargi

I can see your concerns - But I believe our better signings over recent years have been one's made like this. We have wasted a lot on over-hyped talent before (Bentley & Co) so paying over the odds on a player (who is at risk of injury just like everybody else) isn't wise when we are looking to build a new stadium and improve the club.

I'm content with our activity this summer -excited even! Throw in another 1 or 2 decent additions like JJ has hinted and i think we'll cause the big boys a few headaches this year

 

[Dan Yeats]

I can see your concerns - But I believe our better signings over recent years have been one's made like this. We have wasted a lot on over-hyped talent before (Bentley & Co) so paying over the odds on a player (who is at risk of injury just like everybody else) isn't wise when we are looking to build a new stadium and improve the club.

I'm content with our activity this summer -excited even! Throw in another 1 or 2 decent additions like JJ has hinted and i think we'll cause the big boys a few headaches this year

We are the big boys.

We're gonna win the league dammit!

 

[mill]

I can see your concerns - But I believe our better signings over recent years have been one's made like this. We have wasted a lot on over-hyped talent before (Bentley & Co) so paying over the odds on a player (who is at risk of injury just like everybody else) isn't wise when we are looking to build a new stadium and improve the club.

I'm content with our activity this summer -excited even! Throw in another 1 or 2 decent additions like JJ has hinted and i think we'll cause the big boys a few headaches this year

Thing is where does he fit in? Capoue looks nailed on and atm we still have Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele and Bentaleb, ok Sandro seems gone but still is this bloke gonna get game time in front of the others? Is he any kind of upgrade? At least with MS he was an ugrade, but still not a massive one.

I've never seen him play perhaps he's the best thing since sliced bread, just seems a bit of a strange signing imo

 

[SamR]

Thing is where does he fit in? Capoue looks nailed on and atm we still have Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele and Bentaleb, ok Sandro seems gone but still is this bloke gonna get game time in front of the others? Is he any kind of upgrade? At least with MS he was an ugrade, but still not a massive one.

I've never seen him play perhaps he's the best thing since sliced bread, just seems a bit of a strange signing imo

I haven't seen him either so can't comment but I'd expect to see a few move on to accommodate. Perhaps we'll see Holtby and Sandro move on for this guy...promote Mason and job done for this window whilst putting money in the pot for another position Or stadium!

 

[SteveH]

Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele and Bentaleb, if they all stay this window, will be under intense pressure to improve their overall fitness Pochettino style.

Sandro will struggle.

 

[Flashspur]

Thing is where does he fit in? Capoue looks nailed on and atm we still have Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele and Bentaleb, ok Sandro seems gone but still is this bloke gonna get game time in front of the others? Is he any kind of upgrade? At least with MS he was an ugrade, but still not a massive one.

I've never seen him play perhaps he's the best thing since sliced bread, just seems a bit of a strange signing imo

you can never have too many CM's...trust me

 

[Darth Vega]

Juliens Laurens replying to someone on Twitter who asked whether BS would rotate with Capoue or play alongside him

Julien Laurens ‏@LaurensJulien 2h
@Socrates92 both is possible

Assuming what he says is true, we've signed somebody much more versatile than Sandro who will do more than just be back up for Capoue. I like it. We need that variety of options in midfield and Capoue, this dude, Dembele, Bentaleb and even Paulinho offer us something different. Although not any one of them is world class, under Pochettino they'll definitely improve and play to a high level (we're already starting to see it with Capoue).

 

[prawnsandwich]

Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele and Bentaleb, if they all stay this window, will be under intense pressure to improve their overall fitness Pochettino style.

Sandro will struggle.

I was actually very impressed by Paulinho's fitness level on Thursday.

 

[Flashspur]

Poch's system puts a lot of pressure on his CM's especially the two CM pivots...you require some hard types in there who have got the extra oxygen power....I see this one as a back up initially but with scope to it...he is not a bad player and with his committment and attitude you can see him doing well under Poch

it also looks like we are taking all the competitions quite seriously

 

[LiamJM10]

time will tell but not really impressed with this one.... really more useful than what we already have? He is already 24 as well. We dreamed about MM and MS and got Fazio and Stambouli for cut prices. While teams around us buy Barry, Lukaku, Etoo, di Maria, Alexis, Costa, Fabregas or Balotelli we are in for these guys. Nothing wrong with them, but are they taking us forward? Stambouli was a Swansea target. You say its good to find these players before they are stars. But hey, can we allow to give them enough game time if they are not good enough straight away? We have a huge squad. I am still optimistic cause I trust the Poch but if that it is this window I would be disappointed (Dier, Davies would still be good business).

#gimmethatargi

You roll off a list of players others are signing pretty needlessly. Barry and Etoo are old, neither would improve us. The rest are outside of our price range. So what's your point exactly?

Last season we broke our transfer record 3 times. It's about perspective. Our squad was already rich with talent, we didn't actually need that much improvement. A CB and a LB were the priorities, we've signed both. We've also added in some other intelligent squad options. Don't need to go around throwing silly money at complicated deals like Musacchio and Schneiderlin when they're not needed, or simply too complicated.

I'm happy with this summer, we've signed players that improve our squad. We've gone forwards already and we've got rid of some players who weren't needed. Still time to bring others in to.

 

[Gbspurs]

I was actually very impressed by Paulinho's fitness level on Thursday.

Paulinho is safe as he is the only one of that selection of CM's who can play the advanced position and offer a goal threat.

Somewhere in the depths of the Paulinho thread I said that with Poch his best position is in the centre of the attacking 3 with Lamela right and Eriksen left. This is how Poch used Steven Davis to good effect and Paulinho is twice the player.

 

[SteveH]

I was actually very impressed by Paulinho's fitness level on Thursday.

He was not too shabby I must admit. But he was 'AVB fit' but he was not 'Pochettino fit'. Those lads must go through some punishing training...

 

[VegasII]

Stambo your man
Give him Capoue to cling to

Obviously sung by the Blues Brothers.

 

[Ribble]

Thing is where does he fit in? Capoue looks nailed on and atm we still have Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele and Bentaleb, ok Sandro seems gone but still is this bloke gonna get game time in front of the others? Is he any kind of upgrade? At least with MS he was an ugrade, but still not a massive one.

I've never seen him play perhaps he's the best thing since sliced bread, just seems a bit of a strange signing imo

It looks like Paulinho is going to be used in the 3 so that's one out already and Bentaleb is still just a kid really, so we can't put him through too rigorous a season. Sandro and Dembele both have fitness issues so even if they stay they aren't going to be massively reliable, and it might be Dembele gets deployed further forward too as he could do a similar role to Chadli (which neither Lennon nor Townsend could).

I guess we'll just have to see what Moe has planned.

 

[SpursDave88]

I have literally no idea who this guy is.

 

[SlickMongoose]

you can never have too many CM's...trust me

Well that's certainly been our signing philosophy over the last few years...