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Official - Holtby

I can't understand it, the lad looked like a perfect squad member for this system.

I don't think that he was interested in being a squad member. That considered, I think that it is best for all parties but I wish him well for the future.
 
Levy would want at least £15 mill for Paulie, can't see anyone being that stupid at the moment... I like Lewis a lot, nice caracter and a lot of passion in his game. I belive that Milo is on the right track, don't think Holtby wanted to be a squad player, and left for Hamburg to be an important player. He wouldnt have been for us - he isnt close to being as good as Chadli, Lamela and Eriksen IMO - and he is a bit to hot headed position wise to be one of the two DM.
 
Ultimately we need to sell before we can buy. Him and Sigurdsson are similar. Both good players. But not quite enough for us if we aspire to be in the CL. So we have to sell them, combine the cash and buy an Eriksen, Lamela, Lloris quality of player who can take us up a notch. No doubt Paulinho was bought in as such a player. But they don't all work out.
 
Ultimately we need to sell before we can buy. Him and Sigurdsson are similar. Both good players. But not quite enough for us if we aspire to be in the CL. So we have to sell them, combine the cash and buy an Eriksen, Lamela, Lloris quality of player who can take us up a notch. No doubt Paulinho was bought in as such a player. But they don't all work out.

true but the 80/20 rule comes to mind.

siggy costs is in the 20% impact is in the 80%
paulie/soldado costs is in the 80% impact is in the 20%

i know we profited but i don't think we traded well.
 
Ultimately we need to sell before we can buy. Him and Sigurdsson are similar. Both good players. But not quite enough for us if we aspire to be in the CL. So we have to sell them, combine the cash and buy an Eriksen, Lamela, Lloris quality of player who can take us up a notch. No doubt Paulinho was bought in as such a player. But they don't all work out.

I would have prefered Siggy to Paulinho too.

Edit: Let me expound on that a little as I'm drinking.

Both Siggy and Paulinho drew Lampard comparisons when they were purchased. But let's not kid ourselves, Siggy was/is half the player Lampard was and Paulinho is some smaller fraction of that. Lampard was a far better player in almost every aspect of the game to both of these guys much as it pains me to say it. But, we misused Siggy on the left mostly and then decided to flog him as he wasn't Iniesta. If we wanted a Lampard type player and the impact that gives a team then we should have setup like Chelsea and played him in the position that Lampard played in. We never really mimicked Mourinho's setup and as such we had no place for Siggy in the line-up, or at least no place that would get the best from his talents. Ditto for Paulinho really, but unless we change formation we will get no value from this signing. Paulie is a spare wheel for the wrong vehicle. And he is the lesser of two similar type players we had on the books.

To get back on topic with Holtby. Moving him on was a mistake I think. Financially maybe not but I don't give a toss about that really. My initial impression of Holtby when I watched him for Schalke was that we were signing a similar player to VDV. Yes he had played in midfield for Schalke but for me that was never his position. He was a number 10 that roamed a bit to get involved, just like VDV did. I can recall many comments about VDV dropping too deep and not holding shape, and Holtby did the same really. It was tagged as a failing for VDV but for me it was crucial to our recycling of possession back then. I think Holby could have grown with us and Poch but for whatever reason that was not meant to be.
 
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Yes we often buy speculatively. Holtby, Sig could have become the next big thing. But we probably made money on them. We didn't bring in Suarez sadly. I think our transfer policy has been on the money most of the time. Maybe they - Levy - needs to trust in what they do more and go for those Suarez, Depay type signings more when we get the chance. Levy's team seem to choose the right players 90% of the time, so if Levy is brave and pushes through some more expensive slight higher quality signings Spurs would benefit.
 
Yes we often buy speculatively. Holtby, Sig could have become the next big thing. But we probably made money on them. We didn't bring in Suarez sadly. I think our transfer policy has been on the money most of the time. Maybe they - Levy - needs to trust in what they do more and go for those Suarez, Depay type signings more when we get the chance. Levy's team seem to choose the right players 90% of the time, so if Levy is brave and pushes through some more expensive slight higher quality signings Spurs would benefit.

I really like Depay and I think he definitely worth a punt. He looks to me to have outgrown that league but as with every signing it's gamble I suppose.
 
I would have prefered Siggy to Paulinho too.

Edit: Let me expound on that a little as I'm drinking.

Both Siggy and Paulinho drew Lampard comparisons when they were purchased. But let's not kid ourselves, Siggy was/is half the player Lampard was and Paulinho is some smaller fraction of that. Lampard was a far better player in almost every aspect of the game to both of these guys much as it pains me to say it. But, we misused Siggy on the left mostly and then decided to flog him as he wasn't Iniesta. If we wanted a Lampard type player and the impact that gives a team then we should have setup like Chelsea and played him in the position that Lampard played in. We never really mimicked Mourinho's setup and as such we had no place for Siggy in the line-up, or at least no place that would get the best from his talents. Ditto for Paulinho really, but unless we change formation we will get no value from this signing. Paulie is a spare wheel for the wrong vehicle. And he is the lesser of two similar type players we had on the books.

To get back on topic with Holtby. Moving him on was a mistake I think. Financially maybe not but I don't give a toss about that really. My initial impression of Holtby when I watched him for Schalke was that we were signing a similar player to VDV. Yes he had played in midfield for Schalke but for me that was never his position. He was a number 10 that roamed a bit to get involved, just like VDV did. I can recall many comments about VDV dropping too deep and not holding shape, and Holtby did the same really. It was tagged as a failing for VDV but for me it was crucial to our recycling of possession back then. I think Holby could have grown with us and Poch but for whatever reason that was not meant to be.

I liked both Holtby and Sig and wouldn't be shocked if they go on to be successful and have longevity. (Ironically, I don't recall too many accolades from fans when they played for us, in fact to the contrary.) But if you can move those type players on, especially at a profit, then you have to at least consider it because you figure they are replaceable. You can't really compare them to Paulinho straight up because they are very different players. I think with Paulinho you are/were looking for quality and class, a real difference maker, who can bring or add something nobody else will. Obviously he isn't/hasn't done that so far and maybe never will, but I can see what tree they were barking up.
 
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Lewis Holtby is back in Germany on loan with Hamburg, but it's fair to say his Bundesliga return is not going to plan so far.

Having been relegated on loan at Fulham last season, Holtby faces another battle, early on it seems at least, with Hamburg amassing only six points all season, sitting 16th of 18 teams in the division.

Holtby has made six starts and one substitute appearance, and so far has no goals and just the one assist to his name.

He has been deployed in a variety of positions, attacking midfield, left wing, and defensive midfield.

German newspaper BILD report that the biggest problem facing Hamburg, is the attempt to squeeze both himself, and Rafael van der Vaart into the same team.

The former Spurs playmaker, like Holtby, flourishes in the attacking midfield position, but Holtby's flexibility means he is often the one shunted about, and has been mainly since the Dutchman returned from injury.

New coach Joe Zinnbauer admits he is unsure of a solution: "We have two outstanding footballers in the position. We will come up with something. Holtby can also play on the left or on the right."

Van der Vaart's performances this campaign have hardly helped the situation, he has no goals and no assists, and is rated by performance index whoscored as Hamburg's 17th best player this season, but as the club captain, there is reason to keep him in the side.

For Holtby it is a familiar problem not only because of Van der Vaart's Tottenham connection.

He is encountering the same problem as he did at Spurs, unable to play in an attacking midfield role on a regular basis because there was a clear first choice, Christian Eriksen.

The situation will come to a head however, as Holtby is just, officially, on a year's loan, and Van der Vaart's contract expires at the end of this season, a deal Hamburg are yet to renew despite his captaincy.

They may well be guided by their fight against relegation, but Hamburg will have to choose between one of the two if they can't find room for both, and with Holtby reported to be a 'done deal' by the German media unofficially already, it could spell bad news for Van der Vaart.


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/10/27/tottenham-loanee-holtby-encounters-familiar-problem-at-hamburg/
 
More stadium cash. How long is it, five years since a net spend?

6 - it was Jan 09

6 down, 3 or 4 to go

But to be fair i) most people haven't even noticed and ii) we haven't dropped off - we're still the 6th richest club and tend to finish in the top 6
 
Having surgery today for a collar bone fracture sustained in a preseason friendly.

Expected to be out for around 10 weeks.
 
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Flashback evening to remember the nice Moments at the lane! Love to our Spurs Fans and of course our HSV Fans!!
Coys/nur der HSV :))))))))
 
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