First team after the window.

[Yiddo]

We have a very talented under 21's side, i hope we give some of them the chance to be squad players rather than buy new young players.

 

[chicken_badge]

I think we need to look at how we will be two deep for each position to begin with.
First choice player listed first.

Lloris, Friedel
Walker, Naughton
BAE, Rose
Kaboul, Dawson
Vertonghen, Caulker
Lennon, Townsend
Bale, Holtby
Sandro, ??????
Dembele, Carroll
Paulinho, Sigurdsson
Villa, Adebayor

Also remaining - Defoe, Dempsey, Livermore. There will be fringe youth as well but I think this is a list of our seniors for next year.

- Defoe or Adebayor may leave and we will replace them, but I don't think we will upgrade significantly. But this would be in addition to David Villa which DOES strengthen our hand.
- Full back cover is complex, in that Naughton is first choice cover for either side but we also have Vertonghen and Kaboul as options.
- Danny Rose complicates this further, could be cover at LB or LM. We don't seem to think that he's good enough to hold down a first XI place but the Sunderland crowd swear by him. Conclusion: more than capable of being good cover at LB/LM
- Bale isn't a LM for us anymore, nor is he even LW, he has a free role. He is so unique that I'd say only Ronaldo is comparable as "cover". But if he is out it's easiest to think about who we could bring in at LM to keep some form of shape.
- Not convinced Gomes or Friedel will last the season, or at least Friedel drops down to third place and a new second keeper comes in. Would be great if AVB showed some belief in Gomes as I do rate him still just his confidence is shot.

Looks to me like Parker and Huddlestone are on their way.

For me the big business to do after Bale (new contract), Paulinho and Villa is to bring in cover in that holding role. I think Carroll-Dembele-Paulinho would still be a solid core, but can't help but feel we need to have a workhorse in the mix and they are two a penny in England. I reckon that is a decent bet for our deadline day activity, could see Parker to Palace for £3m being one of the shock late deals.

 

[Spursalot]

I don't quite understand your formation chicken_badge...


-----------------------------------------Lloris/Freidel
Walker/Naughton-----------Kaboul/Daws----------------Vert/Caulk-----------------Bae/Rose


That makes perfect sense. I see what you are talking about with defenders. However Holtby backup for Bale? Is that as AM? I can only assume so as Holtby is a CM/AM. That gives you Lennon/Townsend on the right, Dembele/Carroll, Paulinho/Sigurdsson and Sandro would all be CMs, as the first choices there are all CMs. So..


Lennon/Townsend------Dembele/Carroll------Paul/Sig-------Sandro---------------------
--------------------------------------Bale/Holtby
------------------------------------Villa/Ade

Some sort of weird wonky?

I'm just a bit confused as to how your 'eleven' would line up.. Can you clarify it please?

 

[Rossi22]

Although, if you swap Ade for Bernard, we could have an AVB forward line.

 

[Kingdawson]

Sadly i don't think BAE would play that role effectively.

 

[Mumorn]

Bernard looks to be on his way to Porto, so you may as well scrap that line up.

 

[Spursalot]

Sadly i don't think BAE would play that role effectively.

Agreed, he doesn't have the pace. He's more of a cultured full back than he is a speed merchant.

 

[Rossi22]

Rose then.

 

[Rossi22]

I know 433 is all the talk but I'd be happy with this team to face Palace

Lloris
Walker Kaboul Vertonghen Ekotto
Paulinho Dembele
Lennon Bale Sigurdsson
Villa​

If we actually sign Paulinho and Villa of course. I imagine Dawson will keep his place for now though while Kaboul returns to fitness, AVB also seems to prefer Dempsey to Siggy.

Or 433 we could go

Lloris
Walker Kaboul Vertonghen Ekotto
Paulinho Holtby Dembele
Bale Ade Villa​

Or Siggy in there as either the 3rd CM or LF. I don't know, at least we'll finally have options.

 

[billyiddo]

^ i think we're setting ourselves up so that we won't be so reliant on one particular formation as such. i think 433 will be our 'strongest line up' ie when we play the big teams - but im sure we'll see the 4231 4411 etc etc plenty of times over the season.

 

[SpurSF]

^ i think we're setting ourselves up so that we won't be so reliant on one particular formation as such. i think 433 will be our 'strongest line up' ie when we play the big teams - but im sure we'll see the 4231 4411 etc etc plenty of times over the season.

I think our starting XI on our opening match will be...

----------Lloris---------
Walker-Vert-Kab-BAE
--Paulinho---Holtby
-----Dembele---------
Bale---Villa-----Lennon

When everybody is fit, I think Sandro replaces Holtby and Paulinho pushes further forward. That's what's so important about the Paulinho signing, is he offers us so much versatility. Holtby, Dembele, and Paulinho are all very versatile central midfielders, while Sandro is more of a specialist DM. Carroll can do a job in one of those positions, as well. Think we'll see Parker and Hudd moved on with Livermore continuing his role as EL specialist/emergency CM.

I think we still need one more forward player to replace Defoe or Ade (preferably Defoe), and I would love it to be Bernard, though I think that's unlikely. Still, that team looks quality. Paulinho looks such an immense player. COYS!

 

[Mumorn]

so is it a definite no no that Sandro won't be back in time?

 

[chicken_badge]

I don't quite understand your formation chicken_badge...


-----------------------------------------Lloris/Freidel
Walker/Naughton-----------Kaboul/Daws----------------Vert/Caulk-----------------Bae/Rose


That makes perfect sense. I see what you are talking about with defenders. However Holtby backup for Bale? Is that as AM? I can only assume so as Holtby is a CM/AM. That gives you Lennon/Townsend on the right, Dembele/Carroll, Paulinho/Sigurdsson and Sandro would all be CMs, as the first choices there are all CMs. So..


Lennon/Townsend------Dembele/Carroll------Paul/Sig-------Sandro---------------------
--------------------------------------Bale/Holtby
------------------------------------Villa/Ade

Some sort of weird wonky?

I'm just a bit confused as to how your 'eleven' would line up.. Can you clarify it please?

Basically, I don't think we can stick to a rigid formation whilst we play Bale as we (successfully) do in his free role. He's not LM, he's not behind the front man, he's wherever he wants to go. So with Bale we are 4-3-3 (sort of) but without we are 4-5-1.

I was looking at our squad and thinking about how we look if we try for two players per position. It comes undone a bit around Bale and the left side situation. I think people seem to put Bale in as a LM, which he isnt for us anymore.... but if you take him out of the team then we put in a left sided player to give the team a more orthodox (but not as effective) look. So that's why I think you could consider Holtby/Sig/Rose as appropriate understudies for Bale when it comes to this 2-players-per-position outline.

The line-up you post does look wonky for this exact reason, our first choice XI doesnt have a LM!

 

[Shropshire Yid]

I think the Paulinho signing really says two things about AVB's thinking for next season.

1) 4-3-3, he wants this option and the box to box midfielder who gets a few goals will offer this, the rotation of Sandro, Demebele and Paulinho will work really well, but we will need a few more goals from Moussa.

2) Style of football. Lets rewind 12 months, where we where chasing Mr Moutinho, a man who is all about possession and keeping the ball moving. This has now switched to Paulinho who isnt a keeper of the ball, but someone who effectivelyt moves the ball from defence to attack at speed. I think AVB has decided we are a better team attacking at pace and power instead of a team keeping the ball and being patient. The vision of his Tottenham team has changed in my eyes and thats probably down to Bale. Paulinho's signing is basically saying that we are building a team around Bale, because with this solid midfield three, Bale will have the license to play anywhere he likes next season, as Ronaldo does for Madrid.

 

[Amor]

I realy think its hard, we have so many midfielders that I cant see us holding em happy.

If Halilovic is so good as they say that he can go in the team when he comes then maybe the team is like

--------------------------Lioris------------------------
Walker------------Kaboul-------Daws---------Vert--
--------------------Sandro----Paulinho-----------------
-----Halilovic------------Villa----------------Bale
----------------------------Defoe-------------------

No way does Defoe still have a spot in a starting 11 with Villa included.

 

[DubaiSpur]

--------------------Lloris-------------------

Walker----Kaboul--------Verts------Rose

-------------------Sandro------------------

----------Paulinho------Dembele-------

Bale--------------------------------Villa

-----------------Soldado----------------

Subs: Friedel, Dawson, Smith, Holtby, Parker, Siggy, Defoe



Squad: Archer, Caulker,Townsend, Jedvaj, Lennon, Luongo

Out on loan:

Alen Halilovic
Tom Carroll
Alex Pritchard
Souleymane Coulibaly
Shaquille Coulthirst

 

[The Moonlit Knight]

so is it a definite no no that Sandro won't be back in time?

If it then we need to keep Parker, or replace Parker with a defensive midfielder. Find it very strange the amount of people who think Paulinho is Parker's replacement when they play in completely different positions. A central midfield of Dembele, Paulinho and one of Bale, Holtby, and Sigurdsson would be like swiss cheese defensively against a good team.

 

[braineclipse]

If it then we need to keep Parker, or replace Parker with a defensive midfielder. Find it very strange the amount of people who think Paulinho is Parker's replacement when they play in completely different positions. A central midfield of Dembele, Paulinho and one of Bale, Holtby, and Sigurdsson would be like swiss cheese defensively against a good team.

I disagree, Paulinho is at least as solid defensively as Parker was last season after his injury.

I think you might be underestimating Dembele defensively, he looked better in that regard than Parker last season, yet I don't think you would have a problem with us playing Paulinho and Parker.

Based on reports it seems that Paulinho is a fairly versatile midfielder capable of playing multiple roles.

 

[Mumorn]

If it then we need to keep Parker, or replace Parker with a defensive midfielder. Find it very strange the amount of people who think Paulinho is Parker's replacement when they play in completely different positions. A central midfield of Dembele, Paulinho and one of Bale, Holtby, and Sigurdsson would be like swiss cheese defensively against a good team.

Paulinho has been playing defence all Confederations Cup. We played the second half of the season practically without a defensive midfielder. Parker was more box-to-box (which I imagine Paulinho will be) with Dembele next to him.

 

[Gutter Boy]

First 11:

------------------Lloris

--Walker-----Kaboul---Vertonghen---BAE

---Paulinho--------Sandro-------Dembele

--Bale------------Leandro--------Villa


Second 11:

------------------Friedel

-Naughton----Dawson----Caulker----Rose

--Sigurdsson--------Holtby----------Carroll

--Lennon---------Adebayor-------Dempsey


Making up the 25:

Smith, Townsend, Falque