The Spurs Thread

[KeithPratt]

yet again- trundling out Lambert and (god forbid) Carroll.

If Carroll produces a consistent run of form this season I'd say he has a good chance of being in the frame for England just because he offers something different and can be a nightmare to play against. But consistency, as we all know, is certainly not something he's overly familiar with.

Kane deserves to be in the England squad now. 17 goals this season across all competitions.

[Diamond Dog]

See this is where I have issues with selection for England - I honestly do not see how Carroll can be placed in front of Kane or Berahinho (for instance) or others, just because seven foot three and can head a ball. It's football from the dark ages. The rest of the world moved on 50 years ago - we still think it viable to put a giant upfront, lump the ball up to him and hope for the best.

Whilst England still have that as a basic tenet, we can never progress. Seriously.

[andymacandy]

See this is where I have issues with selection for England - I honestly do not see how Carroll can be placed in front of Kane or Berahinho (for instance) or others, just because seven foot three and can head a ball. It's football from the dark ages. The rest of the world moved on 50 years ago - we still think it viable to put a giant upfront, lump the ball up to him and hope for the best.

Whilst England still have that as a basic tenet, we can never progress. Seriously.

I dont think that England really do that as a basic tenet though do they?
I think that having a big "old fashioned" centre forward as an option on the bench is very handy indeed, especially if you are failing to thread the needle of a packed defence. Carroll and Crouch at their best were certainly good squad choices. Whether Carroll is good enough now, I don't know, but I think the principle of having his type as an option works.

At the moment, I agree that Kane and Berahinho are in front of him in the queue.

['skope]

to be honest, i hope carroll never plays another England game again. he is wasted on the BCB football oracles and will probably get injured anyway. i prefer him to keep doing a good job with West Ham.

[Diamond Dog]

We are in agreement then.

Can you promise the same about Downing?

[Rayge]

Poch out

[Rayge]

i'd be amazed if spurs recouped half of what they paid for lamela if they were to put him up for sale.

Not now, but then they're not selling him, are they?

same goes for paulinho and others i can't even remember the names of. i think eriksen was the only good bit of business they did in that transfer window from hell.

The ones you pretend to forget were Chadli (7m), Chiriches (8.5m) and Capoue (9m). Chadli is becoming a force, Chiriches has a lot of class but still needs to bulk up and Capoue has, like Lamela, been often injured. All three are 25 or under and all but Capoue current internationals. Paulinho cost 17m and of course they - or more precisely Levy - would get a lot more than half that if they sold him now.
Soldado went outside Spurs usual policy of buying young talent and has been a disappointment, as I said on that other thread. Lamela is still only 22.
Anyway, that lot cost 93m. Apart from the 85m for Bale, Levy also managed to gouge 9m for Caulker (relegated), 6m for Dempsey, who wasn't good enough in the first place, 5m for Thud (was sorry to see him go, but he would never thrive in a Poch team), 6m for a 32-year-old but still nifty striker in Defoe and even 3.5 for a decrepit Parker. That has to be an improved squad, bearing in mind there was no replacing like for like with Bale, and 12m operating profit. It's hardly a transfer window from hell. Most disappointing in retrospect was in losing out to Chelsea for Willian. The season that followed was a train-wreck (although qualified for Europe yet again) because of Adebayor and AVB rather than the players signed

[KeithPratt]

I'd agree with that. Chadli seems to have improved a great deal this season. Jury is still out on Lamela, but he's young and looks to have very capable technique.

Spurs are also 5th.

[Rayge]

They have a mess of a midfield and Pochettino will do well to solve that in a season. Then there's the Soldado problem. Pochettino is inheriting a squad with less potential than he had at Southampton, we'll find out a lot more about his credentials as a manager that's for sure.
I think they'll finish top half but won't get a Europa place. Levy will watch his dream go backwards.

the pitch is to blame

can't see him lasting until the end of the season. rayge must be reeling.

good call on moyes, he is just the manager they need but it will mean a whole restructuring of the club again like they did with redwanker.

i think spurs are really up slack alley after they spunked all the bale money on shit players. they are going to have to sell at a considerable loss to off-load that tripe, which is much against the levy model.

then there's the stadium and the probability of having to play a season outside london.

their plight makes west ham's move to the olympic stadium seem all the more sweeter, especially after they tried to hijack it. they are certainly in danger of falling behind the mighty hammers in the coming seasons. what a shame.

Yes but who appoints the Manager's? When do they bear some responsibility?

who cares, pete.

spurs are a fucking joke.

rejoice.

They were poor though. I can see them finishing 8th or 9th this season. I'm sure Levy is already plotting his next manager.

8th or 9th is looking generous, G.

i can't see poch lasting much longer.

They were poor though. I can see them finishing 8th or 9th this season. I'm sure Levy is already plotting his next manager.

8th or 9th is looking generous, G.

i can't see poch lasting much longer.

Indeed. Given Levy's hire-em, fire-em attitude, can't understand why anyone - other than someone looking for a nice fat cheque for a few months (a year's tops!) work would consider taking the management job at Tottenham.

I think he has until Mid-December. If their results haven't improved by then, Levy will want his successor in time for the January transfer window.

I think it's blindingly obvious that the team haven't bought into his philosophy - he changed Southampton overnight, whilst the Spurs players seem entirely resistant to his methods. Because of their structure - with Baldini buying the players- it's the manager who leaves, not the players and not Levy/Baldini. That's how they are set up and there's no reason to believe Pocchetino will be given anymore leeway than AVB, for instance.

To be fair, they are looking absolutely fucking shocking thus far. They seem to have no settled team, he continues to pick woefully out of form players, there seems to be a total lack of steel throughout the side, tactically they seem completely useless, and they really do give the impression of big time charlie's not giving a fuck - maybe because they know it's the manager who goes at this club, not the players. And it's also very clear the fans notoriously short patience has already been pushed beyond the threshold.

It doesn't bode well, does it?

see you all next season

[Diamond Dog]

Enjoy that Europa Cup Thursday/Sunday ritual!

[Rayge]

Enjoy that Europa Cup Thursday/Sunday ritual!

Meh, second nature. I think Poch will play the youth side.
Enjoy finishing above the Hammers!

[Diamond Dog]

Enjoy that Europa Cup Thursday/Sunday ritual!

Meh, second nature. I think Poch will play the youth side.
Enjoy finishing above the Hammers!

The only satisfactory part of the season really. But nice, nonetheless.

Of course Skope The Loudmouth appears not to post in the sports section anymore.....

[Rayge]

Apparently Bobby Soldier is finally on his way to Villareal for not much less than Spurs paid for him. That widely touted figure of £26m included £10 million pounds of add-ons based on goals, appearances and club success, none of which the sharpshooter triggered

[The Modernist]

Apparently Bobby Soldier is finally on his way to Villareal for not much less than Spurs paid for him. That widely touted figure of £26m included £10 million pounds of add-ons based on goals, appearances and club success, none of which the sharpshooter triggered

As happy as you might be to see him on his way -and after two seasons it was clear he wasn't working - you do now have a severe shortage of forwards. You may even have to look again at Adebayor at this rate!
There were some good aspects to the performance against Man Utd, but the lacking of a cutting edge upfront was palpable.

['skope]

how many of the bale signings have been cleared out now? what a disastrous transfer window that was.

[Rayge]

As happy as you might be to see him on his way -and after two seasons it was clear he wasn't working - you do now have a severe shortage of forwards. You may even have to look again at Adebayor at this rate.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... villarreal

I'm pretty sure they will buy another striker as well as N'Jie; Hernandez and Austin keep being mentioned, and either would be a useful addition. The Togoan is currently training with the tinies, and I'm sure they'll be glad to ship him out on a free. I think Pochettino would be more likely to try to convert Chadli or Lamela to a central striker if Kane (who may well have a rubbish season) were injured than bring him back into the first team. He does not like to play with two forwards anyway, prefers a 4-2-3-1, so you would imagine N'Jie, Chadli, Lamela and Townsend (at a pinch) for the wide striking positions (another possibility is the US World Cup right back DeAndre Yedlin, who is very quick and might be converted into a wingback), Eriksen or (gawdelpus) Dembelé at no 10 (where Kane can also play if there is an out-and-out goalhanger forward like Chicarito coming in) and the possibility of Alex Pritchard being blooded at some point.
Spurs did look to be lacking up front at Old Trafford, but at least had four shots on target and forced Romero into a save. Not one Man U player managed to hit the target. And they were at home. Which suggests that Spurs' defensive reorganization is proceeding nicely.

[Rayge]

double post

[The Modernist]

You need a hell of lot more from Chadli and Lamela this season. Personally I'd get Townsend back into the team.

[KeithPratt]

I really would like Spurs and Liverpool to make a dent in the top 4 this season just to break up the hegemony. But I can't see it happening.

['skope]

I really would like Spurs and Liverpool to make a dent in the top 4 this season just to break up the hegemony. But I can't see it happening.

i'd like to see spurs go down if i'm honest. i'd also like to see West Ham go in for adebayor and pull out of the deal at the last minute on transfer deadline day.