The transfer window is now closed in the UK. Here is a summary of our activity: IN: Cristian Romero, Emerson Royal, Bryan Gil, Pierluigi Gollini and Pape Sarr (loaned back to Metz). BACK FROM LOAN: Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon OUT: Juan Foyth, Toby Alderweireld, Moussa Sissoko, Erik Lamela, Danny Rose, Serge Aurier, Joe Hart, Paolo Gazzaniga, And most significantly, Kane stayed. Not a bad first window for Fabio Paratici - he got rid of some of the driftwood and addressed some of the concerns - RB, CB and GK. We still lack a playmaker in midfield, with Lo Celso lacking the consistency or the fitness to cement his place in the staritng XI. Ndombele could be that player, but apparently wants out of the club. A solid squad with a couple of exceptional players, but not the aimless rabble we were for most of last season.
All young players brought in. Mostly old players out. I think I heard Lloris is the only player over 30 left.
Levy will like that. The numbers tend to work out this way. The key question, though, is will we have and maintain a balanced squad. Getting young talent and profiting on their development is great -especially for an agent- but if it's not the right talent ... well, that'd be like bringing in Damien Comolli all over again.
Apart from giving away bonehead penalties, hitting crosses into the stand, making foul throws and being constantly out of position, I'll admit, he was pretty good. When even Daniel Levy is willing to eat 23 million in transfer fees, you have to be pretty bad. This guy was on the market and NOBODY in football anywhere wanted him.
It was cheaper to let him go for nothing rather than let him sit it out and pay his wages for a year. He did a couple of foul throws and crap crosses, but he also did some great crosses and goals too. Most of his cackness was when he was settling into the EPL, which I'm sure we can agree is a couple of steps up from the French league. Highlight reel, schmighlight reel, but his full-blooded rampaging play was pretty good. I think most of us were just annoyed that he wasn't as good as Trippier, who like so many other players was allowed to leave Spurs on the cheap and then won trophies;
Well if you want him on your team, he is available for free. I don't see a huge queue out there for his services.
Statistically speaking he wasn’t as bad as my memory, but not great. 77 appearances, 5 goals, 12 assists, 2 red cards, 1mown goal, 1 error leading to a goal, 16% cross accuracy.
Only one error leading to a goal? I can remember him giving away 4 penalties in the short time he was with us. Believe me, we are much better off without him.
I don't see Aurier anywhere near as harshly as Golara, but that 'one error leading to a goal' thing cannot be right.
Well if he conceded 4 penalties, there are 4 errors leading to goals right there. Just picking him in the side is an error.
Off the top of my head, I can think of 3 that were converted and they all ended up costing us points. One of them was at Brighton, just after Harry Kane had given us the lead: we ended up drawing. One was at Anfield with 15 minutes to go and the scores level: we ended up losing 2-1. And I quite clearly remember last season against Leicester, he conceded in first-half stoppage time of a 0-0 game that we went on to lose 2-0. Jose subbed him at half-time and he reacted by storming out of the building like the dickhead he is. Anyone remember the other one?
No idea. I just know that it seemed like every week he'd either make one big mistake that cost us, or he'd make one that didn't, and you'd breath a sigh of relief and think, "there it was, and we got away with it!" ... kinda like Y.P. Lee, but without the being lovable part. Aurier was better than Lee going forward, though, to be fair.
Don't be breaking on Chumbawumba, now! Chelsea got no joy down their left in the 2-1at The Lane in '06, and I don't have to tell you why. Watch your step!
No, the volcano game was later. This was the one with Ledley's tackle on Robben, Dawson's header, Lennon's winner, routine uneventful transatlantic flights, and my ass in the Park Lane end. The volcano game was the one with my ass sat in The Acme, necking Bell's Oberon and fuming in general.
While I watched the game with your ticket. Thank you Pook, and random geological events. Let me know when you're next over.
On the upside, the volcano spared me sitting through the most boring Steel City Derby ever. Silver linings, and all. Fuming aside, I was pleased the ticket went to good use. As to next time over, I was hoping it would be this fall, but now I'm looking at yet another 'career' adjustment, so that may be put on hold yet again. But yeah, I'll let you know whenever it happens. We'll get a couple down t'neck.
None of our Lb's or Rb's will ever reach the majestic heights of the god that is Mauricio Taricco. Totally unironically my favourite ever Spurs player.