January 2015 Transfer Window DISCUSSION Thread

[Juicy Sushi]

Contract expires this summer and he's seemingly not keen on renewing it.

Ah, I was not aware of that. Cha-ching!

 

[ArtyB]

Do you understand that he won't go to a club which cannot offer him regular football?

Are you his confidante or something?

 

[ArcspacE]

Are you his confidante or something?

No - just someone who's thinking critically

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

I like Dembele a lot, but i just dont see him fitting fully integrated in Pocho tactics.

I am being a tad facetious here but if I'm not mistaken he was at the heart of our midfield against Chelsea, you know, the game that we ripped them to sheds and dominated their midfield. In a game where we saw Poch's style played out in front of our eyes.

 

[Tomo]

I think Dembele can be ok when partnered with Bentaleb or Mason, basically someone with high energy who passes forwards quickly, but Dembele with Stambouli, Paulino, Capoue etc doesn't look that great.

 

[Macch]

I am being a tad facetious here but if I'm not mistaken he was at the heart of our midfield against Chelsea, you know, the game that we ripped them to sheds and dominated their midfield. In a game where we saw Poch's style played out in front of our eyes.

You mean Bentaleb. After Mason went down Bentaleb played out of his mind.

 

[VirginiaSpur]

I think Dembele can be ok when partnered with Bentaleb or Mason, basically someone with high energy who passes forwards quickly, but Dembele with Stambouli, Paulino, Capoue etc doesn't look that great.

Playmakers vs. Holding Players

 

[Benny]

Holtby signs permanently for Hamburger SV.

http://www.bild.de/sport/fussball/lewis-holtby/hsv-hatihn-schon-gekauft-38090412.bild.html

Officially, Lewis Holtby (24) only on loan this season of Tottemham Hotspur for zero euros - including the option that the HSV could oblige the national team this summer for 6.5 million euros. It was thought previously.

But now unveiled IMAGE: HSV Holtby has already bought! The midfield star remains until the 2018th

Because the mistaken purchase option for Holtby was due within three (!) Games. His third appearance was the German-English Matchday 5 in the 0: 1 defeat in Mönchengladbach.

He has now made five Bundesliga games for Hamburg.

 

[ArtyB]

No - just someone who's thinking critically

By just making shit up?

 

[ArcspacE]

By just making shit up?

Yes, mate - he wants to sit on the bench

:llorisserious:

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

I think Dembele can be ok when partnered with Bentaleb or Mason, basically someone with high energy who passes forwards quickly, but Dembele with Stambouli, Paulino, Capoue etc doesn't look that great.

It's a conundrum for sure and hard to say how the jigsaw fits if it actually does at all. But of those players mentioned all of them with the exception of Paulinho can play football.
Dembele - One of our most skilful players but slows down midfield, that said apart from Palace game he has been very direct and his sub appearances have changed the game some what and against Chelsea he was brilliant. But there will also be games where he is exactly what we need, when we are 2 goals up and need to control the game by keeping possession etc.
Capoue - From what I can tell it's a mental thing rather than an ability thing. If this is the case them fuck him but impossible to judge unless we attend training sessions. I feel he sits very deep drops in between the CB's and then sprays long balls, where as by contrast Bentaleb sit's in-front of CB's and plays shorter passes through opposition.
Stambouli - I think he has been great for us. Not first 11 but a decent squad player. The only negative I've seen is he is fucking slow, which shouldn't be a major issue for one of the 2 holding midfield positions.
Paulinho - Should be a farmer or a fisherman as he clearly not a footballer.

It is clear than non of them have the variety that Bentaleb and Masson do.

 

[ArtyB]

Yes, mate - he wants to sit on the bench

:llorisserious:

OK I have a challenge for you...Find me the quotes.

 

[Jayc1]

We don't have 40 million to spend on a player. We never have. We don't really have 30 million for a player, for that matter, especially in January. It's not about showing intent by spending. We need to show intent by winning. We are pretty clearly seen to be trying in that regard, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to sign Lloris, Vertonghen or several others. The argument over critical investment is viable, but it's a combination of player availability, and suitability. We could have signed Suarez from Ajax, but didn't because of Harry. We spend what we have, and really didn't have a choice with the Bale sale. If we didn't spend it then, everyone would know for sure how much we had, and adjust prices accordingly. As it stood, we only overpaid on a few of the players, rather than all of them if we'd waited.


I don't feel it is revisionism. It's easy to say in retrospect that we should have replaced a striker. It's also very short-termist. We have to give players time to settle and work things out. 3 managers in 9 months is a pretty massive level of chaos for a squad, so it would be pretty foolish to judge the players on that chunk of time. A lot of fans also claimed we needed a new LW because Chadli was rubbish, that Kane should be sold because he was too slow and clumsy, and that Dawson was still a great CB.

All of those things have proven to be wrong, but fans wanted that done. We did not know how players would respond to the impact of Pochettino. Chadli, it turns out, is a pretty damn handy LW. Danny Rose responded beautifully to the challenges of Pochettino's system and Ben Davies. He's not perfect, but he's miles better than last year. Christian Eriksen went from being a pretty good AM to a 2-way monster who'd quietly the best 10 in the Premier League (yet ignored by the press). Nabil Bentaleb kicked on from being Sherwood's pet to a 20-year old CM who's looking like he could be a Pirlo/Zidane-level player when he matures. And Kane is the best striker Spurs have seen since Sheringham, and I think the best we've had since Greaves.

All of those things were against a lot of fan narrative, and completely contradicted the idea we needed to buy new players. We didn't know that it would happen, but the club gave them a chance. It also was necessary to give Soldado and Adebayor a chance as well. It hasn't worked out, but saying we needed to drop 20 million on Bony in the summer, when our Head Coach was asking the opposite, and when we have no idea if he'd even want to come (looking at Spurs in the summer, if you were Bony and looking for a step up, would you move here, rather than waiting for City or Chelsea to come?) is a bit ill-considered.


I'd seen we offered 18, not just the initial 12. And there is no guarantee Schneiderlin will actually leave Soton. They didn't want him to go last year, I doubt they'll want him to go this year either. Soton also knew how good he was, and unlike Lalana, Lambert, Chamberlin and Shaw, actually didn't want to let him go.


It has, but circumstances have intervened. AVB got backed, enthusiastically. We then had the legs kicked out from under the table with the Bale sale, and our subsequent need to rebuild (which didn't work out).

It's not just about spending money on players. It's about supporting Pochettino with the right players for his system, along with giving him the other resources (scouting/analytics/training) needed to support the squad. We need to be smarter in every aspect, not just overspending with money we don't have. And that will mean we have to take our time finding the right solution, rather than the solution fans and the media cheer for the most.

Being concise is a skill. No one wants to read a 1,000 word forum post...

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

You mean Bentaleb. After Mason went down Bentaleb played out of his mind.

Dembele replaced Mason and yes Bentaleb was brilliant as too was Dembele.

 

[durbanspur]

I don't quite understand how Levy's business brain works. Sell the flops and make a loss, heck give the flops away. In the long run you would probably make more just on the wage savings alone than the selling fee. Not to mention teams would be more willing to take them. Levy is downright stupid in his evaluations of players.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

I don't quite understand how Levy's business brain works. Sell the flops and make a loss, heck give the flops away. In the long run you would probably make more just on the wage savings alone than the selling fee. Not to mention teams would be more willing to take them. Levy is downright stupid in his evaluations of players.

You and I must hook up, I like your approach to business. Seriously if you want to buy or sell anything, cars, house you name it, PM me. Looking forward to working with you.

 

[Fryer]

We don't have 40 million to spend on a player. We never have. We don't really have 30 million for a player, for that matter, especially in January. It's not about showing intent by spending. We need to show intent by winning. We are pretty clearly seen to be trying in that regard, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to sign Lloris, Vertonghen or several others. The argument over critical investment is viable, but it's a combination of player availability, and suitability. We could have signed Suarez from Ajax, but didn't because of Harry. We spend what we have, and really didn't have a choice with the Bale sale. If we didn't spend it then, everyone would know for sure how much we had, and adjust prices accordingly. As it stood, we only overpaid on a few of the players, rather than all of them if we'd waited.


I don't feel it is revisionism. It's easy to say in retrospect that we should have replaced a striker. It's also very short-termist. We have to give players time to settle and work things out. 3 managers in 9 months is a pretty massive level of chaos for a squad, so it would be pretty foolish to judge the players on that chunk of time. A lot of fans also claimed we needed a new LW because Chadli was rubbish, that Kane should be sold because he was too slow and clumsy, and that Dawson was still a great CB.

All of those things have proven to be wrong, but fans wanted that done. We did not know how players would respond to the impact of Pochettino. Chadli, it turns out, is a pretty damn handy LW. Danny Rose responded beautifully to the challenges of Pochettino's system and Ben Davies. He's not perfect, but he's miles better than last year. Christian Eriksen went from being a pretty good AM to a 2-way monster who'd quietly the best 10 in the Premier League (yet ignored by the press). Nabil Bentaleb kicked on from being Sherwood's pet to a 20-year old CM who's looking like he could be a Pirlo/Zidane-level player when he matures. And Kane is the best striker Spurs have seen since Sheringham, and I think the best we've had since Greaves.

All of those things were against a lot of fan narrative, and completely contradicted the idea we needed to buy new players. We didn't know that it would happen, but the club gave them a chance. It also was necessary to give Soldado and Adebayor a chance as well. It hasn't worked out, but saying we needed to drop 20 million on Bony in the summer, when our Head Coach was asking the opposite, and when we have no idea if he'd even want to come (looking at Spurs in the summer, if you were Bony and looking for a step up, would you move here, rather than waiting for City or Chelsea to come?) is a bit ill-considered.


I'd seen we offered 18, not just the initial 12. And there is no guarantee Schneiderlin will actually leave Soton. They didn't want him to go last year, I doubt they'll want him to go this year either. Soton also knew how good he was, and unlike Lalana, Lambert, Chamberlin and Shaw, actually didn't want to let him go.


It has, but circumstances have intervened. AVB got backed, enthusiastically. We then had the legs kicked out from under the table with the Bale sale, and our subsequent need to rebuild (which didn't work out).

It's not just about spending money on players. It's about supporting Pochettino with the right players for his system, along with giving him the other resources (scouting/analytics/training) needed to support the squad. We need to be smarter in every aspect, not just overspending with money we don't have. And that will mean we have to take our time finding the right solution, rather than the solution fans and the media cheer for the most.

 

[durbanspur]

You and I must hook up, I like your approach to business. Seriously if you want to buy or sell anything, cars, house you name it, PM me. Looking forward to working with you.

Sure... I would like to give you a :baeshock: and an FREE OF CHARGE ( I will throw in my ex wife just to sweeten the deal )

 

[ArtyB]

I don't quite understand how Levy's business brain works. Sell the flops and make a loss, heck give the flops away. In the long run you would probably make more just on the wage savings alone than the selling fee. Not to mention teams would be more willing to take them. Levy is downright stupid in his evaluations of players.

It's called buying low and selling high, I don't think anybody ever made money buying high and selling low...

 

[Jayc1]

It's called buying low and selling high, I don't think anybody ever made money buying high and selling low...

If their contracts run out in the summer what money is going to be made? As I said before, there's no money to be made this window, only money to save.

If anyone thinks we're going to get a lot of money for Kaboul, Adebayor and BAE whose contracts run out in the summer, they're having a laugh. Not sure why that's so hard for people on here to understand, almost as bad as Levy. "Kaboul? £10 mil."

"Sell high, buy low", not when you're under pressure to sell and save money on wages.