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Agreed.
I think Vertonghen has been superb, especially 2 seasons ago but like nearly all our team he was comparatively poor last time round. Dropping him for whatever reason is what managers are paid to do and they live and die by those decisions.
More worryingly is that we have both Vertonghen and Alderweireld in the final year of their contracts and no centre half who is making that position unequivocally theirs.
It needs fixing but sentiment should not get in the way of the bigger picture.
Yeah, if he was 20 I would say he gas time. He has been here for 3 seasons and I don't see progression, sorry.
If we need to rotate throughout the season to keep players fresh, which ultimately we will need to, especially with ageing CBs whose contracts are expiring then surely home games like the one against Villa yesterday are the ones to do it in.
Integrating Sanchez into the first team will be vital for next season with one or both of Toby and Jan gone and if we are to get the most out of our squad and use it across a season, the likes of Sanchez, KWP & possibly Skipp etc being utilised in games like Villa at home is better than up at Old Trafford etc.
In the end the team Pochettino selected collectively won by a two goal margin. No damage came from the decisions he made, whatever the reasons behind making them were so there's nothing to be concerned with.
Is there a chance Poch sees the Man City game being more necessary for a fully fit and fresh Vertonghen instead of Villa at home? Time will tell and we'll possibly see come next Saturday.
2 seasons, just starting his third. 1st season was great, 2nd not so much as he was in and out of the team and constantly playing with different partners. You don't often get the finished article at centre back by the age of 23. He needs games and time, sadly which he won't get if we have fans jumping all over his back.
Nailed it.
The same applies to Eriksen IMO.
If they're not going to sign new contracts, then they are going to be rotated/dropped all season long.
I can see a Toby/Jan combination against the top teams but not against the rest.
This has to be the reason really.
I thought Sánchez was poor yesterday
Early days I know but not been impressed with him so far
Personally don't think he was any worse than Alderweireld yesterday. None of our defenders were particularly poor. Rose falling asleep for their goal aside.
Centre backs mature at a different rate than attacking players. People tend to forget this. Toby only really became great at 26-27. Jan and VVD as well. You could see the makings of a top notch CB in them before that. But they only really put it together once they had enough experience. The same will most likely apply to Sanchez.
Poch said with 7 more players in the squad don't expect anyone to play every week. I would bet Kane breaks this rule, but otherwise it looks like a lot more rotation this year.
Tbf our defence didn’t have a lot to do but we could still have quite easily gone two behind
They’ll be tested next week though
Very much so.
Big call for Pochettino on what to do. I'd personally either go with the exact same back four we just saw for some consistency or potentially go 3 at the back, introduce Vertonghen and push Rose and KWP high up.
Do you think 3 at the back will work against Shitty?
If we play the first half like yesterday we will get annihilated
I think it'd work better than the diamond would!
I was beginning to think this had flown over everyone's head.
Agreed on that one
I would prefer 442 with Harry up top and one of Moura Dele or Lamela playing off him
It’s going to be tough