Bale didn't put the team on his back to drag them to victories. Of course you can argue he did it with us, but that was just individual brilliance among a group of mediocre-to-good players. We have very good and world class players now. We need someone who will fire up the players and Bale isn't the answer. We need a Chiellini or a Buffon type character.
I'd put Kane, Eriksen, and Verts in the world class category. And, on his day, Mousa too. That's a good core of world class players. If we can get that gritty leader to fire them up, together with the rest of the squad, and a genuinely game-changing talent, I think this team could get over the hump.I think we have some very good players. I don’t think we have any that have yet proven themselves to be world class.
I agree with your point, though. I don’t think Bale would bring much to the party other than shirt sales. We need a gritty leader on the field and he’s never been that.
Agreed
We shouldn’t ignore him and think we’re above him
Who are you discussing? I’ve gone back 3 pages and can’t see the original post.We absofudginglutely should.
He has only ever been average at best. Is not even that good. Why is everyone so keen?!
Son and Lucas are fine for now!
Walcott is a bit of leg pull as I know it will wined up a few.
I do like him as a player but ..............
Putting wind ups to one side, I'd say as a forward, as a plan B to Kane, he would have done better than the last couple of incumbents.
This is why I wanted Defoe when we had Jansen and before Llorente. He would have provided a proper plan B to Kane, would link with Kane in a 442 if needed, and is always 'bench sharp'. I think the biggest thing against Jansen and Llorente is they are not the types to climb off the bench and be up to speed immediately, and they are not dissimilar to Kane. Having someone who will ask defences a different question by getting in behind or partnering Kane really could give us a different dimension.
The Defoe ship has probably sailed now but I wouldn't mind similar.
I'd like to get in a back up to Eriksen. The lad from Norwich, Morrison, looks to have all the swagger and class to make it higher, or you can go with Mata who has trophies behind him and could slot in anywhere in behind Kane. Saw Mata at the Lane about 4 or 5 years ago for Chelsea, remember thinking he was absolute class, a yard in front of everyone. He'd get plenty of game time and would probably welcome another contract at this stage of career. Not quite in our usual model though.
Who are you talking about as a plan B for Kane? Walcott?Putting wind ups to one side, I'd say as a forward, as a plan B to Kane, he would have done better than the last couple of incumbents.
This is why I wanted Defoe when we had Jansen and before Llorente. He would have provided a proper plan B to Kane, would link with Kane in a 442 if needed, and is always 'bench sharp'. I think the biggest thing against Jansen and Llorente is they are not the types to climb off the bench and be up to speed immediately, and they are not dissimilar to Kane. Having someone who will ask defences a different question by getting in behind or partnering Kane really could give us a different dimension.
The Defoe ship has probably sailed now but I wouldn't mind similar.
Or Lamela. Who is free, settled, and has bossed that role in almost every appearance this season.
Who are you talking about as a plan B for Kane? Walcott?
You think Walcott would have been better than the Son, Eriksen, Dele, Lamela front 4 we play when Kane is injured the last two seasons? I have to say I disagree wholeheartedly.
If you are saying that he’d be better than Jansen or Llorente then ok, but he wouldn’t be playing their role, he’d be playing the Son role in the 4 I mentioned above and I’m sorry, but Son is 100 times the player.
Ah ok so it wasn’t about Walcott, fair enough sorry. Just keep having to scroll back up, page after page to see who people are taking about when they are quoting messages, I got lost a bit. I did think it would be a mental suggestion when the 4 (+Moura) we already have doing that role of plan B without Kane are a different league to him! HahaLOL. Read it again. You wont find a bigger Son fan than me on this forum, check his thread out if u like! I was highlighting that I'd have preferred his type of player as a plan B to Kane, rather than Llorente or Jansen, and my case in point was that I wanted Defoe 2 seasons ago as opposed to those 2.
Not sure where you got that i would rather have him over Son etc...
Who are you discussing? I’ve gone back 3 pages and can’t see the original post.
Ah ok so it wasn’t about Walcott, fair enough sorry. Just keep having to scroll back up, page after page to see who people are taking about when they are quoting messages, I got lost a bit. I did think it would be a mental suggestion when the 4 we already have doing that role (+Moura) are a different league to him! Haha
We need another
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Poch could do worse than bring Scotty in and around the first team coaching.
I get what you're saying, but I do think someone like Parker highlights how far this squad has come. Besides the title at Chelsea (where he didn't even make enough first team appearances to earn a medal), Parker spent most of his career kicking around lower/midtable sides and his peak was being a key cog in a mediocre Spurs side. At just 24, Eric Dier, who some people bafflingly don't rate, has captained England, won more caps than Parker, marshaled the midfield against legitimate European powers, and was an ever-present in a Spurs team that finished 2nd and 3rd place in the Prem.
The hardest part about this summer isn't going to be spending money. It's going to be about replacing very good players with even better ones. Aside from upgrading the FBs and trying replacing outgoings, it's going to be damn hard to upgrade what we have.
Is Zaha fantastic player? Of course. But is he a meaningful upgrade on Sonny who is potentially not even in our first XI when everyone is fit? How about Lucas, a peak-age attacker who has 36 caps for Brazil, has been key in winning tons of medals, and has been deep in the CL?
The problem with signing "proven winners" is that they're either past their best (see: Llorente, Fernando), insanely expensive (see: Pogba, Paul), or have no interest in leaving whatever super club they are currently at. That's why clubs like Spurs need to focus on either growing their own (Kane, Dier, Alli, Winks) or finding the right young players who aren't yet at their peak, but are ready to take that next step. I think this is where we need to shop. Guys like Leon Bailey, De Ligt, Malcom Sessegnon, Maddison, Gelson Martins, etc.
It's obviously super tough to pick the right ones and it's a fierce battle to sign those kind of players. But if you look at Liverpool's front-line, it is basically made of those kind of players. 30 mil-ish fees, 100k-ish wages. They're obviously big investments, but Mane, Salad, Coutinho, and Firmino are all worth infinitely more than what LFC paid for them.
I know basically nothing, but I think the key to us taking that next step will be signing the right players in that kind of bracket, not signing "experienced winners" who in their late 20's/early 30's.
I would look to start with at Rashford and Sessegnon but not at all a job I would want!