The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 30th May 2012

[andyp8080]

If the price is right (think someone somewhere yesterday quoted him at being available for around £1 million) then i think we could do a lot worse than sign a player (as a 3rd or fourth striker) who scored 18 goals last season in a piss poor Blackburn side.

Not sure Modric and Bale would think it's a signing that underlines our ambitions to be title contenders

 

[pistolP]

I would love to but cannot and will not in a public forum or via my inbox.

Things will come out sooner or later.[/qu
If i am going by your previous ITKs', Harry will go one way or another. Are we looking to appoint DOF ? Thanks for all the pass infos and future ones.

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Put it this way Rodgers rates caulker so highly expect a bid from Liverpool for him!

 

[BringBack_leGin]

If that's the case then I'm not so sure that Redknapp is the right man for the task. He doesn't know how to manage a large squad. This was very evident when the team ran out of steam in the New Year. Yes, the England thing probably played a big part in that. But when you over-play players they tend to lose form and pick up knocks and injuries. And that's what happened...

To be fair, even if all of our back up are decent players, none were anywhere near the standard of the first teamers. Only Defoe and Sandro are really capable of stepping up to the plate, and to be fair Defoe (despite what he thinks) probably got the right amount of games (as is shown by the combined efforts statistically of himself and VDV), while Sandro was injured a lot last season. Then Saha, Kranjcar, Livermore, and any centre back other than Kaboul, are all clearly not up to the standard needed if the first choice is available.

Now, if we had genuinely similar back up for Bale and Lennon on the flanks, a genuinely high calibre number 9, better alternative full backs and centre backs, I think we'd have seen Harry rotate far more.

If we have Kaboul, Caulker, Vertonghen and Dawson all in contention, if we have Hoillett, if both Parker and Sandro (and even Huddlestone) are fit, and if we have more than 1 top number 9 at the club, Harry may well use the squad far more, because far more of the squad will be trustworthy.

 

[KevinW]

Not sure Modric and Bale would think it's a signing that underlines our ambitions to be title contenders

If we had bought two other quality strikers it would - markiespurs did specify as a third or fourth striker

 

[beats1]

Put it this way Rodgers rates caulker so highly expect a bid from Liverpool for him!

Exactly and when I heard him speak about caulker it seemed he rated him higher than we do

 

[Clamour_Kid]

Exactly and when I heard him speak about caulker it seemed he rated him higher than we do

Fine. Let's do a swap then with Liverpool - Caulker for Rodgers.

 

[DanNolan]

I for one would be livid if Caulker leaves

 

[jedimonkey]

Liverpool can fuck off if they think they can get Caulker.

Very good news that most ITK's are saying Verts is almost done. Should be a Spurs player by the weekend I reckon.

 

[mil1lion]

Drogba?

Drogba has stated he will not be playing for another Premier League club because he loves Chelsea too much.

 

[bomberH]

Hey Morriss, jasper said what he said and mystery said what he said. Seeing as you're a 'face value' kinda guy, just wondering how you're doing at the moment. Your world must be pretty confused right now.

 

[beats1]

I know its old Daily Mail but so many similarities.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-490125/Jol-axed-year-feud.html

Just read that and that imo doesn't paint Levy in a good light and suggests that Jol was doomed even before the season began

 

[mpickard2087]

Clearly we wouldnt sell Caulker to Liverpool... neither Levy or Harry are that retarded surely.

 

[mil1lion]

I don't think that'll happen. I think, regardless of manager, Levy is going to do everything to deliver us a title challenge at the minimum next season: the imminent signing of Europe's most highly rated upcoming centre back indicates this, as does the clear interest in some very highly rated forwards and goalkeepers.

I agree. I can't see any issue with him splashing out on top quality players. Even if Harry leaves next summer (or this window) it's not like a new manager would come in and say nope I don't like this top quality centre back.

At the end of the day it's all about improving what we already have. If we spot a player who will improve us then we should go all out to sign them, regardless of the manager situation (if there is a situation).

 

[HappySpur]

So here's my opinion on what is going on

An ITK has knowledge. Sometimes they know somebody, sometimes they know somebody who knows somebody and perhaps sometimes they are within the heirarchy. But regardless of their position, many of them, like us, have opinions.

And I think the news about Rodgers broke a bit before it hit the BBC. It had been rumored, but I bet rumors became actual early this morning.

And those ITK that had once thought we would be Rodgers destination and wanted it.......let their emotions get to them and went on a tirade. That's when they started editorializing.

I can imagine that Rodgers was on Levy's list, under the assumption that Harry would leave for England. And like many here, there must be those within the club that liked the idea. The idea of Liverpool getting "their" man must have been disappointing for them like it is for people here.

Just a thought, but it would explain the sudden explosion of Harry is staying/Harry can piss off posts from the ITK crowd. I bet that since Rodgers is off the market Harry will now get an extension, if Levy had him lined up but has lost his #1 replacement.

 

[hoodlum]

Fuck off, Pool. I love the starters and depth of the back line

RB: Walker, Smith, Naughton
CB: Kaboul, Vertonghen, Gallas, King, Dawson, Caulker
LB: BAE, Rose, Naughton

Maybe Gallas goes (doubt it if Harry stays) and maybe Rose goes to find more playing time. Corluka is almost certainly off.

 

[$hoguN]

Clearly we wouldnt sell Caulker to Liverpool... neither Levy or Harry are that retarded surely.

Maybe we can sell them Dos Santos for an extortionate fee though

 

[mil1lion]

Where is all this Caulker nonsense coming from? Daniel Levy wont sell to our League rivals, let alone sell one of our most promising young talents.

 

[mpickard2087]

Maybe we can sell them Dos Santos for an extortionate fee though

Indeed.

They could take Bentley whilst they are at it. Him on one wing, Downing on the other... the perfect (un)balance!

 

[brasil_spur]

Liverpool can fuck off if they think they can get Caulker.

Very good news that most ITK's are saying Verts is almost done. Should be a Spurs player by the weekend I reckon.

I think a season on loan at a mid table team could work well for him if we sign Vert.

 

[Jospur]

To be fair, even if all of our back up are decent players, none were anywhere near the standard of the first teamers. Only Defoe and Sandro are really capable of stepping up to the plate, and to be fair Defoe (despite what he thinks) probably got the right amount of games (as is shown by the combined efforts statistically of himself and VDV), while Sandro was injured a lot last season. Then Saha, Kranjcar, Livermore, and any centre back other than Kaboul, are all clearly not up to the standard needed if the first choice is available.

Now, if we had genuinely similar back up for Bale and Lennon on the flanks, a genuinely high calibre number 9, better alternative full backs and centre backs, I think we'd have seen Harry rotate far more.

If we have Kaboul, Caulker, Vertonghen and Dawson all in contention, if we have Hoillett, if both Parker and Sandro (and even Huddlestone) are fit, and if we have more than 1 top number 9 at the club, Harry may well use the squad far more, because far more of the squad will be trustworthy.

But some players have not been given a fair shot in my opinion. Like Kranjcar and GDS. Injuries and loss of form happen and the coach has to plan for that. Yet, despite a large squad, it looked like we were scraping the barrel. We're lucky that Walker wasn't injured, and Bale - although it was a close-run thing with Walker. Redknapp is a one-dimensional coach and having better talent on hand will simply mean that he'll play the better talent more and the ones that are replaced much, much less. Kranjcar is a good example of that approach. And the team will run out of steam come the new year. Again.

On top of that the coach seems to be obsessed with bringing in older players. Gallas, Nelson, Saha, etc. And think of the ones that he was supposedly keen to bring in: Campbell, Cole, Rio, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, etc. Are these the kind of players that will bring us to the top of the league? And, as older players, will they be fit to play on a regular basis?

I'm not keen on Redknapp. I don't trust him. And I don't think he's the kind of coach that can bring this club to the next level.