And maybe Lamela will be better than Bale and Chadli will be better than Lennon was back then. But somehow I have serious doubts. The only midfielder I see being better is Eriksen could have a better career than VDV did, but how long will he stay at a team that fights for a midtable spot before he gets restless and tries to force a move to a team that competes for domestic championships and at least plays CL? A player like Eriksen didn't go to Spurs because he was a big fan or anything. He went there because it seemed like a club with ambition and a good career step. He was probably likely to move on after a few years, but I can't imagine the lack of ambition in the transfer market is helping keep good players around. Levy and Poch both seem happy to take the slow approach of adding a piece or two if they're available for the right price. The problem with this approach is that a star player emerges, but there's large holes in the team, and by the time a good player is finally found to fill a hole, the star player has moved on to a team that actually competes for silverware. This team has struggled to find even a poor-man's Modric, and now there isn't even a poor-man's Sandro to provide some cover for the defense. It's funny. In previous summers, Spurs would target a bunch of quality players, wait too long, someone else would sign them and spurs would sign some random player from Fulham or France instead. This year, they tried to get Schneiderlin, and when that failed put in some half-assed bids for players that were obviously not for sale (Wanyama and Bender)
DDG is a class act even though he was screwed by Man U. Berahino not so. Glad we didn't get him, probably going to do the same thing to us if he is a success.
Or you take the Bale money and you blow it on questionable pieces at the wrong prices. You're probably right that given our current revenue we're stuck in a vicious cycle that prevents us from competing with the top clubs because of the exact problem you point out. But since Spurs aren't going to spend like United, it seems the best recourse is to build by buying the "right" player at the "right" price, while incorporating the youth players. And, who knows, maybe when Chelsea and United come for Eriksen and Lloris, Levy pulls a WBA or Everton and says we're only selling on our terms and price. At the very least, it appears that right now there is some sort of method to the usual Spurs transfer madness, and, IMHO, I think that's a positive.
Lennon got to be 1 of our best value buy. At 1m(probably 3-4m now with inflation), he has done a really good job when compared to players like Bentley and Lamela.
In Kevin Wimmer (Cologne) Undisclosed Full story Kieran Trippier (Burnley) Undisclosed Full story Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid) Undisclosed Full story Clinton Njie (Lyon) Undisclosed Full story Heung-Min Son (Bayer Leverkusen) Undisclosed Full story Out Cristian Ceballos (Charlton Athletic) Free Bongani Khumalo Released Paulinho (Guangzhou Evergrande) Undisclosed Lewis Holtby (Hamburg) Undisclosed Etienne Capoue (Watford) Undisclosed Full story Younes Kaboul (Sunderland) Undisclosed Full story Benjamin Stambouli (Paris Saint-Germain) Undisclosed Roberto Soldado (Villarreal) Undisclosed Dominic Ball (Rangers) Loan Vlad Chiriches (Napoli) Undisclosed Shaquile Coulthirst (Wigan Athletic) Loan Ryan Fredericks (Bristol City) Undisclosed Brad Friedel Retired Grant Hall (Queens Park Rangers) Undisclosed Aaron McEneff Released Alex McQueen (Carlisle United) Free Jonathan Miles Released Nathan Oduwa (Rangers) Loan Connor Ogilvie (Stevenage Town) Loan Grant Ward (Rotherham United) Loan DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland) Loan Full story Aaron Lennon (Everton) Undisclosed Full story
You summed up my concerns there. The Stoke game fell apart because of our lack of a competent DM and the way we lost our shape up front without any one to lead the line once Harry went off. N'Jie and Son will chip in with goals, sure, but we play a 4-2-3-1. Who leads the line when Harry goes out? Who is the DM that's going to relieve the back 4 of pressure?
When Lennon next comes back to WHL (shame the Everton game's gone for this year) I want every man, woman and child on their feet for him. What that lad has put into playing for this club, he's one of us. Best of luck Aaron Lennon. May you continue to score injury time equalisers against Arsenal, winners against Chelsea, skin Milan teams of either description.
very poor last transfer day - me pissed big time at least almost all deadwood is out, so no excuses anymore
We have a team full of kids that have shown promise but haven't shown consistency. Kane is a shadow of himself last season and it was wrong for any of us to expect him to do the same thing this season, it's Messi rare that a player keeps those numbers consistent. We have absolutely no experience at CM and expect us to be mowed down against most teams in the middle. The only chance we have is scoring more goals than the opposition. Expect Eriksen and Lloris to be sick and tired of this sh*t and want out in the next year or two, hell I would if i was them too. They could start on pretty much any team they want!
There is something very reactive, petulant and unprofessional about his behavior through all of this. In the long run, you need a quality professional, not a head case.
We're four games into the season. We lost the "experience" of Capoue, Stambouli and Paulinho in midfield. We added two CBs and an RB and two pacey winger types. Dier, while not a household name at DM and probably not the long-term solution, looked pretty darn good against Everton (I mean, he's an upgrade on Mason in that position). Despite Rose being hurt and Dier learning how to play DM in the PL, we're tied for 5th in the PL in goals allowed. Kane hasn't had Eriksen in two straight and has yet to play with Clinton N'Jie and Sonny. He's pressing, no doubt, but it looks like he's now going to get some support. Do we have room for improvement? Yes. Were we going to realistically fill all our needs in this transfer window? No. Did any club? I doubt it. I dare say we're a better club this season. The results haven't shown it, but we now seem to have more quality off the bench and a group of kids from which one or two may emerge as a quality player. Not top four, of course, but...
I don't think it's such a bad transfer window. Ok, maybe not the best but far from worst. 1) DM position. Dier has pretty much proved that he can play there in the game against Everton. Both Toby and Vertonghen are from the school of total football(Ajax), if there is a need, I believe they could play there as well. Fazio has played there in the past for Sevilla too. The only question I have is whose decision was it to sell Stambouli? 2) Striker. Son and N'Jie should be able play upfront. According to scouting reports, N'Jie is a quite a good finisher. If Poch somehow is willing to open the door for Ade, we have another option. Ade has proven he can play but always just lack motivation. There is no doubt this team is stronger and closer to what Poch wants. There shouldn't be too many excuses for us not to have a good cup run and finishing in the top 6.
Indications are that Pulis wanted Berahino sold so he could improve his team. So I think very good chance we come back for him in January and they let him go. His contract status helps us. Witsel seems to think Zenit will let him go in January, so may be able to get him then. I don't think Southampton will let Wanyama go in January, but depends where they are in the league. If they're just midtable, not likely to be relegated or finish above us, then good chance they could cash in.
spurs may deal for one of those, but I cannot remember any recent January window where they went out and splashed the cash. seems to me they just fill in a hole with a role player or two
I like the Pochettino & Levy looked at the squad and said "yeah, one striker with a single good season is enough." I can't be too disappointed. They failed trying to spend big, might as well fail cheaply.
We should just move on from Berahino even if he is available in Jan. If Ade is a cancer, Berahino will be his successor with his attitude.
At least Berahino has the excuse of youth. Ade? Reporter on the NBCSN transfer window broadcast last night says that Ade is chauffeured to the training ground every day. If he really wanted to play football, he would have taken a buyout at less than the contract and then signed with West Ham. Still would have gotten his windfall and a contract at West Ham on top of it. Of course, I'm sure Levy was offering next to nothing to buy it out.