The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS EDITION 10th December

[Holtby City]

Is this another wary window from Levy, not committing until AvB gets the players we have playing well.

Vucinic has experience and an arrogance, loan only would be ok.

Dawson, Reid, Mido and Tainio in 2005 (Arnesen's first whole window). Keane, Palacios and Defoe in 2009 (threatened by relegation).

These are the only two times we've ever done notable business in January.

 

[only1waddle]

Dawson, Reid, Mido and Tainio in 2005 (Arnesen's first whole window). Keane, Palacios and Defoe in 2009 (threatened by relegation).

These are the only two times we've ever done notable business in January.

Windows we have done business, yes, but there have been a few when we SHOULD have done business.

 

[Holtby City]

I dont think we need Vucinic, I think he would link up brilliantly with Soldado but he is another short term solution in a squad of players that needs people to be go first

Who else is short term? Friedel and Defoe are the only players over 30!

Defoe to Toronto £6m. Vucinic in loan with a £6/7m option to buy. Great business.

Vucinic never had any pace, so will age as gracefully as the likes of Berbatov and Sheringham (cf Defoe)

 

[Holtby City]

Windows we have done business, yes, but there have been a few when we SHOULD have done business.

Levy always plays the long game though, and there are rarely good value players available in January.

 

[danielneeds]

Vucinic would be a terrible mistake. Playing at Serie A pace is one thing, PL pace would be too much for him.

 

[Spurger King]

Vucinic would be a terrible mistake. Playing at Serie A pace is one thing, PL pace would be too much for him.

AVB pace should be just right then.

 

[beats1]

Who else is short term? Friedel and Defoe are the only players over 30!

Defoe to Toronto £6m. Vucinic in loan with a £6/7m option to buy. Great business.

Vucinic never had any pace, so will age as gracefully as the likes of Berbatov and Sheringham (cf Defoe)

Your right that Friedel and probably Defoe is the only short term we brought but our squad is over inflated and other than LB we have more than 2 players per position

 

[Holtby City]

Vucinic would be a terrible mistake. Playing at Serie A pace is one thing, PL pace would be too much for him.

How is he different to Berbatov? Or van der Vaart?

Slow feet, but lightning quick minds.

 

[idontgetit]

What do people think of Michu? Always thought he'd suit us down to the ground and yet he never gets linked to us. Guess he'd be overpriced

 

[Holtby City]

Your right that Friedel and probably Defoe is the only short term we brought but our squad is over inflated and other than LB we have more than 2 players per position

Other than LB (1), LM (3) and CF (3) we have exactly 2 players per position - which is just what you need.

Our squad is actually trimmer than it's been in a long long time, yet also deeper because there's real quality right through the 23.

 

[Oshi]

How is he different to Berbatov? Or van der Vaart?

Slow feet, but lightning quick minds.

We had "the chance" 3 or 4 years ago to get him... I think it's best to leave that interest in the past, he has not flourished as expected really.

 

[Holtby City]

We had "the chance" 3 or 4 years ago to get him... I think it's best to leave that interest in the past, he has not flourished as expected really.

He's done alright at Juve. Just Conte now seems to prefer proper wide players to inside forwards and they also brought in Llorente and Tevez

The one thing Vucinic is though, unlike every other forward we are being linked to (except maybe Pato), is realistic.

 

[beats1]

Other than LB (1), LM (3) and CF (3) we have exactly 2 players per position - which is just what you need.

Our squad is actually trimmer than it's been in a long long time, yet also deeper because there's real quality right through the 23.

No it isnt we normally loan alot of players and there alot of players not having much game time. Which is part of the problem of us not looking settled and we have been lucky that some players have been injured otherwise we would have more complaints especially if we arent doing well.

Also you forgot Harry Kane who has played more than Adebayor and we have 3 right backs at the moment, four goalkeepers including archer who is ahead of Gomes and you could argue we have 3 Left backs with fryers getting more game time than some first team members and including the left back on loan.

 

[Holtby City]

No it isnt we normally loan alot of players and there alot of players not having much game time. Which is part of the problem of us not looking settled and we have been lucky that some players have been injured otherwise we would have more complaints especially if we arent doing well.

Also you forgot Harry Kane who has played more than Adebayor and we have 3 right backs at the moment, four goalkeepers including archer who is ahead of Gomes and you could argue we have 3 Left backs with fryers getting more game time than some first team members and including the left back on loan.

Youth team players are seperate from the first team squad. You only start counting them when they make a proper break-through like Townsend and Rose. Kane, Archer, Obika, Fryers, Smith, Coulthirst etc. still get regular football for the U21s.

Of our core 23, only Naughton, Rose, Kaboul, Capoue, Lamela and Friedel probably haven't clocked up double figures of appearances yet, and half of them have had long injury lay-offs.

 

[beats1]

Youth team players are seperate from the first team squad. You only start counting them when they make a proper break-through like Townsend and Rose. Kane, Archer, Obika, Fryers, Smith, Coulthirst etc. still get regular football for the U21s.

Of our core 23, only Naughton, Rose, Kaboul, Capoue, Lamela and Friedel probably haven't clocked up double figures of appearances yet, and half of them have had long injury lay-offs.

Smith, Kane and Archer are not youth team players

Smith is 22 and 23 this season, Kane is ahead of Ade and others at one point and Archer as said was ahead of Gomes

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Priority is a LB. Coentrao's had 4 games for RM in the league. Would be rather lovely.

Also a CB. I really, really liked the look of Fabian Schär the 21yo CB for Basel. I think we need to strengthen this area too. Dawson's Dawson, Kaboul seems fucked, Only leaves us with Vertonghen and Chiriches as viable CB's.

Alan Dzagoev's CSKA are out of the CL now (largely thanks to his stupid red card) so he's possibly available now. We still need more quality in this attacking midfield area.

 

[Spurger King]

Priority is a LB. Coentrao's had 4 games for RM in the league. Would be rather lovely.

Also a CB. I really, really liked the look of Fabian Schär the 21yo CB for Basel. I think we need to strengthen this area too. Dawson's Dawson, Kaboul seems fucked, Only leaves us with Vertonghen and Chiriches as viable CB's.

Alan Dzagoev's CSKA are out of the CL now (largely thanks to his stupid red card) so he's possibly available now. We still need more quality in this attacking midfield area.

This would make me very happy.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Well I for one would hope that DL looks at the bigger picture, like what a player will do over the course of their contract, not what they achieve in the first 13 games.
I presume you disagree with the way Hugo was allowed time to settle,learn the language,get to know his teammates etc.

I think a goalkeeper in waiting is a far different proposition to spunking 30 million on a player who from what i have seen of him, is way out of his depth. Find a ten - fifteen million talent to nurture but bugger me thirty million on a punt is taking Levy's check book just a bit too far me thinks.

 

[beats1]

Priority is a LB. Coentrao's had 4 games for RM in the league. Would be rather lovely.

Also a CB. I really, really liked the look of Fabian Schär the 21yo CB for Basel. I think we need to strengthen this area too. Dawson's Dawson, Kaboul seems fucked, Only leaves us with Vertonghen and Chiriches as viable CB's.

Alan Dzagoev's CSKA are out of the CL now (largely thanks to his stupid red card) so he's possibly available now. We still need more quality in this attacking midfield area.

I suspect he may cost alot but I think we should go all out for Koke so Atletico can get De Bruyne and/or Mata on loan

He would be brilliant as he can play DM, CM, AM, LW and RW.

Also both players are just fantasy, because we have to get off imo at least 2 players to make space for one of them!

Currently we have
LW: Sig, Chadli
AM:Eriksen, Holtby
RW:Lennon, Lamela, Townsend

Which two would you get rid off?
Personally before his return(lennon), I would of said Lennon and Sig

 

[doom]

Why buy more players to add to the unsettled squad? we need to get the players we have settled in and gelling together then come summer we can see if anything needs fixing. Look at Arsenal, they do way better with a settled team - we mock their signings but often the following season they become great players - thank god that they then move on to pastures green. Unless we have any long term injury problems or a truly world class player becomes available, I hope we stay as we are and see the players come good as the season progresses.