The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - THE SHAKEDOWN EDITION 24th July 2014

[Mr Pink]

The good thing is it definitely sounds like we're going to address the CB issue which should be our first priority.

 

[Cavehillspur]

Lennon did reasonably well last night but we'd be mad to not bring in someone for that left hand side. I know they'll interchange but its an area we need to strengthen.

Lennon and Townsend are not good enough for first team spots in an aspiring Tottenham team IMO. Squad players for me.

Yep, agree with you, just reckon that is what he was alluding to in terms of adequate cover by having the likes of Chadli and Townsend etc (maybe even Ceballos) as filling in. Would like to see a new player come in for that position who will be a starter. Our priorities lie with the defense though imo, really need to sort out the CB spot next.

 

[felmani26]

Lennon did reasonably well last night but we'd be mad to not bring in someone for that left hand side. I know they'll interchange but its an area we need to strengthen.

Lennon and Townsend are not good enough for first team spots in an aspiring Tottenham team IMO. Squad players for me.

See the beauty of a Griezmann promotes fluid interplay alongside Eriksen and Lamela behind an Adebayor or Soldado.

Lennon and Townsend should be impact players off the bench when the inevitable 60+ min lull creeps in after Poch's pressing system fatigue kicks in.

 

[SpurSince57]

I take the qoutes I posted as opinions. Move to Griezmann thread?

Yes, but whose opinions? Are they jj's, or is he passing on something he's heard from our scouts, or even Baldini? We don't know, and, as A&C pointed out, that's the problem.

 

[SpartanSpur]

Don't like that latest from the Goat, well the stuff on Lamela is great,...but how the hell are the roles already 'adequately filled' - in particular to the left hand side.

It did say 'for now' to be fair! Lennon did ok last night in the free roaming three and townsend is direct and can be a goal threat. We also have Holtby there. Obviously Lamela is the great lilywhite hope and Eriksen is class. I wouldn't be too dismayed if those were our options come West Ham. We also don't know how Poch will like to use Paulinho (if at all). Could well look to play him as a box to box with Lamela and Eriksen floating behind a striker (I'd prefer a player with more guile personally but could work).

Good news is that we are looking at improving it with Griezmann, Konoplyanka and Depay as semi-confirmed targets...

Edit: Forgot Chadli too. Could do well in last nights setup.

 

[Mr Pink]

It did say 'for now' to be fair! Lennon did ok last night in the free roaming three and townsend is direct and can be a goal threat. We also have Holtby there. Obviously Lamela is the great lilywhite hope and Eriksen is class. I wouldn't be too dismayed if those were our options come West Ham. We also don't know how Poch will like to use Paulinho (if at all). Could well look to play him as a box to box with Lamela and Eriksen floating behind a striker (I'd prefer a player with more guile personally but could work).

Good news is that we are looking at improving it with Griezmann, Konoplyanka and Depay as semi-confirmed targets...

Edit: Forgot Chadli too. Could do well in last nights setup.

Yeah, I agree. Just re read it!

I still hope we look to improve that area but we're hardly fecked if we don't I guess. CB should be the absolute priority at the moment and I really hope we still get Schneiderlin.

 

[Barry Mead]

I don't get all of this 1 in 3 chat about Griezmann, do we have any players currently that 'perform' every game ?
Last player that we had was Bale. Those types of players are a rare breed & there's a reason they end up playing for the likes of Madrid or Barca.

1 in 3 will do for me...

But basically it's a lot of bollocks anyway, Griezmann is their most influential player. True no player is going to manage a season without a few poor games but Griezmann's poor games have been pretty few and far between these last three seasons.

Maybe JJ has been getting an opinion from the same guy that advised the club that Suarez wouldn't be a good striker to sign, I doubt very much he's getting it from anyone who watches Sociedad on a regular basis

 

[SpartanSpur]

I don't get all of this 1 in 3 chat about Griezmann, do we have any players currently that 'perform' every game ?
Last player that we had was Bale. Those types of players are a rare breed & there's a reason they end up playing for the likes of Madrid or Barca.

1 in 3 will do for me...

Agreed, especially if the 1 in 3 is match winning, which in this case it is. With him and Lamela as '1 in 3's and Eriksen as a '1 in 2ish' I'd like those odds.

 

[ButchCassidy]

I personally think Menphis Depay has Levy's name written all over it

Agree, but I think for now he'll sit tight and see if Van Gaal will bring him to United. If not then he'll be an option later in the window, as well as Konoplyanka whose agent may start to wonder if his crazy demands are worth the player not moving and him making no money at all.

 

[Mr Pink]

The likes of Depay and that left hand side position will be a late move in the window if anything happens I reckon.

 

[MWALL]

It will be a sad day if Sandro leaves. Not because if his character, but because when fit he's one of the finest DM in the league. The thought of selling Sandro and keeping Paulinho and Dembele is quite depressing tbh.

Also, Sandro leaving means the final piece of our great team of a few years ago has gone. Another depressing thought. Brave new world eh? Not so sure myself.

As for Griezmann, don't believe it for a second. Even if we are in for him, the only chance we've got is to go all in and tie it up quickly. Not gonna happen. Last summer was an anamoly and with the stadium situation we are even more unlikely to go slapping £25m bids in for players.

Not sure what to think about Depay either. Always worries me buying players who were relatively unknown until a decent World cup.

Agree with your Greizmann assessment. But on Depay. I hadn't heard of Modric until he had a good Euros before we signed him and he wasn't a bad player was he?

 

[SpartanSpur]

Yeah, I agree. Just re read it!

I still hope we look to improve that area but we're hardly fecked if we don't I guess. CB should be the absolute priority at the moment and I really hope we still get Schneiderlin.

I think I'd like them (Any 1st team CB and MS) in before West Ham for sure. Concerned by the Arsenal links to MS in goal today. Hopefully we'd jump in regardless of sales if they started to threaten.

Capoue looked more assured last night which was good and Kaboul did ok, but these areas are the primary concern and rightly so.

 

[Barry Mead]

It did say 'for now' to be fair! Lennon did ok last night in the free roaming three and townsend is direct and can be a goal threat. We also have Holtby there. Obviously Lamela is the great lilywhite hope and Eriksen is class. I wouldn't be too dismayed if those were our options come West Ham. We also don't know how Poch will like to use Paulinho (if at all). Could well look to play him as a box to box with Lamela and Eriksen floating behind a striker (I'd prefer a player with more guile personally but could work).

Good news is that we are looking at improving it with Griezmann, Konoplyanka and Depay as semi-confirmed targets...

Edit: Forgot Chadli too. Could do well in last nights setup.

Yep and "adequately filled" is hardly a ringing endorsement, simply a measure to quantify how far we need to go to add certain players. It just sounds like a fall back-we'd love to get this guy or that guy but we are not going to get into any crazy auctions if that is what it takes

 

[Chezaspur]

Donation will be in on payday A & C
1st August.

 

[Barry Mead]

I personally think Menphis Depay has Levy's name written all over it

I saw he has some tattoos, but I didn't see Levy's name amongst them

 

[Gedson100]

Yes, but whose opinions? Are they jj's, or is he passing on something he's heard from our scouts, or even Baldini? We don't know, and, as A&C pointed out, that's the problem.

The problem for me is less that it's an opinion; it clearly is, more that JJ could fart in a dustbin & people would be analysing the echo.

 

[Mr Pink]

I think I'd like them (Any 1st team CB and MS) in before West Ham for sure. Concerned by the Arsenal links to MS in goal today. Hopefully we'd jump in regardless of sales if they started to threaten.

Capoue looked more assured last night which was good and Kaboul did ok, but these areas are the primary concern and rightly so.

Goal or Caught offside?

If its the latter I wouldn't worry.

 

[Shanks]

I don't get all of this 1 in 3 chat about Griezmann, do we have any players currently that 'perform' every game ?
Last player that we had was Bale. Those types of players are a rare breed & there's a reason they end up playing for the likes of Madrid or Barca.

1 in 3 will do for me...

And even then with Bale, if we are being completely honest, would mean 1 or two bits of amazing play, rather than dominating a whole game!!

 

[MunkoSpurs]

It's looking like we are going to play with one CF and three attacking players behind all interchanging. With Lamela, Eriksen, Lennon, Townsend, Chadli, Holtby (Falque and Ceballos) we look to have decent cover for these positions. Griezmann, Konoplyanka or Depay would probably improve us but the priority has to be a CB. For the money it would cost to sign one of those players, I would rather it went to a top class CB.

Maybe going for one of those players towards the end of the window, if the funds are there or whether there have been outgoings to free up squad places.

 

[WiganSpur]

Goat ITK is great news.

Unless we're looking at some real quality (ie. Griezmann) then we really aren't desperate for a left sided player. Eriksen, Chadli, Townsend all pretty good there- and the creative trio in our system looks as though it'll be quite fluid anyway.

Same goes for MS. Won't exactly shed a tear if we miss out on him. There's far worse players to be stuck with than Sandro! I'd be pretty happy with either scenario on that one although I would prefer to see Schneiderlin join.