The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 7th and 8th June 2014

[felmani26]

Interestingly I now have a very close link to Southampton's hierarchy (a&c same source as I passed the info on poch). We are very much talking to then and have asked who they are prepared to sell. They will sell only 3 of the current squad..... Excluding Lambert. Lallana wants Liverpool and is kicking up a stink similar to modric. We have been given permission to speak to lovren and he wants to come. They are still waiting on a bid though.....this is very interesting, seems like we are still having a look at CB's. They are talking to us about Townsend.

Could they talk to us about Lennon instead?

 

[SpurSince57]

On paper a Defence consisting of Lovren, Verts and Chiriches looks very strong. I still feel a proper coach can bring out the best in Townsend. He should be put on the LW because if a winger can't score then at least he should assist and he did put in some good crosses while playing on the LW in some matches last season. If I had to sacrifice one attacking player it would be Lennon.

If he can get him to run without looking at his feet it would be a good start.

 

[Gedson100]

If 3 are going from Southampton, then Shaw has to be one of them and you'd presume that Lallana will get to go somewhere, although Liverpool have already bought others, making you wonder if they couldn't agree a fee with S'ton; they're quite 'Moneyball' at times (not always!) and £25+m for Lallana is steep.

So that only leaves one slot: Lovren, to us, maybe, unless we're looking elsewhere? They'd surely want £15m or so for him though. (By way of an 'in' he shares an agent with Corluka...)

Then they keep their kids, Rodriguez gets fit with them & despite being weakened, they're not destroyed.

 

[Qualsonic]

Townsend plus cash for Lovren sounds good, we get a defender Poch likes and they get an overated show pony with an allegedly shit attitude, win win situation

"We get rid of an overrated showpony?"

Show a bit of support for a young, promising, exciting homegrown prospect ffs.

 

[JaySpur]

Interestingly I now have a very close link to Southampton's hierarchy (a&c same source as I passed the info on poch). We are very much talking to then and have asked who they are prepared to sell. They will sell only 3 of the current squad..... Excluding Lambert. Lallana wants Liverpool and is kicking up a stink similar to modric. We have been given permission to speak to lovren and he wants to come. They are still waiting on a bid though.....this is very interesting, seems like we are still having a look at CB's. They are talking to us about Townsend.

Appreciate the info Peter.

Confirms what we all suspected and backs up what we've heard from others. Fire sale at Saints.

So we'll have to move swiftly before Lallana (Liverpool) & Shaw (Man Utd) move if we want Lovren. Clubs may want to take a gamble on Rodriguez and if that happens we'll miss out.

Also factor in that Saints may want the cash in quickly to re-invest in their squad before the fans kick up shit-storm about losing their finest (sound familiar?!) and there you have it. Move quickly and decisively Mr Levy...

...oh shit

 

[$hoguN]

"We get rid of an overrated showpony?"

Show a bit of support for a young, promising, exciting homegrown prospect ffs.

He was massively overhyped at the start of this season, and seems to have very little end product (not to mention terrible decision making). So it may be best for him to move to a club with less pressure and allow him to develop.

 

[Hoddtastic72]

Townsend was looking quite promising until cut down by injury, who knows he could regain form this season under Poch

 

[Qualsonic]

He was massively overhyped at the start of this season, and seems to have very little end product (not to mention terrible decision making). So it may be best for him to move to a club with less pressure and allow him to develop.

At the beginning of the season he had a couple of blinding games for England, and for a while was the centre of attention.
He's not yet shown the same form for us, but lets not give up on him completely. ..

 

[Syn_13]

Townsend was looking quite promising until cut down by injury, who knows he could regain form this season under Poch

We'll find out soon enough if the boy has any footballing brain on him. Poch clearly likes attacking players who can think football, not just athletes and show ponies.

 

[Peterh1980]

Townsend plus cash for Lovren sounds good, we get a defender Poch likes and they get an overated show pony with an allegedly shit attitude, win win situation

Deals are completely individual mate.

 

[Peterh1980]

Appreciate the info Peter.

Confirms what we all suspected and backs up what we've heard from others. Fire sale at Saints.

So we'll have to move swiftly before Lallana (Liverpool) & Shaw (Man Utd) move if we want Lovren. Clubs may want to take a gamble on Rodriguez and if that happens we'll miss out.

Also factor in that Saints may want the cash in quickly to re-invest in their squad before the fans kick up shit-storm about losing their finest (sound familiar?!) and there you have it. Move quickly and decisively Mr Levy...

...oh shit

The really interesting thing is that apparently Poch's first choice was Schneiderlin, But was told no way. Which has had me thinking all day is there smoke to the Sandro rumours, maybe doesn't fancy him. Seems to be a lot of dialogue between both clubs though. Strangely it seems Lovren is ok to leave before the new manager is appointed, where as the owners are quite adamant that they need to hire the new boss before decisions on Shaw and Lallana are made.

 

[SpurSince57]

At the beginning of the season he had a couple of blinding games for England, and for a while was the centre of attention.
He's not yet shown the same form for us, but lets not give up on him completely. ..

Which means absolutely fuck all when it comes to real-life football.

 

[Drexl]

"We get rid of an overrated showpony?"

Show a bit of support for a young, promising, exciting homegrown prospect ffs.

He has the attributes to be a good footballer but he does not have a footballing brain, he has worked with many coaches at various loans and at Spurs and still shoots from 30 yards to try be the big hero (usually hoofing it into row z), does not look where he is going etc, but because of one good England game saying anything negative is like shooting bambi, Townsend is a liability, not a team player and if recent itk is true he is a disruptive influence too, time he moved on

 

[Tucker]

The really interesting thing is that apparently Poch's first choice was Schneiderlin, But was told no way. Which has had me thinking all day is there smoke to the Sandro rumours, maybe doesn't fancy him. Seems to be a lot of dialogue between both clubs though. Strangely it seems Lovren is ok to leave before the new manager is appointed, where as the owners are quite adamant that they need to hire the new boss before decisions on Shaw and Lallana are made.

Could be that they don't want to sell the big names before they appoint someone. Southampton are a lot more attractive with those players than without them.

 

[Gedson100]

The really interesting thing is that apparently Poch's first choice was Schneiderlin, But was told no way. Which has had me thinking all day is there smoke to the Sandro rumours, maybe doesn't fancy him. Seems to be a lot of dialogue between both clubs though. Strangely it seems Lovren is ok to leave before the new manager is appointed, where as the owners are quite adamant that they need to hire the new boss before decisions on Shaw and Lallana are made.

I think there are legitimate concerns around our DM position.
Sandro hasn't yet shown he has recovered either form or fitness from his knee blowing out, Capoue has been plagued by fitness issues and attitude rumours whilst Paulinho isn't a pure DM and Dembele has also had injury problems and isn't really a DM either

Schneiderlin is just that: a pure DM and has no injury issues. Poch being a defender will know that solidity is key to his possible success and may well want to get someone in. Schneiderlin at 24 has good years ahead of him.

Ironically, and I appreciate this is Kryptonite to some, the player that most resembles Schneiderlin based on last season is Bentaleb. Pull their stats apart and they are nearly identical in what they did in albeit VERY different systems.

 

[DaSpurs]

Could be that they don't want to sell the big names before they appoint someone. Southampton are a lot more attractive with those players than without them.

Looks to me like they're placing a priority on trying to keep their homegrown and developed core. There are several reports on their board of various teams also being interested in Ramirez and Osvaldo, so I'm not sure how they would be included or not into these "further three allowed out."

 

[Syn_13]

I tell you what really didn't help Townsend. Scoring that long ranger for England. It compounded the notion in his head that he can be the next Bale. A dynamic, goal scoring winger who can pile drive them in from 30 yards. Bale started attempting those later in his career once he'd learnt how to play football first.

All Townsend needs is some proper coaching. Not so much technical or physical, but mental coaching. He has the raw skills and talent but doesn't use his brain enough. Sterling, another young, English starlet is a great example. Has pretty much the same raw talents as Townsend, but is far ahead of him in terms of a footballing brain. Got to credit Rodgers for that, not sure if he'd be the same player under different leadership.

 

[Qualsonic]

Which means absolutely fuck all when it comes to real-life football.

The all-encompassing Premier League?

 

[DaSpurs]

I tell you what really didn't help Townsend. Scoring that long ranger for England. It compounded the notion in his head that he can be the next Bale. A dynamic, goal scoring winger who can pile drive them in from 30 yards. Bale started attempting those later in his career once he'd learnt how to play football first.

All Townsend needs is some proper coaching. Not so much technical or physical, but mental coaching. He has the raw skills and talent but doesn't use his brain enough. Sterling, another young, English starlet is a great example. Has pretty much the same raw talents as Townsend, but is far ahead of him in terms of a footballing brain. Got to credit Rodgers for that, not sure if he'd be the same player under different leadership.

Absolutely agreed. Townsend's biggest obstacle is that he made the mental leap to glory far too prematurely, and AVB said himself Townsend wasn't even really ready for a call-up. It, and all the subsequent media attention, heavily affected his game.

Nine loan stints, some not at all successful (Watford), gets a Prem loan, does well, Spurs starter, England darling, injured, comes back to a tactical mess in which inverted wingers aren't really even used. All this in the span of 18 months after all those loans. I don't care who you are or what you know, that kind of psychological ride will fuck with any head.

 

[Qualsonic]

He has the attributes to be a good footballer but he does not have a footballing brain, he has worked with many coaches at various loans and at Spurs and still shoots from 30 yards to try be the big hero (usually hoofing it into row z), does not look where he is going etc, but because of one good England game saying anything negative is like shooting bambi, Townsend is a liability, not a team player and if recent itk is true he is a disruptive influence too, time he moved on

Where's the ITK that says he's disruptive?