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*
