Ex-Player Watch Player watch: Jan Vertonghen

[$hoguN]

Time to pull any new contracts off the table and call the glue factory

 

[Kiedis]

Our setup isn't favourable to any of our players, but I always thought that in terms of age balance in our squad, it would always have to be one of Alderweireld and Vertonghen to get a new contract.

Letting him mosey off to Ajax this summer is probably for the best.

 

[Primativ]

Our setup isn't favourable to any of our players, but I always thought that in terms of age balance in our squad, it would always have to be one of Alderweireld and Vertonghen to get a new contract.

Letting him mosey off to Ajax this summer is probably for the best.

Correct. I think it would be a huge mistake giving Jan a new contract. He's 33 and in dire form, with little realistic chance of him turning it back around again. I don't understand what the club are thinking if we are seriously considering offering a new contract to him. Where is the foresight and planning around this? It makes no sense whatsoever. Give Jan a new contract at wages of over 100K+ week? madness. We could spend that on one or two young players with potential.

If we get Jan to sign a new contract, I think it shows this club is more fucked than we think. I can't see any upside to it at all.

 

[si_yidarmy]

I love Jan, but I believe he is not up to PL pace and concentration anymore. It was the same as Kompany with City, as hard as it must have been but everyone's time comes and the club has to move on. I was really surprised that Toby got a new contract, this was either to make sure financial bids come in during the Summer (current form I doubt that) or we feel he can nurture some upcoming or existing players more.

I am trying to be positive so the above might sound like utter nonsense, just trying to make sense of this ridiculous situation we are in.

 

[Primativ]

I love Jan, but I believe he is not up to PL pace and concentration anymore. It was the same as Kompany with City, as hard as it must have been but everyone's time comes and the club has to move on. I was really surprised that Toby got a new contract, this was either to make sure financial bids come in during the Summer (current form I doubt that) or we feel he can nurture some upcoming or existing players more.

I am trying to be positive so the above might sound like utter nonsense, just trying to make sense of this ridiculous situation we are in.

I get why signing Toby to a new contract made sense, regardless of form you are protecting an asset. Verts though, he's 33, he's finished, there is no point offering him a new deal.

 

[Zummerzet Spur]

Jan has been an excellent servant of the club but rather than offer a new contract I’d like to see Tanganga given some game time as he was very impressive in pre-season.

if it’s true that we’re not looking to buy in January then we need to blood some more youngsters.

Any sales this window needs to be recycled into two new fullbacks over any other position imho.

 

[yankspurs]

I get why signing Toby to a new contract made sense, regardless of form you are protecting an asset. Verts though, he's 33, he's finished, there is no point offering him a new deal.

Toby is even more finished than Jan. Giving him a new contract was an unbelievably calamitous decision. Now we’re stuck with a player who belongs in the glue factory for 3 years on 150k/wk. Hopefully MLS or China comes in for him at some point.

 

[GutBucket]

Remember at the start of season when was out of the team and went public to confirm that he in fact wasn't injured just dropped, it was very weird but obvious why now. He is simply not good enough anymore and probably didn't do much work in summer to get fit. Very strange to have him start so many games with many of them being at LB, he is too old and unfit. Club legend but not good enough anymore.

 

[Havre]

Our best defender last year in my opinion - so I don't buy that he suddenly isn't good enough, but at the same time I can't really explain how poor he has been this season.

Is he permanently finished or did he just not prepare himself well enough for the season? If it is the latter he could still have some good years left.

The thing that confuses me the most with Vertonghen these days is his body language. He was always someone that you felt would go to war for the team. Now he has gotten a bit of the Robbie Keane-gitis. He just doesn't seem to care like he used to and even if he might not be openly sulking like Alli his body language is not always that good.

 

[Primativ]

Toby is even more finished than Jan. Giving him a new contract was an unbelievably calamitous decision. Now we’re stuck with a player who belongs in the glue factory for 3 years on 150k/wk. Hopefully MLS or China comes in for him at some point.

That's just silly. Toby is only 31 or so, still has a good few years at the top level, can realistically command a sizeable fee if we decide to sell him, and is more likely to regain form. There is not a single reason why it would have been good to have lost Toby on a free transfer. Jan however, offers none of what I've just listed, so we should say thanks and goodbye in the summer.

 

[Primativ]

Our best defender last year in my opinion - so I don't buy that he suddenly isn't good enough, but at the same time I can't really explain how poor he has been this season.

Is he permanently finished or did he just not prepare himself well enough for the season? If it is the latter he could still have some good years left.

The thing that confuses me the most with Vertonghen these days is his body language. He was always someone that you felt would go to war for the team. Now he has gotten a bit of the Robbie Keane-gitis. He just doesn't seem to care like he used to and even if he might not be openly sulking like Alli his body language is not always that good.

Declines can easily happen over a summer. Think about it, many players go from good to shit in their careers very quickly. He is 33, last season now looks like his last hurrah.

 

[SUIYHA]

Arguably our most consistent player of the past decade - however it is becoming ever clearer that he is finished at the top level. He now has a serious problem, that his performances are no longer going to justify a big money contract extension he could have had if he'd signed a year or two ago - and I can't see any teams bigger than us wanting to take him on at his age playing like this.

There are some defenders, think Chiellini, Puyol, Maldini and Terry, that adapt their game and go on to play at the top level until well into their mid-30s, but these are rare cases. What is far more common amongst centre-backs is a sharp decline in their early 30s - you might try putting this down to David Moyes coaching methods but the way the Ferdinand-Vidic partnership that had won Man Utd so many titles over the previous few years completely fell to pieces was shocking to see.

That being said - I do think there is a place for Jan to play if we are to go back to a three man defence. His ball playing ability is still very good and if he has more cover and protection then the lack of pace is less of an issue. But any experiments with him at left-back (unless part of a flat 4-4-2 when Sessegnon or Rose are playing directly ahead of him) or as part of a two man CB are likely going to end in tears.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

Play him as a left sided CB where he has previously excelled. He's a reluctant LB and it shows in his performances.

 

[Havre]

Declines can easily happen over a summer. Think about it, many players go from good to shit in their careers very quickly. He is 33, last season now looks like his last hurrah.

But you got to agree it is a bit odd going from possibly his best season in his career to this? I don't believe that is purely down to him physically not being capable of playing in the PL any longer.

Another thing is if it is worth to having him around even if he bounces back. Clearly we need to transition to something new at some point regardless. And doing it one at the time makes sense - and with Alderweireld hanging around the question almost answers itself.

I personally hopes he stays around as a squad player, because I think he will bounce back (at least somewhat), but not sure if that is what Vertonghen wants.

 

[yankspurs]

That's just silly. Toby is only 31 or so, still has a good few years at the top level, can realistically command a sizeable fee if we decide to sell him, and is more likely to regain form. There is not a single reason why it would have been good to have lost Toby on a free transfer. Jan however, offers none of what I've just listed, so we should say thanks and goodbye in the summer.

Have you seen Toby play at all this season? The man is finished. Theres a very good reason he had no interest in him for £25m.

 

[danielneeds]

Have you seen Toby play at all this season? The man is finished. Theres a very good reason he had no interest in him for £25m.

Don’t be ridiculous. You put him in a team where the forwards are working hard closing the opposition down, the midfield had some balance and solidity to it and he has some reliable fullbacks and a decent goalkeeper around him and he’d still be one of the best defenders in the league. At the moment we play with no control or purpose and everyone is suffering.

 

[Deleted member 29446]

The lack of effort in the goal yesterday and also vs Norwich (pukki offside) and more is what has done me.
Thanks for 7 good years Verts but it’s clear as night and day that you don’t give a single fuck anymore.
Should be nowhere near to a get a new contract but of course he will.

 

[rabbikeane]

Vertonghen at Ajax and Aké at Spurs makes sense and would be in everyone's best interest - except for Bournemouth's, they'd be Championship

 

[dude573]

It hasn't even been a year since he destroyed Dortmund at Wembley while playing LWB. Absolutely astonished to see the lack of effort/positioning on display now.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

The Jan/Toby dilemma is a tricky one because before we bought Sanchez in to add pace to the centre we were struggling big time at Wembley. It seems they both need pace around them to make up for both their lack of pace and agility

The screen infront of them supplied by Dembele also helped them immensely

For me when Jan first came to us I wasn’t impressed. Not strong enough and too many mistakes. Since those early days imo he’s been our best and most consistent defender

Both have been very poor lately but they say you cannot but experience in that area so maybe they just need a lighter work load or maybe not. Luckily I’m not the manager