Squad

[Gutter Boy]

So agree with your priorities, although think it was clear if we could have got him, club would have gone for Savinho.

My view
- We may go back in for Savinho in January, so the LWF
- Didn't seem an obvious FB option, hence the Akanji links
- Next summer may be a target of a more progressive 6 than Palhinha

Think this is the first window in a long time, the majority of the signings walk into/improve first 11.

Add in Romero signing as well, looks good, lets see what Frank does from here

I think Frank decided early on that Davies would suffice as 2nd LB and 5th/6th CB. I dont think we were ever looking at that position this year.

With Palhinha I think we're just going to see how Gray (and Abbot) matures this season, then decide weather to extend Palhinha, get someone else, or give Gray the starting shirt

 

[Raziel]

I think Frank decided early on that Davies would suffice as 2nd LB and 5th/6th CB. I dont think we were ever looking at that position this year.

With Palhinha I think we're just going to see how Gray (and Abbot) matures this season, then decide weather to extend Palhinha, get someone else, or give Gray the starting shirt

I suspect we will extend Palhinha (knowing us, after negotiating the price down a little), will see re Gray, feels like a few of our younger players will need to prove themselves in rotation/cup games this season.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I suspect we will extend Palhinha (knowing us, after negotiating the price down a little), will see re Gray, feels like a few of our younger players will need to prove themselves in rotation/cup games this season.

Frank already backed Gray in the Burnley game. With his age and intensity, i doubt Pahlinha will clock 30 games across all comps this year; i think we'll save him a bit for the bigger games

 

[Mabspurs]

I think Frank decided early on that Davies would suffice as 2nd LB and 5th/6th CB. I dont think we were ever looking at that position this year.

With Palhinha I think we're just going to see how Gray (and Abbot) matures this season, then decide weather to extend Palhinha, get someone else, or give Gray the starting shirt

I love your enthusiasm - albeit misguided - for random academy players but do you seriously envisage, even in your wildest of wild dreams, that a 20 year old - whose experience next year would amount to a season in League 2 and another in League One with a couple of minnow clubs - to influence Frank's decision whether or not to sign Palhinha permanently????

 

[Muttley]

So agree with your priorities, although think it was clear if we could have got him, club would have gone for Savinho.

My view
- We may go back in for Savinho in January, so the LWF
- Didn't seem an obvious FB option, hence the Akanji links
- Next summer may be a target of a more progressive 6 than Palhinha

Think this is the first window in a long time, the majority of the signings walk into/improve first 11.

Add in Romero signing as well, looks good, lets see what Frank does from here

Yeah, I agree we may try for another special player in January.

As for Akanji, I have a feeling we would have preferred Ake but glad we got neither. I've noticed Kirkez, Dorgu and Ait-Nouri have made moves in the last couple of windows. Perhaps the next one like this will be ours to get. It seems Udogie isn't that robust either.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I love your enthusiasm - albeit misguided - for random academy players but do you seriously envisage, even in your wildest of wild dreams, that a 20 year old - whose experience next year would amount to a season in League 2 and another in League One with a couple of minnow clubs - to influence Frank's decision whether or not to sign Palhinha permanently????

We've seen Kane and Alli do it in the last decade, so why not!

 

[braineclipse]

I suspect we will extend Palhinha (knowing us, after negotiating the price down a little), will see re Gray, feels like a few of our younger players will need to prove themselves in rotation/cup games this season.

Assuming Kulusevski is out for the first half of the season... I count two players for each position in midfield and up front + 1. Maybe I'm miscounting?

Unless we're exceptionally lucky with injuries (that would be a first) Tel, Odobert, Bergvall and Gray are important squad players. Starts for them will probably be limited at first at least. League cup, sub appearances. As you say they have to prove themselves, with limited minutes and in training. As it should be.

 

[braineclipse]

We need Simon's in the middle and he's a level above Maddison so Maddison isn't taking the middle once he returns and as much as I like Kulu I don't seriously see him usurping Xavi for that role either but it will be good to finally have depth in the creative areas.

I do largely like the work we've done in the squad this sun er. I proved the technical level in some critical areas. The attack which was super weak has jumped up some levels with the addition s of Kudus, Xavi and now Muani. I wish we could have gotten a LWF as well to really fill all the attacking gaps.

My priorities as stated before

RWF (Kudus)
CM (Palhinha)
LB
AM (Simons)


Striker was the next but I wasn't expecting anything so didn't bother thinking about it. So very happy to get one in and moreso a player I actually already rate in Muani.

After this the obvious hole is the LW and the LB but maybe we can address in the winter window.

I agree with that.

Do you see Kolo Muani mostly as a striker for us? I think he'll be used both on the left and up front depending on what we need and of course how well he does in those positions.

Not a winger type like Savinho and more of an inside forward from the left, but I think that suits Frank and us quite well. Particularly with Udogie at left back who will be more of an overlapping threat.

A winger type like Savinho would have been a really good addition. But I also think Kolo Moani looks like a really good addition there. Should help us with hold up play as well as ball progression while also being a threat in behind and a good goalscorer. Him and Kudus either side should work well, but also could give enough hold up play, dribbling etc to give more balance with him on the left and Johnson on the right compared to Tel or (last season) Son.

All of that particularly with Simons added in the middle.

 

[braineclipse]

Well, I don't think we're quite at that level because of the weaker first eleven compared to that one. That first eleven was the best since 1961. Any Spurs side is going to struggle being compared to peak Poch Spurs - that season in 2016-17 when we were blowing teams away for fun.

But the backup is a lot stronger than that group's was, for sure. I think I would phrase it as - weaker first eleven, stronger backups for squad positions 12 through 25.

Think we're a good shout for 5th-6th if we can avoid injuries, which would be a good start for Frank.

I think that's spot on. And I think the strength of the squad will do us a lot of good, the lack of that was a big part of the downturn from that "blowing teams away for fun" peak.

What is really exciting about this squad now is the amount of players where there's at least some realistic hope that they can develop into players at the same level as that peak Poch team. The lack of those players in that Poch squad, the "next generation" was another issue with that peak Poch squad.

I'm also really interested to see how the comparison to the starting 11 at the peak Poch time will look as the season progresses. I think you're spot on, not as good. But I think some of our new signings will close that gap significantly if they deliver what we hope this season.

 

[Mabspurs]

We've seen Kane and Alli do it in the last decade, so why not!

Not to persist but.... your premise was that Frank would decide on signing Palhinha based on Abbott's performance at the mighty Wycombe Wanderers.... that is what I commented on

 

[Gutter Boy]

Not to persist but.... your premise was that Frank would decide on signing Palhinha based on Abbott's performance at the mighty Wycombe Wanderers.... that is what I commented on

And Poch sacked off Soldado and then Adebayor for Kane, who'd shown a few flashes, but had mainly just floundered in lower league loans.

 

[Bishop]

I agree with that.

Do you see Kolo Muani mostly as a striker for us? I think he'll be used both on the left and up front depending on what we need and of course how well he does in those positions.

Not a winger type like Savinho and more of an inside forward from the left, but I think that suits Frank and us quite well. Particularly with Udogie at left back who will be more of an overlapping threat.

A winger type like Savinho would have been a really good addition. But I also think Kolo Moani looks like a really good addition there. Should help us with hold up play as well as ball progression while also being a threat in behind and a good goalscorer. Him and Kudus either side should work well, but also could give enough hold up play, dribbling etc to give more balance with him on the left and Johnson on the right compared to Tel or (last season) Son.

All of that particularly with Simons added in the middle.

I'd expect him to be striker because it's his main position and I think he's a level above our other options assuming he adapts well. In the long run I just think Frank will end up picking him there because his attributes and abilities provide the best options for the role imo.

He can play either side though so there is the chance that there will be games where that's what makes the most sense from Frank's pov but I'd expect him to largely play through the middle.

The technical quality has just kind of gone through our recent ceiling and very happy with that. Medium turn I'm happy enough giving Odobert and Tel the chance to impress, I quite like Odobert and willing to see what Tel can offer. Savio would have been even better but that always felt like a long shot to me. There are reports that we seriously tried for Malick Fofana on deadline day so if true it suggests Frank isn't currently satisfied with his LW options which I see as a good thing. I generally think you should always try to improve things and especially think the manager should be thinking that way too.

 

[Bullet]

I don't disagree with a lot of the above.

However, people are focusing on a 4231 and thus saying Xavi could be in the #10 and Muani could be striker or left.

It is possible Frank will go 433 or 442 or 1111111111 for all we know. That is the beauty of these flexible players who are not solely "left wingers" or "strikers" and can adapt and flow.

Remember last year we occasionally played with no striker e.g. Deki as false 9, then also with Sarr as false 9, so we might play 450 and just allow these really good players to rotate and do crazy things.

 

[Mabspurs]

And Poch sacked off Soldado and then Adebayor for Kane, who'd shown a few flashes, but had mainly just floundered in lower league loans.

Shown a few flashes?? Seriously? Maybe you were still too young to remember but Poch sacked off Soldado only after a full season of Kane delivering in the Premier league... not League 1. Again... my comment was all about your usual hyperbole....