With around three weeks to go until the Premier League kicks off again, at least one thing has been sorted; the fixtures. The other remaining ‘thing’ to be sorted, the Transfer Window, will hold our undivided attention for a while longer.
But with the release of the fixtures the upcoming season becomes serious. We have something concrete to consider and speculate on. We can examine the fixture list for all competing clubs and attempt to determine how the start of the season might progress and we can consider what would make for a successful season when it’s all over. It’s the time for all optimists, cynics, hopefuls, and dreamers, to show what they’ve got.
In this regard, nothing has changed for me since last season. I want to see eleven Spurs players on the park playing good football (however that is defined) as a team; a solid unit. I want to see Spurs finish in the top four with Champions League football on the horizon. I want to see a new and welcome Cup (any cup) added to our neglected trophy cabinet. And I want to be entertained. And I don’t think what I want is either unreasonable or unrealistic.
Looking at the list, the early games suggest we can be off to a very good start. A good start will give us something to build on and push us well into the season. We seem to have three winnable games before we meet United away. Three games to gain confidence and a belief when we face them. That game is followed by more winnable games. The United game could be crucial …. but not season-defining.
For those who believe in fairies, consider this. Our most successful season happened in 1960-61. This season is 2020-21. That season started with a home game against Everton (2-0). This season starts with a home game against Everton. I know, it’s freaky, isn’t it. (smile of amusement).
So, the questions are: What do we want? What is realistic? and …. Do you believe in fairies?
dier and winks, have hit the ground running,, but now like dele, they are static , alot of players have over taken them .the legend Eamon Dunphy, they are just journey men.
ND really appreciate that welcome back mate – much obliged, nice one!
A bit of further thought:
Rose – for the sake of around £5m he might be worth keeping for the final year of his contract depending on as you say how his head is these days, indeed if screwed on OK – could be a great option to fight/cover Davies and allow Sess and Cirkin more time to be develop whilst being eased in slowly! Although would not be at all surprised to see him leave by October – just hope Sess can fully step up to challenge/cover Davies either way!
Aurier – I am almost in full agreement about letting him go but even if we get a new RB – could need settling in time especially if foreign or even an Aarons who is still very young and relatively delicate in the Prem and also to our type of expectations (top 4 fight, win a cup, etc)! So it might be wise to keep hold of Aurier until at least Xmas and then look again at him in January depending on how the new RB (if bought in) is getting on and also how Tanganga/Foyth might be doing in terms of competition/covering there also! Would come as a surprise currently to see him sold even if we do buy a new RB – not that I’d be unhappy if was indeed sold – just a bit apprehensive as with Rose going at LB!
Foyth – if he’s good enough to be 1st choice RB for Argentina – then maybe we need to give him another chance and see how he gets on – still relatively young and very green – he played a blinder at RB against Man City tail end of 2018/19 season but never really got the chance again with injuries that subsequent summer and most of last season, etc! Give him at least another few months until January and then like Aurier look to make a proper decision. Can cover RB and CB easily so definitely worth keeping and giving a proper go especially as he appears to want to stay and fight for a place! (Also as I now think he’s 6ft1 1/2 inches – the height issue has finally been resolved LOL)! Personally think he’s staying and am fully happy with that!
Lamela – keep him at least until Xmas again as above with the others and if injury free and does well, take it from there and even maybe consider a new contract! Decent enough player, loves the club and always puts in a proper shift, stats not great but then as a squad player still relatively decent and never kicked up a fuss for not being 1st team regular (as HT rightfully pointed out to me when I was advocating his sale early last season) so if proves his fitness up to Xmas, plays well and produces – might even be worthy of a new contract God forbid LOL! Again like Foyth reckon he’s definitely staying and I’m perfectly OK with that for now!
CCV – sell now and get a decent bit of money for him (after all has good solid Championship experience – so do an Amos type deal and get some much needed lolly in) – not going to be 1st team squad for us – so why keep him hanging (especially as will be 23 next bday at end of December)?!
Marsh, Georgiou, Tracey and Sterling also need to be shifted – even if we’re only talking pittance – get them off the wage bill and taking up squad space be it even in the U23’s!
If we need money to get the new RB and STR minimum, I’d probably be OK with Rose and Aurier departing (don’t yet want to lose Foyth though) but I’d hope we could get more than just £5m for Rose and atleast £15m for Aurier – but it would then be a tough ask for our remaining full-backs to produce the goods regularly straight away from the start especially at RB!
If we really need the money for a new STR, then I would consider sanctioning the sale of Lamela finally also to achieve this!
EJ.. welcome back. Your chapter & verse posts about your views are interesting.. keep them going 🙂
I note that we have been linked to just about anyone who has ever kicked a ball. Yet again.
One of the more believable stories is Matt Doherty is he an upgrade on Aurier. Any body Know much about him?
Cheers B108 – much obliged mate!
Looking forward to watching the match on Friday – live on Portuguese Sky – missed last week!
Still no RB or STR – hopefully we can sort something out in the next 2 weeks – again looking forward to it!
Niall…….Doherty would be a good buy in my opinion, pretty solid in defence and can play on the right in a 3. In addition to this (and I think the reason we are interested) he represents a real threat when in and around the opposition box, he puts in some very decent crosses and isn’t too shabby at heading the ball in the opposition box at set pieces.
Cheers TQ.
I didn’t have him on the radar.
def worth a shout, prem league experience, and has some good qualities. I’d rather a defender who gets a good average rating, rather the hit n miss ratings.
Agree with my fellow YIDS on here – Doherty sounds like a great signing especially for the prices being bounded about!
Plenty of experience in England including the Prem (last 2 season’s), at 28 coming into his peak year’s, good at everything you would expect from a RB as TQ has so clearly pointed out above and at a relatively bargain price – would love to have him – like also that he’s 6ft – great height for a full-back and Davies is also 5ft11 and defensively sound so we should be OK at 1st team full-back level with this purchase.
If Sessegnon/Cirkin/Tanganga/Foyth can take to the full-back positions also – we’d be pretty strong there again finally!
Wonder what this will mean for Aurier?! Is he still staying or will he be sold with only 2 year’s left on his contract?
Read a report this week that JM apparently said directly to him that he was scared of Aurier’s defending – which says it all really although for this last season since he took over did not have much choice other than to make Aurier his 1st choice RB and ride it out until now the summer.
Also reading Gazzaniga is wanted maybe by Fulham – would prefer to keep him and have 3 good solid GK’s especially with going for it on 4 fronts+international’s but I guess a decent offer might be too tempting to turn down?!
Rose still no news – would probably prefer for him to stay especially if his head is right – then again money talks and if he’s going to upset the balance better to get rid off him finally and get some much needed lolly in.
Also looking for CCV to be moved on aswell as the other 4 U-23 squad members mentioned earlier above already.
About time Clarke and some of the other prospects were loaned out also just like Eyoma, Skippy and Parrott – look forward to it and seeing what they can do next season also!
See when your slightly dyslexic. Just read a report that Inter were going to sign a player called “Toenail” it’s actually Tonali. Lol.
BTW I’m much with Rooney’s, comments re Messi would love to see Messi in the prem even if he plays for Man C.
Hi EJ…….we’ve already sent Clarke out on two loans over a full season and he hardly got any playing time. Maybe we need to play him in the U23’s this year with maybe some minutes in League Cup and/or early Europa rounds to find out if there are any signs he has what it takes to be a long term success with us.
Just been reported that the Doherty deal is done, hope it’s true. 🙂
Hi TQ – good to be conversing again with you mate – fair play about Clarke and it would be an interesting way of going about his problem but if he can’t make it past the sub’s bench in the Championship at 2 different club’s – why then should we risk him playing for us already especially in the Carabao Cup or EL when we should have serious intention’s of trying to win both?!
We have 4 very good solid wingers in Sonny, Bergs, Moura and Lamela not to mention the likes of Sess and Fernandes if desperate so what chance would Clarke have anyway of playing in his favoured winger role for us in terms of the 1st team, even if just talking about scarce minutes here or there?!
Good to hear from you too EJ.
Clarke did show some promise in the Ipswich game, funnily enough playing in front of Fernandes who was playing as a wing back. Even with the 4 wingers you rightly mention we might still need to offer some minutes to the youngsters for rotation purposes due to the number of games, say (for example) one or two of the four pick up injuries that keep them out for a few games, we might be pressed into using them to see out games just to give the fit first choices a break.
Anyway, it may be a bit early to judge if he has what it takes to be a success at Spurs, but we need to make that judgement before he spends endless years with us being a nearly man which is how I view Lamela.
Hi TQ – very fair point regarding injuries (eg to the 4 wingers), tough schedule and rotation especially in the latter part of games!
Did not get to watch the Ipswich match but should be able to watch the Reading match live tomorrow afternoon and looking forward to it.
Will be interesting to see what JM decides to do with him in the end as with a few others!
IF Doherty does sign, that’s RB pretty much sorted – will then just be all about a new STR – surely we have to sign one with having let go off Lloro and Janssen last summer and loaning out Parrott this summer.
Not holding my breathe over a new LCB also signing though! If it was a clever signing who could also cover LB we could then re-coup part of the cost by letting go of Rose without any concern so might still be an interesting avenue to pursue a new LCB aswell!
I think we are still in the market for one or two more signings EJ, £35m or so for solid new DM & RB is pretty good business in anyones book, knowing Levy he’ll at least cover the cost of Doherty with the sale of Aurier and it will be interesting to see if we are tempted by an offer from Fulham for Gazzaniga if the rumours are true. If so you can easily see any fee covering the cost of Hojbjerg.
I still see us recruiting for the two positions in question, I would hate to see us give up on him but the sale of Ndombele could in theory cover the cost of two decent signings in those positions meaning a zero net spend for the window in these difficult times while still improving the overall squad.
Of course……we have already recouped about £12m of the Hojbjerg fee with the sale of KWP so if Gazzaniga did go the majority of the fee goes into the available transfer funds.
Hi
EJ, TQ
Well if Doherty has signed the dotted line. That would be 2 of our “needs” covered from what is reported here and on other pages, he seems decent enough and if he is below 20 mil then a bargain by all accounts.
As I ve said previously he wasn’t on my radar or maybe EJs either, but from what I’ve read he also covers the Home Grown player rule. There’s Jod happy.
All we need now is a Stkr and LCB for our needs for me anything else is a massive bonus.
Maybe Mr Levy might actually spend some money on them. Lol.
Lads I’m starting to get excited lol – Doherty in, Aurier maybe out – sounds OK to me especially if Tanganga and Foyth can compete/cover there properly!
Foyth said he’s up for a fight and Tangs looks a top prospect!
Rose will probably be offski aswell – hope Sess and maybe even Cirkin can step up properly to compete/cover Davies! That said a good solid new LCB who is competent at LB would be ideal and then I’d fully give my blessing for letting Rose go and to get something in for him (with just 1 yr of contract left) when we are clearly desperate for lolly lol!
Don’t necessarily want Gazza gone – all depends on what offer is put on the table – if too tempting we might have to give in but let’s wait and see! Like having 3 good solid GK’s not including the youngsters like Whiteman and Austin!
So Aurier, Rose and CCV to go possibly and already gone Vert’s and KWP! I can live with that, but ideally we get a new LCB to replace Vert’s, Dier is now converted to CB also so that helps, then hopefully Sess and Foyth especially can come back into the fold at full-back level and same goes for Tanganga and even Cirkin!
Doherty and Hojbjerg coming in is bloody quality – this covers the 2 main gaping holes in our 1st team IMHO – BRILLIANT!
N’Dombele has to stay hopefully and surely put up a fight for a place in the 1st team alongside Hoj and probably Lo Celso for me!
On the money side –
KWP – £12m already. Will be looking for a decent sum of around £18m (which is rougly 20m Euros) for Aurier atleast hopefully and maybe the bounded about £5m for Rose minimum (have to admit would be disappointed with only £5m but so be it – atleast it’s something and we are desperate), CCV upto £5m if we’re lucky.
That would give us £40m roughly.
Hoj £15m up front, Doherty £12m up front so that technically still leaves us £13m – depending on the structure of our sales and if the dough is all up front for our sales, etc?!
Put that £13m and maybe find a bit more from club revenue/borrowing to fund the all elusive STR and that might well have to do for this summer.
Re-visit the LCB in January maybe depending on how things get on and go!