Wilfried Zaha

[glospur]

I really do wonder if Pochettino plans on shifting the formation this season. We've had no real links to any CMs, which most (including myself) see as an area of need in the current system, yet we've had info that suggests one of Martial and Zaha are top targets, and both play in an area where we seem to have an abundance of talent atm.

If we get one of those two in, then a shift to a 4-3-3, similar to City's would make a lot of sense. Assuming Grealish gets over the line:

Dier/Wanyama
Eriksen/Winks - Dele/Grealish
Son/Lamela - Kane/Llorente - Lucas/Zaha
​

That would give us a metric fuckton of attacking talent, depth and options. I would be ridiculously excited to see any combination of those players walk out onto a football pitch in that formation.

 

[Hengy1]

I really do wonder if Pochettino plans on shifting the formation this season. We've had no real links to any CMs, which most (including myself) see as an area of need in the current system, yet we've had info that suggests one of Martial and Zaha are top targets, and both play in an area where we seem to have an abundance of talent atm.

If we get one of those two in, then a shift to a 4-3-3, similar to City's would make a lot of sense. Assuming Grealish gets over the line:

Dier/Wanyama
Eriksen/Winks - Dele/Grealish
Son/Lamela - Kane/Llorente - Lucas/Zaha
​

That would give us a metric fuckton of attacking talent, depth and options. I would be ridiculously excited to see any combination of those players walk out onto a football pitch in that formation.

You could easily just drop Llorente out of that aswell

 

[wrd]

I really do wonder if Pochettino plans on shifting the formation this season. We've had no real links to any CMs, which most (including myself) see as an area of need in the current system, yet we've had info that suggests one of Martial and Zaha are top targets, and both play in an area where we seem to have an abundance of talent atm.

If we get one of those two in, then a shift to a 4-3-3, similar to City's would make a lot of sense. Assuming Grealish gets over the line:

Dier/Wanyama
Eriksen/Winks - Dele/Grealish
Son/Lamela - Kane/Llorente - Lucas/Zaha
​

That would give us a metric fuckton of attacking talent, depth and options. I would be ridiculously excited to see any combination of those players walk out onto a football pitch in that formation.

Yeah if we look at arguably the two most successful teams of last season Man City and Real madrid their midfields are

Fernandinho
KDB Silva

Caisemero
Modric Kroos

I'd argue we could easily do

Wanyama
Eriksen Winks

That for me would be our most balanced trio, my only concern with this formation is what happens with Dele. I suppose in the real madrid example he can play the cristiano role where there isn't much need for involvement in build up play nor dribbling and mostly being in the right place at the right time but I do wish Dele could drop back for a more counter attacking forward line.

 

[JR1994]

I'd argue an intelligent and quick passer would help us more against a packed defence rather than someone that can dribble and run fast but that argument has been done to death on here.

I agree but I’m starting to think that Eriksen will just become our De Bruyne and play that bit deeper. Think Winks when fit could do that as well? Zaha just completes everything. Fully expecting key players to pick up an injury this season because of how long lasts was.. we need more quality in our options which we would have with Zaha.. It’s been our undoing for few seasons now. Having to watch fucking Sissoko, Llorente, Janssen, GKN run on as subs and having no impact. When Kane is rested a combo of Zaha Son Lamela Eriksen Dele Lucas is tasty AF as well

 

[glospur]

You could easily just drop Llorente out of that aswell

Agreed, I just included him so I didn't include any player twice.

Son, Zaha, or even Lamela could all play in that role.

Yeah if we look at arguably the two most successful teams of last season Man City and Real madrid their midfields are

Fernandinho
KDB Silva

Caisemero
Modric Kroos

I'd argue we could easily do

Wanyama
Eriksen Winks

That for me would be our most balanced trio, my only concern with this position is what happens with Dele. I suppose in the real madrid example he can play the cristiano role where there isn't much need for involvement in build up play nor dribbling and mostly being in the right place at the right time but I do wish Dele could drop back for a more counter attacking forward line.

Yep, and Liverpool play something similar, albeit with a lot less quality in midfield and they made the CL final and top 4. It's the way forward imo.

I think Dele would be well suited to the midfield role personally. The difference between Spurs and when he played there for England, for example, is that he has a world class playmaker next to him at Spurs, so he wouldn't bear a creative, or temp setting burden. He could effectively have a free role to go bob to box and I personally believe that he would be fucking lethal playing like that

 

[SpartanSpur]

I really do wonder if Pochettino plans on shifting the formation this season. We've had no real links to any CMs, which most (including myself) see as an area of need in the current system, yet we've had info that suggests one of Martial and Zaha are top targets, and both play in an area where we seem to have an abundance of talent atm.

If we get one of those two in, then a shift to a 4-3-3, similar to City's would make a lot of sense. Assuming Grealish gets over the line:

Dier/Wanyama
Eriksen/Winks - Dele/Grealish
Son/Lamela - Kane/Llorente - Lucas/Zaha
​

That would give us a metric fuckton of attacking talent, depth and options. I would be ridiculously excited to see any combination of those players walk out onto a football pitch in that formation.

It's the only logical reason for us to be pushing so hard for a big attacking talent this summer after adding Lucas and renewing Son and Lamela's contracts.

 

[wrd]

Agreed, I just included him so I didn't include any player twice.

Son, Zaha, or even Lamela could all play in that role.

Yep, and Liverpool play something similar, albeit with a lot less quality in midfield and they made the CL final and top 4. It's the way forward imo.

I think Dele would be well suited to the midfield role personally. The difference between Spurs and when he played there for England, for example, is that he has a world class playmaker next to him at Spurs, so he wouldn't bear a creative, or temp setting burden. He could effectively have a free role to go bob to box and I personally believe that he would be fucking lethal playing like that

I was still relatively young as Gerrard was developing so can't remember perfectly but I'm pretty adamant he started further forward and dropped back. I think Dele is still so young and theres a lot of areas of his game that he has to develop and for him to get to that elite level I do think this role would give him those attributes to reach that level. I must admit I'm a huge fan of Winks, I appreciate players who dictate play, I mentioned it in the ITK thread he dictated our play in our biggest games last season and people took that as me saying he carried us in those games when in reality I just mean tempo and playing the ball.

 

[RichieS]

------------------Lloris-------------------
Trippier--Sánchez--Jan------Rose
-------------Dier---Eriksen------------
-----Zaha-------Dele---------Son-----
-------------------Kane-------------------

Vorm, Alderweireld/Foyth, Davies/Aurier, Wanyama, Dembélé/Winks, Lamela, Lucas.

------------------Lloris-------------------
-----Toby----Sánchez-------Jan-----
Trippier---------Vic-------------Rose
---------Eriksen--------Dele-----------
--------------Kane----Son--------------

Vorm, Dier/Foyth, Aurier, Dembélé/Winks, Lamela, Lucas, Zaha.

These are my interpretations of our 2 main systems with added Zaha. It's amazing how seemingly adding just him (in reality, it's more like him and Lucas, plus the return of Lamela) makes us look absolutely fierce. We are so lucky to have Kane as well - in both systems the whole attack revolves around him, giving the others freedom to go where they like (a nightmare for defenders).

It's funny how many people on the site are in meltdown about our lack of transfer business given the quality of our pre-existing squad.

Zaha can/does play off the right, right?

 

[ToDarrenIsToDo]

It's the only logical reason for us to be pushing so hard for a big attacking talent this summer after adding Lucas and renewing Son and Lamela's contracts.

I think it comes more down to flexibility, as well as adding quality to the squad. Llorente and Janssen have not taken off as backup or competition for Kane and Sonnis set to miss two rather big stints with South Korea in August & possibly January.

The only issue I see Pochettino facing is this time around he'll have a fully fit Lamela and a newly integrated Lucas Moura in those attacking areas so it'll be interesting to see how he rotates/ man manages all of these guys should he get a Martial/ Zaha type signing through the door

 

[tommo84]

I was still relatively young as Gerrard was developing so can't remember perfectly but I'm pretty adamant he started further forward and dropped back. I think Dele is still so young and theres a lot of areas of his game that he has to develop and for him to get to that elite level I do think this role would give him those attributes to reach that level. I must admit I'm a huge fan of Winks, I appreciate players who dictate play, I mentioned it in the ITK thread he dictated our play in our biggest games last season and people took that as me saying he carried us in those games when in reality I just mean tempo and playing the ball.

Nope - Gerrard was the other way around actually. Although he was always seen as a CM by Liverpool he first broke into the team by playing some games as an auxiliary right-back and at right-midfield. By 2000 though he was established as a central midfielder for both club and country. It wasn't until a few years later (under Benitez) that he started to play further forward.

 

[wrd]

Nope - Gerrard was the other way around actually. Although he was always seen as a CM by Liverpool he first broke into the team by playing some games as an auxiliary right-back and at right-midfield. By 2000 though he was established as a central midfielder for both club and country. It wasn't until a few years later (under Benitez) that he started to play further forward.

Glad I put that I couldn't remember perfectly

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Zaha will add a totally different dimension to our game.

The ability to run at pace with the ball and beat a man is something we haven't had for quite some time.

Son, Moura...?

 

[Johnny J]

Son, Moura...?

I don't get it either. He's more physical than either of those two, granted.

 

[dagraham]

I don't get it either. He's more physical than either of those two, granted.

I can only assume that Poch thinks he can play as a striker ( although not as an orthodox number 9).

 

[wrd]

I don't get it either. He's more physical than either of those two, granted.

Son doesn't take on defenders or get past them with the ball at is feet relatively often. Moura is a different case but neither compare to the amount that Zaha does.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I was still relatively young as Gerrard was developing so can't remember perfectly but I'm pretty adamant he started further forward and dropped back.

He was the more defensive CM in a 4-4-2 for a number of years, but developed into a box-to-box midfielder and the an AM. He did drop deeper again towards the end of his Liverpool career, under Rogers.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Son doesn't take on defenders or get past them with the ball at is feet relatively often. Moura is a different case but neither compare to the amount that Zaha does.

The confusing thing is why we bought Moura in January and are then looking to effectively upgrade him, only 6 months later, before he's even had a preseason with us.
Compared to our other attacking options, Moura brings pace dribbling to the team, but is less good at quick/intricate passing and link up play (at least from what I've seen of him so far). Therefore, I don't get how he'd fit in to the squad rotation...something like 5th choice for 2 positions.

 

[Charly***]

He was the more defensive CM in a 4-4-2 for a number of years, but developed into a box-to-box midfielder and the an AM. He did drop deeper again towards the end of his Liverpool career, under Rogers.

Yep, and initially Houllier even played him at right back when he was finding his feet.

 

[wrd]

The confusing thing is why we bought Moura in January and are then looking to effectively upgrade him, only 6 months later, before he's even had a preseason with us.
Compared to our other attacking options, Moura brings pace dribbling to the team, but is less good at quick/intricate passing and link up play (at least from what I've seen of him so far). Therefore, I don't get how he'd fit in to the squad rotation...something like 5th choice for 2 positions.

Honestly it boggled my mind too at the time because from what I'd seen of him he was a nearly man in the sense of he would do a great move but lack the final shot or pass to truly be a top player and I felt he was taken up arguably the most valuable space we had left in the squad at the time. I hope he justifies it but I'm hoping we have the ability at times to switch to 4-3-3 with Zaha and Moura either side of Kane in certain situations.

 

[Yid-ol]

The confusing thing is why we bought Moura in January and are then looking to effectively upgrade him, only 6 months later, before he's even had a preseason with us.
Compared to our other attacking options, Moura brings pace dribbling to the team, but is less good at quick/intricate passing and link up play (at least from what I've seen of him so far). Therefore, I don't get how he'd fit in to the squad rotation...something like 5th choice for 2 positions.

Who says we are upgrading him?

We need someone who can play wide forward to rotate in and out with Lamela,Son and Lucas as an injury to one means we are short there! But also the same for Kane. Getting Zaha means he can cover all those positions with getting enough game time in each to not have someone or two players sitting on the bench or not even on the bench alot of the time.

Son could also still end up having to leave for around 2 years to do his service.