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Upgrading the Team

I think full backs and CM are the positions we need to upgrade on. Not so much Trippier as he's impressed me at the WC.

Whilst Davies is a fine player, I don't think he's quite good enough for the level we aspire to be at i.e. champions.
 
Not sure where to put this but how many of last seasons preferred starting 11 do we think we will see in the first few games? 30 days until our first game and they've all (bar Davies for Rose) been at the world cup....most going deep.

These men might get more game time in the first few games than some might expect.

Aurier
Foyth
Sissoko
Wanyama
Winks
Moura
Lamela

I haven't factored signings in (they will take time to settle anyway) but I imagine someone like Sissoko will be thrown in a lot early on.
 
Not sure where to put this but how many of last seasons preferred starting 11 do we think we will see in the first few games? 30 days until our first game and they've all (bar Davies for Rose) been at the world cup....most going deep.

These men might get more game time in the first few games than some might expect.

Aurier
Foyth
Sissoko
Wanyama
Winks
Moura
Lamela

I haven't factored signings in (they will take time to settle anyway) but I imagine someone like Sissoko will be thrown in a lot early on.


Lloris
Aurier Dier Sanchez Davies
Wanyama Winks
Lamela Eriksen Moura
Son
something like that id presume
 
Son probably won't be back until the Liverpool match at the earliest as the Asian Games start mid August.
 
I'm definitely concerned about the first 4-6 games (especially with the Son situ). Could be an advantage for any settled squad that didn't have a lot of WC commitments.

It mandates signing a new Forward, Janssen coming back into the fold or possibly getting Moura ready. He's small, but he could be Agueroesque up front if Poch gets him honed.
 
The longer this window goes without us making any real signings, the more I've started to wonder if maybe Poch might be looking for replacements for the outgoing Dembele, Alderweireld, Sissoko, Janssen, GKN, and Llorente from within. And maybe, some of the frustration that a lot of people are having with a lack of big-name signings, actually is good news about how some of our young players are looking and how well stocked our squad ALREADY is.

It looks like Grealish is the only player who is really imminent and that he is seen mostly as an 8. If that's the case, I wonder if we could go in with the 25-man squad looking like...

SOLD: Sissoko, Dembele, Alderweireld, Janssen, GKN, LLorente
BOUGHT: Grealish
—————
23 Senior Players
"()" players are doubles and youth players are in italics

GK: Lloris, Vorm, Gazza

RB: Trippier, Aurier, KWP
LB: Davies, Rose, (KWP)
CB1: Sanchez, Foyth
CB2: JVT, (Dier), CCV

DM: Dier, Wanyama, TOB
CM: Winks, Grealish, Onomah

AM: Eriksen, Lamela
Wide Forward: Son, Lucas
Second ST: Dele, (Lamela), Edwards
ST: Kane, (Son), Sterling
———————

If Winks is fit, I think he's more than ready to replace Dembele as our first choice CM. And if Grealish is being signed for 20 mil, we have to think he's ready to be a solid back-up in that role. The idea of a big-money replacement like N'Dombele or Kovavic is exciting, but it also looks super unlikely at this stage. I also think Onomah is ready to take the utility Sissoko minutes. And if he isn't, then I struggle to see how he has a future at the club at 21. Sissoko played nearly 1,800 minutes last year at a pretty average level. That's easily enough for Onomah to stake his claim and impress Poch.

Up front, you basically have six senior pros (Eriksen, Lamela, Son, Kane, Dele, Moura) for four spots. Four of those players (aka not Eriksen or Kane) can play in multiple positions, and all would be expecting to play a ton. Plus, moving GKN would open up the door for Cup/rotation/Son-on-International-duty minutes for one of our young players (pleassse sort it out Marcus), so I think we're probably fine there.

The place I think we're most light at is CB. And the truth is, nobody knows how good Foyth or CCV are at this point. I theoretically love the idea of both getting extended minutes this season, but only Poch and the staff can say for sure. It looks like Poch is giving them the chance to prove themselves in pre-season, but I still think we could probably add one more like Pavard or Maguire or De Ligt or whoever. Also, another CB would obv allow us to play 3AB more easily as well.

I don't know, but I'm starting to feel like our lack of business might actually be a GOOD sign for the way the squad is shaping up. But then again, I could be dead wrong.
 
I think full backs and CM are the positions we need to upgrade on. Not so much Trippier as he's impressed me at the WC.

Whilst Davies is a fine player, I don't think he's quite good enough for the level we aspire to be at i.e. champions.

You are having a laugh, he may not be world class but he has done enough to merit a place in our squad
 
The longer this window goes without us making any real signings, the more I've started to wonder if maybe Poch might be looking for replacements for the outgoing Dembele, Alderweireld, Sissoko, Janssen, GKN, and Llorente from within. And maybe, some of the frustration that a lot of people are having with a lack of big-name signings, actually is good news about how some of our young players are looking and how well stocked our squad ALREADY is.

It looks like Grealish is the only player who is really imminent and that he is seen mostly as an 8. If that's the case, I wonder if we could go in with the 25-man squad looking like...

SOLD: Sissoko, Dembele, Alderweireld, Janssen, GKN, LLorente
BOUGHT: Grealish
—————
23 Senior Players
"()" players are doubles and youth players are in italics

GK: Lloris, Vorm, Gazza

RB: Trippier, Aurier, KWP
LB: Davies, Rose, (KWP)
CB1: Sanchez, Foyth
CB2: JVT, (Dier), CCV

DM: Dier, Wanyama, TOB
CM: Winks, Grealish, Onomah

AM: Eriksen, Lamela
Wide Forward: Son, Lucas
Second ST: Dele, (Lamela), Edwards
ST: Kane, (Son), Sterling
———————

If Winks is fit, I think he's more than ready to replace Dembele as our first choice CM. And if Grealish is being signed for 20 mil, we have to think he's ready to be a solid back-up in that role. The idea of a big-money replacement like N'Dombele or Kovavic is exciting, but it also looks super unlikely at this stage. I also think Onomah is ready to take the utility Sissoko minutes. And if he isn't, then I struggle to see how he has a future at the club at 21. Sissoko played nearly 1,800 minutes last year at a pretty average level. That's easily enough for Onomah to stake his claim and impress Poch.

Up front, you basically have six senior pros (Eriksen, Lamela, Son, Kane, Dele, Moura) for four spots. Four of those players (aka not Eriksen or Kane) can play in multiple positions, and all would be expecting to play a ton. Plus, moving GKN would open up the door for Cup/rotation/Son-on-International-duty minutes for one of our young players (pleassse sort it out Marcus), so I think we're probably fine there.

The place I think we're most light at is CB. And the truth is, nobody knows how good Foyth or CCV are at this point. I theoretically love the idea of both getting extended minutes this season, but only Poch and the staff can say for sure. It looks like Poch is giving them the chance to prove themselves in pre-season, but I still think we could probably add one more like Pavard or Maguire or De Ligt or whoever. Also, another CB would obv allow us to play 3AB more easily as well.

I don't know, but I'm starting to feel like our lack of business might actually be a GOOD sign for the way the squad is shaping up. But then again, I could be dead wrong.

Im not sure that would tie in with Pochs comments regarding a new approach in order to move forward/taking us as far as he can - though that would depend on whether he thinks we have been putting faith in the academy players or not. Would certainly be brave/crazy (as per his quotes) i guess
 
Im not sure that would tie in with Pochs comments regarding a new approach in order to move forward/taking us as far as he can - though that would depend on whether he thinks we have been putting faith in the academy players or not. Would certainly be brave/crazy (as per his quotes) i guess

Like you, I first read those "Brave" quotes as we'd need to spend big, but I read a thing by Alasdair Gold (really one of the most credible Spurs journalists out there). And he was saying that it might be more to do w/ selling certain senior pros who we've relied on (Dembele, Alderweireld) in the past. And maybe it's about trusting young players or our current squad players to take our club to the next level.

Maybe it's a rose-tinted way to look at it, but I'd think that Levy would be backing Poch if he really thought we needed to bring a bunch of expensive guys in.
 
Why does everyone keep selling Sissoko? Not sure he's going anywhere.

He'll be hard to shift without taking a huge loss on, but the reason I'd like to see him sold is I think he's extremely limited and is blocking the development of Onomah. Obviously it only matters what Poch and his staff think, but that's why I hope we sell him.
 
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