Paulinho

[DJS]

I would prefer to give him another season and actually utilise him alongside a proper defensive midfielder (Sandro) before casting judgement.

Can't keep chopping and changing all the time.

 

[DaSpurs]

I would prefer to give him another season and actually utilise him alongside a proper defensive midfielder (Sandro) before casting judgement.

Can't keep chopping and changing all the time.

If the manager deems it a viable option going forward and manages to generate the funds to improve from elsewhere, then I'll be entirely supportive of it. But for me until then, I see a player whose value exceeds his level of talent and contribution, and I'd like to see us capitalize on it given our needs elsewhere.

 

[SpurSince57]

Yes let's sell another proven international, after all Brazil is such an easy side to get a regular place in, because he is 'not good enough for Spurs. Our last two managers have really set the club back!!

The fact that a player is a 'proven international' (whether it be for Brazil or Burkina Faso) is entirely irrelevant if he fails to deliver the goods at the level which really matters. It appears we've paid £17m for a player who—a few moments of genuine magic aside—can best be described as a marginal upgrade on Jenas. Whilst I don't see any movement in or out before the new manager arrives, Paulinho's got a hell of a lot to do to justify his reputation, transfer fee and wage packet.

 

[absolute bobbins]

The fact that a player is a 'proven international' (whether it be for Brazil or Burkina Faso) is entirely irrelevant if he fails to deliver the goods at the level which really matters. It appears we've paid £17m for a player who—a few moments of genuine magic aside—can best be described as a marginal upgrade on Jenas. Whilst I don't see any movement in or out before the new manager arrives, Paulinho's got a hell of a lot to do to justify his reputation, transfer fee and wage packet.

Marginal upgrade on Jenas, have you been out in the sun?

 

[SpurSince57]

Marginal upgrade on Jenas, have you been out in the sun?

No, just watching Paulinho run around a lot.

He's an upgrade on JJ. How much of one is a matter for debate, if one could actually be arsed. One thing that is for sure is that he hasn't looked like £17m's worth of attacking midfielder.

 

[DaSpurs]

The fact that a player is a 'proven international' (whether it be for Brazil or Burkina Faso) is entirely irrelevant if he fails to deliver the goods at the level which really matters. It appears we've paid £17m for a player who—a few moments of genuine magic aside—can best be described as a marginal upgrade on Jenas. Whilst I don't see any movement in or out before the new manager arrives, Paulinho's got a hell of a lot to do to justify his reputation, transfer fee and wage packet.

Agreed on the bolded in particular. The usage of such a fact to defend him isn't even remotely relevant to who he is individually as a player and what he's done for us. Plenty of players have excelled with their national teams and not their club teams and vice versa. Many people have cited legitimate rationale for why they think we should keep him here, but the premise that we should keep him just because he's a Brazilian international is just flat out irrelevant reasoning.

 

[DaSpurs]

No, just watching Paulinho run around a lot.

He's an upgrade on JJ. How much of one is a matter for debate, if one could actually be arsed. One thing that is for sure is that he hasn't looked like £17m's worth of attacking midfielder.

To be fair, he was never meant to be an "attacking midfielder," but I agree that he has not looked his worth of what he was intended to be and despite plenty of opportunities to display his talents, even in a dysfunctional side.

 

[SpartanSpur]

There is a quality player in there waiting to be unlocked. He is a key player for Brazil tactically, as will be seen in the world cup.

He also has that natural knack of taking up good goalscoring positions. A valuable trait in successful teams and something we have lacked over the years. With Eriksen and a settled Paulinho I would expect double figures from both.

With rumours that Chelsea are going to keep Lukaku we should let the new manager decide if he wants him and if not (unlikely) sell abroad. Chelsea can fuck right off unless they have something other than oil money to offer in return.

 

[ShaunL84]

Anything over £20 million and I would take it and buy a ball-playing centre mid but I definitely think he will get better next season.

 

[thinktank]

Needs to be played more advanced. That's where he'll benefit us most. He's actually good at linking up on combinations...shame there haven't been that many for him to show it.

 

[$hoguN]

I can't understand why anyone would want rid of Paulinho when he looks fairly devastating when utilised correctly.

 

[Mr Pink]

Really looking forward to see how he does next season under a manager who knows how to use him properly. Think he'll have a great season.

 

[panoma]

Starter for Brazil and Mourinho chase him, yet so many experts here dont think he is good enough for us.

 

[XSuicideBunnyX]

Starter for Brazil and Mourinho chase him, yet so many experts here dont think he is good enough for us.

Brazil and Mourinho don't use a central two, which as someone else said, Paulinho has probably never played before in his life.

He's a unique player, Paulinho. Not many players have his engine (when he can be bothered), goal-scoring ability, aerial ability and touch/technique in the midfield role. The only thing he doesn't have in his locker is long-range shooting ability.

 

[Danners9]

Brazil and Mourinho don't use a central two, which as someone else said, Paulinho has probably never played before in his life.

He's a unique player, Paulinho. Not many players have his engine (when he can be bothered), goal-scoring ability, aerial ability and touch/technique in the midfield role. The only thing he doesn't have in his locker is long-range shooting ability.

I'm hoping a new manager will know what to do with him. Hopefully a new Spurs manager and not the one at Chelsea.

 

[SpurSince57]

Starter for Brazil and Mourinho chase him, yet so many experts here dont think he is good enough for us.

And do you really think that his performances so far have merited his £17m price tag? Or that he's lived up to the advance billing? His international performances are neither here nor there—what matters is what he does for Spurs. It's a fat lot of good getting into good scoring positions if your finishing is as poor as Paulinho's has been for much of the season, and he hasn't created that much either; he's been OK overall, but for what we paid I expect rather more than OK. Don't you?

Perhaps we'll see better next season—it may well be, as some have said, that we aren't playing to his strengths, and that he'll get more joy from the new coach.

EDIT: One wonders what Sweech disagrees with.

 

[E17yid]

And do you really think that his performances so far have merited his £17m price tag? Or that he's lived up to the advance billing? His international performances are neither here nor there—what matters is what he does for Spurs. It's a fat lot of good getting into good scoring positions if your finishing is as poor as Paulinho's has been for much of the season, and he hasn't created that much either; he's been OK overall, but for what we paid I expect rather more than OK. Don't you?

Perhaps we'll see better next season—it may well be, as some have said, that we aren't playing to his strengths, and that he'll get more joy from the new coach.

Can't remember who it was (might have been beats) but someone posted a graph or something outlining how the to commercial value of Brazilian football players has increased dramatically over the past few years. Not to say that justifies his price tag fully but might go some way to explain why his value was a bit higher. Out of interest, what would you say would have been a fair price for a Brazil international who was very good in the confed cup?

 

[DaSpurs]

Can't remember who it was (might have been beats) but someone posted a graph or something outlining how the to commercial value of Brazilian football players has increased dramatically over the past few years. Not to say that justifies his price tag fully but might go some way to explain why his value was a bit higher. Out of interest, what would you say would have been a fair price for a Brazil international who was very good in the confed cup?

If we hypothetically compare him to a similar level of talent in Europe (but still as you say a valuable contributor in a major international tournament), I'd say around £12 million.

 

[E17yid]

If we hypothetically compare him to a similar level of talent in Europe (but still as you say a valuable contributor in a major international tournament), I'd say around £12 million.

I wouldn't say that's totally unfair. I was thinking around the £14m mark

 

[DaSpurs]

I wouldn't say that's totally unfair. I was thinking around the £14m mark

Yeah I agree, with nothing north of 15. Is about how I'd compare him to Milan Badelj, who I view as the most similar player in Europe (yet I think is more diverse and incisive in play, and hence more valuable by my take). But the fact he's a Brazilian starter undoubtedly jacks Paulinho's price up. The price Shaktar paid for Bernard, who barely even sees time for Brazil, is particularly absurd.

Personally I wish we'd continue to focus our scouting in the old Yugoslavian countries. They are producing some unreal talents that have a tremendous record of success across Europe's biggest leagues. The South Americans tend to do extraordinarily well in Serie A and La Liga, but the Yugoslavians simply excel everywhere, and the German teams are a huge step ahead of us in massively diving into that depth of talents.