Thinking out loud

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

I don't agree with this notion that we need to sell 5-6. How about we give our new signings a chance to settle? Unless you're advocating selling the players like Lennon, Dawson, Naughton, Townsend etc.. then you might have a point...

yep, all we need is a tactically clued up manager and this group of players is good enough to sail into the top 4. Dont need to sign anyone. Next years going to be a good one.

 

[UncleBuck]

Why would anyone want to come to us after seeing what's happened to the players who came in pre season.....

 

[ultimateloner]

Striker: not enough goals scored this season and relying on ade is a recipie for failure given how erratic he is.
CB: Chiraches hasn't stepped up. Kaboul still looks fragile. Daws is Daws.
LB: Vert diverted to cover and not excelling; Rose can't produce. I can't remember the last stand-out LB we had (BAE is average at best).

Already too many midfielders and on paper they have goals in them. Think coach could work with what we have there; e.g. if Lennon/Townsend aren't productive play the creative ones on the flanks etc.

 

[beats1]

I've just finished listening to the podcast interview with Greg Stobart and I fully believe that, right now, our bracket of player is the £8-£18m range. I knew the interviewer was going to say Strootman as a player we should be signing, but Greg was 100% correct when he said you need to be signing him from PSV for the £15m Roma paid.

So, if we need to sell 5-6 and bring in 3-4 in that price bracket, anyone got any suggestions?

Like I said, just thinking out loud, but interested to see who you think we should sign this summer

NO!

The last window everyone was saying that the market value of Soldado and Lamela was high but it wasn't. The price of players were higher because it was the last window before Uefa sanctions!

The likes of Hulk, Witsel, Rodriguez, Cavani, Fellaini and etc went high than they are worth. Look at Mata, Ozil, Di Maria and etc. when compared to players from a couple of years ago these are £30-35 million players. the market however was skewed and anybody who had a decent record went for that price and the great player went for abit more.

Look at Berbatov, Modric and etc. they were considered the best players in the league for their position and yet they went for around £30million mark.

Now ask United, a market where Ozil or Mata for £42million and Felliani for £30mill or Modric and Berbatov for £32millionish

If berbatov got sold last season he would of got sold for more than £35million and the same for Modric especially since the addition of Monaco, PSG to continental market.

 

[spurs9]

Like Eriksen and Lamela?

I was going to reply with exactly the same answer.

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

No, sorry it wasn't SMC it was @TheAmerican ...

This year to last

League Only ................. Vertonghen 13-14.........Vertonghen 12-13

Tackles Per Game.................1.5......................................3.1
Fouls Per Game....................0.6......................................0.7
Interceptions Per Game.........1.9......................................2.9
Passes Per Game..................44.4....................................47.8
Pass Completion %...............82.7....................................87.1
Long Passes Per Game............3.1......................................3.6
Long Pass Completion %........53.0.....................................63.7

I take it the stats for this season include all of his games at LB? Out of curiousity (I genuinely don't know), how many games did he play at LB last season?

 

[spurs9]

Sell:
BAE
Livermore
Sigg
Lennon or Townsend
Naughton or Fredericks (loan)
Falque
Gomes (out of contract)
Friedel (offered coaching role)
Obika
Mason
Khumalo
Hall


Buy:
Ricardo Rodriguez or Alex Sandro
CB with high leadership qualities. Ideal (but unrealistic) player would be Mats Hummels as an example.
Sub GK

Squad:
Gk - Lloris, New Sub GK, Archer
DR - Walker, Naughton or Fredericks
DL - Rodriguez/Alex Sandro, Rose, Fryers
DC - Verts, New CB, Kaboul, Chiriches, Dawson
DMC - Sandro, Capoue, Milos
MC - Holtby, Bentaleb, Carroll
Box to Box MC - Paulinho, Dembele
Free Role AML - Eriksen, Chadli & Pritchard
Free Role AMR - Lamela, Lennon or Townsend & Pritchard
SC - Ade, Soldado & Kane

Assuming the 3 new signings are all non-homegrown players and over 21, we would have:
17 - Non-HG players
8 - HG players
4 - U21 (no need to be registered) players

 

[muppetman]

Can't see that we need wholesale changes. We need a manager who can get what we have performing.

 

[SandroClegane]

Think need someone a bit more deep lying than Eriksen

Bentaleb?

 

[Spurger King]

We need someone more deep lying (as Chris12 says) who can keep the ball and distribute in the way that Modric and Carrick before him did. Those are both top class players of course, but that's what we need.

I really hope we give Lamela a proper chance next season but even if we do, he's looked like a lame duck so far and in no way the ruthless attacking force that's required.

I fully expect Eriksen to be part of the team next season though.

It's why I was so pissed off about the Moutinho deal. AVB tried to get an engine for his new Ferrari, but ended up driving the vehicle from The Flintstones.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

We really, really don't want to be signing to many. Spend the rest of the season integrating as best we can, get a pre season into everyone this summer. We desperately need a CB or two - Fabian Schar (Basel) looks promising and wouldn't cost a fortune. A decent LB is an absolute must. I'd like a RB with a actual brain but a LB is even more of a priority.

 

[Spurger King]

We really, really don't want to be signing to many. Spend the rest of the season integrating as best we can, get a pre season into everyone this summer. We desperately need a CB or two - Fabian Schar (Basel) looks promising and wouldn't cost a fortune. A decent LB is an absolute must. I'd like a RB with a actual brain but a LB is even more of a priority.

Do you think we have the right players for central midfield?

 

[spurs9]

Bentaleb?

No, he mans Holtby.

 

[spurs9]

Do you think we have the right players for central midfield?

If we play a CM 3 we do.

 

[SandroClegane]

No, he mans Holtby.

either one's fine

 

[Spurger King]

If we play a CM 3 we do.

Depends who you mean though. I'd have Sandro as a nailed on starter, but after that?

Dembele shows up one in three games (if that). Paulinho shows glimpses here and there, but again he's not been consistent. I wouldn't mind seeing Eriksen in a midfield 3, but his strengths seem to be further forward. Capoue is a player I rate highly, but again there are big question marks. Bentaleb seems two or three years off being the sort of player we need.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Do you think we have the right players for central midfield?

central

Sandro, Capoue, Paulinho, Dembele*, Bentaleb, Carroll,

Attacking

Chadli, Eriksen, Lamela, Dembele*, Sig, Holtby, Townsend, Lennon,

I think we have a good smattering of Central M's for a 433 or 4231.

I'd happily see Sig, Lennon, Townsend offloaded from the attacking group and one or two more creative or more intelligent types brought in.


But we can't do what we did last two years and introduce a load more players. We need to consolidate, maybe integrate a couple of the development squad instead next season unless a genuine layer of quality becomes available.

CB and LB would be priorities for me, defence is by far our weakest area of the pitch.

 

[eddiev14]

Obviously we'll need a Left back. Not sure who. Another keeper is definitely required, BF is way too old now.

In my opinion our central midfield seriously lacks dynamism. We need a player like Modric, unafraid to make a forward pass and receive in a tight area.

Jordy Clasie looks like he could be that sort of player.

Sell Soldado and get in a player capable of truly bullying a defense. Wouldn't mind if we went back in for Bentekkers.

 

[Spurger King]

central

Sandro, Capoue, Paulinho, Dembele*, Bentaleb, Carroll,

Attacking

Chadli, Eriksen, Lamela, Dembele*, Sig, Holtby, Townsend, Lennon,

I think we have a good smattering of Central M's for a 433 or 4231.

I'd happily see Sig, Lennon, Townsend offloaded from the attacking group and one or two more creative or more intelligent types brought in.


But we can't do what we did last two years and introduce a load more players. We need to consolidate, maybe integrate a couple of the development squad instead next season unless a genuine layer of quality becomes available.

CB and LB would be priorities for me, defence is by far our weakest area of the pitch.

Agree with you on Sig, Lennon, and Townsend.

The problem with our midfielders is that it's so difficult to get a measure on what they have to offer. If we have the Dembele of the first few months after he signed, and the Paulinho that plays so well for Brazil, we'd have a great midfield. If they're the same players next season that we've seen in this one - we've got big problems.

 

[spurs9]

Depends who you mean though. I'd have Sandro as a nailed on starter, but after that?

Dembele shows up one in three games (if that). Paulinho shows glimpses here and there, but again he's not been consistent. I wouldn't mind seeing Eriksen in a midfield 3, but his strengths seem to be further forward. Capoue is a player I rate highly, but again there are big question marks. Bentaleb seems two or three years off being the sort of player we need.

Personally, I would play Eriksen in a free role behind the striker (as well as Lamela) and have a mid 3 of Sandro (or Capoue), Holtby (or Bentaleb) and Paulinho (or Dembele).

Sandro/Capoue as the more defensive of the 3, still supporting attacks and driving forward with the ball when called for, but also filling in when others go forward and watching for potential threats if we lose the ball.

Holtby/Bentaleb as a "support" midfielder. Always supporting the player with the ball, playing a quick pass to another player to keep the ball moving and creating space for other players as well as playing passes for attackers to run onto when called for and running into the box to get on the end of things on occasion.

Paulinho/Dembele as a kind of box to box mid, making runs in between mid and att to create space, playing simple quick passes and making runs into the box to give another option/create space for others.