Player Watch Player Watch: Timo Werner

[Ribble]

I think we would have to loan Soloman after so long out. I can't see anyone sign him. There might be room in the squad for him though. I just wouldn't count on him so if he's fit its just a bonus. I mean we have Gil doing nothing so it's no worse.

Don't expect either of them will be here in September.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

After lots of umming and ahhhring I’ve decided I don’t want him. Won’t throw my toys out if he stays but he’s not good enough. Maybe as a squad player who only plays 2-3 games a year but what’s the point in having an option like that. We want people on the bench pushing the starters. He ain’t that imo.

I would sign him. He may not be the best finisher but he gets into some very good positions and has very good movement. Had our midfielders not been so inept and actually looked to pass to him he would be even more dangerous. We need a mixture of youth and experience in the squad, the latter is something we seriously lack at the moment.

If you look at our current options Werner is well placed in comparison to what the others have offered:

Left:

Gil - tumble weed
Solomon - always injured
Sessegnon - always injured
Son - starting to regress, need a long term replacement

Right:

Johnson - hit and miss, still very much a work in progress
Kulusevski - form gone off the edge of a cliff

For me:

Left - Son, Werner, quality replacement for Son or an exciting prospect e.g. Nusa

Right - quality player/very high potential, Johnson, Kulusevski

We’re going to have a lot of games next season as it stands. We need both quality, potential, experience and depth across our wide forward positions.

 

[E17yid]

I would sign him. He may not be the best finisher but he gets into some very good positions and has very good movement. Had our midfielders not been so inept and actually looked to pass to him he would be even more dangerous. We need a mixture of youth and experience in the squad, the latter is something we seriously lack at the moment.

If you look at our current options Werner is well placed in comparison to what the others have offered:

Left:

Gil - tumble weed
Solomon - always injured
Sessegnon - always injured
Son - starting to regress, need a long term replacement

Right:

Johnson - hit and miss, still very much a work in progress
Kulusevski - form gone off the edge of a cliff

For me:

Left - Son, Werner, quality replacement for Son or an exciting prospect e.g. Nusa

Right - quality player/very high potential, Johnson, Kulusevski

We’re going to have a lot of games next season as it stands. We need both quality, potential, experience and depth across our wide forward positions.

Although my main problem with him is that he can’t shoot to save his life that’s not the worst thing in the world if you bring other things to the table but problem is we already have another winger who can’t shoot to save his life and his name is Brennan Johnson, can we really afford to have 2 wingers who couldn’t hit a barn door? I also don’t think he’s so good in other areas it makes up for his glaring weakness and it makes much more sense to persevere with Johnson who is young and might improve but also who we spent a shit load of money in so we’re chip committed with him but Werner less so obviously

As I say, though, I don’t hate him so won’t throw my toys out but there’s surely better options out there.

 

[Monkey boy]

Although my main problem with him is that he can’t shoot to save his life that’s not the worst thing in the world if you bring other things to the table but problem is we already have another winger who can’t shoot to save his life and his name is Brennan Johnson, can we really afford to have 2 wingers who couldn’t hit a barn door? I also don’t think he’s so good in other areas it makes up for his glaring weakness and it makes much more sense to persevere with Johnson who is young and might improve but also who we spent a shit load of money in so we’re chip committed with him but Werner less so obviously

As I say, though, I don’t hate him so won’t throw my toys out but there’s surely better options out there.

Nail on the head right there, of course there are numerous better options out there but this "option" has a very appealing price which i fear will be too much of a temptation for our hierarchy and weirdly alot of our fanbase. We need to be more demanding and stop accepting lesser options because they are a good deal. Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd have all signed top class talent without champions league football recently as they are willing to pay the money needed to get them to sign on. If we want Eze or Olise for example as we think they are better than Werner then stump up and pay the going rate to sign them otherwise we're just settling for the also rans tag.......... again

 

[robhumphreys]

I would keep him as he's the best we've had this season at beating a player and getting a cross in. Far better than Johnson or Son

 

[E17yid]

Nail on the head right there, of course there are numerous better options out there but this "option" has a very appealing price which i fear will be too much of a temptation for our hierarchy and weirdly alot of our fanbase. We need to be more demanding and stop accepting lesser options because they are a good deal. Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd have all signed top class talent without champions league football recently as they are willing to pay the money needed to get them to sign on. If we want Eze or Olise for example as we think they are better than Werner then stump up and pay the going rate to sign them otherwise we're just settling for the also rans tag.......... again

I agree with you but I guess the counter to that would be if Ange wants him over other options then we should get him.

This is an unknown area for Ange, can he pick a good player? Poch wasn’t so great at this but my understanding is that a lot of the work identifying players is not done by Ange and he’ll just green light certain options.

However, going by recent comments it sounds like he’s no sold on Werner so hopefully we’re all on the same page.

 

[purplemonkey]

“Conviction” and “belief” have been the key words in a lot of Ange’s press conferences of late. Qualities that I’m afraid Timo is sorely lacking. He performed well enough to keep things ticking along but TBH I think the injury has spared him in the last few games where I think he would’ve wilted under the adversity and the decision would be a more straightforward one.

In fairness, no one else has really covered themselves in glory in his absence and I think he’s been one of our more effective attackers - however, I think that’s more an indictment of how poor we’ve been, and we need to be more ruthless as a club and as a team to take the next step. I get that he would probably still be a useful squad player in the interim, especially if we treat the EL as a second tier European competition that we need to somehow muddle our way through - but that mindset is precisely what’s held us back as a club from winning things.

This summer is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and supercharge our development. Stop gaps help you to maintain your position, not improve it.

 

[bubble07]

i think he has been good but id rather spend the 15m it would take to sign him and get marcus edwards back at the club

 

[allatsea]

Has anything been said about him and next season ?

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I thought this was a no brainer as a squad option but now I’m not so sure tbh, there are certainly better out there.

 

[Wig]

In our system - and on the basis we actually play a proper striker in the middle who can convert more of the chances being made - I still think Werner is a no brainer as a squad option.

 

[Monkey boy]

Maybe this needs a Poll? My guess would be a 50/50 split although I suppose the variables will play a part, I.e who else we sign, wages, squad space etc.

 

[Scot-Spur]

P OKeefe has said we are looking at Odoi at Forest, can’t see Werner staying if we sign him.

 

[Gbspurs]

I thought our performances dropped off when Werner got injured. Think he is an ideal back up for Son personally.

 

[Mattspurs1982]

I thought our performances dropped off when Werner got injured. Think he is an ideal back up for Son personally.

I would rather buy quality as we need to plan for the future without Sonny. He’s getting older, sometimes just looks shattered as he’s hardly ever rested

 

[$hoguN]

Hopefully he stays

 

[mr ashley]

I thought our performances dropped off when Werner got injured. Think he is an ideal back up for Son personally.

Would also point to us getting a younger player in as a long term replacement to son, such as nusa or even doue

 

[spurs9]

I thought our performances dropped off when Werner got injured. Think he is an ideal back up for Son personally.

Our performances dropped off before he was injured, most notably the 3-0 loss to Fulham and 4-0 loss to Newcastle, both of which he played in.

The only games we lost after his injury were Liverpool, Chelsea, City and Arsenal, but we were already 2-0 down in that game before he got injured.

 

[Gb160]

Admittedly his finishing is poor but the most irritating thing about when we used him was the teams inability to play to his strengths. The amount of times the option to put him in behind was completely ignored was infuriating.

 

[spurs9]

i think he has been good but id rather spend the 15m it would take to sign him and get marcus edwards back at the club

Edwards isn't good enough. He has lost his place as a starter for Sporting.