Summer transfer thread, AvB window wrap up pg 1527

[papaspur]

Fernando Llorente and Javi Martinez were left off Athletic Bilbao's Europa League playoff squad with the Spain internationals reportedly set to leave the Basque club.

The pair was left out of the 5-3 Spanish league loss to Real Betis and will also miss Thursday's first leg against HJK Helsinki.

Martinez, a defender or midfielder, has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich. Llorente told the club he would not renew his contract, which runs to the end of this season, with several European teams eyeing the powerful striker.

Last season, Bilbao reached the Europa League and Copa del Rey finals.

Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa says "with those left we'll try to achieve something like we did last season."

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ESPN SoccerNet

 

[AdamB]

How would it look to you with Moutinho and M'Villa as well?

Excellent in terms of depth however overly defensive with 3 out of the first 4 (Parker, Sandro, M'Villa) more defensive than creative

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I know little about him but, having read comments from those who do follow Spanish football closely, Isco is the Malaga player we should be going for.

Line ups

MALAGA

Wiilly, Gamez, Weligton, Demichelis, Monreal, Joaquin, Toulalan, Maresca, Eliseau, Isco, Fabrice
Bench : Kameni, Sanchez, Camacho, Duda, Portillo, Buonanotte, Juanmi

PANATHANIKOS
Karnezis, Boumsong, Vyntra, Spyropoulos, Velázquez, Sissoko, Vitolo, Mavrias, Zeca, Katsouranis, Fornaroli
Bench : Kotsolis, André Pinto, Marinos, Christodoulopoulos, Lagos, Toche, Petropoulos

I have to be honest, I barely recognise any of those!

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Excellent in terms of depth however overly defensive with 3 out of the first 4 (Parker, Sandro, M'Villa) more defensive than creative

Considering we are likely looking at a midfield 3 with either Sigurdsson or VDV at the top?

 

[Jordinho]

Juanmi and Sissoko of Liverpool fame? Demichelis is awful, as is Boumsong.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Juanmi and Sissoko of Liverpool fame? Demichelis is awful, as is Boumsong.

Looks most likely Isco is the man then?

 

[jimmyb]

Excellent in terms of depth however overly defensive with 3 out of the first 4 (Parker, Sandro, M'Villa) more defensive than creative

No different to last season, though (given that Thudd barely featured). And arguably better because Carroll has a year of experience under his belt and Sigurdsson, if played in central midfield, is considerably more energetic and suited to AVB's system than Kranjcar.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

SSN saying Fletcher to Sunderland is now down to personal terms and he could even have a medical tonight

 

[Jordinho]

Looks most likely Isco is the man then?

Toulalan is fairly known, played as a winger for France in South Africa and offered absolutely nothing.

 

[Rossi22]

Toulalan played as a winger?!

 

[africanspurs]

:lol:

Depends, do you look like a sheep? I would probably make sure I was clean shaven just to be safe...

 

[tw12yid]

Surely with sherwood being in charge of development players mainly(as far as I'm aware) he might be looking at fabrice olinga for Malaga considering he's 16.

 

[Jordinho]

Toulalan played as a winger?!

I thought he played out wide, but if he didn't he was even more appalling.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Typical

 

[Yiddo]

Toulalan is fairly known, played as a winger for France in South Africa and offered absolutely nothing.

Thats like playing Scotty p out wide.

 

[SpursNorway]

I thought he played out wide, but if he didn't he was even more appalling.

Toulalan didn't make the Euro-squad. He's a DM Malaga picked up from Lyon.

 

[Jordinho]

Toulalan didn't make the Euro-squad. He's a DM Malaga picked up from Lyon.

I was talking about the WC. I know he played there, but can't remember him doing anything.

 

[thfcsteff]

I don't think it's much of a problem. Carroll has always looked very comfortable whenever he's played for Spurs, IMO. And he's usually been played as part of a lower quality / relatively inexperienced Europa League team. He'd look even better with top class, experienced players around him.

Assuming that we do buy a Modric replacement, we will be better off (in terms of depth) than we were last season when Modric was the only creative central midfielder available to Harry for pretty much the entire season.

I've seen enough of Carroll to believe that this is the year he does what Livermore did last year and grows into being part of the first-team squad (note: NOT saying they are similar players!!!!!)...I think Carroll could turn out to be a fantastic player for us.

 

[AdamB]

I've seen enough of Carroll to believe that this is the year he does what Livermore did last year and grows into being part of the first-team squad (note: NOT saying they are similar players!!!!!)...I think Carroll could turn out to be a fantastic player for us.

Agree. I think Carroll and Kane will do better than Livermore and Townsend. Both Carroll and Kane have decent footballing skills (ie passing, control etc) - Kane I think has a lot of similarities with a young Teddy S and will become a similar player

 

[NorwegianSpursFan]

I still think that Carrol needs to bulk up quite a bit in order to survive in the prem. All the ability in the world won't help him if he get's knocked off the ball to easily.