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Player watch: Toby Alderweireld

SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,552
43,063
If he leaves we have to fork out a quoted £40m+ on a replacement who in theory will only be back up for Jan & Davinson. If Toby stays he won't be getting assurances he starts. He'll be told what everyone is that you are paid to train and those that are performing the best get opportunities in the first team.

He'll have to earn it just as must as Jan, Davinson & Juan have to

If he thought Davinson was worthy of starting ahead of him, would he have come out and said it was 'unjustified' that he was left out? Maybe he meant in a 3 (which I wanted in the City away, Utd semi and Juve games) but that would worry me personally.

I could see why Poch could favour Davinson due to his exceptional recovery abilities and how he's constantly improving.

Obviously Toby has a lot of better mental and defensive skills, and is much better on the ball, but he can be found out in a high line no matter how good his reading of the game is.

End of the day if Poch forgives and Toby signs a new deal all must be gravy and I'll be delighted like everyone else.
 

scat1620

L'espion mal fait
May 11, 2008
16,285
52,503
Toby stays Toby plays, it’s that simple. We are a far better team with him. Dave will get enough opportunity as cover or part of a 3. He’s not on the same level yet so leave sentiment at the door and think like a team going for the league.
Winner winner winner winner
 

SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,552
43,063
I'd prefer him to stay obviously. Idea that the money can then be spent on other areas rather than replacing him doesn't make any sense though as that money was coming from the Toby sale. Some of it might have been put towards another signing too. We wouldn't have to replace him but our overall budget would be significantly smaller.

True, bit of a myth really. Its likely he'd have been sold for more than the replacement and if he signs a new deal it'll be for a much higher wage too probably. That said if he stays the 3 at the back is hard to ignore, which means we can probably get by with just one top drawer CM or WF rather than both (adaptable players like Eriksen/Dele/Grealish that can player advanced or deeper depending on what's available to Poch). Get both and our squad depth would be insane.
 

ToDarrenIsToDo

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2017
1,665
6,291
If he thought Davinson was worthy of starting ahead of him, would he have come out and said it was 'unjustified' that he was left out? Maybe he meant in a 3 (which I wanted in the City away, Utd semi and Juve games) but that would worry me personally.

I could see why Poch could favour Davinson due to his exceptional recovery abilities and how he's constantly improving.

Obviously Toby has a lot of better mental and defensive skills, and is much better on the ball, but he can be found out in a high line no matter how good his reading of the game is.

End of the day if Poch forgives and Toby signs a new deal all must be gravy and I'll be delighted like everyone else.

We did play all 3 together until Toby got injured and we had to change our formation because of if. I do think a lot of people forget anout our 3 at the back and why it changed to a 4. When Toby was fit again we were winning games in a back four and he had all of his supposed issues behind the scenes with injuries, contract etc so we can't think that it'll be either Toby or big Dav.

We signed Davinson long before Toby's issues flared up so there must have been a reason or some logic behind Poch doing so. Either way if Toby is sold we'd have to invest in one other as having Foyth & CCV as backup comes up short this time around
 

RichieS

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2004
11,916
16,436
if we are that desperate to play 3 at the back, Dier could drop back. the same Dier that played mainly in a back 3 the season we finished 2nd. If Toby does stay and we do go reg with a back 3 we might as well try and sell Wanyama now, because he isn't going to want to sit on the bench all season
If we play 3 at the back then Vic is the far superior DM option.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
Back three of a fully fit and committed Toby Sanchez and Jan would be a thing of envy tbh.

depends also on how you look at it, yes a top defence, but do we need 3 at the back against teams that park the bus, and will also mean losing out on using Son, and would make it absolutely pointless buying Martial or Zaha
 

benski

Well-Known Member
Feb 10, 2006
574
825
What’s so illogical about a straight swap for martial?

We value TA at 75m they value AM at 60m we paid 11.5m for TA they paid anywhere upwards of 35m. Both wouldn’t mind going by the sounds of things so just leave the egos at the door and make it happen people
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
What’s so illogical about a straight swap for martial?

We value TA at 75m they value AM at 60m we paid 11.5m for TA they paid anywhere upwards of 35m. Both wouldn’t mind going by the sounds of things so just leave the egos at the door and make it happen people
Everything is funky, except the values
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
If we play 3 at the back then Vic is the far superior DM option.

oh I agree which means we will have a well and truly pissed off Dier, and a lot of headaches for Poch

Yes I agree there are plenty of games to rotate and keep everyone fresh, but then it means disrupting momentum. I think your find the team that wins the league majority of the time has a settled defence and a pretty settled starting XI
 

Majick

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2017
603
2,148
IF Alderweireld stays, he and Vertonghen would surely be the first choice two. I think Sanchez has to be smart enough to recognise that makes sense - he's 22 or so and primarily played so much last season because of the injury.

That doesn't mean he'll sit on the bench indefinitely. With the three of them together then 3 at the back is a valid choice for matches when we want to be resolute but push Rose + Trippier/Aurier forward - the City matches last season were crying out for something other than a back 4 from us as we were just picked apart by City.

And having the three of them together (+ Foyth, Dier and even CCV) means that we could have some meaningful rotation. Imagine a back 3 of Foyth, Sanchez and Alderweireld if Vertonghen needs resting/is injured. He's been freakishly consistent and lucky with injuries for the last few seasons. Being able to let him sit out the odd match here and there can only help keep him going long-term. Keeping Alderweireld gives us options we didn't have last season - did we even try playing 3 after the Real Madrid match?

But, per earlier ITK, it appears that it all comes down to Pochettino. We know from his first season that he doesn't brook much screwing around. If the issue has been wholly/solely down to Alderweireld's representatives/family, then perhaps this is a recoverable situation. If not, then he'll be gone.
 

SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,552
43,063
We did play all 3 together until Toby got injured and we had to change our formation because of if. I do think a lot of people forget anout our 3 at the back and why it changed to a 4. When Toby was fit again we were winning games in a back four and he had all of his supposed issues behind the scenes with injuries, contract etc so we can't think that it'll be either Toby or big Dav.

We signed Davinson long before Toby's issues flared up so there must have been a reason or some logic behind Poch doing so. Either way if Toby is sold we'd have to invest in one other as having Foyth & CCV as backup comes up short this time around

Yeah I actually really like the 3, but a lot of my mates think we aren't dangerous enough using it. I look back to the prior season and the Dortmund/Madrid/Liverpool games and think it has a huge upside.

Before we switched back to the 4-2-3-1 we did have a ropey spell where our attack was not quite firing so I think that has stuck with a few. Plus it got Son into the team and who doesn't love him.

Personally if Rose gets back firing I couldn't think of a better back 5 around, especially after Tripps wing back performances at the world cup.

In lesser games I think we could afford to play Eriksen at #8 allowing two attackers to flank Kane. Or even match the England formation and use Eriksen and Dele deep with Son or a Martial/Zaha type supporting Kane. Poch has so many options with our squad if Toby stays and we bring in 2-3 quality additions this summer.
 

SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,552
43,063
oh I agree which means we will have a well and truly pissed off Dier, and a lot of headaches for Poch

Yes I agree there are plenty of games to rotate and keep everyone fresh, but then it means disrupting momentum. I think your find the team that wins the league majority of the time has a settled defence and a pretty settled starting XI

Very good point. Looking at out squad depth the way things are going does look like it'd cause a lot of headaches. Good headaches as the saying goes but I do actually think it can cause momentum issues like you said.

Jose's Utd are a great example, especially with their attackers.

Our upside though is that we have a core of players that really get the systems we play and know each other. Plus the stability of Poch meaning a consistent ethos in recent years.
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
11,234
46,574
Depth in defense could be back on the menu! Freaking love it. Toby is an incredible player and hope he can show again for Spurs as there seem to be some on here who have forgotten. As for the rotation, with Toby's injuries and Jan's age I believe there will be plenty of games to keep them all happy.
 

Twizzle

The Alpha Male
May 25, 2008
4,955
4,735
If Toby stays for another year, hasn't DeLight only got one year left on his contract ?

If so it could work out well for us.
 
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