The transfer thread

[Dicko]

Just heard that James Ward-Prowse is probably leaving West Ham and might be off to either Brentford, or back to Southampton.

Do you remember how everyone was slightly outraged a year or so ago when Southgate refused to call him up? Has he been a bit rubbish for West Ham? I hadn't heard of any complaints from fans.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Just heard that James Ward-Prowse is probably leaving West Ham and might be off to either Brentford, or back to Southampton.

Do you remember how everyone was slightly outraged a year or so ago when Southgate refused to call him up? Has he been a bit rubbish for West Ham? I hadn't heard of any complaints from fans.

Be stunned if they sell him
He is one of their better guys
Works hard and key to their set pieces
But new manager

 

[Muttley]

ITK we’ve informally agreed Romero can go next summer should he wish to.

I think we do Davies a disservice though. Never a dominant player in the air or against bigger forwards but he has matured into a very good versatile defender.

Spence also showed in preseason he can be ‘poro-like’. Quite exciting driving forward and looks comfortable attacking.

Dragusin likewise - are you underestimating his ability? Able to play at RB too or be an attacking CB.

I think we'll always be wondering when we take the big bucks for Romero. Potentially so much better suited to La Liga, and international football. Cuti has minimal spring and aerial presence. Also, in the PL you have so many choices when to hold your position and when to move across towards the ball. He got that badly wrong against Leicester. Can't wait to see his prime though. I reckon it will be special and hope it is with us.

As for Davies, I can't agree. As a LB when you want him tucked in on the inside next to his centre half he's high and wide. When you need him in his orthodox position, he's too narrow. He's always been the same. As a centre half, he is a makeshift LCB in a back 3 at best, but as a LCB in a back four he comes up way short for what is required. He loses the foot races and he is aerially weak to the point that we have to change our whole set piece routine when he is in the back four. Like Dawson, Calderwood or Freund, no Spurs fan can surely have a problem with Ben as a professional. I do think we're at the point where we need better though and need to lift our expectations, especially when we're spending hundreds of millions on new signings in this period of the club's history.

 

[glasgowspur]

Correct answers:
i. Custard must always be paired with a webcam
ii. Toby and Verts are Dutch
iii. I'll leave it to @monkeybarry to answer this one

He was close to getting the bonus question of is bassong suspended.

 

[glasgowspur]

I wonder if we might go for Murillo from Forest as an attacking LB who can also cover CB?

Is there a way to get a murillo?

 

[alekaras]

He was close to getting the bonus question of is bassong suspended.

The question was never asked. That was the problem.

 

[monkeybarry]

Is there a way to get a murillo?

Not legally

 

[Lilbaz]

Is there a way to get a murillo?

Ask peter kay.

 

[Muttley]

The question was never asked. That was the problem.

My answer would have been 42.

 

[SpurMeUp]

I think we'll always be wondering when we take the big bucks for Romero. Potentially so much better suited to La Liga, and international football. Cuti has minimal spring and aerial presence. Also, in the PL you have so many choices when to hold your position and when to move across towards the ball. He got that badly wrong against Leicester. Can't wait to see his prime though. I reckon it will be special and hope it is with us.

As for Davies, I can't agree. As a LB when you want him tucked in on the inside next to his centre half he's high and wide. When you need him in his orthodox position, he's too narrow. He's always been the same. As a centre half, he is a makeshift LCB in a back 3 at best, but as a LCB in a back four he comes up way short for what is required. He loses the foot races and he is aerially weak to the point that we have to change our whole set piece routine when he is in the back four. Like Dawson, Calderwood or Freund, no Spurs fan can surely have a problem with Ben as a professional. I do think we're at the point where we need better though and need to lift our expectations, especially when we're spending hundreds of millions on new signings in this period of the club's history.

Romero and Son are our two best players. Romero likes taking risks. But he’s good enough to pull it off 99% of the time. He has more time on the ball than most because of his skill. He can draw in defenders and pass it late etc. he’s also aggressive and loves combat. But can be reckless and needs good guidance.

Davies used to be sub par. Aka not good enough. But now, at 31 years old, he has a different role. As a cameo player playing 1-2 games here and there, he’s perfect! Better than a 21 year old who’s developing. Davies reading of the game. Experience. Ability to step in. He’s a very good defender as he showed last season. As long as he’s only playing the odd game he’s ideal. He’s not suited to a first 11 place as he can’t maintain an elite level for more than a few games. But as a squad player he’s made for the role.

 

[Lemonade Money]

Is there a way to get a murillo?

Gutterboy is biting his pillow...

 

[alekaras]

My answer would have been 42.

The question is whether Bassong will play and the answer is "no, because he's still suspended." Welcome to the forum.

 

[metalgear]

Gray looked fine in LB in preseason too. I think we are OK for now if 5th and a good run in Europe is the target. We've got plenty CMs going to be hard for veryone to get gane time already.

I think Dragusin will cover both CB spots. Ange doesn't seem to mind if your left or right footed to play there. Gives him more game time as well.

Vuskovic could come in next season if he continues to impress.

Would like to see someone else come in at LB, so we can rotate in a position that will cover a lot of ground.

 

[RunTMC]

Romero and Son are our two best players. Romero likes taking risks. But he’s good enough to pull it off 99% of the time. He has more time on the ball than most because of his skill. He can draw in defenders and pass it late etc. he’s also aggressive and loves combat. But can be reckless and needs good guidance.

Davies used to be sub par. Aka not good enough. But now, at 31 years old, he has a different role. As a cameo player playing 1-2 games here and there, he’s perfect! Better than a 21 year old who’s developing. Davies reading of the game. Experience. Ability to step in. He’s a very good defender as he showed last season. As long as he’s only playing the odd game he’s ideal. He’s not suited to a first 11 place as he can’t maintain an elite level for more than a few games. But as a squad player he’s made for the role.

Yeah this is probably true, objectively speaking. But I have to admit, if someone held a gun to my head and asked me to pick between Romero and VdV, with a sweaty face, and a shuddering hand I would slowly point towards VdV.

BTW the nervousness would be because Romero would probably kill me before the bullet from the gun

 

[Muttley]

Romero and Son are our two best players. Romero likes taking risks. But he’s good enough to pull it off 99% of the time. He has more time on the ball than most because of his skill. He can draw in defenders and pass it late etc. he’s also aggressive and loves combat. But can be reckless and needs good guidance.

Davies used to be sub par. Aka not good enough. But now, at 31 years old, he has a different role. As a cameo player playing 1-2 games here and there, he’s perfect! Better than a 21 year old who’s developing. Davies reading of the game. Experience. Ability to step in. He’s a very good defender as he showed last season. As long as he’s only playing the odd game he’s ideal. He’s not suited to a first 11 place as he can’t maintain an elite level for more than a few games. But as a squad player he’s made for the role.

Last season Ben started 12 and was sub in another 5 league games. So he was on the pitch in just under half the games and was the constant centre half in our 1 point from 15 run. When I look at the squad right now, I see only 3 centre halves. We only got 3 extra games last season in the domestic cups. I actually think with decent cup runs and the EL on top, we could see Ben play way more than those couple of games you predict.

I do wonder whether Ange has another plan actually. Perhaps we'll sign a LCB. I've always been curious what Bentancur would be like as a makeshift centre half. We've also seen Gray slot in there in pre-season. Dorrington is also available.

Let's hope we don't have to find out and our main 3 stay fit all season.

 

[greatwhitenorf]

I could stand to see Spurs sell Romero soon for some serious coin. He's not showing the complete game needed to play in the Premier League.

Oh, put him in with Argentina's world beaters at the Copa America and he looks great fending off largely tier two talent and getting stroked by the refs on contentious calls.

But test him weekly in the world's most physically and mentally demanding league and I have concerns about him. He's learned to curb his natural snarling aggressiveness and love of contact but his Licesister brain fart for Vardy's goal was just the latest example of his tactical unawareness. And if he's beginning to gently agitate for a shift elsewhere then he's more likely to cost us points than save us points.

I'd love it if he stayed and improved but given the big bucks a club like Real Madrid could chuck our way, I wouldn't bark about seeing him go for appropriate money. Get Dragusin in there and use the money to find another promising right CB that meshes more naturally with the young core we're developing.

 

[Gazza]

Just heard that James Ward-Prowse is probably leaving West Ham and might be off to either Brentford, or back to Southampton.

Do you remember how everyone was slightly outraged a year or so ago when Southgate refused to call him up? Has he been a bit rubbish for West Ham? I hadn't heard of any complaints from fans.

I dont know about outrage ... but at the time he was a class act and the desperation to include him over then what looked to be Henderson as a mainstay.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Last season Ben started 12 and was sub in another 5 league games. So he was on the pitch in just under half the games and was the constant centre half in our 1 point from 15 run.

Should you infer causation from a correlation?

As well as VDV missing (who Davies was covering) we often missed Bentancur, Udogie, Romero, Maddison etc etc for much of that run. But it was Ben Davies that you attribute the lack of points to.

What you maybe failed to do was appraise how Davies himself played in those games. He was largely impeccable. During most of those games, he defended better than the youngsters he was standing in for.

When I look at the squad right now, I see only 3 centre halves. We only got 3 extra games last season in the domestic cups. I actually think with decent cup runs and the EL on top, we could see Ben play way more than those couple of games you predict.

Ange tried Gray as CB too. Spence maybe able to slot in. But we have Dragusin first and foremost. No harm signing another CB, and by some accounts we recently almost did. But will they be better and more reliable than Davies? If not, we've weakened our 11. We have enough young players. We do need some balance there with some older heads to help.

I do wonder whether Ange has another plan actually. Perhaps we'll sign a LCB. I've always been curious what Bentancur would be like as a makeshift centre half. We've also seen Gray slot in there in pre-season. Dorrington is also available.

Let's hope we don't have to find out and our main 3 stay fit all season.

Dragusin needs games. He can even slot in at RB if needed.

 

[monkeybarry]

My answer would have been 42.

Be thankful you've been spared the red gloves

 

[Muttley]

As well as VDV missing (who Davies was covering) we often missed Bentancur, Udogie, Romero, Maddison etc etc for much of that run. But it was Ben Davies that you attribute the lack of points to.

What you maybe failed to do was appraise how Davies himself played in those games. He was largely impeccable. During most of those games, he defended better than the youngsters he was standing in for.

I completely agree that the collective was the reason for the run of results. We were completely depleted in the spine in that period of last season. Then Udogie was added to the injury / suspension list on top. I guess we can't really say whether Davies played better than Phillips / Dorrington because they weren't given the opportunity. It's also a massive call for any manager putting an 18 year old at centre half at the top end of the PL.

The way I remember it, Phillips got a key injury and missed out on an opportunity anyway due to bad timing. Playing for England U19s if my memory serves me right. Ben did OK, but he wasn't impeccable in my mind. He would be out of position and instead of getting to the ball easily, he'd have to make a goal saving block. Of course that always gets adulation from fans and can be confused with great defending. He would also lose a large percentage of headers, and foot races and I remember the Villa boys giving him a really tough afternoon. What I would say is that he stepped up for his manager though. For me, he isn't a centre half because of his physical build and has understandably found it hard to adjust his brain into a completely different positional mode from left back, or left of a three.

Not for me, but I respect those in the pro-Davies camp. He's a good pro who has taken a degree in Economics, whilst others have been playing the Xbox or out on the golf course after training. I bet he has a massive influence on the younger players.