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Summer Transfer Strategy

is this better - In truth I was so disappointed when he flopped, I'd spent the previous season watching Saville play and drooling.

Being dyslexic I can't always see mistakes.
I'll help a fellow yid out...
Bad - Saville :mad:
Good - Seville :)
 
I'll help a fellow yid out...
Bad - Saville :mad:
Good - Seville :)

I genuinely did not see that folks........still found it funny

I can get quite prickly about people correcting grammar and spelling.........but that was not one of those occasions :D
 
Must admit I missed it to until lemonades post made me go back and read it again.
Yours mind finishes the word when you know what it should be.
Gave me a good ole chuckle to:D
 
1. CF then CM then AM
2. Not a huge number. Always though Witsel looked decent and that Batigol at Marsielle has looked good in the snippets I've seen of him
3. Fazio, Carroll, Chadli, Yedlin, Vorm
4. Njie, perhaps Mason and Bentaleb
 
In a Pochettino team I think if we were to shift Alli back into Dembele's role, then instead of Lamela moving into the centre we would be more likely to see Kane playing in the number 10 role with our new striker (Batshuayi?) up front in the number 9 role.


I would love to see that happen as I believe that Kane would be even better from that position.
 
Watching the goals that cost us against WBA and Chelsea.... I think the WBA goal was scored by the player that Dier was picking up? Chelsea's first goal came from the player that Alderweireld was picking up.

In Fazio we already had a great player to deal with "balls floated into the box and defending corners".... The problem is that while improving us in this respect, having him in the team makes us so much worse in others. Perhaps we can find a more dominant defender in the air than Jan or Toby, but can we find one who is also good enough in other aspects of their play? You also have to consider that if (as you advocate) we play that new centre half instead of Vertonghen, it still wouldn't have stopped the goals against WBA or Chelsea that were scored by Dier and Alderweireld's players respectively.... Or do you want us to also change to zonal marking for corners?

I have to say mate that I am not sure if that is the answer. Don't Leicester man mark at corners? They certainly look more solid. Perhaps we need a Wes Morgan type defender in there. Although you pick out those 2 examples there have been times when anyone of our defenders has been at fault. I understand what you say about Fazio, it was the same with Dawson. However, brain farts aside at least Fazio and Vertonghen had complementary skills and actually for a while last season played very well together. Verts and Alderweireld, imo, are very similar and the choice to sacrifice vertonghen is because overall I believeToby is the better, more important player. It's just my opinion but bear in mind this issue was such an important factor in our stalled title challenge it needs to be addressed. Poch of course may decide the problem is elsewhere.
 
I want athletes who dominate the space they inhabit.
Kane, dembele and Toby and rose do this and when dier gets there we will start winning stuff.

And when we get two or three at that level we will do great things.

Alli, eriksen and lamella are one player too loose in the blancmange stiff wobbly balance I like.

I love our 2015/16 vintage but we have to freshen up.
 
I have to say mate that I am not sure if that is the answer. Don't Leicester man mark at corners? They certainly look more solid. Perhaps we need a Wes Morgan type defender in there. Although you pick out those 2 examples there have been times when anyone of our defenders has been at fault. I understand what you say about Fazio, it was the same with Dawson. However, brain farts aside at least Fazio and Vertonghen had complementary skills and actually for a while last season played very well together. Verts and Alderweireld, imo, are very similar and the choice to sacrifice vertonghen is because overall I believeToby is the better, more important player. It's just my opinion but bear in mind this issue was such an important factor in our stalled title challenge it needs to be addressed. Poch of course may decide the problem is elsewhere.
This season we conceded the least goals in the league. Less than Leicester. You claim that the issue at the end was an important factor in our stalled title challenge, but I would argue that our defence (incl Alderweireld and Vertonghen) were a huge part in us actually managing to challenge for the title in the first place. In the last few games of the season Alderweireld's performances dropped, perhaps because he didn't handle the pressure well, or perhaps just because he was tired after having played every game that season? But to break up the best defence in the league over a stutter in the last 10% of the season really doesn't make sense.

I really, really don't understand why anyone would advocate replacing Vertonghen because Alderweireld's performances dropped in the last 4 games? There is no logic in it at all.

For just about any goal in any game you can pick fault with at least one defender when a goal is scored. If every defender, defended perfectly then football matches would just about always end up 0 - 0.

My own thoughts are that Dier is probably the weakest of our 'big' men when defending set pieces. I think he has to toughen up a bit and really look to make the ball his.
 
This season we conceded the least goals in the league. Less than Leicester. You claim that the issue at the end was an important factor in our stalled title challenge, but I would argue that our defence (incl Alderweireld and Vertonghen) were a huge part in us actually managing to challenge for the title in the first place. In the last few games of the season Alderweireld's performances dropped, perhaps because he didn't handle the pressure well, or perhaps just because he was tired after having played every game that season? But to break up the best defence in the league over a stutter in the last 10% of the season really doesn't make sense.

I really, really don't understand why anyone would advocate replacing Vertonghen because Alderweireld's performances dropped in the last 4 games? There is no logic in it at all.

For just about any goal in any game you can pick fault with at least one defender when a goal is scored. If every defender, defended perfectly then football matches would just about always end up 0 - 0.

My own thoughts are that Dier is probably the weakest of our 'big' men when defending set pieces. I think he has to toughen up a bit and really look to make the ball his.
This is my last post on this matter Finney, I think you are rather straw manning my argument. Without doubt we conceded less goals than Leicester but we also finished 10 points behind them. One of the reasons for that is we lost the most points of all clubs in the PL from winning positions. It's a stat which I am sure Poch will want to address. It has happened throughout the season, so I am not sure why you keep focusing on the last few games, Perhaps you have misunderstood me or believe I am spacegoating Jan. I am not. We have to improve our resilience when in front. It is my perception that we concede a lot of goals from corners and high balls into the box so I would address this. I agree about Dier not being
particularly good at set pieces but I don't think Jan is either. So we have at least 2 defenders who do not defend set pieces or high balls into the box particularly well, so imo it would make sense to consider bringing in a defender who does. If we had to get rid of a defender to make way it would not be alderweireld. So that effectively leaves Jan and Wimmer. We have seen that interchanging between these two seems to make liitle difference to the defence so I would sacrifice Verts. If the right offers came in because he is probably on the higher wages and fetch a larger transfer fee and Wimmer was scouted by Poch. Look this is just my opinion it may not be correct as I have said there could be an entirely different way to deal with this which Poch will decide.
 
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Fair enough. I think we are all at varying stages of anger/disbelief/disappointment/acceptance of how the season has ended. A bit like the stages of grieving I guess! And as someone here mentioned, our pride has been hurt as well.
I'd love to know what happened, but I doubt there will ever be an explanation that can be pinpointed.
The important thing now is to get the strategy right over the summer, get in those key, quality players that Poch identifies as soon as is possible, and draw a line under this season.
For all we know, it could have been a calculated tactic by Poch to out certain players. Which might explain his laid back demeanor. Perhaps he didn't expect it would be this bad, but that is still good information for him to use in upgrading the squad.

Just a theory...
 
Been saying this elsewhere, but our transfer strategy should be tailored around our youth and player development plans as that's one of our greatest strengths at the moment.

Take Bentaleb, Onomah, Pritchard, CCV and Ball for example. If Pochettino sees 2-3 of those as players that should be in or around our match day squads next season getting game time along the way that hugely influences our transfer strategy compared to if he doesn't think any of them are at that stage right now.

Players with big potential for development should be prioritized.

I would be happy with 1-2 players that immediately compete for a place in the starting 11 this summer. Wouldn't be unhappy with more, but that for me is pretty much the base line. From the outside there's not a need for big changes. We'll get better as our very young squad learns and grows and keeps developing under Pochettino.
 
Been saying this elsewhere, but our transfer strategy should be tailored around our youth and player development plans as that's one of our greatest strengths at the moment.

Take Bentaleb, Onomah, Pritchard, CCV and Ball for example. If Pochettino sees 2-3 of those as players that should be in or around our match day squads next season getting game time along the way that hugely influences our transfer strategy compared to if he doesn't think any of them are at that stage right now.

Players with big potential for development should be prioritized.

I would be happy with 1-2 players that immediately compete for a place in the starting 11 this summer. Wouldn't be unhappy with more, but that for me is pretty much the base line. From the outside there's not a need for big changes. We'll get better as our very young squad learns and grows and keeps developing under Pochettino.

I agree. I do think that we need to clear some space to allow players such as Winks, Ball and Pritchard to get game time, if they are to feature in Poch's plans for next season.
 
I agree. I do think that we need to clear some space to allow players such as Winks, Ball and Pritchard to get game time, if they are to feature in Poch's plans for next season.

Winks replacing Carroll as 5th CM
Pritchard replacing Chadli as 6th AM
2CV replacing Fazio as 4th CB

sounds very sensible to me. Not convinced by Ball yet - think he might be this year's Fredericks/Hall
 
We're not standing still. Dier (22), Mason (23), Bentaleb (21), Winks (20) is an incredibly young midfield (with Dembele now at his peak). The will all get better each year as they head towards their peak in 5-8 year's time.

CL is no different to the EL really. Similar teams, 2 less games, you get knocked out in the last 16 by a big name. That's it really.

And the other clubs won't improve - they've all being going backwards for 5 years now, and will continue down the same wrong paths.

I did not say we are standing still, I said:

"So you think our current midfield makes us strong enough? You jest. We are in the Champions League and we need to challenge for the title. If we do not improve our midfield then we are standing still, and with the other top clubs all strengthening we will be effectively going backwards"


The implication is that if we do what you want and just buy a couple of back up players (to the likes of Kane ad Dier) we will be left standing still and to assume otherwise is naive.

Firstly, Arsenal under Wenger may not be going forward with vimmer but they have still managed to finish above us for 20 seasons in a row

And do you really think Man Utd will not improve under Mourinho? Jose will will not be buying back up players to move forward

Ditto like Mourinho Pep will have as much money as he needs and he too will not be settling with backup players

Klopp will be given a treasure chest to fashion his own team in his image

And do you honestly think Conte will not endeavour to bring in quality at Chelsea to get back in the Champions League and challenge for the title?

While we may not be able to compete financially with those teams it is ridiculous if we do not bring in players that greatly improve the quality of our first team squad, in essence players that are good enough to compete with our starting players for their places. Competition breeds excellence, just ask Danny Rose
 
I think our CM partnership is the key and if one of Dembele or Dier are missing se struggle. We need to buy a suitable back up / competition for Dier which is looking like it could be Wanyama. We also need another top player to compete with Dembele. I don't think Mason and Carrol are good enough and even though Bentaleb has the attributes to be good competition for Moussa, is his attitude right?

We obviously need cover for Kane but rather than a like for like striker, i think we need a tricky player who can take on defenders and try different things. Not sure who is available that fits that description but that kind if forward could easily change our game for the better.

Last position i think we need to upgrade is the wing forwards. Chadli is not consistent enough for me and someone of that build should be bullying defenders but he doesn't seem to know how. As for Son, he looked very good pre injury but has not hit the heights of that since his return. Hopefully after a pre season he can show us what he is all about.

So summary

Imo we need

Competition for Dier
A top class play making midfielder to rotate with Moussa

A replacement for Chadli

And a different option from Kane up top.

Selling Mason, Carrol, Chadli, Fazio and possibly Bentaleb (but can't see 3 cm's being sold) should give us a decent amount of money to play with and i'm sure we have a set transfer Budget aswell.
 
I think our CM partnership is the key and if one of Dembele or Dier are missing se struggle. We need to buy a suitable back up / competition for Dier which is looking like it could be Wanyama. We also need another top player to compete with Dembele. I don't think Mason and Carrol are good enough and even though Bentaleb has the attributes to be good competition for Moussa, is his attitude right?

We obviously need cover for Kane but rather than a like for like striker, i think we need a tricky player who can take on defenders and try different things. Not sure who is available that fits that description but that kind if forward could easily change our game for the better.

Last position i think we need to upgrade is the wing forwards. Chadli is not consistent enough for me and someone of that build should be bullying defenders but he doesn't seem to know how. As for Son, he looked very good pre injury but has not hit the heights of that since his return. Hopefully after a pre season he can show us what he is all about.

So summary

Imo we need

Competition for Dier
A top class play making midfielder to rotate with Moussa

A replacement for Chadli

And a different option from Kane up top.

Selling Mason, Carrol, Chadli, Fazio and possibly Bentaleb (but can't see 3 cm's being sold) should give us a decent amount of money to play with and i'm sure we have a set transfer Budget aswell.
I'm hoping this past season was a wake-up call for Bentaleb. From the heights of 2014-15 to 168 total PL minutes in 2015-16. Sure he can go to another team, but will it be a contending one and one where the coach rates him as much as Poch does when his attitude and application are where they should be. So I'm looking at these two factors and going he'll be part of the plans for next year.
 
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