• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

What are we missing?

Finney Is Back said:
Same for me as well. I think we'd be up within a point or two of Arsenal if we had another central defender of similar quality to Romero.

I think over the next two windows we need....
(At least one) Centre back - I think we really need this player in January to give us a decent chance of CL qualification.
A bona-fide first choice RWB (Dumfries would be perfect but I think the price and competition for him will be too big).
Another option to play RWF (I think this can probably wait until next summer)
A new GK.
A creative midfield option. I'd love Maddison as I think he could give this team and squad loads.

That's 5 players in 2 windows, which should definitely be easily doable in terms of pure numbers.
The problem is that we're not really going to be raising any money from selling those that aren't really good enough to be here like Sanchez, Tanganga, Royale, Doherty, Moura and Gill. Which means we might need to be looking to the bosman and <18 months left on contract market. For reference here are some of the players in those positions who will be in that circumstance come January....

Goalkeepers:
2024: Pickford, David Reya

Centre backs:
2023: Skriniar, Ndicka, Tosin Adarabioyo, De Vrij, Marquinos
2024: Bastoni, Lucas Hernandez, Pau Torres, Badiashile, Nico Elvedi, Mohammed Salisu, Matip

Right Wing Backs:
2023: Dalot, Stephane Singo,
2024: Pavard, Max Aarons

Attacking midfeilders
2023: Tielemans, Kamada, Thomas Lemar, Ruslan Malinovskyi,
2024: Maddison, Zielinkski, Olmo

Wide forwards
2023: Rashford, Zaha, Asensio, Tsygankov, Memphis Deepay, Adama Traore, Sergi Canos
2024: Ousmane Dembele, Pulisic, Zaniolo, Lozano, Nico Williams, Ismalia Sarr, Rayan Cherki
Click to expand...
We need that CCB but we can’t wait for a RWB cover either

if we had proper cover for deki we would be 6 points better off IMO
 
Listening to the pod just now, it occurred to me that rather than a Maddison to complement Hojbjerg and Bentancur in CM we need a Modric - in terms of position obviously (also in terms of quality, but that's not the point, just someone who can play in a midfield five and a midfield four and hold his own, physically and positionally). Thanks guys - great episode this week BTW.

The players who can do that AND who can have the kind of impact that Deki and Bentancur had last year are far too expensive or don't want to come or both (Frenkie de Jong?). It will take some magic from Paratici to make something happen in this position in January. Any thoughts on who this ball playing no. 6/8 might be? I just hope we don't look at Qatar for the answer, this is not a time for a Dumitrescu-like shiny new toy.
 
Hotspur75 said:
Listening to the pod just now, it occurred to me that rather than a Maddison to complement Hojbjerg and Bentancur in CM we need a Modric - in terms of position obviously (also in terms of quality, but that's not the point, just someone who can play in a midfield five and a midfield four and hold his own, physically and positionally). Thanks guys - great episode this week BTW.

The players who can do that AND who can have the kind of impact that Deki and Bentancur had last year are far too expensive or don't want to come or both (Frenkie de Jong?). It will take some magic from Paratici to make something happen in this position in January. Any thoughts on who this ball playing no. 6/8 might be? I just hope we don't look at Qatar for the answer, this is not a time for a Dumitrescu-like shiny new toy.
Click to expand...
Bantacur does just what your talking about
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Bantacur does just what your talking about
Click to expand...

Look, I think he's our player of the season by some distance so far, and I agree that he too can do that. But what we lack is a (or another) player who can turn defence into first control, and then attack. Because we have difficulty turning defence into attack against the likes of Leeds and Marseille. Bentancur cannot do that alone, and even though I rate PEH (who's having his best season with us I feel), he is not the guy. Did you see Hojbjerg run forward for the quick counter-attack a second before Leeds scored their second goal?
 
Hotspur75 said:
Look, I think he's our player of the season by some distance so far, and I agree that he too can do that. But what we lack is a (or another) player who can turn defence into first control, and then attack. Because we have difficulty turning defence into attack against the likes of Leeds and Marseille. Bentancur cannot do that alone, and even though I rate PEH (who's having his best season with us I feel), he is not the guy. Did you see Hojbjerg run forward for the quick counter-attack a second before Leeds scored their second goal?
Click to expand...
Your not judging a balanced side though
You really need to look at sun when we have the defence working and also wing backs doing their job
We were fine last season with a 2 and even now without the midfielder you talk about we are third highest scorers I believe so
Bentacur has scored 5 goals and has 3 assist after 20 odd games
It’s the same for peh
That’s as good as any midfielder I’d guess in the world right now and that’s one a dysfunctional side
Fix the defence and wing backs and the other parts are much better
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Your not judging a balanced side though
You really need to look at sun when we have the defence working and also wing backs doing their job
We were fine last season with a 2 and even now without the midfielder you talk about we are third highest scorers I believe so
Bentacur has scored 5 goals and has 3 assist after 20 odd games
It’s the same for peh
That’s as good as any midfielder I’d guess in the world right now and that’s one a dysfunctional side
Fix the defence and wing backs and the other parts are much better
Click to expand...
3rd highest goal scorers but 11th in goals conceded. Clearly the balance isn't right somewhere and no it doesn't all come down to playing Emerson instead of Doherty or Spence. We have a goal threat undoubtedly but we struggle to control games whether that's with or without possession and that mainly relates to the midfield and the overall weakness imo of it.

Bentancur is looking a great player but his partnership with Hojberg has problems and doesn't really work. The balance isn't right.

Sent from my XQ-BC72 using Fapatalk
 
Bishop said:
3rd highest goal scorers but 11th in goals conceded. Clearly the balance isn't right somewhere and no it doesn't all come down to playing Emerson instead of Doherty or Spence. We have a goal threat undoubtedly but we struggle to control games whether that's with or without possession and that mainly relates to the midfield and the overall weakness imo of it.

Bentancur is looking a great player but his partnership with Hojberg has problems and doesn't really work. The balance isn't right.

Sent from my XQ-BC72 using Fapatalk
Click to expand...
I disagree
I think it works well and they work well when we play as a 4 in midfield. Not when they play in front of a 5
I genuinely think the issue is that this season they have had to cover defence more because of certain players weaknesses and also the lack of confidence. Add in the style of accepting the press on us and they do look different as a pairing
But the Gail’s we have conceded have rarely been from midfield errors and a lot lately aren’t from pressure on us… just individual basic errors
At least Leeds scored some good goals even with some errors
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Your not judging a balanced side though
You really need to look at sun when we have the defence working and also wing backs doing their job
We were fine last season with a 2 and even now without the midfielder you talk about we are third highest scorers I believe so
Bentacur has scored 5 goals and has 3 assist after 20 odd games
It’s the same for peh
That’s as good as any midfielder I’d guess in the world right now and that’s one a dysfunctional side
Fix the defence and wing backs and the other parts are much better
Click to expand...

I agree that PEH and Bentancur are better going forward this year, and there's room for further improvement. I think, like Bishop, that more balance is what we need in midfield to enable both to play with more freedom AND transition from defence to attack in a more measured way (i.e. not look for Kane right away when we win the ball in defence). We tend to ship goals this season by losing the ball in our own half - all three Leeds goals are excellent examples of this.
 
Hotspur75 said:
I agree that PEH and Bentancur are better going forward this year, and there's room for further improvement. I think, like Bishop, that more balance is what we need in midfield to enable both to play with more freedom AND transition from defence to attack in a more measured way (i.e. not look for Kane right away when we win the ball in defence). We tend to ship goals this season by losing the ball in our own half - all three Leeds goals are excellent examples of this.
Click to expand...

I think we need better CBs to work with Bissouma in defence. Then Bissouma as a base from which Bentancur and PEH can join in attack. Where Bentancur is much better than PEH is that he is quick and covers a lot of ground. Much like Son's vertical runs beyong Kane in attack and defence, so does Bentancur compared to PEH. Good as PEH is I feel a someone who can cover more ground faster is going to suit our current team better.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
We need that CCB but we can’t wait for a RWB cover either

if we had proper cover for deki we would be 6 points better off IMO
Click to expand...

Proper cover for Kulusevski should be way up the list for me too. Perhaps even at the top of the list. In part because it should be more doable. Whereas a starting, really good CB or RWB may be difficult to get in January. Someone that fits the role and system and is good enough as cover for Kulusevski should be more doable.

After that RWB, unless Conte has reasons for not playing Doherty (or Spence) that will no longer be relevant after the break.

After that, centre back.

But a list of priorities is less important. Who we can get, who will be available is more important. Would rather wait on any of those rather than sign someone not quite up to the task.
 
Bishop said:
3rd highest goal scorers but 11th in goals conceded. Clearly the balance isn't right somewhere and no it doesn't all come down to playing Emerson instead of Doherty or Spence. We have a goal threat undoubtedly but we struggle to control games whether that's with or without possession and that mainly relates to the midfield and the overall weakness imo of it.

Bentancur is looking a great player but his partnership with Hojberg has problems and doesn't really work. The balance isn't right.

Sent from my XQ-BC72 using Fapatalk
Click to expand...

Would be interesting to see how our goals conceded are when Romero, Dier and Davies or Lenglet start compared to when we're missing one of those from the starting lineup.

My impression is that when we have our first choice defenders on the pitch we can be very solid and are rather good defensively. I know that will be controversial as a lot of people see Romero as our only CB that's actually good enough for a starting role.

If we can't get that much wanted first choice, top class CB in January I wonder if other solutions could be enough. Either someone like Lenglet, but for the right. Or a younger player with a lot of talent, but ready for a squad role.
 
Hotspur75 said:
I agree that PEH and Bentancur are better going forward this year, and there's room for further improvement. I think, like Bishop, that more balance is what we need in midfield to enable both to play with more freedom AND transition from defence to attack in a more measured way (i.e. not look for Kane right away when we win the ball in defence). We tend to ship goals this season by losing the ball in our own half - all three Leeds goals are excellent examples of this.
Click to expand...
But that would mean a change of system
And I agree the counter attacking against a weakened spurs defence has lead to goals but not really because we were higher up, mainly because the defending was fundamentally poor.
if we’re not chasing games the defence is arguably less exposed. With 3 proper balanced attackers we tend to take the lead (kulu on the pitch). To play bissouma we would be playing 3-5-2 until conte is happy he can play in a midfield pair, and even the he would have dislodge PEH. That would mean we would missing son or kulu which is IMO aid crazy… you don’t leave your world class players on the bench

we have arguably 5 players who could play for any side and that’s son, Kane, kulu, bentacur (playing like he is now) and Romero (debatable but on last years form). We have them starting the tough games we will win. You only get them starting in a 3-4-3
 
Finney Is Back said:
So just the 4 incredible players to find then? ;)
Click to expand...

I mean... yeh if we want to WIN THE fudging LOT! I think some of that is doable, not all of course, I think that's what Conte means when he says he needs a couple more windows to make us challengers.

Bedfordspurs said:
Would be fudging outstanding
Click to expand...

4 signings of, or near that caliber and the 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 are both strengthened and as I said above we WIN THE fudging LOT. Looking at well over 200m on that lot though so...
 
superspurs said:
I mean... yeh if we want to WIN THE fudging LOT! I think some of that is doable, not all of course, I think that's what Conte means when he says he needs a couple more windows to make us challengers.



4 signings of, or near that caliber and the 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 are both strengthened and as I said above we WIN THE fudging LOT. Looking at well over 200m on that lot though so...
Click to expand...
I can’t think of any players such as the ones you mentioned who aren’t those players off the top of my head
Glad I’m not DOF
I do agree we need that type though
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back