With an aggregate victory over Pacos de Ferreira in last night’s Europa Conference League clash, it turns Nuno Espirito Santo’s start to life at Tottenham Hotspur from good, to quite impressive.
Three wins from four as we head towards September, is no bad return, especially given the confusion and issues we have to deal with – although thankfully the future of Harry Kane is now off the table until at least next summer. Everyone hopes the squad is added to, a most have their preferences for who we move on to help cashflow, but for now, it’s all eyes to Watford.
It’s been a mixed start for the Vicarage Road outfit with a win and a defeat from their opening two ties, so arguably ‘form’ is in our favour for whatever that counts for at this early stage of the season, but the return of Kane is a massive confidence booster on top of what has been a defensively steady beginning.
Let’s see if we can make it three PL wins from three and then get a bit more business done.
It was interesting to see Doherty being lauded for his performance for Ireland last night as a left sided wing-back. Could we see him change position now we have Emerson and Tanganga to cover right back/wing-back?
I just feel we are looking at this from different angles here, I look at Man City they had Aguero but still had Jesus, didn’t Man U have Lukakau and Ibrimavich, my issue is not just a bench warmer its some one to come in alongside Kane or Sonny or Both, but also as a replacement for Kane when and if he goes, we will have someone there in our squad to put the ball in the net without having to go out and overspend next season if Kane goes.
Similarly both Lo Ceslo and N Dombers could step up and be the game changer but we’ve all seen a lot of average performances from both of these players and again N’Dombers has never truly settled, to get someone in that space again makes that transition easier, Kessie is in the pipeline if we are to believe the media and would be that middle of the pitch guy but who knows.
We’re on top of the league, long may it last,
I’m content with our performance so far, I just feel we could’ve targeted our TW spending a bit better.
It is what it is. There is probably more percentage in discussing how to use what we have got rather than discussing what we could have done with someone who is not here …. at least until the next window.
Bit disappointing that our matches are largely being moved to Sunday’s 2pm non-televised slot.
If ndemble not playing, then stop his wages simple as. To much player power these days.
Stop paying Ndembele would mean paying lawyers instead as he’s start judicial processes that he’d most likely win. He’s not playing because espirito santo isn’t calling on him. you can name him to the team list, but you can’t make him drink the water.
But Niall, we have Son and Kane. Two of the PL’s best strikers. How many more do you think we can get and play on the same pitch together. Wouldn’t they just get in each others way. Or, it could just mean that the goals are spread around bit more. So, Harry for instance scores less goals with the new guy chipping in…
I don’t think we are looking at it from different angles at all. I understand what you are saying but I don’t just see it happening. And neither has any Spurs manager during Kane’s time.. Unless we play with a 4-4-2 and have twin CF’s. But who does that these days? Most top goal scorers are not out and out strikers anymore, anyway. Aguero, Sterling and Jesus aren’t. Salah, Mane and Firmino aren’t. Harry and Son are not. Ronaldo and Messi aren’t.
I think it’s the same old story that I will always insist upon. When you have Harry Kane. You play him. He won’t be rotated with or playing alongside his future replacement. That guy will have to spend most of his time watching. Or he is just simply another attacker that doesn’t score that many. Like Dele. Or Bryan. Or Bergwijn. Or Moura.
Anyway, strikers of the calibre that we are talking about here are far and few between. And extremely expensive… To the point whereby City couldn’t simply find a replacemnt for Aguero, even though they forked out £100m for Grealish. It’s what all the crap with Harry was about. Why did City not find an alternative to Harry. In many ways, they don’t seem to need one. They have just scored 15 goals in 3 consecutive home matches without a “Harry” up top. Or one sitting on the bench. But they had no alternative… They went without… Whether they wanted to or not. It’s simply because top strikers are a premium, and so few and far between.
United have bought a top goalscorer. Ronaldo! A 36 year old no less, going back to them! And Chelsea end up with Lukaku, who left them when younger, because he was unhappy with not getting playing time back then. Lukaku was also unhappy at United…So, who were the alternatives to Lukaku and Ronaldo? They must exist, surely.
Messi goes to PSG! Couldn’t they find a much younger version for all that money he will cost them? They could pay as much as they like for him… Where is he? They could surely afford at least 3 top strikers as an alternative to a 34 year old Messi.
I’m going around in circles here. But I will do a jod. Name that striker! One that walks straight ino the Spurs team, alongside Son and Kane… I can’t personally think of one…. Then again, Ings does always gets a mention in every transfer window since he left the Pool.. But he went to Villa… Maybe next time! 😉
We never know who might step up anyway. Maybe Scarlett will be the next new revelation. Maybe he will do a Rooney at his tender age and be a 17 year old sensation… Stepping in for Kane and scoring a hat trick in a cup final! With Harry all forlorn in the stands and nursing one of his dodgy ankles… (We can dream)…
Ironically, even our own Harry used to be a bench warmer himself, when out on loan to the Foxes. Both he and Vardy, sitting together and wondering. “When do I get a chance to play, gaffa?!”
What happened next? 🙂
Wasn’t the same being said about Parrott and probably any number of other young strikers coming through the academy?
I would love to see one succeed at last but our record on bringing through attacking players into the top level isn’t great.
Parrot hasn’t gone anywhere TQ. He’s doing a Harry, out on loan… And he is still just 19…
But which clubs do produce outstanding strikers on a regular basis? … I mean, where are they? Who are they? They can’t just be knocked out like a pair of cheap boots! 🙂
We produced Kane! And he ain’t gone nowhere yet either.
Hi HT….I know he hasn’t gone anywhere other than on loan but he has hardly been pulling up trees even at league one level.
You do have to wonder if top strikers are born rather than developed!
Indeed HT we have Harry and Sonny and indeed last season the goals chipped in from Bale.
Without getting caught up in words Centre forward, striker, etc, there were many on this site wondering where the goals were going to come from if not from those two, I think even you yourself alluded to the amount of goals scored by various players from around the mid field in Chelsea, which we don’t do.
My thoughts were do we actually have a plan B if Kane gets injured and Sonny breaks his arm, now when did that happen, or we’re just 2-1 down in a game and tactics aren’t working.
However I’ve made my point there are those on here who have expressed similar thoughts on this point as well as me. Doesn’t make me right, doesn’t, make you right.
I don’t want to sound like a nay sayer, I will re-iterate, that given where I thought we would be at the start of August, I am very content at our position in the league and indeed how we have progressed.
I do know that we have a fair bit to go in our rebuild but I’m boyed by the emergence in the promise of both Dave and Dier in their respective positions, Skippy and indeed Tananga.
I will however still say our transfer money could’ve been better targeted.
Niall…..I think it’s fair to say that the performances from Sanchez and Dier in the opening games meant that we didn’t need look for a second CB in this window.
It was clear throughout the window that, aside from CB where we had already lost Toby, we were operating a one in one out policy in each position, this is clearly why we didn’t bring in another midfielder other than Sarr. I’m thinking that we were aiming to offload either Winks or preferably Ndombele to make space for an attacking mid but weren’t able to do it in this window.
But my point about Chelsea was to back up exactly what I’ve been saying on here… That it’s not just about having great goal scorers in abundance. Chelsea finished in 4th with their lead goal scorer only scoring 7 was it? And all penalties. They won the CL without a top striker. Kane wins the GB again and we win F all and finish in 7th! Chelsea won’t be great again this season just because they bought Lukaku. It’ll be about all those around him too. And the coach and what he can do…
It’s all about the team and scoring goals! And about the coach and the team! And goals! LOL… Like I said City have just scored 5 in 3 matches. Without Aguero and without Harry. And yet they are below Spurs in the PL 🙂 But they could score 1 a week from now on and still finish above us in the end…But they are an amazing team… And they will still be pretty good, without Aguero or Harry… Spurs have been rubbish (recently) as a team, despite Kane’s goals…
We used to have many decent twin goal-scorers in the past. And with another often on the bench. But still finish mid table and rarely win anything… It’s all about team work. but if you have a Harry and/or Son… Well at least you won’t get relegated. I would hope!
And we have had Modric and Eriksen as well. And Bale! And still not succeeded in winning stuff.
I’ll shut up now!
Anyway, I will wager a bet that we will bang a good few goals in this season. And it won’t just be Son N Kane. Dele as well, maybe… Someone we buy in January? It can’t be Sissoko anymore. Maybe we get Llorente back, on a “free”? 🙂
With Sissoko gone the fans in row Z can remove their tin hats again! :- )
For what my two penneth is worth, I think our purchases and outs have been very good, most of the tosh has gone, young players with decent/good reps bought.
For me, as others a rebuild to a degree was/is needed, it has started, cannot be done all at once/overnight, time is needed, so firstly strengthen the back, add competition, be hard to score against, so BIG TICKS from me.
The competition for places, whether we go 4 or 3, thus two plans, at the back is fantastic and can only be for the betterment of the team, just look at the vast improvement of two of our at one time “Marmite” players…Sanchez n Dier.
Gil newbie, looks great to me.
Deli, Skippy look like newbies.
Bergs, Lucas ditto
Hoj way better than last season.
N’Dombele is still here, if Nuno works his magic well, we will see why we paid so much for him, of course he hasn’t got the two French twats stirring the shit around him now, that’s an advantage for Nuno.
Even Harry who wanted away is like a new signing, so long as we get the old Arry playing for us.
So much more can be said of the squad, it is nearly there, not 100% I must admit, but it takes time and loads of money/bucks which we unfortunately do not have at this moment in time, Covid has set many teams back.
Well have had me say so Come On You Spurs, am looking forward to the rest of the season and many eye openers, again COYS.
Surely it’s time stevie b and lucas doing better in final 3rd, yes they work hard but each game relies on kane and son to score. Do they need more practice in scoring, shooting etc. Can any seeing those 2 get 10 + goals.
And there ya go there were those calling for our top goal scorer to come off last week around 70 mins.
Point is who do we bring on???
HT saw the Llorente “vacancy” might do the trick “pay per View” or on a retainer or some such, just as an option perhaps in these euro matches to give Kane or Sonny a rest even at the hour mark. 😉
Captain Scarlett?
The time is near when the way we are used to thinking about players and positions will be gone. The good old CF attacker won’t exist any more. The box to box MF, the holding MF, etc., all gone in the dusty winds of football history and distant memories. Something like a 4-6-0 will come to pass. Six midfielders, all of whom can drop back to defend and all of whom can race forward in attack. The idea will be that no team will be able to predict where the next attack will be coming from. Marking opposition players will be nigh impossible. The DMF for five minutes ago will be the central attacker in the next minute. Mental flexibility will become more important than technical skills.
Nothing stays the same. A few decadea ago teams played with only two truly defending players and all others went for goals. What went around will come around. The center backs will become center MF again. The CM will split our wide and at times will peel back, just like the wing backs of yore.
Old farts like us will feel our heads spin at the changes. No traditional manager will survive. The reserves will be sitting in gamer chairs with pogo sticks in their hands. The managers will need to drink ayahuasca before each match to keep up.
Kane should have scored at least 4 tonight, he and Sterling have missed a handfull of one on one’s with the goalie.
TK, to me looks like ndombele is not interested, and even under jose he couldn’t care less, not fit enough,he is contracted by the club to play. Its like you turning up for work and not doing a tap.
TK, then time to make an example of him, not putting in the effort etc, don’t give him his move, let him rot in the reserves until his contract runs out. We’ll worth it then letting him leave