The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 28th August 2021

[sidford]

Been told all summer that foreign clubs are broke and that there's never been a better time to get value in the market and while we have signed 2 young players of promise we have at be the minute only signed 1 player who improves last season's starting 11. We may sign Emerson which will improve it in 2 positions but that's a pretty big let down.
More negligence with no proper cover for Kane, least we had Vinny last year.

Going to be some craic on here tomorrow around this time if this is it.

 

[goughie1966]

Lo Celso played as number 10 for Argentina behind Messi, he Was very very good

And for Real Betis

 

[arunspurs]

Been told all summer that foreign clubs are broke and that there's never been a better time to get value in the market and while we have signed 2 young players of promise we have at be the minute only signed 1 player who improves last season's starting 11. We may sign Emerson which will improve it in 2 positions but that's a pretty big let down.
More negligence with no proper cover for Kane, least we had Vinny last year.

Going to be some craic on here tomorrow around this time if this is it.

I dont get it mate....

Metz are under trouble - we got Pape Saar
Barca in trouble - we are getting Emerson from them, nearly got Moriba as well, only for agents agenda to chose Leipzig
Atalanta - Got 2 players from their XI given their need to sell. Both players on loan with a deal favourable to us

If anything, we have been the most opportunistic club in all of top5 leagues.

 

[lukadownthelane]

Have we actually been seriously linked with a British player since Paratici came and even foreign premier league players are virtually unheard of now.

Not sure we have but my point was not limited to this summer, but also there is no reason we shouldn’t be shopping in the championship

 

[NorthSide]

Agree, I’m sure there’s irons in fires.

However, I do get why people are concerned with no striker replacement for Vinicius and attacking threat of Bale. We’ve done well in the first few games, but let’s not forget we’ve only scored 3 goals and there’s been some fortune. Maybe Nuno will develop what we have to fill the gaps, but it’s looking a bit light for me.

You do seem to speak for many here when you express concern that Vinny and Bale haven't been replaced.

In contrast to your view, I think that Bale was played only very rarely, Vinny too, and whilst they made some contributions, and scored a few goals, they had only a very small impact on our season.

I don't think we will actually miss that contribution very much.

This is especially the case because our problems last season were, in my eyes, that we invited so much pressure, and couldn't keep hold of our many leads.

I think that by setting up the team better we will concede fewer goals, and especially lose fewer leads.

This would've easily been enough for CL qualification last year, and I think these changes will far outweigh losing Bale and Vinny.

I also think we will score more goals this year because we will actually be trying to score most of the time, which will be a big change on last year.

So I do really think we will be better than last year.

The competition for top 4 will be much harder this year too, and I don't feel we have enough to make that, but then that's the fun of actually watching the games.

If we get AT, then I think it changes our prospects alot. I do hope there is better news on that tomorrow, as it sounds dead tonight.

Can't wait til after the international break!

 

[muel]

Genuinely desperate for this transfer window to close. I'm exhausted by it.

 

[Rogmeister]

.

We’re all set to act surprised in either January or summer when Kane leaves and we don’t have a single striker at the club. It’s ok though, next season will be a “transition” one.

its almost as though you’ve done this before matehaha

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Get Neves and Traore in and we’ll let bygones be bygones …

 

[God&Texas]

This was a tough window to set expectations for due to the state of finances around football, our finances from loss of a year plus gameday revenue, and not least not knowing how we would be setting up and what would be asked of certain players. We could all point to the lack of a No. 10 in the squad before the window but we look to be going into the season not looking for the creativity from the middle. With the benefit of hindsight that our givens are a lineup of three in the middle asked to run, pick up second balls, force opponents out wide, and little else, and three in the front unshackled from defensive responsibilities but with the full offensive responsibility to create and score, the window would have three objectives. Those would be ensure a solid 15/16 that fit these remits, get rid of as much deadwood as possible, and plan for the future.

At this point (as worthless as it is with a day still left) I'd judge we've done best with removing deadwood. We were never going to be able to get all of those who were not key to our plans off the books but if Aurier does leave, we made a good dent. The ones who remain seem to be putting in effort with decent attitude and can benefit the squad in other ways in training or Europe, or are Ndombele who was never going to find someone to take his wages and is a lottery ticket; probably not going to add to the team with the way we are setting up, but if we hit the jackpot would be better than any acquisition that could be expected.

Assuming Emerson in, the back line can be considered improved. Not a perfect window but beat par with the new CB and RB that were universally called for as necessary. Hojbjerb, Skipp, Dele, Lo Celso are all solid options for what is being asked of the midfield. Another able to pass through lines would be great but this group with Ndombele, Winks, and capable youth, now to include Sarr, behind is not a failure. My biggest issue is that with this setup we need three up front to create and score on their own. Kane and Son did this (for 4 months at least) last season to great success but I think we are taking a huge risk asking for that to continue. With a CB and RB, my argument is that a RWF is the only other spot that was an absolute must for a successful window. Whether in the Sabitzer role to tuck back behind and create for Son and Kane while being a threat from outside the box, the Traore role causing chaos and opening space for those two, or another Son type for symmetrical runners and letting Kane distribute, something was needed that Bergwijn and Lucas, for all their strengths, have not been able to provide consistently. Bryan provides this from limited minutes but from the left and needs some time. I am excited for him and think he will contribute much this season even if it is primarily to allow Son to slide up top to rest Kane.

My other issue is with future planning. Great progress was made here with Bryan, Sarr, and Gollini; but I at least am resigned to Kane being somewhere else this time next year. At this point we are looking at trying to pull off a miracle and bring in a top quality striker in January, or most likely relying on a new summer signing to contribute from day 1 to fill that gap. Filling in for Kane is going to be a hard enough task but giving this signing a year to bed before being asked to would have gone a long way.

Not a disaster by any means, but there are legitimate and reasonable reasons for disappointment if the window ends with just Emerson in and Aurier out.

 

[homer hotspur]

Not sure we have but my point was not limited to this summer, but also there is no reason we shouldn’t be shopping in the championship

Yes, I agree with you and feel we have missed out on some potential good buys this season- ings, buendia, Vestergard off the top of my head.

 

[taidgh]

We’re all set to act surprised in either January or summer when Kane leaves and we don’t have a single striker at the club. It’s ok though, next season will be a “transition” one.

Uh oh. Someone has broken Rob. Hope you manage through tomorrow!

 

[tommyt]

We’re all set to act surprised in either January or summer when Kane leaves and we don’t have a single striker at the club. It’s ok though, next season will be a “transition” one.

Has @yankspurs won a raffle to control Rob's account for the evening ?

 

[tiger666]

I dont get it mate....

Metz are under trouble - we got Pape Saar
Barca in trouble - we are getting Emerson from them, nearly got Moriba as well, only for agents agenda to chose Leipzig
Atalanta - Got 2 players from their XI given their need to sell. Both players on loan with a deal favourable to us

If anything, we have been the most opportunistic club in all of top5 leagues.

A lot of it is simply "Why haven't the club bought the players I want?". It'll never change.

 

[Dr Know]

A lot of it is simply "Why haven't the club bought the players I want?". It'll never change.

I saw it as “why haven’t the club filled the positions I feel we need strengthening”

 

[tiger666]

I saw it as “why haven’t the club filled the positions I feel we need strengthening”

Which still isn't the same as filling the positions Nuno thinks need strengthening.

 

[wrd]

Which still isn't the same as filling the positions Nuno thinks need strengthening.

Isn't he the one who wants Traore?

 

[sidford]

I dont get it mate....

Metz are under trouble - we got Pape Saar
Barca in trouble - we are getting Emerson from them, nearly got Moriba as well, only for agents agenda to chose Leipzig
Atalanta - Got 2 players from their XI given their need to sell. Both players on loan with a deal favourable to us

If anything, we have been the most opportunistic club in all of top5 leagues.

Have we been clever in structuring Romero deal? Does he improve our starting 11? Yes he does

Does any of the others make our starting 11? I'd say no.
Are we back to having no cover for Kane - yes. We can't honestly think Scarlett is cover.
Do we need another CB? Absolutely, dier and Sanchez have done well in the 3 games but come on we can't forget the last 3 years.
We have lost eriksen and unfortunately lo celso has been a huge let down and less said about Ndombele the better so we still need that position filled but we haven't.

Going into the window we needed 2 CB's, a RB, a creative midfielder and a striker. At close of business tomorrow we might have 2 of those.
Sarr and Gill may prove master strokes but sarr won't this season as he's not even with us.
It's not a complete disaster of a window but neither have we addressed even the bulk of our problem areas from last season.

 

[Frank Blank]

Didn't he make his debut as a striker?

He did, (in 1992), having come on as a makeshift striker for Barmby. And indeed scoring too.

In the general scheme of things probably a better 'striker' (low bar alert here) than Postiga.

 

[tiger666]

Isn't he the one who wants Traore?

Probably? And? Wolves by all accounts aren't willing to let him go, nor should they. That doesn't mean we should throw ridiculous amounts of money at them to get it done.

 

[Yantino]

Have we been clever in structuring Romero deal? Does he improve our starting 11? Yes he does

Does any of the others make our starting 11? I'd say no.
Are we back to having no cover for Kane - yes. We can't honestly think Scarlett is cover.
Do we need another CB? Absolutely, dier and Sanchez have done well in the 3 games but come on we can't forget the last 3 years.
We have lost eriksen and unfortunately lo celso has been a huge let down and less said about Ndombele the better so we still need that position filled but we haven't.

Going into the window we needed 2 CB's, a RB, a creative midfielder and a striker. At close of business tomorrow we might have 2 of those.
Sarr and Gill may prove master strokes but sarr won't this season as he's not even with us.
It's not a complete disaster of a window but neither have we addressed even the bulk of our problem areas from last season.

but surely you weren’t expecting all of that to be resolved in one transfer window. If you were then I’m afraid you were setting yourself up for disappointment.