Daniel Levy - Chairman

[BrainOfLevy]

Re Levy's comments about spending becoming "totally unsustainable". Admirable and credit to him for openly expressing this, but I think Levy is wrong and a little naive. FFP is a complete joke and an utter smokescreen. FIFA/UEFA have shown they will take little or no action whatsoever against the repeat/worst offenders of FFP i.e. Real Madrid, Emirates Marketing Project, Barca etc. They can talk all they want about banning clubs from the CL, but actions speak louder than words. Who seriously thinks UEFA will ban Real from the CL?

As for our spending, I'm not going to completely lose my brick because we've made no signings but I think we are missing a trick. We were so close to the title last season. Every club in world football needs to strengthen/reinforce their squad on a yearly basis, we are no different. I would honestly back our first 11 against anyone in the league but our squad needs to be deeper. Danny Rose came out and said we need 1 marquee signing and I agree. We don't need wholesale changes, just 1/2 players to give the squad a lift and to convince the players that we are looking to close the gap on Chelsea most importantly, but also to keep up with the likes of Emirates Marketing Project and United otherwise I fear we could slip out of the top 4.

So who do we sign? Who is the obvious signing to give the players a lift? This German right back could be one, or the Porto guy, but other than that, where is the obvious gap in our first team? And where is the obvious player to sign that is going to come in to act as cover? Maybe Barkley?

We aren't standing still, and we are strengthening. Every year, if the players continue to improve, and get better by working together, we have strengthened. Has Kane reached his ceiling yet? Has Dier? Has Dele? You can bet Poch is working on all of these players to get them to improve, to do things they couldn't do last season, or to have them doing things in a consistently better way than they did before.

Good article here on this, likening us to the Golden State Warriors, who have obviously been pretty successful recently: http://www.skysports.com/football/n...sfer-experiment-will-continuity-bring-success

Arsenal often didn't make signings, but I would argue they still benefited from the consistency of knowing how to play together. The problem was, Wenger isn't a great coach and the young players didn't really reach their potential. Walcott, Oxlade, Giroud, too many players that had potential that never quite made it to an elite level. In 2 years, Poch has turned Kane, Dele and Dier into near enough elite players. He's turned Rose, Walker, Davies and Trippier into obvious internationals and some of the best in their position in the league. He's cultivated the genius of Dembele. He's allowed Eriksen to reach a level of consistency he's never attained before. Arsenal had an advantage when their scouting and dieting was more advanced, but now they need to spend again to have genuinely top players, because Wenger isn't going to improve the ones with potential to get to a really elite standard. Poch does, and that's why we aren't standing still.

 

[Jurgen the German]

So who do we sign? Who is the obvious signing to give the players a lift? This German right back could be one, or the Porto guy, but other than that, where is the obvious gap in our first team? And where is the obvious player to sign that is going to come in to act as cover? Maybe Barkley?

We aren't standing still, and we are strengthening. Every year, if the players continue to improve, and get better by working together, we have strengthened. Has Kane reached his ceiling yet? Has Dier? Has Dele? You can bet Poch is working on all of these players to get them to improve, to do things they couldn't do last season, or to have them doing things in a consistently better way than they did before.

Good article here on this, likening us to the Golden State Warriors, who have obviously been pretty successful recently: http://www.skysports.com/football/n...sfer-experiment-will-continuity-bring-success

Arsenal often didn't make signings, but I would argue they still benefited from the consistency of knowing how to play together. The problem was, Wenger isn't a great coach and the young players didn't really reach their potential. Walcott, Oxlade, Giroud, too many players that had potential that never quite made it to an elite level. In 2 years, Poch has turned Kane, Dele and Dier into near enough elite players. He's turned Rose, Walker, Davies and Trippier into obvious internationals and some of the best in their position in the league. He's cultivated the genius of Dembele. He's allowed Eriksen to reach a level of consistency he's never attained before. Arsenal had an advantage when their scouting and dieting was more advanced, but now they need to spend again to have genuinely top players, because Wenger isn't going to improve the ones with potential to get to a really elite standard. Poch does, and that's why we aren't standing still.

I know some on here are unconvinced that Barkley would get into the first team but I believe the players would see him as a big signing, especially the English players. I think Poch could turn him into a much better player than he is already.

Other than that, Max Meyer at Schalke is highly rated and would be worth a punt IMO.

Good article about the Warriors but I'm not sure how relevant it is to football. Basketball teams only have 5 players in the starting lineup so you can get away with having 1/2 top players and a collection of average or journeyman players, see the Lakers from the early 2000's. Football is much more of a squad/roster game.

 

[Gazzasrightboot]

So who do we sign? Who is the obvious signing to give the players a lift? This German right back could be one, or the Porto guy, but other than that, where is the obvious gap in our first team? And where is the obvious player to sign that is going to come in to act as cover? Maybe Barkley?

We aren't standing still, and we are strengthening. Every year, if the players continue to improve, and get better by working together, we have strengthened. Has Kane reached his ceiling yet? Has Dier? Has Dele? You can bet Poch is working on all of these players to get them to improve, to do things they couldn't do last season, or to have them doing things in a consistently better way than they did before.

Good article here on this, likening us to the Golden State Warriors, who have obviously been pretty successful recently: http://www.skysports.com/football/n...sfer-experiment-will-continuity-bring-success

Arsenal often didn't make signings, but I would argue they still benefited from the consistency of knowing how to play together. The problem was, Wenger isn't a great coach and the young players didn't really reach their potential. Walcott, Oxlade, Giroud, too many players that had potential that never quite made it to an elite level. In 2 years, Poch has turned Kane, Dele and Dier into near enough elite players. He's turned Rose, Walker, Davies and Trippier into obvious internationals and some of the best in their position in the league. He's cultivated the genius of Dembele. He's allowed Eriksen to reach a level of consistency he's never attained before. Arsenal had an advantage when their scouting and dieting was more advanced, but now they need to spend again to have genuinely top players, because Wenger isn't going to improve the ones with potential to get to a really elite standard. Poch does, and that's why we aren't standing still.

Great post and one where I am in vehement agreement with. We have an infatuation with the signing of players being equal to success, just because of the Emirates Marketing Project's and Chelseas of this world who have bought success. All I would say to that is look how much they have spend, and in order to emulate them, you would at least have to spend as much as them, which clearly cannot happen in our case.

What people are also forgetting is that two of the top 4 last year did not have european competition. So yes they have strengthened, but they are going to have a lot more games with a lot less time inbetween games to get their embedding of those people in.

 

[T-C]

The balance sheet conversation is 100% valid, if you look at what teams are earning, what they are spending is unsustainable IF you take out the 3rd party backers. Emirates Marketing Project would not be able to spend what they spend without Shiekh Mansoor, if they spent as per the balance sheet they would be a mid table run of the mill club, like they were pre his take over. Its not sustainable because personal wealth will not cover the club for the next 100 years and Levy and his custodians comment is not old fashioned its actually refreshing in my opinion. Short terms gains for long term pains is the term (Leeds, Blackburn to name two)

And he and others I read this week are right, football fans and clubs are an anomaly, spend huge in the youth set up, everyone wants to seethe next Harry Kane YET everyone wants the big money superstars, so what do you do? Buy big stars and block the youth and make the money spent on the facilities, coaches etc look like a bad investment OR stick to a plan and bring through the youth and try and cultivate the next Kane, King, Winks etc?

I look at Spurs and I think we have the balance 100% right and this whole false news story of "Spurs won't spend" is utter garbage, Spur won't spend silly and on rushed signings because our club does not need them. Emirates Marketing Project spending 200m to replace 200m of players that failed last term, thats a great footballing model right?? Wrong.

It also goes back to England, Under 19s etc winning world cup shows the youth set up works, the only way that is going to translate to senior honors is if clubs see through the plan and also back the youth systems they themselves heavily invest in.

I understand what you're saying, but similarly high profile debates have taken place around player salaries and transfer fees multiple times over the last 20 years. I don't see any difference now.

If the manager was to suddenly leave, or a few of the first team had their heads turned, then the foundations of our recent progress would be shown up as weaker than some seem to believe.

To be honest I don't see what an England team winning a 'World Cup' in an U20 category proves at all? It's a completely different context.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I know some on here are unconvinced that Barkley would get into the first team but I believe the players would see him as a big signing, especially the English players. I think Poch could turn him into a much better player than he is already.

Other than that, Max Meyer at Schalke is highly rated and would be worth a punt IMO.

Good article about the Warriors but I'm not sure how relevant it is to football. Basketball teams only have 5 players in the starting lineup so you can get away with having 1/2 top players and a collection of average or journeyman players, see the Lakers from the early 2000's. Football is much more of a squad/roster game.

So who is an average jorneyman in our first 11? Or which obvious quality players are we going to sign that come to sit on our bench? That are obviously, demonstrably better than Winks etc coming up from the academy?

If we sign Meyer, who is he replacing in our team? Eriksen? Alli? Son who got 20 goals last year and does everything Poch needs and wants? Is he really that player?

We arent a team who have a couple of good players and then more journeymen, we have a squad of players that are all getting better, together.

 

[parklane1]

So who is an average jorneyman in our first 11? Or which obvious quality players are we going to sign that come to sit on our bench? That are obviously, demonstrably better than Winks etc coming up from the academy?

If we sign Meyer, who is he replacing in our team? Eriksen? Alli? Son who got 20 goals last year and does everything Poch needs and wants? Is he really that player?

We arent a team who have a couple of good players and then more journeymen, we have a squad of players that are all getting better, together.

Indeed, and why i said earlier when some suggested if we do not sign anyone we could be standing still, we are not as most of our players are still young and improving every season.

 

[Baleforce]

Indeed, and why i said earlier when some suggested if we do not sign anyone we could be standing still, we are not as most of our players are still young and improving every season.

as is the manager

 

[StephenH]

My only real worry about not signing someone, is what it says to the current first team regarding ambition and intent.
No matter how often they tow the company line and tell themselves they believe the Levy mantras. Deep down they will be IMHO looking at the super teams and thier new arrivals.
To think otherwise is I believe deluded.

How much any new arrivals will actually improve our team is though highly debatable.

 

[Baleforce]

My only real worry about not signing someone, is what it says to the current first team regarding ambition and intent.
No matter how often they tow the company line and tell themselves they believe the Levy mantras. Deep down they will be IMHO looking at the super teams and thier new arrivals.
To think otherwise is I believe deluded.

How much any new arrivals will actually improve our team is though highly debatable.

the flip side of that is that they know they are trusted

 

[StephenH]

the flip side of that is that they know they are trusted

Oh I think that's true, I just think the likes of Dele will/would still like to see some new and quality arrivals.
Don't think that will bother Kane or the Wanyama of this world. They are possibly a little more mature.

 

[Baleforce]

Oh I think that's true, I just think the likes of Dele will/would still like to see some new and quality arrivals.
Don't think that will bother Kane or the Wanyama of this world. They are possibly a little more mature.

you may well be right

my feeling is that players have a much better gauge of comparative ability than us muggles, ours know how good their colleagues are, and, that it would be difficult to make a noticeable difference on our budget

 

[Baleforce]

also...

they can see the treatment room too, we're adding Lamela to last seasons line up

 

[Jurgen the German]

So who is an average jorneyman in our first 11? Or which obvious quality players are we going to sign that come to sit on our bench? That are obviously, demonstrably better than Winks etc coming up from the academy?

If we sign Meyer, who is he replacing in our team? Eriksen? Alli? Son who got 20 goals last year and does everything Poch needs and wants? Is he really that player?

We arent a team who have a couple of good players and then more journeymen, we have a squad of players that are all getting better, together.

I didn't say we had any, I was talking about the Lakers. But we do need to shift the likes of Sissoko and we also need to replace Walker as I don't believe Trippier is good enough for the level we aspire to get to.

Also, when did I say Meyer would replace anyone? He would be brought in to provide competition for the likes of Eriksen and Son, as would Barkley for example.

StephenH made the point perfectly, it's about ambition and intent, showing the likes of Alli and that we are serious about progressing from title challengers to title winners and a team that can progress to the last 16 or further of the CL. For the record, I don't believe we should go about our business the way Emirates Marketing Project do even if we had their resources, but it's slightly naive to think some of our players wouldn't look at them and consider their options, even if they are happy here and love playing for Poch.

 

[StephenH]

also...

they can see the treatment room too, we're adding Lamela to last seasons line up

Hopefully!
And I like marmite.
I'm thinks around December to be match fit. But I would not be shocked if he moves back to Italy or wherever this summer.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I didn't say we had any, I was talking about the Lakers. But we do need to shift the likes of Sissoko and we also need to replace Walker as I don't believe Trippier is good enough for the level we aspire to get to.

Also, when did I say Meyer would replace anyone? He would be brought in to provide competition for the likes of Eriksen and Son, as would Barkley for example.

StephenH made the point perfectly, it's about ambition and intent, showing the likes of Alli and that we are serious about progressing from title challengers to title winners and a team that can progress to the last 16 or further of the CL. For the record, I don't believe we should go about our business the way Emirates Marketing Project do even if we had their resources, but it's slightly naive to think some of our players wouldn't look at them and consider their options, even if they are happy here and love playing for Poch.

So is Meyer definitely better than a GKN who's had a year under Poch and a full pre season with us? Genuine question. To me it feels like a signing for signings sake. Maybe he is way better, but it doesn't feel obvious or certain.

Barkley for 25M, I would take. If he can be the new Dembele and fill a number of roles in the meantime, it's a signing with purpose.

I just don't think we need to make a big signing to prove anything to any player we have already. If Dele looks at this team and enjoys playing with Kane, with Eriksen, with Dembele, with Dier, why does he need to see one of them replaced?

 

[Jurgen the German]

So is Meyer definitely better than a GKN who's had a year under Poch and a full pre season with us? Genuine question. To me it feels like a signing for signings sake. Maybe he is way better, but it doesn't feel obvious or certain.

Barkley for 25M, I would take. If he can be the new Dembele and fill a number of roles in the meantime, it's a signing with purpose.

I just don't think we need to make a big signing to prove anything to any player we have already. If Dele looks at this team and enjoys playing with Kane, with Eriksen, with Dembele, with Dier, why does he need to see one of them replaced?

From what I've seen of both players I would say he's got more potential than GKN.

It's not about replacing players, it's about providing competition for places. Signings for the sake of signings are not a good thing but every club in world football needs to freshen/strengthen their squad on a yearly basis I believe.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Not just Greaves, but Martin Peters, a decade later. The first £200k player.

I know the likes of Chelsea and City were hopping to grow their Club organically then, and many Spurs fans weren't won over because of our success but our style of play alone. Indeed, many fans stopped supporting Spurs because we were the so-called "Bank of England Club".

I think it's impossible to compare spending in the 60's with today as the financial status of the game has changed completely. Clubs main source of revenue was through their owner (usually a local business man) and their gate money, most clubs could afford the same players and buying a foreign player was virtually unheard of. I'm getting on a bit but I can't remember us ever being referred to as a "Bank of England club" this sorriquet was usually given to Sunderland and Everton.

 

[Finney Is Back]

So who do we sign? Who is the obvious signing to give the players a lift? This German right back could be one, or the Porto guy, but other than that, where is the obvious gap in our first team? And where is the obvious player to sign that is going to come in to act as cover? Maybe Barkley?

We aren't standing still, and we are strengthening. Every year, if the players continue to improve, and get better by working together, we have strengthened. Has Kane reached his ceiling yet? Has Dier? Has Dele? You can bet Poch is working on all of these players to get them to improve, to do things they couldn't do last season, or to have them doing things in a consistently better way than they did before.

Good article here on this, likening us to the Golden State Warriors, who have obviously been pretty successful recently: http://www.skysports.com/football/n...sfer-experiment-will-continuity-bring-success

Arsenal often didn't make signings, but I would argue they still benefited from the consistency of knowing how to play together. The problem was, Wenger isn't a great coach and the young players didn't really reach their potential. Walcott, Oxlade, Giroud, too many players that had potential that never quite made it to an elite level. In 2 years, Poch has turned Kane, Dele and Dier into near enough elite players. He's turned Rose, Walker, Davies and Trippier into obvious internationals and some of the best in their position in the league. He's cultivated the genius of Dembele. He's allowed Eriksen to reach a level of consistency he's never attained before. Arsenal had an advantage when their scouting and dieting was more advanced, but now they need to spend again to have genuinely top players, because Wenger isn't going to improve the ones with potential to get to a really elite standard. Poch does, and that's why we aren't standing still.

Good points. Though I find it interesting that you list Dier as an elite player but not Eriksen (not to mention Rose, Walker, Toby and Wanyama). I like Dier but think he is probably the weakest member of our first team and the easiest to improve upon (prior to Walker leaving anyway). I think it is his versatility more than his quality that makes him such an important player, as he is only our third best centre half and second best holding midfield player.

 

[Finney Is Back]

So who is an average jorneyman in our first 11? Or which obvious quality players are we going to sign that come to sit on our bench? That are obviously, demonstrably better than Winks etc coming up from the academy?

If we sign Meyer, who is he replacing in our team? Eriksen? Alli? Son who got 20 goals last year and does everything Poch needs and wants? Is he really that player?

We arent a team who have a couple of good players and then more journeymen, we have a squad of players that are all getting better, together.

He would replace Omomah/Sissoko on the bench. I would rather have Barkley to be honest (who will take the same place on our bench)

 

[Finney Is Back]

From what I've seen of both players I would say he's got more potential than GKN.

It's not about replacing players, it's about providing competition for places. Signings for the sake of signings are not a good thing but every club in world football needs to freshen/strengthen their squad on a yearly basis I believe.

Very different players aren't they? Meyer a central schemer in the Eriksen mould whereas Nkoudou more of a wide player?
Meyer didn't really do anything more last season in Germany than Nkoudou did here did he? He also wasn't at the disadvantage of having to move to a new country and league and miss his new team's pre season.