Pochettino's 'get out of jail free' card?

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

The crux of it is that we have nobody who can - or has shown they can - play with their back to goal if Kane gets a long term injury. At least last season at a pinch we had Soldado, and Adebayor (before he was properly ex-communicated).

Yes, we may have players who can score, and may have added different scoring options, but I just don't think we are a sophisticated or good enough team to play without a No 9 who can hold the ball up a bit and bring our attacking midfielders into play.

Until you have seen Njie, Chadli or Son play that position I fail to see how you can make that assertion - and Beharino was never going to be the answer as a 'back to goal' striker.

 

[danielneeds]

Until you have seen Njie, Chadli or Son play that position I fail to see how you can make that assertion - and Beharino was never going to be the answer as a 'back to goal' striker.

From what I've seen of Son, playing that position would not play to his strengths, which is running at people from a deeper position. Clinton, perhaps could be a more conventional centre forward, but he's an extremely inexperienced player, and has a lot of adapting to do.

Chadli - meh, he could probably play the position too, but I wouldn't hold too much hopes for our season if he did.

Maybe I'll be proved wrong, and hopefully Kane will play 40+ games this year and we won't even need to find out. Still worries me though.

 

[NickHSpurs]

Make no mistake if things aren't improving come Christmas the pressure will be on and Levy will be having quiet discussions to sound out if Klopp would take the job. Not time to hit the panic button yet though.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

The crux of it is that we have nobody who can - or has shown they can - play with their back to goal if Kane gets a long term injury. At least last season at a pinch we had Soldado, and Adebayor (before he was properly ex-communicated).

Yes, we may have players who can score, and may have added different scoring options, but I just don't think we are a sophisticated or good enough team to play without a No 9 who can hold the ball up a bit and bring our attacking midfielders into play.

Chadli can definitely play with his back to goal. I'd also say he's actually better with the ball at his feet than Kane who has a bad habit of turning or running into traffic or shooting from ludicrous positions. Don't get me wrong, he can do daft and frustrating things too (as does Kane) but I think his a strong lad who's technically good, creates for others and can score goals.

Berahino isn't great with his back to goal.

This is why, despite never being his biggest fan, I would have happily taken Gignac on a free for 12 months. He's not the quickest but he works hard, he's got a good brain, and can play the lone striker role well. Failing that Embolo has all the attributes to play the uber striker and works hard without the ball too. Who would you have liked us to bring in ?

 

[danielneeds]

Chadli can definitely play with his back to goal. I'd also say he's actually better with the ball at his feet than Kane who has a bad habit of turning or running into traffic or shooting from ludicrous positions. Don't get me wrong, he can do daft and frustrating things too (as does Kane) but I think his a strong lad who's technically good, creates for others and can score goals.

Berahino isn't great with his back to goal.

This is why, despite never being his biggest fan, I would have happily taken Gignac on a free for 12 months. He's not the quickest but he works hard, he's got a good brain, and can play the lone striker role well. Failing that Embolo has all the attributes to play the uber striker and works hard without the ball too. Who would you have liked us to bring in ?

Personally, I thought Lambert was a perfect fit. Knows Poch's system, similar style player to Kane - a 9 1/2, no pace to lose, and by all accounts a good character in the dressing room. I guess he wanted to be a 1st choice starter, but he would have a great rotation option.

Really don't share your optimism with Chadli. He's not hard working enough to lead the line, for me, he falls asleep half the time. Infuriating player, so much talent, but so dopey.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Personally, I thought Lambert was a perfect fit. Knows Poch's system, similar style player to Kane - a 9 1/2, no pace to lose, and by all accounts a good character in the dressing room. I guess he wanted to be a 1st choice starter, but he would have a great rotation option.

Really don't share your optimism with Chadli. He's not hard working enough to lead the line, for me, he falls asleep half the time. Infuriating player, so much talent, but so dopey.

Wherever Chadli plays he needs to be more diligent (which I don't think will happen) but I actually think it will be less of a problem if he's played as a CF, than it is when he plays as an ALM where the remit for defending carries even more responsibility, including protecting marauding LB's.

He is actually seeing considerably more ball in games than Kane is, so in that respect, I don't worry too much, and I think Kane has been a bit less diligent himself off the ball since his England fairytale bubble inflated. So it just comes down to if Chadli can produce goals and assists at a similar rate, but then would any back up ? certainly the strikers we had here last year didn't. And Berahino was hardly prolific either.

 

[danielneeds]

Wherever Chadli plays he needs to be more diligent (which I don't think will happen) but I actually think it will be less of a problem if he's played as a CF, than it is when he plays as an ALM where the remit for defending carries even more responsibility, including protecting marauding LB's.

He is actually seeing considerably more ball in games than Kane is, so in that respect, I don't worry too much, and I think Kane has been a bit less diligent himself off the ball since his England fairytale bubble inflated. So it just comes down to if Chadli can produce goals and assists at a similar rate, but then would any back up ? certainly the strikers we had here last year didn't. And Berahino was hardly prolific either.

You keep saying how Berahino is not prolific, but I can guarantee, you stick Chadli, in a negative, low block, Pulis team, with zero creativity, he would have scored a lot less last season. While we are not perfect, we create a hell of a lot more, even in our bad times. Berahino did well to get 14 in the PL, making quite a few for himself.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

You keep saying how Berahino is not prolific, but I can guarantee, you stick Chadli, in a negative, low block, Pulis team, with zero creativity, he would have scored a lot less last season. While we are not perfect, we create a hell of a lot more, even in our bad times. Berahino did well to get 14 in the PL, making quite a few for himself.

But we don't play a low block, break football. That's the point. We don't play the type of football that really suits Berahino. We play a high percentage of our games against the low block in a compressed final third. And chances are invariably easier on the break in spaces running at strung out defences.

And to be fair, in open play Chadli scored at a better rate than Berahino (from open play), and the fact that he did this despite as playing against the low block I don't see as a negative. And he also creates goals for himself and he also creates way more for others, despite the stupid shit he does too.

 

[danielneeds]

But we don't play a low block, break football. That's the point. We don't play the type of football that really suits Berahino. We play a high percentage of our games against the low block in a compressed final third. And chances are invariably easier on the break in spaces running at strung out defences.

And to be fair, in open play Chadli scored at a better rate than Berahino (from open play), and the fact that he did this despite as playing against the low block I don't see as a negative. And he also creates goals for himself and he also creates way more for others, despite the stupid shit he does too.

It's pointless debating this because you're so entrenched in your Bera-Defoe views, but his goals really didn't come as a result of any WBA pattern of play, they either came from good poaching or being able create a yard of space - which would certainly come in handy for teams we face.

You ignored my main point that Chadli and Berahino's output are really not worth comparing anyway, as a said, I severely doubt Chadli would be scoring double figures for WBA.

You'll come back that Chadli touches the ball more, but I really think this is the most vapid stat in football. Chadli should touch the ball a lot as quite often he, Eriksen and whoever is playing out of Lamela or Dembele are too often standing within ten yards of each other while they tap it about infront of the reorganised defence, before eventually passing it out for Walker or Rose to generally waste it.

Give me a player who touches it half as much, but these touches come while they are running in behind a fullback or CB, stretching play and pulling players out of position.

Anyway it's all moot now. Let's see how all it all meshes together and then squabble over a new panacea in January.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

It's pointless debating this because you're so entrenched in your Bera-Defoe views, but his goals really didn't come as a result of any WBA pattern of play, they either came from good poaching or being able create a yard of space - which would certainly come in handy for teams we face.

You ignored my main point that Chadli and Berahino's output are really not worth comparing anyway, as a said, I severely doubt Chadli would be scoring double figures for WBA.

You'll come back that Chadli touches the ball more, but I really think this is the most vapid stat in football. Chadli should touch the ball a lot as quite often he, Eriksen and whoever is playing out of Lamela or Dembele are too often standing within ten yards of each other while they tap it about infront of the reorganised defence, before eventually passing it out for Walker or Rose to generally waste it.

Give me a player who touches it half as much, but these touches come while they are running in behind a fullback or CB, stretching play and pulling players out of position.

Anyway it's all moot now. Let's see how all it all meshes together and then squabble over a new panacea in January.

And you seem to ignore that many of Chadli's goals came from him shifting and shooting too.

Look, I am definitely not blind to Chadli's foibles (and fucking infuriating they can be) but as a back up striker, do really think Berihino was 35-40m (fee and wages) worth over what Chadli can provide ?

That is my entrenched view.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

And you seem to ignore that many of Chadli's goals came from him shifting and shooting too.

Look, I am definitely not blind to Chadli's foibles (and fucking infuriating they can be) but as a back up striker, do really think Berihino was 35-40m (fee and wages) worth over what Chadli can provide ?

That is my entrenched view.

The problem with Chadli is that he doesn't work hard enough to play as the loan striker. You can't have your focal point going missing
Whenever Chadli has been asked to do that role for Spurs he and the team look lost. He absolutely has the ability to play the role but yet to see anything from him that tells me he actually can

As much a mentality thing as the ability for the role