CanadaSpurs
Well-Known Member
- Aug 14, 2013
- 1,449
- 4,367
A couple days back we got a cryptic saying Lacroix and Martinez were still possible.
Pau Torres
- Thread starter chrissivad
- Start date
A couple days back we got a cryptic saying Lacroix and Martinez were still possible.
hughy
I'm SUPER cereal.
- Nov 18, 2007
- 31,932
- 57,142
Considering we are also going to be lacking Kane's defensive contribution from set-pieces (and lets be honest, he won a lot of defensive headers), this concerns me quite a bit. We don't exactly have huge full-backs, and Hojbjerg and Romero are hardly giants.
romero is incredible in the air. every scouting report i read says that he never loses aerial duels, and a few analysts pieces about him say that he’s got one of the best leaps in serie a
Ron Burgundy
SC Supporter
- Jun 19, 2008
- 7,742
- 23,419
Wishful thinking it would seem
wrd
Well-Known Member
- Aug 22, 2014
- 13,603
- 58,005
Easy this DOF SHIT
wiggo24
Well-Known Member
- Jan 5, 2013
- 5,091
- 36,808
He's not incredible in the air like someone like Maguire but he's much better than you would expect given his height. Wouldn't class it as a major strength or weakness of his personally.
hughy
I'm SUPER cereal.
- Nov 18, 2007
- 31,932
- 57,142
That's fair. I openly admitted in his thread when we signed him that I'd never knowingly seen him play.
snakehipsspurs
Well-Known Member
- Aug 30, 2017
- 2,206
- 15,543
For those worried that Torres isn't a 'good defender'. Here's a wee write up to hopefully put you at ease. He's not a destroyer, but he is a brilliant modern defender:
Torres is not a defender who makes the tackle, he is a covering CB, filling in the space behind a more aggressive defender who pushes up to engage attackers and then taking control of possession. If we had a Romero and Torres defensive partnership, we'd have one of the most aggressive and disruptive CBs in world football next to the best ball playing cover CB available on the market covering him in behind and making sure we weren't over exposed.
His aerial numbers do look admittedly bad, but he is engaging in aerial duels at a much lower frequency than other CBs because of the style he plays and Villareal's system, so his numbers are skewed. It's likely he engages in aerial duels a lot more as the last man defender with balls going over his head, so they're harder to read. Whereas players like Maguire etc. engage in a lot of 'easier' aerial duels where they're set and clearing a ball that's in a less dangerous area which inflates their success %.
What is measurable is Torres' passing and ball carrying though, which places him in the very top in world football for Ball Playing CBs. Basically think of him as Aymeric Laporte or John Stones in that role for City. Dias (Romero for us) as the aggressor, them as the ones who dictate play and sweep up behind. If you're relying on Stones or Laporte to dominate, you're in trouble. But as cover CBs, there are few better. That's Torres' role to a tee.
I made the case earlier in this thread that we will be a much better defensive unit if we have control of the ball more and are keeping it out of our half and relieving pressure. There's a reason that some of the best teams in the world right now have CBs who are a bit sketchy in the air or defending, yet are brilliant on the ball. Destroyers are all fine and well, but eventually if you keep conceding chances, you concede goals.
Torres is not a defender who makes the tackle, he is a covering CB, filling in the space behind a more aggressive defender who pushes up to engage attackers and then taking control of possession. If we had a Romero and Torres defensive partnership, we'd have one of the most aggressive and disruptive CBs in world football next to the best ball playing cover CB available on the market covering him in behind and making sure we weren't over exposed.
His aerial numbers do look admittedly bad, but he is engaging in aerial duels at a much lower frequency than other CBs because of the style he plays and Villareal's system, so his numbers are skewed. It's likely he engages in aerial duels a lot more as the last man defender with balls going over his head, so they're harder to read. Whereas players like Maguire etc. engage in a lot of 'easier' aerial duels where they're set and clearing a ball that's in a less dangerous area which inflates their success %.
What is measurable is Torres' passing and ball carrying though, which places him in the very top in world football for Ball Playing CBs. Basically think of him as Aymeric Laporte or John Stones in that role for City. Dias (Romero for us) as the aggressor, them as the ones who dictate play and sweep up behind. If you're relying on Stones or Laporte to dominate, you're in trouble. But as cover CBs, there are few better. That's Torres' role to a tee.
I made the case earlier in this thread that we will be a much better defensive unit if we have control of the ball more and are keeping it out of our half and relieving pressure. There's a reason that some of the best teams in the world right now have CBs who are a bit sketchy in the air or defending, yet are brilliant on the ball. Destroyers are all fine and well, but eventually if you keep conceding chances, you concede goals.
delawarespur
Well-Known Member
- Aug 8, 2019
- 2,376
- 13,400
I’m all for using summer international tournaments to help adjust some expectations/feelings about players, but there is no way we should be making sweeping judgements on ~10 games of football he played in the summer where he looked poor. Not him nor anyone else. He was also probably knackered. He played the most minutes out of EVERYONE in football over the last calendar year. Every single player. Mental and physical lapses will happen.
There’s a reason why Damsgaard isn’t the next Messi after the Euros, and there’s a reason Mbappe isn’t a shit player after the same tournament. Because of what the former hasn’t proven outside of the tournament yet, and what the latter has. Torres has been one of the best CBs in La Liga for two years running now. He has flaws, but every player does. What matters is that his flaws wouldn’t be as prominent next to someone like Romero, and same for Cuti having his flaws masked by Torres. And I’m sure he will have to adjust to the league as every other player who makes a move to a different football culture. But he was arguably the best player in the two EL semi final legs vs Arsenal and the final vs United. Personally think he’d be as good as it gets to partner Romero.
There’s a reason why Damsgaard isn’t the next Messi after the Euros, and there’s a reason Mbappe isn’t a shit player after the same tournament. Because of what the former hasn’t proven outside of the tournament yet, and what the latter has. Torres has been one of the best CBs in La Liga for two years running now. He has flaws, but every player does. What matters is that his flaws wouldn’t be as prominent next to someone like Romero, and same for Cuti having his flaws masked by Torres. And I’m sure he will have to adjust to the league as every other player who makes a move to a different football culture. But he was arguably the best player in the two EL semi final legs vs Arsenal and the final vs United. Personally think he’d be as good as it gets to partner Romero.
curlacious
Don’t look at me. I’m irrelevant.
- Aug 29, 2017
- 2,129
- 10,105
I think he would be a great signing, the best option other than Kounde.
Torres is a seasoned veteran compared to Lacroix.
Lacroix has played 60 senior club games, just 30 at the top level. Is he Saliba or is he Fofana? Who knows.
Torres has played 170 games, 110 at the top.
They are at completely different stages of development.
We need someone to come in who is ready.
Torres is a seasoned veteran compared to Lacroix.
Lacroix has played 60 senior club games, just 30 at the top level. Is he Saliba or is he Fofana? Who knows.
Torres has played 170 games, 110 at the top.
They are at completely different stages of development.
We need someone to come in who is ready.
coopsy13
Well-Known Member
- Apr 4, 2008
- 293
- 655
We are already laughing
Ron Burgundy
SC Supporter
- Jun 19, 2008
- 7,742
- 23,419
Well put
$hoguN
Well-Known Member
- Jul 25, 2005
- 26,672
- 34,817
Thanks for sharing. We certainly seem to have a lot of irons in the fire at the moment. Will be interesting to see if we can make anything out of them though.
I don’t know much about Torres, but he looked quite naive in the olympics. May be that’s not a fair reflection?
Lacroix and Kounde look like better options on the (very) limited viewing I have had
Last edited:
spursfan77
Well-Known Member
- Aug 13, 2005
- 46,686
- 104,964
Petrifying that this hasn't been addressed.
arunspurs
Well-Known Member
- Aug 31, 2012
- 8,857
- 35,722
Nuno made Mustafi & Otamendi pairing look world class in Laliga , lost less games than Madrid that season and helped Valencia to finish with their best points tally ever. On back of this, Arsenal and City paid 40m each 5 years back when CBs went for less...
So if you have questions on Torres, trust Nuno. His CBs dont fly forward always. They dont go highline too much. His CBs are conservative in terms of space in the pitch and take less risks. Midfielders also tend to play midblock to protect back4.
I dont see Torres weakness going to get exposed under Nuno - infact he will thrive. Romero and Torres will be the perfect partners IMO. If we also buy Tomiyasu...then even if Torres ventures forward with his trademark runs, Tomiyasu can tuck in and cover the backline.
Torres probably will be a disaster at City or Spain or Liverpool due to the high line. But with us , everything points to us playng to his strength and reducing the risk on his weakness
So if you have questions on Torres, trust Nuno. His CBs dont fly forward always. They dont go highline too much. His CBs are conservative in terms of space in the pitch and take less risks. Midfielders also tend to play midblock to protect back4.
I dont see Torres weakness going to get exposed under Nuno - infact he will thrive. Romero and Torres will be the perfect partners IMO. If we also buy Tomiyasu...then even if Torres ventures forward with his trademark runs, Tomiyasu can tuck in and cover the backline.
Torres probably will be a disaster at City or Spain or Liverpool due to the high line. But with us , everything points to us playng to his strength and reducing the risk on his weakness
Similar threads
