The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 23rd June 2015

[CockOnBall]

Not seen Imbula play but from comments on him, he's possibly more like Wanyama than Schneiderlin. If that's the case, maybe we're looking to free up Bentaleb a bit more.

EDIT: Apparently Imbula is more a box to box type. My bad.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

No offence mate but I am getting really bored of reading posts like this, which in my opinion are just markers so you can come back smugly at the end of the window and crow about how you told us so. There are plenty more threads in this forum for the harbingers of doom!

A lot of ITK has come out saying that the club have canged their philosophy and this is backed up to an extent by the appointment of people like Mitchell. The players the ITK have linked us with are in my opinion again sensible and gettable. These are not the days of the wild fantasist ITK chirping in with us possibly being in for Sergio Ramos as long as Kaboul goes the other way.

Finally whilst I have my stop pissing on my bofire hat on...I would love us to have enough 'Youth Players' coming through into our first team becasue if they are that means they are probably good enough and more than that it means any young kids that are being courted by the top clubs will look at ours and see there is a clear progression possibility into the first team for those who are good enough, which has to be an appealing thing for any kid and their family making that decision.

Like I say this isnt solely directed at you but the amount of similar posts I have read over the last few days as finally got to me.

No offence taken and I wasn't trying to be as negative as I obviously ended up sounding. I really think that we have a wonderful academy and am much more excited to see the next Kane get promoted to the team than to buy the next Lamela. Today's announcement on the revised planning allowing for bigger changing rooms suggests that the NFL franchise is definitely being pursued and that would be a game changer. COYS

 

[mikeeegreen]

It's not like he's going to make the team collapse..would just like a more defensively minded signing in the middle.

He isn't really a defensive player though. Very much box to box, which is what we are looking for. I have just been so underwhelmed when I've seen footage of him, reminds me of another Dembele. Like I said, I'd loved to be proved wrong if he was to join, but I find it very uninspiring that he is the one we are closest too. If the rumours of interest in him are true, then what on earth are our transfer team doing? He doesn't seem like MS in the slightest to me.

 

[GobbyJJ]

We've got an A-Z of targets. Let's hope it doesn't get much past C...

A-Schneiderlin
B-Kramer
C-Imbula
D-
E-Cabye
F-
G-
H-N'Zonzi
I-
J-
K-
L-
M-
N-
O-
P-
Q-Mcarthy
R-
S-
T-
U-
V-Shelvey
W-
X-Toda
Y-
Z-Michael Brown


So, I mean...we'll end up with someone...

Surely Z is Zokora?

 

[dirtyh]

grand national then? Be typical spurs that it ends up in a devon loch situation and ms stabs himself in the eye whilst about to sign the contract

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Not seen Imbula play but from comments on him, he's possibly more like Wanyama than Schneiderlin. If that's the case, maybe we're looking to free up Bentaleb a bit more.

I interpret it opposite of you. I find Imbula to have opposite qualities of Wanyama, and that if signing Imbula, Bentaleb with turn even more defensive, and the role Mason had last season would be Imbula's, but with even more attacking responsibilities.

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Surely Z is Zokora?

Brown is 38 while Zokora is a meagre and youthful 34, i'm sure therefore the huge potential re-sale value of Zokora would take him off the 'z' spot.......

 

[SpartanSpur]

Not seen Imbula play but from comments on him, he's possibly more like Wanyama than Schneiderlin. If that's the case, maybe we're looking to free up Bentaleb a bit more.

Imbula is a box to box player with excellent dribbling stats. Not an out and out DM and an inferior passer to Kramer and MS. Very much in the Paulinho/Dembele mould for me, hence my concern at how he will adapt and thrive in our side or satisfy our needs. Looks a real talent though.

 

[dk-yid]

trix on defensive midfielders: I'm confident we will get one of them, but its far from clear which mate. If I were to pit money on it, it would be Imbula then Kramer but I certainly wouldn't be risking much. There are more players being looked at than the ones that have already surfaced so its a real grand national situation going on at the minute, with everyone jockeying for position.

Thanks Dov.

From watching the Prozone vids (recommended for all) I still cannot fathom why it seems like a choice between these two since they are vastly different in what they bring to a team. Now I am not claiming to having watched them in any detail bit the analysis on Kramer is that he is so much more productive than Imbula because he makes more space through his hold up play than Imbula and creates momentum for the front four through his ability to retain the ball under pressure. Basically he makes our attackers better through his play. Imbula is more or less the opposite despite being great at coping under pressure but does not create attacking momentum unless carrying it forward - and would therefore stifle our already over-stifled and ponderous play.

Definitely Team Kramer for me.

 

[mikeeegreen]

Imbula is a box to box player with excellent dribbling stats. Not an out and out DM and an inferior passer to Kramer and MS. Very much in the Paulinho/Dembele mould for me, hence my concern at how he will adapt and thrive in our side or satisfy our needs. Looks a real talent though.

Exactly. What's the point of selling Paulinho/Dembele if Imbula is a similar player? Bad move IMO

 

[CockOnBall]

Exactly. What's the point of selling Paulinho/Dembele if Imbula is a similar player? Bad move IMO

Guessing we will sell both Dembele and Paulinho.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

Imbula is a box to box player with excellent dribbling stats. Not an out and out DM and an inferior passer to Kramer and MS. Very much in the Paulinho/Dembele mould for me, hence my concern at how he will adapt and thrive in our side or satisfy our needs. Looks a real talent though.

From the footage I've seen re his goals from outside the box, I've been left thinking who was the clown in goal as some of them have dropped right clangers. He obviously has some skill but he seems to do the same trick all the time and uses it to get out of traffic... the problem is if he loses the ball, you suddenly have 3 opposition players baring down on your goal... a recipe for disaster. I would rather have someone who's cool and composed like Schneiderlin, Kramer or someone else in the same mould... and not someone who is like Taz the bat sh*t crazy Tasmanian devil.

 

[raggy]

Thanks Dov.

From watching the Prozone vids (recommended for all) I still cannot fathom why it seems like a choice between these two since they are vastly different in what they bring to a team. Now I am not claiming to having watched them in any detail bit the analysis on Kramer is that he is so much more productive than Imbula because he makes more space through his hold up play than Imbula and creates momentum for the front four through his ability to retain the ball under pressure. Basically he makes our attackers better through his play. Imbula is more or less the opposite and would therefore stifle our already over-stifled and ponderous play.

Definitely Team Kramer for me.

On the other hand I watched that pro-zone video as well and Imbula came out looking like the second best player according to their measurements, better then a lot of players he was being compared with including Bentaleb and Schneiderlin. Both Kramer and Imbula stood out for the options their teams gained while they were on the ball. He came out of the video seeming like a great player to me...

I'm in camp Kramer if given the choice like most others, but I'm far less negative about Imbula then most seem to be.

 

[mikeeegreen]

Guessing we will sell both Dembele and Paulinho.

Then what's the point of replacing them with the same sort of player? When it is clear they do not suit our system at all. Crazy.

 

[TheAmerican]

He isn't really a defensive player though. Very much box to box, which is what we are looking for. I have just been so underwhelmed when I've seen footage of him, reminds me of another Dembele. Like I said, I'd loved to be proved wrong if he was to join, but I find it very uninspiring that he is the one we are closest too. If the rumours of interest in him are true, then what on earth are our transfer team doing? He doesn't seem like MS in the slightest to me.

Go watch a few of his games, the guy is a beast. I would liken him to Yaya Toure before Dembele. That comparison is simple to make as they are both good dribblers, but they are very different players. Imbula would be a phenomenal purchase.

 

[mikeeegreen]

On the other hand I watched that pro-zone video as well and Imbula came out looking like the second best player according to their measurements, better then a lot of players he was being compared with including Bentaleb and Schneiderlin. Both Kramer and Imbula stood out for the options their teams gained while they were on the ball. He came out of the video seeming like a great player to me...

I'm in camp Kramer if given the choice like most others, but I'm far less negative about Imbula then most seem to be.

On all the videos I've watched of Imbula, he dwells on the ball for far too long just like Dembele. He seems a bit chaotic and tries to dribble out of trouble but it seems very last ditch to me. He'd struggle to find space playing for us against most teams and would end up passing it back or sideways. Failing that he'd loose the ball in a dangerous area and we'd instantly be put under pressure, playing right into the opposition's hands.

Our main problem (has been for years) is how slow we move the ball from defence to attack. Granted this isn't helped with our lack of pace and runners in behind, but what is the point of buying more of the same in such a key area we continue to go wrong in? Despite his positional weaknesses, why do you think Poch went with Mason over Dembele/Paulinho?

 

[Mouse!]

We'll look in pole position to sign the one that's out in front by a length but falls at the last hurdle, breaking it's neck - whilst the jockey is crushed underneath the hooves of the other horses.

Our hopes and dreams will be dashed as a white tent is erected around him and a bullet put between his eyes.

Happy Tuesday.

 

[max cady]

I liked POTL his itk was brilliant sometimes. The Blue & Yellow was good for a while but the Damiao farce rumbled on. The Willian to Cheatski ruined POTL as he had said it was done but hey everyone has learned that day just how coniving cheatski can be. POTL however never accepted that sometimes we can get it wrong and at the same time some on here never allowed him to live it down.

 

[CockOnBall]

Then what's the point of replacing them with the same sort of player? When it is clear they do not suit our system at all. Crazy.

Mason is a box to box player and Poch seems to value his qualities. Not seen Imbula play so can't comment on how much of any upgrade he is on our existing options. Test for our new recruitment team.

 

[raggy]

On all the videos I've watched of Imbula, he dwells on the ball for far too long just like Dembele. He seems a bit chaotic and tries to dribble out of trouble but it seems very last ditch to me. He'd struggle to find space playing for us against most teams and would end up passing it back or sideways. Failing that he'd loose the ball in a dangerous area and we'd instantly be put under pressure, playing right into the opposition's hands.

I'm mainly referring back to the pro-zone scouting video that's being talked about a lot round here. According to them in that Kramer and Imbula are in a class of two who were way way better than everybody else at creating options when they have the ball. People seem to have skipped just how highly he was spoken about in that video. According to them we will get better options with Imbula in the team than Schneiderlin.

I honestly think Imbula is getting tarred a little too much with the Zakora and Dembele brush. He's clearly very highly rated with these scouts.