Summer transfer mission

[thekneaf]

The last thing we need is another brainless athlete like Richards at RB. If we're signing another RB, which I doubt we will, its gotta be one that can put a fucking cross in.

As is proven by Dier playing there and actually getting decent crosses in.

 

[TheAmerican]

Depends. Their fans would be pretty hacked if he plays over their homegrown products (and have already expressed great discontent when it already has happened), so I do think he'd be on the outs.

Of course, Draxler can never stay healthy himself anyway.

He tore his hamstring, yeah? They also got Sidney Sam on the cheap so he's another option. Though when I've watched them this year he hasn't replicated his form from Leverkusen.

 

[DaSpurs]

He tore his hamstring, yeah? They also got Sidney Sam on the cheap so he's another option. Though when I've watched them this year he hasn't replicated his form from Leverkusen.

Haha honestly don't even remember, it's to the point now where I see "Draxler injured" and I just roll my eyes and look at something else. Maybe @Lufti can fill us in on the specifics.

Yeah Sam by all accounts has been a bit of a disappointment as he's struggled for fitness himself. If he gets healthy though, I suspect he'll be a valuable player for them next term as they try to wrestle Champions League back.

 

[Blake Griffin]

You can ignore stats to an extent, but at some point there are thresholds to which disparities make bona fide indications you simply cannot ignore. By that logic, you could refute someone saying they'd prefer to place their money on Usain Bolt over Steven Hawking in a foot race by saying "oh I don't care about who the numbers would suggest would win." I find it concerning that Bentaleb, who is often criticized here for not being defensive enough, has put in a stronger defensive contribution than a guy with PSG (Bentaleb has even produced less defensive errors in five more matches than Rabiot). Schneiderlin is simply an outstanding holding mid defensively, and you don't need stats to deduce that.

I know you want to hoard the youth and you have your reasons, but in this case, I don't think Rabiot would at all be a practical signing. In fact, I'd be pretty hacked, as the last thing we need is another slow midfielder who can't decide if he's a box to box or holding mid, even if he is young.

do your numbers take into account that more than half of rabiot's appearances have been from the bench? thus greatly reducing his per game totals? if we're going to use wanky stats as the basis of our argument then rabiot has a higher "defence score", a higher "possession score" and a higher "attack score" on squawka than both bentaleb and schneiderlin. now i have no idea how they form these scores but i'd hazard a guess at saying they're an aggregate of every stat they record rather than just a few select ones that rabiot may not come out on top of. rabiot is not slow either, unless we're using yedlin as a barometer for speed, he's a big guy so maybe that deceives people. he may not have a clearly defined role currently but he's more than capable of just sitting in, reading danger, breaking up play and playing it forward. he's a far better investment for spurs than spending 25m odd on schneiderlin. i'm sure schneiderlin has ambitions of winning titles and playing consistent champions league football, the likelihood is that we won't be able to give him that and in two years time at the age of 27/28 he'll be wanting to move on and we'll be back to where we are now.

 

[DaSpurs]

do your numbers take into account that more than half of rabiot's appearances have been from the bench? thus greatly reducing his per game totals? if we're going to use wanky stats as the basis of our argument then rabiot has a higher "defence score", a higher "possession score" and a higher "attack score" on squawka than both bentaleb and schneiderlin. now i have no idea how they form these scores but i'd hazard a guess at saying they're an aggregate of every stat they record rather than just a few select ones that rabiot may not come out on top of. rabiot is not slow either, unless we're using yedlin as a barometer for speed, he's a big guy so maybe that deceives people. he may not have a clearly defined role currently but he's more than capable of just sitting in, reading danger, breaking up play and playing it forward. he's a far better investment for spurs than spending 25m odd on schneiderlin. i'm sure schneiderlin has ambitions of winning titles and playing consistent champions league football, the likelihood is that we won't be able to give him that and in two years time at the age of 27/28 he'll be wanting to move on and we'll be back to where we are now.

I'm not a fool, Blake, I can read the disparity in game totals, and as I also don't have ALS I can swing over and click "show average by game."

I'm not sure where you're seeing Rabiot has higher scores than them, as the only one Rabiot wins out in is offense, while both Bentaleb and Schneiderlin have higher defense and possession scores.

I can't disagree with the notion that Rabiot is the better investment, I just don't think he's what we need. We stockpiled investments in 2013 (albeit stupid ones) and it didn't work out. It's high time we address balance and compatibility and left investment consideration at the door for a bit while we do so. I don't think Rabiot will provide reestablishing that balance, even if he is a promising player.

 

[Blake Griffin]

I'm not sure where you're seeing Rabiot has higher scores than them, as the only one Rabiot wins out in is offense, while both Bentaleb and Schneiderlin have higher defense and possession scores.

http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m.../possession_score/attack_score/total_score#90

 

[Lufti]

Haha honestly don't even remember, it's to the point now where I see "Draxler injured" and I just roll my eyes and look at something else. Maybe @Lufti can fill us in on the specifics.

Yeah Sam by all accounts has been a bit of a disappointment as he's struggled for fitness himself. If he gets healthy though, I suspect he'll be a valuable player for them next term as they try to wrestle Champions League back.

Yeah hamstring torn and re-torn. He could end up being one of the great 'what ifs', I have a feeling he'll never reach the heights he could have and will spend the remainder of his career in and out of the physio's room. Sam's struggles haven't been much to do with fitness, it's been more to do with him not fitting in, and once Farfan is fully up and running I imagine it'll only be a matter of time until Sam is going elsewhere, which is a shame given how good he was for Bayer.

I'd imagine Sane will be the one to make way once all are fit, although Di Matteo clearly doesn't rate Meyer. With all players fit, I'd imagine the side would look like:

Huntelaar - Choupo Moting

Draxler Goretzka Höger Farfan

 

[DaSpurs]

http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m.../possession_score/attack_score/total_score#90

Fair enough. Although I'm not sure how that's possible with regard to defense in particular considering almost each of the individual stats go in Schneiderlin's favor, and most in Bentaleb's. Don't make no sense.

How much do you suspect Rabiot will realistically cost? And do you personally believe it's a good idea to persist with an out-and-out double pivot? Also, while considering investments, you have to also take into account the impact bringing in such a young player would have on players such as Alli, Onomah, and Winks.

 

[We'llWinThePrem]

Agree on Jay Rod, what a player. But I would argue Schneiderlin is more important. If he went to Chelsea where does that leave Fabregas? I think he'd start for any of Utd, City, Arsenal or Chelsea. He's that good.

Fabregas would be pushed up the field. Schneiderlin to Chelsea would be frightening.

 

[DaSpurs]

Fabregas would be pushed up the field. Schneiderlin to Chelsea would be frightening.

Actually, I think Fabregas' positioning there is what has made them so effective. For several years they've lacked someone who can drive the side forward from deep and pick out their attackers well, and Fabregas has linked up all the parts. I like that about Mourinho, he actually believes in having a playmaker deep instead of dual holding mids. Sure enough, he's winning the league with one. Balance a playmaker with a genuine defensive mid alongside him, and you have an extremely effective central midfield pairing.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Amy Lewis ‏@SkySportsAmy 3m3 minutes ago
Sources: @SouthamptonFC are confident Jay Rodriguez will sign a new contract with them - he's been offered a revised 5 yr deal

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Amy Lewis ‏@SkySportsAmy 3m3 minutes ago
Sources: @SouthamptonFC are confident Jay Rodriguez will sign a new contract with them - he's been offered a revised 5 yr deal

Cheers @mikeeegreen

Edit- and you @Chris12

 

[HibeeSpur]

If we are talking French, why not Gonalons from Lyon. Good age at 26 and he is captain of a young Lyon team so would fit right in here. Oh and our last acquisition from Lyon was pretty good...

 

[panoma]

Richards, Gignac and Thauvin... We already struggle with mediocre players, no need to add more that we look to sell in a year. If we need an athlete RB we have Walker, for an experienced second/third choice striker we have Soldado thats already settled and well liked by fans and players. Lamela is fairly simialr to Thauvin, but settled. Might as well stick with him.

I really hope our transfer comitee look at better players than these. If not id rather we keep what we have and incorporate more youth players. I want Kaboul, Chiriches, Capoue and Ade out regardless though.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Amy Lewis ‏@SkySportsAmy 3m3 minutes ago
Sources: @SouthamptonFC are confident Jay Rodriguez will sign a new contract with them - he's been offered a revised 5 yr deal

I believe this to be true, too. Apparently, he feels a sense of duty to the club after a year of injury. Koeman has the team playing good football, and he is assured loads of play time bringing him back in the frame for England. No reason why he wouldn't stay.

 

[beats1]

Amy Lewis ‏@SkySportsAmy 3m3 minutes ago
Sources: @SouthamptonFC are confident Jay Rodriguez will sign a new contract with them - he's been offered a revised 5 yr deal

We were never going to sign him, its too risky to sign a player who hasn't played in over 1 and half years

 

[ItsBoris]

Schneiderlin and Matic can form an impressive partnership. He is definitely good enough for Chelsea, so is definitely good enough for us. But the most important player we need is Jay Rodriguez( when fully fit , he is much much better than Danny Ings).

Agree on Jay Rod, what a player. But I would argue Schneiderlin is more important. If he went to Chelsea where does that leave Fabregas? I think he'd start for any of Utd, City, Arsenal or Chelsea. He's that good.

Is he a similar player to Carrick? And is he as good as Carrick is? If so I could see United being interested given how poor they are when Carrick doesn't play and the fact that Carrick isn't getting an younger.

If he is as good as you guys say then I doubt we'll get him since all of City, United, Chelsea, and Arsenal are in need of a central midfielder with good defensive and distributive qualities.

 

[bobbof]

Well yes, but our top priority has to be getting our defensive frailties sorted out. The number of silly goals we've given away this season has been absolutely scandalous, and when you've got one of the world's great goalkeepers playing and skippering the side, you have to look very closely at all the other culprits.

Absolutely, but I have a feeling that a major reason for our lousy defense, is that our midfielders offers very little protection, especially when both our fullbacks goes forward. We need to sign a midfielder who can shield the defense and pull back to help the CB's when we're unbalanced.

I don't think it's just that our defenders are shit, but more that the players we have (especially in midfield) are a bad fit for Poch's system. And maybe his system should be altered a bit, to give more protection against all those counter attacks we give away. Either way, Schneiderlin would be perfect.

 

[DaSpurs]

If it is indeed true that Rodriguez is set to sign an extension, this means either one of two things: 1) ghost's ITK was incorrect (and therefore also pertains to the confidence with Schneiderlin) or 2) Rodriguez has changed his mind/we changed ours since ghost being handed that information.

 

[Chris12]

Cheers @mikeeegreen

Edit- and you @Chris12

Did mine after you complained. He took his back, but I never will.