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If we let the right people go (ie; NOT Caulker, but yes to Gallas/Bentley/Parker & Hudd probably) then the new signings can be seen as a definite upgrade... if we don't release/sell anyone, then it's just stockpiling, but just not as grand a scale as Man City or Chelsea have done down the years!!
I just worry about the team gelling as a whole. It has to take time for players to know instinctively how each other thinks on the pitch. Throw three or four new guys on the pitch and I would assume you may see some disjointed play within the team, no?
It's not like we had telepathic teamwork last year, we were already pretty disjointed. Especially after Sandro's injury, our teams never really gelled, but Bale's heroics papered over that.
I'd rather see some mix of Dembele, Paulinho, Sandro, Capoue, Chadli and Soldado get a trial by fire if the alternative is playing Livermore, Huddlestone, Parker, Defoe etc. for the sake of continuity.
I'd rather see some mix of Dembele, Paulinho, Sandro, Capoue, Chadli and Soldado get a trial by fire if the alternative is playing Livermore, Huddlestone, Parker, Defoe etc. for the sake of continuity.
If the general quality of the players is better than the likelihood is that in the long terms, once they gel, it will be a distinct improvement. That, in the grand scheme of things, seems to be worth it to me.
Now that the season has been put to bed, what is everyone's hindsight on bringing in so many new players? After reading Lombardi's front page article, (which I liked) should we not try and maintain some sense of unity within the squad and just change say, one or two things at a time? New manager and maybe a change for some competition for Rose? Or should we be going about wholesale changes again? I for one would rather see the former over the latter.
Peace
Peace
Van-Isle Yid
its always easier in retrospect...
also many of the comments on page 1 were made on the premise we were keeping bale..
still minus a few signings, we have been set up quite well for the future and although this season has been forgetable, it reminds me of commolli's stint in the hotseat...players will turn out the goods...even :lamelawtf::soldadowtf:
its always easier in retrospect...
also many of the comments on page 1 were made on the premise we were keeping bale..
still minus a few signings, we have been set up quite well for the future and although this season has been forgetable, it reminds me of commolli's stint in the hotseat...players will turn out the goods...even :lamelawtf::soldadowtf:
I don't want to see loads of changes. Two or three key signings max.
I also don't think that the season has proved that we signed too many players. Firstly, I don't think anybody thought that so many of them, coming with such good records and/or potential, would come up short. I think we have been unusually unlucky in that regard. I think under normal circumstances it was reasonable to expect at least two or three to come good, rather than just one.
Also, many haven't played together a great deal, with some coming and out of the side or simply not being around for large chunks of the season. They've had two different style of manager to deal with, one who was extremely stubborn and reluctant to change things up, another who was the exactly oppsoite and, frankly, gung ho and all over the place. I don't see how players can expect to gel or bed in if there is no consistency. I think the fact that we still got a 6th place finish with a decent points haul, despite all this, shows the squad still has ability.
I think there is a great deal of potential left in the squad, including the signings from last year, and I'd like to see an experienced manager get in and see what he can do with them. Overall I don't think we made a mistake making as many signings as we did. Bale was a huge void to try and fill and I think if the club had not reinvested the money our squad would not only be weaker than it is now, but Levy would have been heavily criticised by the fans.
I think the real question is not about the number of signings, it's about whether or not the signings we make are in keeping with the manager's plans. If rumours are to be believed then AVB didn't get the key signings he wanted. Maybe if he had then his football this season would not have been so dire, there would be no Sherwood and we'd not be looking at yet another man coming in. It's essential when interviewing a new manager that Levy agrees to identify and actually get the key players the manager thinks are necessary. Not lump others on him that the Director of Football thinks are worth it. My fear is, with rumours of Poch and FdB, Levy is looking for a man who is used to working with what he is already presented with. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Anyhow, I digress. The players brought in must also be ones who fit into a workable system. Square pegs in round holes will always present problems. I think the other problem with last year's signings is that the squad ultimately wasn't balanced. Again, that's not a question of how many signings there are. It's about whether or not the signings are the right ones to play together and compliment each other.
So, ultimately, I don't think it's a yes or no question. There are more factors involved.
I also don't think that the season has proved that we signed too many players. Firstly, I don't think anybody thought that so many of them, coming with such good records and/or potential, would come up short. I think we have been unusually unlucky in that regard. I think under normal circumstances it was reasonable to expect at least two or three to come good, rather than just one.
Also, many haven't played together a great deal, with some coming and out of the side or simply not being around for large chunks of the season. They've had two different style of manager to deal with, one who was extremely stubborn and reluctant to change things up, another who was the exactly oppsoite and, frankly, gung ho and all over the place. I don't see how players can expect to gel or bed in if there is no consistency. I think the fact that we still got a 6th place finish with a decent points haul, despite all this, shows the squad still has ability.
I think there is a great deal of potential left in the squad, including the signings from last year, and I'd like to see an experienced manager get in and see what he can do with them. Overall I don't think we made a mistake making as many signings as we did. Bale was a huge void to try and fill and I think if the club had not reinvested the money our squad would not only be weaker than it is now, but Levy would have been heavily criticised by the fans.
I think the real question is not about the number of signings, it's about whether or not the signings we make are in keeping with the manager's plans. If rumours are to be believed then AVB didn't get the key signings he wanted. Maybe if he had then his football this season would not have been so dire, there would be no Sherwood and we'd not be looking at yet another man coming in. It's essential when interviewing a new manager that Levy agrees to identify and actually get the key players the manager thinks are necessary. Not lump others on him that the Director of Football thinks are worth it. My fear is, with rumours of Poch and FdB, Levy is looking for a man who is used to working with what he is already presented with. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Anyhow, I digress. The players brought in must also be ones who fit into a workable system. Square pegs in round holes will always present problems. I think the other problem with last year's signings is that the squad ultimately wasn't balanced. Again, that's not a question of how many signings there are. It's about whether or not the signings are the right ones to play together and compliment each other.
So, ultimately, I don't think it's a yes or no question. There are more factors involved.
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I too agree there is huge potential with our squad. But I do think when you introduce 7 players who were getting fairly regular game time in their previous teams into a squad of 25, the chance of both keeping them all happy and finding the correct player combinations for specific games must be difficult for almost any manager. The politics alone would be tough. I couldn't imagine going to work one day and having 30% new coworkers show up. Team building takes time, something today's game seems to have no patience for.
Losing Bale, who won so many games for us in the previous season, was going to hurt regardless of what we did. Adding so many extra unknowns on top of it can't have helped at all. How could we have realistically replaced Bale? I have no idea...
Maybe we need a manger who can work with the players he is presented with. It certainly seems like that is the modus operandi of our club...
Losing Bale, who won so many games for us in the previous season, was going to hurt regardless of what we did. Adding so many extra unknowns on top of it can't have helped at all. How could we have realistically replaced Bale? I have no idea...
Maybe we need a manger who can work with the players he is presented with. It certainly seems like that is the modus operandi of our club...
No IMO. If I could get a reasonable offer for Lennon, Townsend, rose, naughton, Carroll, siggy, soldado, Livermore and falque I would sell them all and welcome another 7 signings.
As for adding to the current squad, I only want a left back with pace and experience and backup for walker.
The mistake avb/Sherwood made was he played our new signings in stupid positions/formations and surrounded them with dim bulbs.
If we do sign someone, no more funny buggers please.
As for adding to the current squad, I only want a left back with pace and experience and backup for walker.
The mistake avb/Sherwood made was he played our new signings in stupid positions/formations and surrounded them with dim bulbs.
If we do sign someone, no more funny buggers please.
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With the exception of Soldado i agree with you on all that (i just cannot believe that a guy who finished 3rd highest scorer in la liga after Ronaldo and Messi can have another season like that, both on and off the pitch).
We also need to be seriously looking at goalkeepers (for now and also for the future) as realistically we could start the season with none of last years three seniors at the club.
Good vision....while most of us were beating one off!
I think this season has proved beyond doubt that there can be too many signings.
The only signing this year should be a manager. I dont even want a LB at this stage.
Just someone to come in and manage what we have by playing to their strengths, and hopefully gaining respect and getting up confidence. With some decent training sessions.
Then look at the situation in January.
I dread this window....its hard enough to recognise the team as it is.
I still convinced last summers business can see us in fantastic shape for the coming season.
Its disappointing we didnt get more out of them this year, but IMO "1 year wiser" Chadli, Paulinho, Chiriches and Eriksen will all be jigh quality premiership players. Capoue I liked the look of, will be interesting to see him get a few games and Lamela will be like a new buy. Hopefully he wont stutter this time.
The only one I have real concerns for is Soldado, obvious quality but can a new manager get him to fit?
Its disappointing we didnt get more out of them this year, but IMO "1 year wiser" Chadli, Paulinho, Chiriches and Eriksen will all be jigh quality premiership players. Capoue I liked the look of, will be interesting to see him get a few games and Lamela will be like a new buy. Hopefully he wont stutter this time.
The only one I have real concerns for is Soldado, obvious quality but can a new manager get him to fit?
I had really high hopes and backed him hardcore up until jan.
I hope I am wrong, but IMO his prev team must have had amazing buildup because his back to goal crabbing etc seems lost in the prem.
It is a known fact that it takes 12 months for a foreign player to settle into the premiere league, but everyone ignores this and expects success within that time frame. If you buy a small number of players into a squad then the integration is much easier as the core of the team should already be a functioning and an effective unit and can therefore absorb one or two players into their style of play. Unfortunatly for us I feel that we didn't have a functioning team (not a truly strong unit with an established identity of playing), add 7 new players from outside the league, add 3 of the development squad (Townsend/Rose/Bentaleb), add Holtby and argue that a further x3 other players are new (Lloris, Vertonghen and Dembele) is it really any surprise why we have been the way we have this season………that's 14 new players in two seasons!!!!
On a positive note:
1. This squad has some very good individuals. The "quality" now exceeds 15 players (in the past I'd argue it was less than 8 players even in Harry's CL team).
2. With the exception of Lamela all our new players have experienced the intensity of the PL
3. With a new state of the art training facility everything is in place to support the players.
4. This squad has experienced upheaval and still finished 6th
5. This squad has experienced 2 mangers in a season and still finished 6th
6. This squad has experienced massive humiliating multiple defeats and still finished 6th
7. This squad has played in a morgue and still finished 6th.
8. For the first time in 20 years or so our development squad is looking strong and we have at least 8 of them who have now pulled on a first team shirt and played. (more than 8 if you include those who were in the squad in EL).
9. If there is truth in the links with FdB, Pochettino, then it shows that we do actually have a plan on the style of play we are striving for at Tottenham. I am not debating the individual abilities of these managers but mearly stating that the style of football that these managers are associated with is one which we crave and what we have already in place in our development teams.
10. Presumption, but as Sherwood has left the building after 6 years at the club and Baldini still remains then I see this as part of a plan, a new regime. When Redknapp and his team were fired the club stated that it wanted to change direction, or words to that effect. In came AVB and a DoF and 7 new internatioal players that by and large played in teams that had systems/formations we looked to emulate. The point here is that there is deliberate direction the club are morphing towards. As in my previous point we can debate allday long about what we are morphing into is good or bad, wright or wrong. But I am confident that after 13 years Levy has made up his mind on the structure and direction he wants of the club, rather than blindly bouncing around from one direction to another.
11. I was never a fan of Sherwood, but a part of me thinks that for all of his rants about the players this actually might have done some good (we will find out next season). IMO As fans the only thing we can demand and expect is a player to give 100%, if a player who puts on our famous shirt fails to give 100% he deserves to be slated. If he is not very good but gives 100% he deserves to be supported. I hope this message has got through to the players.
12. With a full pre-season under a good manager with limited changes to the squad we can push-on. 80% of what we need is in place.
*Bollocks got a bit carried away there*
On a positive note:
1. This squad has some very good individuals. The "quality" now exceeds 15 players (in the past I'd argue it was less than 8 players even in Harry's CL team).
2. With the exception of Lamela all our new players have experienced the intensity of the PL
3. With a new state of the art training facility everything is in place to support the players.
4. This squad has experienced upheaval and still finished 6th
5. This squad has experienced 2 mangers in a season and still finished 6th
6. This squad has experienced massive humiliating multiple defeats and still finished 6th
7. This squad has played in a morgue and still finished 6th.
8. For the first time in 20 years or so our development squad is looking strong and we have at least 8 of them who have now pulled on a first team shirt and played. (more than 8 if you include those who were in the squad in EL).
9. If there is truth in the links with FdB, Pochettino, then it shows that we do actually have a plan on the style of play we are striving for at Tottenham. I am not debating the individual abilities of these managers but mearly stating that the style of football that these managers are associated with is one which we crave and what we have already in place in our development teams.
10. Presumption, but as Sherwood has left the building after 6 years at the club and Baldini still remains then I see this as part of a plan, a new regime. When Redknapp and his team were fired the club stated that it wanted to change direction, or words to that effect. In came AVB and a DoF and 7 new internatioal players that by and large played in teams that had systems/formations we looked to emulate. The point here is that there is deliberate direction the club are morphing towards. As in my previous point we can debate allday long about what we are morphing into is good or bad, wright or wrong. But I am confident that after 13 years Levy has made up his mind on the structure and direction he wants of the club, rather than blindly bouncing around from one direction to another.
11. I was never a fan of Sherwood, but a part of me thinks that for all of his rants about the players this actually might have done some good (we will find out next season). IMO As fans the only thing we can demand and expect is a player to give 100%, if a player who puts on our famous shirt fails to give 100% he deserves to be slated. If he is not very good but gives 100% he deserves to be supported. I hope this message has got through to the players.
12. With a full pre-season under a good manager with limited changes to the squad we can push-on. 80% of what we need is in place.
*Bollocks got a bit carried away there*
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Agree with most of the points above, however IMO, finishing any lower than sixth/seventh this year would have been nigh on impossible and shouldn't be used as a justification for anything good or bad. All of the teams in the lower half of the table were pretty rubbish this year bar Crystal Palace after Pulis took charge. 7 had less than 39 points...
Yep. I do want a clearout of our coaching staff though. The old boys network has not helped with the starting 11. It's worked with the biz side (some good kids FINALLY coming through) but not from a "what the fuck are we doing" in general on the pitch on a Sat afternoon.
Whoever comes, I hope he comes with an army of right hand men etc.
