Are we stronger or weaker

[JimmyG2]

Even if you discount the loss of King which was not a transfer deadline matter we are weaker.
You cannot replace your two best creative players with a bunch of decent but limited ones and come out stronger.
We have improved our goalkeeper but that was not as urgent as getting some creativity
in midfield and real quality up front.
We may be surprised and delighted by Dembele, Sigurdsson, and Dempsey
but this is not a Champions League threatening outfit. or even a Champions League qualifying threatening outfit.
Vertonghen is not King ,just yet.
Dembele is not Modric; Dempsey and Siggy are not Van der Vaart, unless we can play them both in his place
Dempsey is an upgrade on Kane certainly.
Usual self serving, ego tripping, cliffhanging, self contradicting, self delusional time wasting stuff
from the ITK's.
But thanks for posting guys. Not that I ever read it

Moutinho episode is the usual nonsense.
You mean that they only discovered that it was complicated with a couple of hours to go?
The manager's key man and we once again let it slip.
But hey the bank balance is up so what's not to like?

 

[BorisTM]

Not only are we weaker, but the spine has been ripped out. Even if some of these Dembeles and Siggys can light a candle to Modric and VDV, they will take time to gel and that is time we don't have with 1 point from 6 so far.

Let's wait and see. Losing VDV was a big blow indeed, but it could be a blessing in disguise freeing a spot for someone, that is younger and more willing to stay with the club, to take it.

 

[tototoner]

I don't like the bloke but I agree with a lot of points he makes here

Paul Merson - Tottenham are looking a spent force

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/270059

 

[nedley]

I would like to add that Lloris signing is massive.

Improves our goalkeeping tenfold.

 

[tototoner]

Just realised we still have Bentley and Jenas, so not all doom and gloom

 

[Danny1]

The squad is stronger. Anyone who says otherwise clearly hasn't looked at our squad. We have lost Modric, King & VDV but brought in Lloris (Much better than we had), Vertonghen (Better than a half fit King), Dembele (Not as good as Modric but bloody good), Sigurdsson (Not as good VDV but bloody good) & Dempsey (Better than Kranjcar or Pienaar).

Also I always think its funny when people say that just because a player plays for Fulham, or someone similar, then they cannot be World Class. If that was the case then Real Madrid would never sign someone from us as we are pretty much a Fulham to them! I personally think Dembele is an excellent addition, different to Modric I agree, but he will be a big part of our team this season! Also who isnt happy about Lloris eh! One of THE best keepers in the world!

 

[StockSpur]

hudd is a deep lying playmaker isnt he? And i also think stronger, noones going to be hiding when dempseys playing, he demands commitment from everyone who plays not just himself. and dare i say it, he is a goal scoring midfielder!

we made plenty of chances in the last 2 games without modric and a little input from vdv.

im optimistic

 

[StockSpur]

---------------------Lloris----------------------------

Walker-----Kaboul-----Vertonghen-----Assou-Ekotto

-------------Sandro-------Dembele-----------------

Dempsey---------Sigurdsson----------------Bale

--------------------Adebayor---------------------

bench: lennon, hudd, defoe, livermore, parker, gallas, bradley,

weak bench?

 

[guiltyparty]

We're stronger from our last 2 games as Modric wasn't playing. Last season? I'm sitting on fence as there's no guarantee Modric would have done what he did last season and got his head down

I think Dempsey is a really canny signing. Guy gets goals, works his arse off. He's arguably the unfashionable VDV except he scores more and lasts 90mins

I think the weird thing is how none of the signings seem like players we wouldn't have bought if Harry was still in charge. Two midfielders from another EPL team and one of the most famous goalies in the world? Pure Redknapp

The formation may haved changed, but It doesn't really feel the kind of clientele has. I had expected some more unorthodox signings, assuming AVB was a bit of a scout, but they're all so obvious

 

[Spursking]

I see that Dempsey is supposed to play in a winger/attacker role, but a lot of you omit Lennon from the starting lineup. I would like to see Lennon in this team, and maybe play Dempsey a bit behind Adebayor up front.

 

[teok]

I think you guys are seriously underestimating how good modric and VdV are/were. It's fine trying to be positive but lets not go crazy. We have lost one of the best players in world football (no exaggeration) if their replacements were as good they would have gone to a top champions league club for huge amounts of money and not us.

 

[eddiebailey]

Wanted to post something very similar to this!

Which team do you prefer....

I prefer last season's team without question, but King and Modric had gone, though I am not convinced that we could not have held onto VdV. Without genuinely world class players such as Luka and Rafa to pull the strings, rather than simply replacing like with inferior like, it kind of makes sense to try a different approach. Having said that, Harry recognised that our strength lay in width and passing, and in switching to a narrower, more pressing team we may still end up sacrificing individual qualities at the alter of tactics. The emphasis seems more on stopping the opposition from playing than on retaining possession ourselves, and the high defensive line does not play to the strength of our wingers who need space to run into - I doubt we will see much of Lennon, and Bale will play more as he does for Wales. It might work, but it is likely to be a whole lot less fun.

 

[tttcowan]

Depressingly weaker...

King > Verts
Modric > Dembelle
VDV > Demspey

Thats how I see it anyway, we swapped world class for great players. But yeah, it'd be massively arrogant to think we're not going to take a hit on the pitch losing our big names and not breaking the bank to replace them... Smacks of Carrick, Berbs n Keane.

...The most disappointing thing is we haven't backed AVB. I wouldn't blame him if we're shit now to be fair. And wouldn't blame him if he left.

 

[shelfmonkey]

For the merment I've got the top edge of the fence firmly wedged between my cheeks, which is how it's gonna be for quite a while (grimaces at the thought of such sustained agony)!! I don't see us as being weaker, but, different (Levy might like that), we've definitely lost the guile of Modders and Rafa, but now have the more direct goal threat of Dembele and Dempsey! How this will affect AVB's system I don't know, coz surely it requires a player with said guile!! It will be interesting, but I still think the club have fucked up monumentally, once again, by not securing players that were really needed, seems Levy's judgement is not what it should be. I for one am not convinced by AVB, hope he proves me wrong and I will support him, for now.

 

[AngerManagement]

We've kind of stood still, we've strengthened in areas I guess but we have lost 3 of our best 4 players....which side can do that and really say they are stronger?

I think we were always going to have to take a step back to try and take two forward as we as a squad would be in a period of transition and adjustment, new manager, new formation, new system etc.

I didn't expect us to sell all the flair and skill from our team and not replace it. Its somewhat shocking to see Mr Levy still not learn from mistakes of windows past, I actually can't believe he still left our key signing to the last day of the entire window and we still chased our tails for a player we couldn't sign in time, really I thought this time we would have deadlines in our minds and plans b and c ready to execute with time to spare.

I don't think the window has been a total disaster, we have added some real quality and I think we will still be a top six club pushing for the top four, but Levy ultimately failed to bring in someone to replace Modric and that in essence is the very heart beat of our team, we now lack that vision and defence splitting pass from the middle of the park and have no one who can really set the tempo and make us tick there (Demebele will do a great job, but he's not a modric and should have been in addition to JM not instead of)

We feel light as a squad and while Dempsey is a solid, hard working and consistent signing he is no VdV and he is also not really a direct replacement or competition to Ade. He's a cheaper safer option than Remy for the versatile option but he's not really a loan striker which is vital for our system and that leaves us with just Ade, no one to rotate him with, no one to replace him and no one to provide him competition (I thought we'd at least make a late loan move for Dzeko or something, suppose its a shame Aguero got injured)

I still think the winter window was the bigger mistake, we were well clear in third and had we only spent a bit of money to bring in a goal scorer like Cisse or Jelavic we would have surely secured third and had a bigger budget and CL football to offer targets.

It also seemed like we saved the money instead of backing Harry because we were gonna back the new guy and make some big moves, whatever you say we haven't made any big moves really. JM would have been the marquee signing and had it come off the window would have been decent, although still we would have been lacking a second striker in my opinion.

Its not a total disaster, we're not gonna be fighting relegation til xmas like after we sold Keane and Berba (hell looking at the window now we should have at least brought Berba back) but Levy didn't get it right and Levy has not really back the new guy.....the most frustrating thing about it is its the same old mistakes made by Mr Levy.

I think we need a DOF who can be given a budget and freedom to work within that budget and take the job away from Levy now, he just keeps repeating the same actions and expecting the different results.

I think people are very much going over the top with all the Levy out comments, he has still done ok by the club.....but also the Levy supports who still blindly defend him have to hand on heart admit they expecting better from him this window, surely?

 

[tttcowan]

We're stronger from our last 2 games as Modric wasn't playing. Last season? I'm sitting on fence as there's no guarantee Modric would have done what he did last season and got his head down

I think Dempsey is a really canny signing. Guy gets goals, works his arse off. He's arguably the unfashionable VDV except he scores more and lasts 90mins

I think the weird thing is how none of the signings seem like players we wouldn't have bought if Harry was still in charge. Two midfielders from another EPL team and one of the most famous goalies in the world? Pure Redknapp

The formation may haved changed, but It doesn't really feel the kind of clientele has. I had expected some more unorthodox signings, assuming AVB was a bit of a scout, but they're all so obvious

The fact this is 2nd thing you've said about someone who's supposed to be replacing VDV is not a great sign.

 

[ParkySpur]

Of course we are weaker, but we were always going to be. Losing Modric and VDV is massive but we had little choice. Modric forced his way out, and it seemed on the cards that VDV wanted to go back to Germany for a while. I reckon if could've had the best of both worlds Rafa would stay all day long.

But we are only weaker right now. The hope is that this time next year we are all saying thank god modric went because now we've got Dembele, he's a beast etc etc.

Let's not forget that we have also signed a worldy keeper and an excellent centre half. Who by the way are both captains. I think this is important future potential captains that will play. For too long we have had the armband passed around due to injuries etc and that affects the leadership on the field.

I for one am happy with now have a game to look forward to.

And we gonna win!!!

 

[guiltyparty]

The fact this is 2nd thing you've said about someone who's supposed to be replacing VDV is not a great sign.

Erm, Dempsey scored more than Adebayor, let alone VDV, last season. That's why I said goals first. Works his arse off is exactly what VDV does except he knackers himself out by 60mins; Dempsey won't. So on those fronts we've improved.

Obviously he isn't a sexy Dutchmen with a sexy name who used to play for Real Madrid, but can we all come down from Whingeville for a second.

 

[Fantasticlee]

How can anyone vote stronger?!!!

Taking nothing away from the signing who are good ones but..... we have lost the man who all of our play goes through.
We have FAILED to bring in the creative player we desperately need.
Who can step into that role?
I'll answer that myself, No-one!!!

What a mess and again it seems it's over Levy trying to save a £ here and there.
He is a good business man but sometimes he shoots this club in the foot by missing out on players as he always trying to squeeze every last penny.
He is notoriously difficult to deal with which also does us no favours.

As far as I'm concerned this season is a write off already.
I'm sure plenty will have a pop at me for this but can anyone honestly say they feel better about the season after yesterday?

 

[tttcowan]

Erm, Dempsey scored more than Adebayor, let alone VDV, last season. That's why I said goals first. Works his arse off is exactly what VDV does except he knackers himself out by 60mins; Dempsey won't. So on those fronts we've improved.

Obviously he isn't a sexy Dutchmen with a sexy name who used to play for Real Madrid, but can we all come down from Whingeville for a second.

Absolutely not. I miss our magicians.