It’s a lot of money so I don’t know how I feel about this.
Does anyone else just feel that Zaha will be a good (possibly great) signing, especially as Poch wants him so bad but on the other hand would maybe rather chuck the money at Bailey or Pulisic?
It’s a tough one but I really don’t understand the people that don’t rate him, defenders are literally terrified of him and he’s the only reason Palace came back from the dead last season.
Zaha no matter the price. Martial and Son have similar skill sets and play styles, Zaha offers us something completely different
I don't think he's got what it takes to take us to the next level. Personally I'd rather see the club wait if we've missed out on Martial and use the money for a better quality of player, even if it is a year down the line.
Martial has the potential to become World Class, Zaha will never reach those levels, I don't think he's got the footballing brain for it.
I can understand our interest, but for £60m I think we should wait and look to sign the next Modric or Bale
Heung Min Son is fucking criminally under rated on here.Oh and anyone saying he isn't effective against packed defences and only works on the counter attack - see his goal against Hull were he smashes it in after incredibly working an angle for himself.
We currently don't have anyone in the squad who can do that. Moura perhaps but he isn't able to generate as much accuracy and power in his shots.
Heung Min Son is fucking criminally under rated on here.
There's a times article written by Gary Jacob which goes one step further, saying Zaha rejected the deal to come to us, so my guess is that the news was embargoed until midnight and he just jumped the gun? I don't know
Doesn't read like that tbh. Also this was tweeted by a Times Sport editor before the Mirror story was even published:
I agree. He's two footed, deadly and averages 1 goal every 3 games for Spurs from midfield, not to mention his impeccable character being a huge influence in the dressing room and his fantastic work rate whenever he's in a Tottenham or South Korea shirt. He carries the weight of his Country on his shoulders when it comes to their football and he does it with a smile and a willingness to learn & improve, which he his doing year on year at Spurs.
Zaha has 22 Premier League goals across 5 seasons in the Premier League, averaging just over 4 goals a season. I want us to do well, I just think Zaha isn't in the league of player we should be after and would rather see us spend that money on a top class centre mid instead of a guy with plenty of tricks but ultimately limited end product. He had a good season last season I just ain't sure if he's right for us and if he's a bit of a knee jerk to missing out on Martial.
£60m is far too much, even if he has qualities our team lack at the moment
Yea I agree actually, I'm not sure why. I'm a huge fan of son I think 30 goals 13 assists in 99 games is pretty good like, but considering the impending two-year military service some like Zaha would be a good buy imho and as I've said before I will support whomever poch/levy buy.Heung Min Son is fucking criminally under rated on here.
Watching him over the past three seasons, every year his end product has gotten gradually better. This year, having watched many CPFC matches, I can think of at least 5 instances off the top of my head where he puts the ball pretty much in the net for Benteke or others and all they have to do is tap it in, and they miss.
Harsh on him to say his end product is limited.
Zaha at 50m.Quick question - Zaha for £50m or Martial for £75m? Neither going to or would happen for the money just wanted to see your thoughts and who you'd rate as a better deal
Why?Want this signing more than any other, Martial included. Hopefully we can get the deal done.
I think he's a really really good player who's just entering his prime. I used to think he was pretty so-so, flashy and quick but never really impacting the game. The last season and a half though he's really upped it, he takes a lot of responsibility, pretty much a constant nightmare for defenders. Just watching Palace last year almost every game he impressed me and this is playing with a team that has Benteke, Townsend and Puncheon instead of Kane, Eriksen and Dele.Why?
I'm interested to see what happens with this wing forward situation as I reckon getting Zaha may be as difficult as Martial. Personally, I'm intrigued by our willingness to put down seemingly so much money on this position. In Alli, Eriksen, Son, Moura and Lamela, we have a fine set of attacking mids, its probably our strongest position depth wise. Of course we need cover for Kane, so a versatile forward would help, but it seems to be our main priority in a window where I didn't think it would be.
I get this, its essentially what I presumed. However its still Alli, Lamela, Moura and Son for two spots before any addition. Unless, its a 433 with Alli and Eriksen in the three, as suggested by others. I really don't like that, but Poch knows much better than me if that's the case.A long winded one to reply to your message, apologies in advance :s
It seems like Pochettino wants trickery and directness on that wing and to add versatility across the 3 behind the striker. Martial and Zaha can play as forwards when need be so bringing one of them in would give backup to Kane when Son is away with South Korea (or when one or the both are unavailable or injured), and when Son returns offer 3 options up top instead of just Kane & Son, with one of either Son or Zaha still able to function on that left flank should one of them need to play as a forward due to an injury to Kane.
With the links to Grealish & Malcom/Plea/Martial/Zaha seeimingly being the hottest this window as it draws to a close it wouldn't surprise me to see our style and system evolve and change again this year. Grealish will offer competition as well as a central creative outlet to and with Eriksen when need be, a new wide left forward would offer more competition down the left as at the moment as we only have Son there and with Lucas & Lamela on the right as backup to Dele we would have so many different styles in attack with speed, trickery, directness, dribbling, passing, creativity, hold up play & the ability to win free kicks when needed that it will give Pochettino a genuine selection to tailor his gameplan based on teams we are playing against and how things are going during a particular match.
Eriksen & Grealish the creative forces that have different styles to mix it up, Dele the free spirit role that can float from left to right so he can do what he does best, popping up and arriving late, Lamela, Lucas, a new wide left forward & Son that are stronger on a certain wing but have the ability to switch wings allowing Dele when playing to not get man marked as well as the ability to move from central to the left and to the right, making us a very fluid, very active team in the final 3rd, with a lot of floating across the width of the attacking areas of the pitch.
Kane will obviously be our main striker but Zaha & Son, as well as Llorente if he stays for another season will offer sufficient backup and depth offering different varieties of play.
Dier & Wanyama our destroyers in midfield whose sole purpose is ball retrieval, to pressure teams into areas of the pitch where they can't cause damage, preferably over to the wings and to dispense to the creative elements of the team when they do win the ball back, with a flexibility to play Trippier, Aurier, Davies or Rose in a flat back four or as wing backs when our centre backs revert to 3 instead of 2.
Signing someone like Zaha or a direct wide left forward who has trickery in abundance will most likely see us get the ball over to him the most with the sole purpose of using his trickery against full backs that are playing for a team sitting deeper defensively against us (which 75% of the Premier League do to catch us on the break and due to our forced high defensive line).
The wide left forwards purpose would be to either cut in or to go on the outside and get past his man which Zaha & Martial seem to be able to do better than most, supplying dangerous balls into Kane and a late arriving Dele or Eriksen. If he gets doubled up on, this could allow players like Eriksen, Grealish, Dele & Kane more freedom to cause damage. If he doesn't get doubled up on, it'll be easier for him so get the ball to him the most.
I've written an essay on this now so I'll stop, but that's the logic I have when it comes to why this position and type of quality we are identifying this window seems to be the highest priority based on who we are being linked with compared to other areas that seem to require more attention like in centre mid or defence with in central defence Toby's situation. I can see us adapting a newer style due to Dembeles role in the team being possibly phased out for a more creative player in his position instead, such as Grealish.
After all of this thinking about what our transfer gameplan is we'll probably end up signing Ndombele or Gomes now instead of a wide forward. That would be hilarious but that's the logic I've come to based on links to players like Malcom, Plea, Zaha etc this window, that's the way I can see us possibly setting up to play