Transfer Window Leaves Spurs Short on the Flanks

[Chimbo!]

Spurs bought good players this summer. Despite losing Modric and Van der Vaart Tottenham Hotspur found able replacements in Dembele, Dempsey and Sigurdsson. The loss will not be felt in the centre. It is out wide where the problems may come. The first team is strong on the flanks but behind that there is very little on offer.

The Squad
Goalkeepers: Lloris, Friedel, Gomes, Cudicini
Fullbacks: Walker, Ekotto, Naughton
Centre-backs: Kaboul, Vertonghen, Dawson, Gallas, Caulker
Wingers/wide-midfielders: Bale, Lennon, Bentley
Central-midfielders: Parker, Sandro, Livermore, Huddlestone, Jenas, Dembele, Sigurdsson, Dempsey
Forwards: Adebayor, Defoe

Whether it is a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 there are 4 wide positions and 7 central positions in a team. Out of the above squad of 25 there are 19 central players and 6 wide players. This means there are more than 3 players for every central position and less than 2 players for every wide position... Concerned?

 

[robp135]

dempsey usually plays wide left. townsend is ahead of bentley.

 

[chrissivad]

Townsend can play on either Wing, but think has played more on the left.

He has looked good when i have seen him (not much)
Think it would be him before the other youngsters like Frederiks, Ceballos and Falque
Dont think any of the above are out on loan

 

[Montasura]

Its interesting that those shouting about how crap our window was and how Levy must go now, are the same people who would have actually been very happy had be bought Moutinho....yet he wouldn't have been playing on the wings either.

I think you have a valid point, although we do have options in Townsend and Dempsey as others have pointed out.

But what people forget is that when Harry left we were actually left with a fairly thinnish squad, ageing players, and actually quite a big rebuilding job. That kind of rebuilding simply cannot happen over one transfer window, both for financial reasons, and also because starting a season with massive wholesale changes is a dangerous game to play and can take quite some time for that many new players to gel.

We do need to continue strengthening and adding depth to areas on the pitch including the wings. Given time, and hopefully good results and progression, I would imagine AVB will be looking at the wings, forward options, LB, and another keeper amongst others.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Its interesting that those shouting about how crap our window was and how Levy must go now, are the same people who would have actually been very happy had be bought Moutinho....yet he wouldn't have been playing on the wings either.

I think you have a valid point, although we do have options in Townsend and Dempsey as others have pointed out.

But what people forget is that when Harry left we were actually left with a fairly thinnish squad, ageing players, and actually quite a big rebuilding job. That kind of rebuilding simply cannot happen over one transfer window, both for financial reasons, and also because starting a season with massive wholesale changes is a dangerous game to play and can take quite some time for that many new players to gel.

We do need to continue strengthening and adding depth to areas on the pitch including the wings. Given time, and hopefully good results and progression, I would imagine AVB will be looking at the wings, forward options, LB, and another keeper amongst others.

I agree with this, I just hope AVB gets given time to build his squad exactly how he wants over a few windows, even if we're not pushing for top 4 this season.

 

[Syn_13]

Its interesting that those shouting about how crap our window was and how Levy must go now, are the same people who would have actually been very happy had be bought Moutinho....yet he wouldn't have been playing on the wings either.

I agree. To be honest I think people are using it as an excuse to have a moan.

Anywho, I think we are fine. Dempsey will slot into one of the wide positions in a 4-3-3 which leaves Lennon as a good backup on the bench. At least I hope so anyway, I very much doubt he was bought as a VDV replacement in an attacking mid come forward position as AVB doesn't want that role.

 

[stov]

dembele and dempsey can play wide if needed. if playing 433 defoe could be tried on the left cutting in and shooting, but only if desperate.

 

[DJS]

Erm wtf???

Dempsey is mainly a WIDE PLAYER who can play left or right so we're actually stronger on the flanks!!!

Do people actually so their research??

Lennon has signed a new deal, we have Bale or the other wing and Townsend plus Dempsey so have four players for two roles.

 

[Spursidol]

Erm wtf???

Dempsey is mainly a WIDE PLAYER who can play left or right so we're actually stronger on the flanks!!!

Do people actually so their research??

Lennon has signed a new deal, we have Bale or the other wing and Townsend plus Dempsey so have four players for two roles.

Good points - but did we need another thread on the TW ? Surely OP could have gone onto one of other threads.

 

[mil1lion]

Townsend can play on either Wing, but think has played more on the left.

He has looked good when i have seen him (not much)
Think it would be him before the other youngsters like Frederiks, Ceballos and Falque
Dont think any of the above are out on loan

I think we're keeping a lot of these youngsters for the u-21 league which will benefit us because a) they get to play together and b) we can call them up to the first team when we need to.

 

[sloth]

Erm wtf???

Dempsey is mainly a WIDE PLAYER who can play left or right so we're actually stronger on the flanks!!!

Do people actually so their research??

Lennon has signed a new deal, we have Bale or the other wing and Townsend plus Dempsey so have four players for two roles.

Also, 433/4231 is most often played with inverted wingers (left-footers on right side etc), width comes from the full-backs. We're fine on the flanks as we have several players adept at playing inverted forwards (Bale, Lennon, Gylfi, Dempsey, Dembele, Townsend), that's six players to cover two positions!

We're lacking in the striker department, where only Dempsey might be able to cover Adebayor, but not properly.

We're also lacking at FB, where only Naughton adequately covers both BAE and Walker, in the sense that he can defend and also get forward and provide width and thrust in attack. Bale could do a job there to, and although I like that as an option, I'm pretty sure AVB doesn't! Other than that we're reduced to playing a CB out wide, which might be fine defensively speaking but is not great from an attacking pov.

 

[jamesc0le]

falque is most suited to the wing forward poition and actually has a brain.

him and defoe should be ahead of bentley and townsend as wing forwards, for me.

not concerned here..