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Summer Transfer Strategy

Because I'm not sure Poch loans anyone he particularly rates. And because they are about 3/4 years younger yet at a similar stage of progress.

So basically you don't think he rates Pritchard despite him getting him a new contract last summer, stating then how he was in his plans and him getting injured subsequently (and hence being loaned out to get game time)?
 
Because I'm not sure Poch loans anyone he particularly rates. And because they are about 3/4 years younger yet at a similar stage of progress.
I think the sample size is probably too small at the moment.... Pritchard and Ball are two that Poch rates that went on loan under him. We also tried to loan out Winks in the second half of last season. The agent talk is that KWP will be loaned out this season and he is one of the more highly rated young players at the club.
 
Generally agree. I don't think we'll sign another CB because I) they don't need to rotate and ii) Dier, Davies and Wanyama can cover there.

I'd suggest a few tweaks in midfield - for me the 25 is:

Lloris
(Vorm + McGee)

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Rose
(Trippier/Wimmer/Carter-Vickers/Davies)

Dier Dembele
(Wanyama/Bentaleb + Winks)

Lamela Alli Eriksen
(Son/Mason/Njie + Onomah)

Kane
(Janssen)

Essentially I think Carroll, Chadli and Pritchard will be let go to not stifle Winks and Onomah
The back ups for Lamela, eriksen and Alli don't strike me as good enough for a team who will be fighting in the Pl and CL. Of course both Njie and Son may come good but not sure about Mason and onomah.
 
I think Mason and Onomah have a better chance than N'Jie.

N'Jie has pace, look at what Poch has been able to do with Walker & Rose. Pace is an amazing weapon, if Poch can get N'jie fit to the level of a Walker/Rose/Eriksen, and teach him a specific role within the team, he could be very effective for us.

Truth is, we have a first/best 11, we then have 4-5 players who are in rotation, 2nd squad starters.

Additionally we have seen proof it really takes players a long time to fit Poch, combination of having to understand their role, fitness required and some level of work done on their personal game. We probably have 10 players that have an opportunity to make the step up based on what they do in preseason and early games.
 
N'Jie has pace, look at what Poch has been able to do with Walker & Rose. Pace is an amazing weapon, if Poch can get N'jie fit to the level of a Walker/Rose/Eriksen, and teach him a specific role within the team, he could be very effective for us.

Truth is, we have a first/best 11, we then have 4-5 players who are in rotation, 2nd squad starters.

Additionally we have seen proof it really takes players a long time to fit Poch, combination of having to understand their role, fitness required and some level of work done on their personal game. We probably have 10 players that have an opportunity to make the step up based on what they do in preseason and early games.
Walker and Rose were already both very good players though (not saying N'Jie isn't I'm just not sure he is). Also Walker and Rose's pace is a weapon for us due to the fact that our midfield plays narrow, drawing the opposition's defence to do the same, leaving space for our two fullbacks to exploit - their pace is then a key attribute in them being able to exploit that space (and also to get back quickly if the opposition turn the ball over). I'm not sure that there are the same sorts of opportunities for our attacking right/left midfielders to utilise their pace, as they tend to be instructed to come inside. I can see that towards the end of games that we are winning, where the opposition start to chase the game and commit men forward, pace from our attacking wide midfielders might be useful in order for us to exploit the space in behind, but that is quite a specific case, in which we would probably be bringing N'Jie on as a sub to exploit.
 
Walker and Rose were already both very good players though (not saying N'Jie isn't I'm just not sure he is). Also Walker and Rose's pace is a weapon for us due to the fact that our midfield plays narrow, drawing the opposition's defence to do the same, leaving space for our two fullbacks to exploit - their pace is then a key attribute in them being able to exploit that space (and also to get back quickly if the opposition turn the ball over). I'm not sure that there are the same sorts of opportunities for our attacking right/left midfielders to utilise their pace, as they tend to be instructed to come inside. I can see that towards the end of games that we are winning, where the opposition start to chase the game and commit men forward, pace from our attacking wide midfielders might be useful in order for us to exploit the space in behind, but that is quite a specific case, in which we would probably be bringing N'Jie on as a sub to exploit.

I think that is the case, sub role on main team, a rotation option for lesser cups unless he really steps up his game
 
Interesting to see that the two main plans for the squad this summer (back-up DCM and back-up striker) have now been sorted and BEFORE the start of the season...it's amazing the difference a transfer/squad strategy led by a coach AND guaranteed CL footy makes..
 
From what little we've seen, Onomah looks like he'd be better in Dembele's deep-lying role than in the CAM position. But we already have Dembele, Bentaleb and Mason ahead of him. Ergo, I'd agree with @NaijaSpurs that a loan would probably be best for him to get consistent game-time and develop.

Other than that, @Robspur12's point is also a good one - the backups to the Lamela/Alli/Eriksen trio aren't entirely convincing. But, that's a lesser problem, since at least they do exist, which wasn't the case for Dier and Kane. If we can grab a top-class CAM to provide some fierce competition for those spots (or even take Alli's position in that trio, which allows Alli to be moved back into Dembele's role), great - if not, eh, it isn't critical to our prospects this season.
 
From what little we've seen, Onomah looks like he'd be better in Dembele's deep-lying role than in the CAM position. But we already have Dembele, Bentaleb and Mason ahead of him. Ergo, I'd agree with @NaijaSpurs that a loan would probably be best for him to get consistent game-time and develop.

Other than that, @Robspur12's point is also a good one - the backups to the Lamela/Alli/Eriksen trio aren't entirely convincing. But, that's a lesser problem, since at least they do exist, which wasn't the case for Dier and Kane. If we can grab a top-class CAM to provide some fierce competition for those spots (or even take Alli's position in that trio, which allows Alli to be moved back into Dembele's role), great - if not, eh, it isn't critical to our prospects this season.

Alli has a lot of work to do if he's going to play that deeper role.
 
If this N'Kodou signing goes through, then I don't see us making anymore signing's.

Agree that the majority of our transfers after will likely be selling (and that will be interesting)

That said, could see us looking at the market for a quality buy, if opportunity presented itself. As much as we admired our team last season, the one thing we haven't done with the 3 transfers is improve the first team, and we should always be on the lookout to do that.
 
Are we happy just having Eriksen/Dembele to cover the AMC position or do we think we'll bring in a dedicated player for that role/give Pritchard a chance
 
Are we happy just having Eriksen/Dembele to cover the AMC position or do we think we'll bring in a dedicated player for that role/give Pritchard a chance

I think Wanyama signing means that Mason will be pushed forward into that role. Like he did very well a few times last season (Everton and Sunderland maybe).

He's more like-for-like with Alli than anyone we have, and also has that chemistry with Kane from academy days (though I appreciate they were an age group apart and Mason partnered Obika more)
 
I think Wanyama signing means that Mason will be pushed forward into that role. Like he did very well a few times last season (Everton and Sunderland maybe).

He's more like-for-like with Alli than anyone we have, and also has that chemistry with Kane from academy days (though I appreciate they were an age group apart and Mason partnered Obika more)

i did forget about Mason tbf but @Roy1983 mentioned previously that Poch sees his role as a CM (iirc) so im not sure about that - though it is a possibility
 
ahhhh .. No, Rose was fudgeing terrible, the reaction to him signing his first extension with the club was so bad he closed his twitter account.
Rose was never terrible, the reaction from some of our fans to him signing the extension was bad simply because many football fans haven't actually got a Scooby about football. They see the opposition sometimes troubling us down our left hand side and wrongly assume that it must be simply because Rose is rubbish.

Rose had some excellent performances at LB under Redknapp showing that he had the right attributes to play there. He then went on loan and did very well at Sunderland. Under Sherwood he again played very well indeed at left - although some fans couldn't see it and wanted him out of the club.

Some of our fans think the transformation in Rose this season has come because of Pochettino's coaching. While I think Pochettino has improved him a little I think the transformation is actually down to the fact that he actually now gets support from his teammates. Last season with Chadli playing left sided attacking midfield and having little inclination to track the runs of the opposition's right back meant that teams would often look to double and treble up over that side. This often left Rose with more than one player to pick up and there is probably not a player in the PL who is good enough to consistently defend when outnumbered. This is in stark contrast to this season where Eriksen has covered a huge amount of ground to ensure that he always tracks the opponents right back. Rose has also had the benefit of Dier slotting in to become a third centre half and Vertonghen fanning out to help him when the opposition turn over the ball this season, not to mention Dembele also being stronger defensively than Mason.
 
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