alekaras
The ITK of IDK
True. Especially at the start of the season where training sprinkled with the odd friendly is the only thing the manager has to go by.
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Ryan Mason
- Thread starter Gutter Boy
- Start date
And you'd have to assume Pochettino was not happy with the defence at the end of last season seeings as we went out and bought 3 defenders early in the window, so with that in mind I think if the new signings have impressed on the training pitch and in friendlies then they have every chance of being in the team from the off
DublinSpur
Scott Parker
I'd be very surprised if Alderweireld doesn't start the season. Other than that I think you're mostly right... though I wonder if Dier has done enough in midfield to displace Mason in Pochettino's eyes. With Mason coming back from injury, he's likely to be a week or two behind the rest of the team in terms of preparation for the season, which may well give Dier the edge.
The other wild card, of course, is whether we make a big signing before the start of the season. Kane is nailed on to start up top whoever we bring in as competition / back-up; but a major signing in midfield could well be in the first team at Old Trafford depending on who it is.
If Mason isn't fully fit - or even if he is - I would have thought that Dembele is far more likely than Dier to partner Bentaleb in CM.
P.S. Probably worth pointing out at this stage that this discussion has strayed more than a little from ITK talk.
DublinSpur
Scott Parker
Yeah, good point. I'm really just going by the team we've been playing in the pre-season games. Those short vids on the OS don't give any real indication of how Dier is doing in that role, but when I think about it, he does actually have all the right qualities to be a defensive midfielder, so it might make sense.
parklane1
Vic Buckingham
If it is a choice between Dier or Mason it would be Dier for me, I know there is still a month of the window to go but I am beginning to worry about not bringing another player in for CM. I really hope Poch has a plan because Mason is not theplayer for that position.
The egyptian
Carlo Cudicini
Yes he has, but we don't know about the most important attributies in that position which is position awarness, when to press and when to stand, all of which won't discover until we see him playing.
DublinSpur
Scott Parker
I'm quite confident that we'll bring in a first-choice midfielder ahead of Mason before the end of the window. Whether it happens in time for Old Trafford though? Not so confident about that.
Like yourself, I'm very much in the sceptical camp when it comes to Mason (happy to keep him around for the Europa League and see if he progresses though - maybe play him further forward and give Eriksen Thursday nights off) but the fact that Schneiderlin did appear to be Pochettino's primary target (albeit un-gettable thanks to Man Utd's interest) suggests the manager is aware we need a major upgrade in that position.
Though maybe Dier is turning out to be a beast in the role and we already have a ready-made upgrade? We can always hope.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
Mason was the heart of the 5th best midfield in the league last season, and you want to play a jobbing CB there?!
parklane1
Vic Buckingham
Well it would be good if he does, for me the CM position was the one I would have liked to see sorted first as you say Poch may have been hoping that MS would have come in ( but to be honest I thought him coming here was a long shot). Maybe Poch has seen something in Dier that made him think that there is no need to chase another player and maybe the signing of Toby points in that direction.
parklane1
Vic Buckingham
Mason ( in that position) is overated ( imo) and I have said that since last season. I am not saying Dier is the answer as I have never seen him play there ( and I doubt you have either), but we need a replacement and maybe Poch has decided on Dier.
Seriously, did you see our defending last season. Trippier earns his place straight away IMO as Walker's form has been horrific for a while.
You can't say either Dier, Vertonghen or Fazio have done enough last season to justify keeping out Alderweireld either.
Gazzasrightboot
Pascal Chimbonda
Long time lurker, used to post a long, long time ago so sorry for interrupting but I just don't get the dislike of Mason. He's one of our own, and not only that actually pretty good. He is only going to improve and Pochettino is no fool. Nor is Paul Scholes who also likes him!
Anyway, I don't want my first post in a while to be dragging something off topic, but I just had to say it!
I'm not ITK, but I do know enough to know that we have not yet finished our transfer dealings. I like the look of Berahino and think he would fit in well here.
Anyway, I don't want my first post in a while to be dragging something off topic, but I just had to say it!
I'm not ITK, but I do know enough to know that we have not yet finished our transfer dealings. I like the look of Berahino and think he would fit in well here.
GrimsbyYid
Gus Poyet
We could've got 4th without him!!
Bedfordspurs
Arthur Rowe
Alternatively we would have lost plenty of points if he hadnt stepped up to an unfamiliar role and made players like Poorlinho and Crapoue look like very poor purchases
Hashegotthesackyet?
Alan Hutton
milo
Jack L. Jones
He missed seven league games last season the results of which were W3 D1 L3 with him in the team our results were W16 D6 L9. Which is 1.4 points per game when he was not playing and 1.7 when he did.
GrimsbyYid
Gus Poyet
Because that means anything... Stats like this are so misleading. What were those teams, what was the rest of our team, also, I bet one of his starts was Chelsea. We were losing, he got injured, dembele came on, dominated and the game was turned.
I k ow what I saw all season. A man who tried hard, but with awful technical ability and no real qualities, I saw our defence get no predigestion whatsoever, I saw our right back get no support like left did from bentaleb, I saw bentsleb handcuffed to sit back, I saw someone who offered virtually nothing creatively, in assists, in goals, in really protecting us. I saw a headless chicken with loads of passion and energy completely out of his depth.
milo
Jack L. Jones
By all means suggest another objective way of assessing whether we would have had a better chance of finishing fourth without Mason in the team.
I know what you saw last season too because you came on here and moaned about the same players after every game. You don't rate Mason, we get it. Sadly, I have not read any posts from you were you have been able to explain why you think he is so poor or seen you willing to acknowledge any positives that he brought to the team.
Gazzasrightboot
Pascal Chimbonda
And Paul Scholes saw a player that "...can tackle, he is tactically disciplined and he kicks the ball cleanly with either foot. He gets about the pitch too. I understand he had a few loan spells and some injury problems before he made it as a regular with Spurs and his development has been overshadowed by Kane. But I see no reason why Mason should not be in the next senior England squad." Hodgson obviously agreed and put him in the squad, and our own manager obviously sees something in him by playing him.
We, as fans, cry out for loyalty from our players yet show none ourselves. He's one of us, is actually quite good and can only really improve from now. I just don't get why so many people want to write him off as a waste of space, when quite obviously there are some quite qualified people who vehemently disagree.