Player Watch Player Watch: James Maddison

[THOWIG]

We need a number 6 now. Needed it for years.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

We need a number 6 now. Needed it for years.

Bissouma?

 

[TheAmerican]

He’s been one of the most entertaining players in the league for years. Finally feels like we’re getting players that fit our MO. So happy with this.

 

[Nerine]

Lol, this Yarlett chap’s gonna get fucking sacked if he ain’t careful.

 

[kthwlsn]

Lol, this Yarlett chap’s gonna get fucking sacked if he ain’t careful.

Darren Yarlett = Dane Scarlett in a fake mustache and beard

 

[THOWIG]

Bissouma?

Not for me. Good player though.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

I'm well excited about Madison and shocked how quickly it's happened.

Still think he's got levels!!! Remember, I think, Pleat flagging him up in his Coventry days.

Also really happy for Winks who I think has more about him than some folks give him credit for.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Not for me. Good player though.

As in you don’t think his best position is at number 6?

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Free kicks - Nothing more needs to be said other than we will finally threaten.

I love Harry but until he cedes alpha status with direct free kicks we're not going to threaten.

Porro, Son, Dier, etc all perpetually better options but even then he takes the bulk of them.

 

[robotsonic]

I love Harry but until he cedes alpha status with direct free kicks we're not going to threaten.

Porro, Son, Dier, etc all perpetually better options but even then he takes the bulk of them.

I think we did see a shift after Porro arrived, despite Kane getting a crack at the one that actually went in. He'd sat a bunch out that he'd normally have been standing over. Even Son got a pop at a couple, despite it being mental for him not to have done before.

 

[SpartanSpur]

I don't disagree. Point is, european football means more matches, and more opportunities to rotate and keep a large quality squad happy.

In all my time supporting spurs the only manager who came close to rotating fairly regularly was Poch with the full backs. Most managers just prefer to have a settled first 11.

Champions league football allows you to keep a quality squad happy as they are high level matches so players are fine to be rotated in and out of the team for that and the prem. The perception of most other opportunities in domestic cups are seen as a step down. In fact, whenever we've rotated players for cup matches and ultimately gone out of that cup, we get a lot of whining about how we 'should have played our strongest 11' and not doing that shows that 'we don't take cups seriously'. Rotation is just not an easy skill to manage unless you have 22 players of equally talented players like Man City.

No idea about Ange's history with subs but if the plan is to play a high energy pressing game, actually using the full 5 subs most weeks might help there.

 

[Adam456]

If they're buying Winks for £10m then it's basically £30m + Winks. That's a very good deal.

Call me suspicious but with these two 'unrelated' transfers basically announced at exactly the same time I think there's a bit of PR going on.

Based on my rule of thumb that final year of contract = 1/2 long contract price, JM was worth £35m (half of £70m). Perhaps a little more due to being home grown. Would have softened the blow to Leicester fans if they could get £40m+

Meanwhile, to those who haven't followed Winks recently, they are replacing Madison with an England international midfielder who has been out injured a bit. The £10m disguises the fact that when he did play he was often atrocious and that we were considering paying off his contract to get rid. And for us that just seems like Levy being a genius

 

[mil1lion]

I don't see how the deals are related in any way. We have got the best of both deals. Maddison signed for a good price and sold Winks for a good price too. Nothing in this is helping Leicester out. They get a decent player for the Championship but Winks is not worth more than 10m so it's not like we've cut that deal down to allow Leicester to drop the Maddison price.

 

[Adam456]

Call me suspicious but with these two 'unrelated' transfers basically announced at exactly the same time I think there's a bit of PR going on.

Based on my rule of thumb that final year of contract = 1/2 long contract price, JM was worth £35m (half of £70m). Perhaps a little more due to being home grown. Would have softened the blow to Leicester fans if they could get £40m+

Meanwhile, to those who haven't followed Winks recently, they are replacing Madison with an England international midfielder who has been out injured a bit. The £10m disguises the fact that when he did play he was often atrocious and that we were considering paying off his contract to get rid. And for us that just seems like Levy being a genius

Anyway, like almost everybody else I'm over the moon about this one. Aside from his passing abilities, game tempo and how good I predict he will become off the ball, he is just such a weapon against bus parkers

 

[lobob8]

Google's Bard AI likes him

I can't believe it's finally happening! Tottenham are signing James Maddison! I'm so excited I could burst.

This is the signing we've been waiting for for years. A creative midfielder with the ability to unlock defenses and create chances for our strikers. Maddison is exactly what we need.

He's got everything: great vision, passing range, dribbling skills, and finishing ability. He's also got that swagger and arrogance that all the best players have. He's not afraid to take risks and try things, and that's something that's been missing from Tottenham's midfield for a long time.

I can't wait to see Maddison in a Spurs shirt next season. I think he's going to be a revelation. He's going to create so many chances for our strikers, and he's going to score goals himself. He's going to be the difference-maker for us.

I'm so excited for this signing. It's a huge statement of intent from Tottenham. We're not messing around anymore. We're going to win trophies. And Maddison is going to be a big part of that.

COYS!

 

[pedrodelawasp]

When Maddison’s name first came up I was unconvinced as I thought he’d cost a lot more. At £40m (and even if a fee for Winks isn’t factored in) that’s a remarkably good deal.

I’m shedding some of my innate curmudgeonly cynicism and starting to believe this could be a pivotal signing.

 

[sundanceyid10]

Welcome to Spurs, good signing I think, we have needed someone with a bit more creativity about them and someone that gets their head up and plays more attacking.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

I wonder if the Vicario deal played a role here.

That is the first time, in recent memory, where we pivoted from the Raya negotiations, onto the next target and never looked back. (i.e. it wasn't a negotiating ploy)

With Newcastle maybe not as invested in Maddison as the media portrayed, and Spurs showing a willingness to move on - perhaps it caused Leicester to consider if they would be stuck with Maddison, unless they reached a deal with Spurs.

Either way - I do like the new way of doing business.

 

[sundanceyid10]

Bissouma for 8, maybe Gil changes number so James gets 11?

I thought I read that Bissouma wanted 8 last season but they couldn’t change it as it was too late or something, maybe Winks loan was late in the day or Spurs allowed Winks to keep the number even though he was elsewhere for the season. Can’t remember the reason but i’m sure i remember Bissouma requesting 8, did he wear that number at Brighton maybe?

 

[dtxspurs]

As in you don’t think his best position is at number 6?

No one ever thinks our defensive midfielders are defensive midfielders its bizarre. PEH, Skipp, Bissouma all of them I've seen people say we don't have a defensive midfielder.