1) Guaranteed starters.
Eriksen.
Lloris.
Ade (though for me he needs rotating and rest to play at his peak).
Walker.
Vertonghen
2) Players who you think have the most promise and deserve to start, and why?
Rose. With the lack of other options he could almost go into the guaranteed starter category. I think with time and good management, he'd be similar to Walker. Only 23 years old the right coach can make him into a very good player. Always going to be a bit skittish in defence until he matures - like Walker.
Soldado. We need experienced players. He raises our level of quality, and if he starts scoring, could be a big asset. The question is, would you start him over Ade? Or what is the best way to rotate them?
Dembele. With the right manager to pull it out of him - more determination and calm in front of goal - he could go to the next level. But at 26 he has to do it now. Still probably our best all round midfielder.
Sandro. He has a voodoo like ability to take the ball off opponents. But he will get injured. Can score long range goals, he's added that to his game, but as that goon lada says, his passing needs to improve a bit.
Paulinho. A bit like Dembele, you see he has something but he can be frustrating. Not great in defence but the most adapt at scoring goals from the midfield. If he is playing in a clear system he would benefit (as most players probably would).
Chadli. Could be a monster. He's in that shy, extremely powerful, great potential mould not a million miles from where Bale was at at a younger age. Again the right manager and application from him, could see Chadli become a player who scares defences.
The problem for ANY manager, is how to fit these and others who could stake a claim - like Sig, amazing on his day, Lennon, decent going forward and snapping back regaining possession, Capoue, Holtby etc - into a team. We definitely need to shift at least one or two players.
So from my list above:
Lloris
Walker ?????? Vertonghen Rose
Sandro Dembele
Chadil Paulinho Eriksen
Ade/ Soldao
Chadli, Paulinho and Eriksen to drop back to make a 5 man midfield unit when we need to defend, with just Sandro staying deeper when we attack. We can throw people forward in possession BUT they have to race back to defend as a unit - something we are not seeing at the moment and TS' biggest failing for me. We need a new CB. Dawson or Chiriches are both very good. We are lucky to have them both. Truth be told we are spoilt for players. But, as TS alluded to (crudely) we have too many similar players, and either some need to step up and distinguish themselves as being in the 'first name on the team sheet' category, or we need to convert a number of decent players into exceptional first on the team sheet players (i.e. sell a few of the good players and buy one or two clearly better players who could hit the ground running). But that is easier said than done. How do you tell an Eriksen from a Lamella?
