That's what I said. If you're weakening your squad then it's gonna bite later on in the season particularly given the Pochettino teams have a poor end to the season due to style he plays.
The Spurs thread | 2016-2017 season | Serious thread - wummers/derailers will be threadbanned
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That's what I said. If you're weakening your squad then it's gonna bite later on in the season particularly given the Pochettino teams have a poor end to the season due to style he plays.
Yeah, but United, City and Chelsea have all significantly strengthened. I remember being shot down by two posters for stating that United were clearly on an upward trajectory. It is early days, but I think that Spurs needed to strengthen in the transfer window to keep pace with the other contenders. As it stands they're still good, obviously, but they haven't really improved since last year. 5th, in my opinion, would be a good result.
Who did they really need to strengthen on, though? I think they did well to bring in Jansenn to take the pressure off Kane & Wanyama too. They'll surprise use this season by still being there or thereabouts I reckon.
One could have argued the same about Mourinho's Chelsea (that they don't need to strengthen) after they won their most recent title. There were mitigating circumstances which led to their collapse, sure, but if you sit still, you allow other teams to catch you. Spurs weren't the best team in England last season, yet they still have not strengthened their first XI. They could do with signing some top class wide players, for starters.
Aye, very early days to read much into anything. Though you wouldn't want to be falling too much off the pace at the top this early on, IMO.
If you took Chelsea's squad last season, it was still up there with the best in the league. I don't think they failed because of the quality of the squad.
Yeah, there were mitigating circumstances, like I said, but you can't sit still. It was discussed in the Chelsea thread that Mourinho wasn't able to get players that he was after that season. Teams caught Chelsea, it's that simple. Tottenham are the only team that haven't strengthened their first XI of say Arsenal, Chelsea, United, City. Of course they needed to strengthen.
I disagree with the notion that you need to buy one or two players to keep the team interested/motivated. Mourinho put it to his crop of players that the easy work is done (ie winning). The hard part is retaining over and over again. If they aren't motivated by that then it reflects worse on them than the manager's decision not to strengthen before the season started.
I trust the likes of Kane, Delli Ali, Vertongan, etc. to be more riled up then Cesc, Costa, Hazard. I'll always regard Hazard as a mercenary personally & Costa never even wanted to play for Chelsea in the first place. Their capitulation was a bit of an anomaly.
Putting all that aside, Spurs have strengthened and may well complete Zaha before the window so they've brought in good competition for places. Keeping Lamela, Dembele and Kane on their toes.
Yes, the hard part is retaining. Motivation can only take you so far. You need to add new faces, unless you're so far beyond the chasing pack. But even then, adding competition for first team places is only a good thing. I'm not sure "getting riled up" is enough, either.
I think we can agree to disagree, though.
Mason has gone to Hull, sorry to see him go but wish him all the best.
He's a very average player, to be honest. Good move for him.
1. Chelsea's title winning squad had far more proven quality all over the pitch and better depth as well. They added Fabregas and Costa to a team that would have won the league the year before, and finished 12 points better than last year's Tottenham, if they had a better creative presence in the middle of the park and a quality striker.
2. Eriksen, Lamela and Alli are very good players to support Kane in attack. You still need depth to challenge for a title and can't simply depend on being incredibly healthy again. I also think they could have improved on Lamela who I rate, but I don't find as quality a player as Eriksen or Alli. That's something I know many of the Spurs fans on here disagree with, but just my opinion. N'Koudou I know little about but provides depth at least. Still feels like they could use one more option, especially if they sell Son.
3. Its very obvious watching them last season and at the outset of this year that they need another box-to-box midfielder that can step in for Dembele when required. Any prolonged injury to him and I think their chances at top-4 are non-existent.
4. I believe Spurs fans have mentioned they have youth academy players that Pochettino may rate and want to give opportunities to this season which is why he's thinning out the squad. This is exactly the sentiments many on this board killed LVG for.
Agree with much of what you have said, although I disagree that it was LVG's thin squad and youth reliance that got him slated on the caf. Its one of the more welcoming areas if anything, and Schneiderlin/Schweinstiger/Depay failed to deliver on expectations in their debut year. LVG was slated for his style of play & Poch wouldn't suffer that at Tottenham.
If they sell Son they'd certainly replace him and their pursuit of Zaha (albeit a brief one) tells me that they are looking to add depth and keep Lamela on his toes. Agreed their squad needs to be a bit bigger though given they are in the Champions League. Expecting some business from them yet.
I do remember seeing him being slated by many for creating such a thin squad that we had to promote so many youth players last season, but maybe I'm wrong. Agree though that style of play was a much bigger sticking point for most.
Rumors that spurs are interested in signing sissoko. Isco might not happen, bids turned down for Zaha now trying to sign Sissoko. Isn't this approach called as scatter gun approach by resident spurs fan?
Seriously though there is something wrong as spurs. Settled squad that needed few additions and it's deadline day and they are still making bids for attacking players. Latest one is Sissoko.
Seriously though there is something wrong as spurs. Settled squad that needed few additions and it's deadline day and they are still making bids for attacking players. Latest one is Sissoko.
Or you could see it as we have identified several players we wanted - have had to wait till we sold some players to free up squad space and cash (Chadli and Mason gone in last 48 hours) and now are going 100% to sign the players we want. It's fine by me (as long as we sign some of them).
I sort of agree but there wasn't much change at spurs so they should have wrapped up their business much early isn't it.
We did our main business early though - we got cover in midfield and back-up for Kane - both the most needed things in the squad. Now we have trimmed the squad a bit and have the chance to fill one or two spaces with better quality than we sold.
Is Zaha and sissoko better than Chadli?
Last season luckily or by proper methods you didn't have injury problems.
Spurs have only 3 CBs in the squad. Your attacking 3 behind striker are Alli, Eriksen and Lamela. Their back ups? Only Son? I don't know there may be young player promoted to fill the gaps but with CL and league squad looks short in numbers.
Sissoko is a weird signing if true. On his day he's brilliant but he's far too inconsistent, although saying that he seemed he didn't have the motivation to play for Newcastle and wanted CL footbll.
30m for Sissoko is a joke 
Does it look like Lamela's eye-gouge has slipped under the FA's radar?
30m for Sissoko is a joke
Everyone seems to be £30 million these days.
30m for one of the worst midfielders in the premier league last year?
The Newcastle fans I work with despise Sissoko
The Newcastle fans I work with despise Sissoko
30m for Sissoko is a joke
Would be hilarious if they pay do much for him. Also it won't be long before we see Sissoko > Pogba posts.
Bet he'll base that on Euro 2016 finals.
It's quite telling that Newcastle fans absolutely hate him.
30m for Sissoko is a joke
Sky has just changed their story from Spurs are set to sign him at this price to they are miles apart in valuation.
We had plenty of that in the Pogba thread over the summer. A few of our fans don't rate Paul "French Cleverley" Pogba and would have preferred Sissoko
We have 4 CB's in the squad - Toby, Verts, Wimmer and Carter-Vickers (highly rated) - Attacking 3 backups are Son and Onomah (young but a good prospect) and Edwards (best prospect at the club though possibly too early for him) - we could probably do with somebody who could play there and CM also though (Sissoko?)
So 3 senior CBs and a youngster. Like I said I don't know about young players who are ready to make the jump. Sort of risky to rely on them as immediate backups in 2 positions. If you are lucky with injuries then shouldn't be a problem.
Carter-Vickers has been on the bench ahead of Wimmer so far this season so he is very highly rated by the club.
Thanks for the info. Will be interesting how spurs deal CL and league.
There is also N'Koudou, whose signing will be announced shortly. Plus another option is to play Kane in the No. 10 role behind Janssen. And 19 year-old Josh Onomah (ex-Spurs academy), plus Marcus Edwards is also now in the senior squad, but as balaks said above it may be too soon for him.
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He is very highly rated by the club, but Wimmer has only recently returned to training from an injury, so I'm not sure we can read too much in Carter-Vickers being on the bench ahead of him.
Some seriously underwhelming transfers by Spurs this year.
Kane would have to be playing well to warrant playing him behind the striker. Not sure I see anything special in Onomah. Much more interested in seeing edwards.
Would spurs fans be worried if you fail to bring anyone else in by the deadline?
Would spurs fans be worried if you fail to bring anyone else in by the deadline?
If they're after Sissoko why leave it so late? Poor planning or did they miss other targets?
No clue
Surely close to being announced.
Probably. I don't think there was any video and without it I don't think 1 picture is enough to give the proper context to give a ban.
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