The Daily ITK Discussion Thread THE DALZIEL & PASCOE EDITION 1st July 2016

[mil1lion]

4-5 could go doesn't mean 4-5 will go. I imagine 4-5 are available if teams match our asking price. It's highly unlikely that 4-5 chairmen will agree a fee with Daniel Levy. I imagine about 3 will actually be sold. Yedlin and Fazio being the most obvious. I think 1 of Mason or Carroll to make way for Wanyama. I'm hoping that opens a path for Bentaleb to be mroe involved (I think he has more potential then the 2).

Pochettino seems to prefer a smaller squad to work with so he can keep everyone involved. He'll have a few versatile players to cover in a couple of positions.

 

[Roynie]

Our first team squad last season was 25, but it included Fazio, Yedlin and Pritchard, who were all out on loan. To hear that 4 - 5 COULD go would take last year's squad down to 20, then add Wanyama and hopefully Janssen and we are back to 22 with 3 spaces left. It's good to hear that we are creating space for, hopefully, some youngsters to be promoted from the youth set up. I do think we need a bit more experience to be brought in as we have a lot of big games this season with a minimum of 6 CL and 4 other London clubs in the PL in addition to the other usual suspects for the top 4 spots.

 

[FreddieYid]

I certainly agree. I personally would like to add a little bit of experience though. What you need when you have important games at end of season. We can't just keep buying 21 year olds ect. I'm not sure how vocal Wanyama is?

An older head wouldn't go a miss. Not an outlandish outlay, but someone with a bit of know how, to drag the team over the line when needed.

Hugo is the closest we have, but a Cambiasso type player could really help our young squad, there aren't too many experienced heads for the youngsters to turn too.

The Chelsea game is the standout example of when an a player like this could have settled the team and made sure we kept our heads on the pitch.

 

[Nigel Spinal]

now that fills moi with a lot of confidence...and who replaces them pray tell? Is Poch building a group of bionic men that can run all day and never get injured?

So we expect 4-5 in as well or nuffing?

Fazio, Yedlin and Pritchard played about 2 games between them all season

Wanyama has replaced Carroll. Janssen will in some sense replace Chadli (swapping our extra/5th WF for a 2nd CF)

And Poch keeps his perfectly-sized 22 seniors + 3/4 kids squad.

 

[Bulletspur]

An older head wouldn't go a miss. Not an outlandish outlay, but someone with a bit of know how, to drag the team over the line when needed.

Hugo is the closest we have, but a Cambiasso type player could really help our young squad, there aren't too many experienced heads for the youngsters to turn too.

The Chelsea game is the standout example of when an a player like this could have settled the team and made sure we kept our heads on the pitch.

For last season I would agree but would that player be necessary now? I believe that our team collectively would have learned by their mistakes last season, so a year down the line they will be wiser as a result of their growing experience.

 

[Jamturk]

I actually think that the system and Poch makes good players better.

An older head wouldn't go a miss. Not an outlandish outlay, but someone with a bit of know how, to drag the team over the line when needed.

Hugo is the closest we have, but a Cambiasso type player could really help our young squad, there aren't too many experienced heads for the youngsters to turn too.

The Chelsea game is the standout example of when an a player like this could have settled the team and made sure we kept our heads on the pitch.

Juan Matador?

 

[Lilbaz]

Fazio, Yedlin and Pritchard played about 2 games between them all season

Wanyama has replaced Carroll. Janssen will in some sense replace Chadli (swapping our extra/5th WF for a 2nd CF)

And Poch keeps his perfectly-sized 22 seniors + 3/4 kids squad.

We had 6 players on loan last season. Winks and onomah are a year older and harrison and edwards will be looking for game time (at least preseason).

Very easy to see us sell 4-5 especially if we bring some more in.

 

[rabbikeane]

Our first team squad last season was 25,......

Don't know if they will all stay, but dont forget that some of last year's U21 now are seniors:
Dier, Bentaleb, Lesniak and Ward

 

[FreddieYid]

For last season I would agree but would that player be necessary now? I believe that our team collectively would have learned by their mistakes last season, so a year down the line they will be wiser as a result of their growing experience.

Of course, year in, year out we'll benefit from another seasons experience, but we're still a young squad without an experienced head. a player who's done it all, like Cambiasso, like Blanc was for Utd. Someone that's won leagues, played in world cups and CL sides season after season. We only have Hugo.

And before anyone says Verts, Eriksen etc have won leagues, I'm talking about someone that is vocal, someone who who will grab the team by the scruff of the neck and drag us over the line.

Our youthfulness is without doubt a strength, but adding that one bit of experience will give us something more. Anyone remember the impact Gary McAllister had on Liverpool at 35...

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

The problem with the present and future squad is not the total number of players, whether we have 21, 22, or 25 players. The problem IMO is how many players we have who Pochettino truly wants to use and rely upon. That number IMO is far too low presently. We need fewer players who are makeshift solutions and more players who Pochettino would confidently use. The total number of players can be drastically reduced for all I care if a far larger number is included in Pochettino's core.

 

[Nigel Spinal]

Of course, year in, year out we'll benefit from another seasons experience, but we're still a young squad without an experienced head. a player who's done it all, like Cambiasso, like Blanc was for Utd. Someone that's won leagues, played in world cups and CL sides season after season. We only have Hugo.

And before anyone says Verts, Eriksen etc have won leagues, I'm talking about someone that is vocal, someone who who will grab the team by the scruff of the neck and drag us over the line.

Our youthfulness is without doubt a strength, but adding that one bit of experience will give us something more. Anyone remember the impact Gary McAllister had on Liverpool at 35...

Do you think Poch wants to work with players who are too independent to submit completely to his system, or who no longer have the legs to press up to 10 miles a match?

 

[nedley]

If Trix is right and we are after two more to add to the squad, I do hope it's a attacking midfielder/forward player plus Janssen or other.

 

[Flashspur]

Your post is incredibly over dramatic.

Yedlin Fazio and Prichard didn't even play last season, Bentaleb and Njie, Onomah, played a very limited amount, Chadli and Vorm were very much bit part players as well ffs. We have already added wanyama and are after Two more just to my knowledge. Between the three incomings and those three-four that survive we will be just fine. That's not to mention anyone promoted from the youth set up.

Over dramatic perhaps, but incredibly? I am just concerned that we have a pretty thin squad to start with in terms of experience. We were also lucky with injuries last season. This season who knows? We are going to be missing Dembele and Verts for at least the 4-5 weeks or so already and we are talking about selling 4-5 experienced back up players.

 

[Roynie]

Don't know if they will all stay, but dont forget that some of last year's U21 now are seniors:
Dier, Bentaleb, Lesniak and Ward

Dier and Bentaleb were in the squad last year. I don't think Lesniak and Ward were but I don't know how good they are or whether they are up to the necessary standard to be in the squad this coming season. Maybe they will be loaned out?

 

[arunspurs]

Over dramatic perhaps, but incredibly? I am just concerned that we have a pretty thin squad to start with in terms of experience. We were also lucky with injuries last season. This season who knows? We are going to be missing Dembele and Verts for at least the 4-5 weeks or so already and we are talking about selling 4-5 experienced back up players.

You are forgetting our current squad players would be one year more experienced. Dier, Lamela, Davies,Kane,Toby all would be in 3rd year at PL level. With the season we had last year, this core bunch of players should be coming back more matured. Lloris,Toby, Eriksen,Wanyama, Walker & Rose as established experienced players.

So, IMO, we should be after quality - quality to improve XI and squad than worrying about experience.

 

[Trix]

Over dramatic perhaps, but incredibly? I am just concerned that we have a pretty thin squad to start with in terms of experience. We were also lucky with injuries last season. This season who knows? We are going to be missing Dembele and Verts for at least the 4-5 weeks or so already and we are talking about selling 4-5 experienced back up players.

No we aren't. Only Fazio has any sort of real experience of those that could go, and he wasn't even at the club last season. Chadli I suppose could be counted in that bracket but tbh I don't see him going(although he could).

 

[Nigel Spinal]

Over dramatic perhaps, but incredibly? I am just concerned that we have a pretty thin squad to start with in terms of experience. We were also lucky with injuries last season. This season who knows? We are going to be missing Dembele and Verts for at least the 4-5 weeks or so already and we are talking about selling 4-5 experienced back up players.

Poch's whole philosophy is to have a small, fit, young, versatile, high-energy squad. Hoarding players like Redknapp and AVB used to just destroys the harmony/spirit. The tight 22 man model is tried and tested by a number of top coaches.

We actually had a lot of injuries last season - Bentaleb and Njie missed pretty much the whole campaign, and Son and Mason played a lot while carrying quite serious conditions. Then we missed Verts for a chunk. But we adapted and thrived - Dier and Dembele emerged to take the two CM starting spots, Lamela nailed RWF and Wimmer proved his worth too.

 

[WiganSpur]

Over dramatic perhaps, but incredibly? I am just concerned that we have a pretty thin squad to start with in terms of experience. We were also lucky with injuries last season. This season who knows? We are going to be missing Dembele and Verts for at least the 4-5 weeks or so already and we are talking about selling 4-5 experienced back up players.

But surely you can appreciate the importance of quality as well.

They're great lads don't get me wrong, but what's the point in having the likes of Mason and Carroll when we already have Wanyama, Dier, Bentaleb and Dembele, with Alli as an accomplished CM and Harry Winks who's also been impressing in the U21s? Why not use the money we can get for them to fund the signings of quality footballers who will improve us like Boufal or Janssen for instance? Similarly why stress about Chadli when we already have Eriksen, Lamela, Onomah, Son, N'jie, Alli and we are clearly looking to sign a centre forward and another player to go in the three behind the striker? I doubt we will sell Chadli if we do not find the right player. At the end of the day there's only so many players you can have in the event of injuries. At a certain level of injuries then i'm afraid it's just bad luck and we have to deal with it in the best way we can.

We need to have faith in the youth players and trust the squad as well. It's a great opportunity for CCV to be given a shot in cup games as that 4th centre back now too. If it doesn't work out, then that's fine, as Dier can do the job if needed. We don't need Fazio.

As long as we get a striker in then i'm not going to be worried.

 

[millsey]

We need a back up for Toby,
As well as a striker and a attacking Fwrd player

 

[tiger666]

We need a back up for Toby,

Wimmer Dier CCV Wanyama