Spurs will be hoping for an impressive summer this year in the transfer market as they look to add a few players to the squad to make them real contenders for the title.
With the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Christian Eriksen pulling the strings and already in the top echelon of player in world football, Mauricio Pochettino will know he isn’t far away from bringing some silverware to the club.
Our landlord here in the Tavern has been keeping a close eye on the World Cup this summer and one man who has caught his eye is Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera, who has put in some superb displays for his country have they have impressed on their route to the knockouts.
Valued at £20m, the Porto midfielder has been one of the key men for the Mexicans, and he would no doubt relish the chance of playing in the Premier League after five years in Porto.
Herrera is a tenacious midfielder, but that does not take away from the fact he is a quality operator with the ball.
Still only 28 despite seemingly being around for years, Herrera would add something new to the Spurs midfield with the departure of Moussa Dembele. His attitude, style of play, and general love for football would no doubt endear him to the Spurs fans in their new stadium next term.
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Spurs fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!
West Ham United have picked up some decent results since David Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic as head coach, but there is no question that the Hammers are still in a relegation battle.Indeed, Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Liverpool left the capital club in 13th position in the Premier League table – just three points clear of the bottom three.Next up for the Hammers is a massive game away to Swansea City this weekend, and defeat there would really place the club in a pickle.West Ham captain Mark Noble insisted that the players would recover from the defeat at Liverpool when they travel to Swansea on Saturday afternoon.[ad_pod ]The club’s supporters, however, were not too pleased with the midfielder’s comments.Fans do not take kindly to such messages as they would rather a positive performance in the first place, and it would be fair to say that Noble’s words were not received well.A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Liverpool’s tricky week is set to climax with a lunchtime clash at home to Chelsea on the back of an almost inevitable loss at Real Madrid. With Brendan Rodgers’ much talked about ‘weakened XI’ having played out the clash at the Bernabeu, the focus is clearly on the Anfield game, with the runaway league leaders providing a tough task as the Reds look to get their top four charge back on track.
So can Liverpool be positive heading into the game? Certainly… and here’s THREE reasons why.
Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho all played less than 30 minutes, with a fringe XI having taken must of the toil in Madrid. As a result the likes of Jordan Henderson, Dejan Lovren and Joe Allen will all be fresh for the Chelsea game, which could be beneficial.
Fringe players looked impressive
Should Brendan Rodgers be open to using players from the Real game against Chelsea, he has plenty of food for thought. Kolo Toure impressed at the back and looked more composed that most of the Reds’ centre-backs have this season, while Lazar Markovic showed pace and guile. Elsewhere Emre Can was powerful, and could useful against the Blues.
Morale hasn’t been crushed
A 1-0 loss at the home of the European champions who possess the world’s best player and the world’s most expensive player is by no means a disgrace. The last thing Liverpool needed heading into the Chelsea game was a heavy defeat, and they managed to avoid just that in the Spanish capital.
A manager loves a versatile player. Someone who can play in several different positions and maintain a good enough performance in any of them can be very useful, especially during a 38 game season, as well as domestic and European cup duties.
Good examples of versatile players in the Premier League at the moment are Manchester United’s Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, Tottenham’s Clint Dempsey and Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge. But we have also seen managers appearing to force versatility upon some top-flight players, insisting that they have what it takes to play out of position and still perform effectively.
The most notable is Theo Walcott at Arsenal. He is effective on the wing, but has admitted he’s better as a striker, although manager Arsene Wenger doesn’t seem to feel the same way, which is strange because whenever Walcott is moved into a striker’s role he seems to score.
Wenger’s determination for Walcott to remain a wide player at Arsenal looks like it could cost him dearly, what with Walcott not having yet signed a new contract and rumours suggest he wants assurances that he’ll play as a striker more often in order to secure his Arsenal future.
Last week, Liverpool’s on-loan midfielder Nuri Sahin claimed manager Brendan Rodgers is playing him out of position, with him being preferred in a No.10 role rather than his more accustomed holding midfield position. Sahin claims he’d much prefer to play as a holding midfielder because that’s where he feels he can be more effective, while Rodgers might argue there isn’t any need for him to have a holding midfielder in the tactics or formations that he uses.
That raises the question why Rodgers brought him to Anfield in the first place, knowing he was going to play him out of position, thus not getting the best out of a player who has performed well in a Real Madrid shirt in recent years.
James Tomkins at West Ham is another player who seems to have fallen victim of a manager’s belief that he is versatile and can do a job in midfield, despite being a centre-back.
Against Liverpool on Sunday, midfielder Mohamed Diame was carried off and needed replacing in the centre of midfield. Allardyce had Gary O’Neil on the bench, a player who has impressed in the middle of the park for West Ham in the past, but he chose to bring on Tomkins, a decision that many would argue cost the Hammers the game.
Liverpool scored twice with Tomkins in midfield and went on to win 3-2. A manager as experienced as Allardyce should have learned by now that Tomkins, who seems to be regularly cover in midfield for West Ham, looks out of place when he’s not in the back four.
The three examples above are examples of how not to push versatility on to a player, playing them out of position to suit their own ideas of how they want the game to be played. Arsenal could have more goals in them if Walcott played up front more often, Liverpool seem to be missing the best of an obvious talent in Sahin and Tomkins being played in midfield for West Ham pretty much cost them three points against Liverpool at the weekend.
We are always hearing players insisting they will help out in anyway possible for the manager and the team, but managers are responsible for getting the best out of their players and, unless it is proven that these players can play out of their comfort zone, it should be left to the players more suitable for the role being experimented with.
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There are, of course, occasions when a manager appears to be forced into playing a player out of position because of injuries or suspensions leaving them with no other option. One option could be to tinker with their tactics or formation a little to ensure the player playing out of position can be as comfortable and effective as possible.
Managers know best, right? Well, when it comes to playing players out of position, some of them appear to be shooting themselves in the foot. Whether it’s goals or points at stake, some bosses can’t seem to see the difference between a versatile player and a player who just isn’t up to the job they are being asked to do.
Are managers shooting themselves in the foot by playing players out of position? Should more players be asked to be more versatile to strengthen their team?
New manager and a new start. Sunderland fans in the Transfer Tavern will be hoping that Jack Ross push the Black Cats back up the league next year.
Sunderland’s defence last season was among the worst in the Championship. The Black Cats must strengthen at the back if they are to secure promotion from League One. One player the club have been linked with recently is Shrewsbury’s Aristote Nsiala.
The Breakdown
The Sunderland Echo (h/t Chronicle Live) reports that Nsiala is on Sunderland’s radar. New boss, Jack Ross is keen to strengthen his defence following Paddy McNair’s departure and probable sale of Lamine Kone. Sunderland have been linked with Peterborough defender Jack Baldwin to help out at the back. A centre-back pairing of Nsiala and Baldwin would certainly improve the backline.
Nsiala was an integral part of the Shrewsbury side that defied the early season odds to go from relegation contenders to a side that only lost out in the League One play-off final. The 26-year-old has been a physically imposing defender at the back for the Shrews and has helped the club to two play-off finals which resulted in a promotion to League Two in 2016.
Due to his solid performances in the league last season, the defender has attracted interest from Championship sides. However, if Sunderland can bring the former Everton academy man on board, he may go some way in helping the Black Cats seal up their porous defence and finally reach the Championship after last year’s heartbreak.
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Barcelona could be about to make a summer move for unsettled Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld, according to reports, with the Belgian unwilling to resign with Tottenham unless they meet his mammoth £180,000 a week wage demands.
Alderweireld’s representatives are understood to be searching for a deal with the same kind of financial incentive as Liverpool signing Virgil Van Dijk, although the club are adamant that they will not pay any player over £100,000 a week.
With talks at an impasse, the only question now remaining is whether Spurs can afford to lose the domineering centre-half. The continued rise of Ben Davies and defensive reliability of Alderweireld’s compatriot Jan Vertonghen are cause for comfort for Daniel Levy and the Spurs board, after all.
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Moreover, there is a clause in the Belgian’s contract which will allow him to leave for just £25m in the summer of 2019 should no deal be agreed, so Spurs will want to offload the defender for as much money as possible if there is no deal before then.
Currently valued at £35m by transfermarkt,com, the 28-year-old may find himself sent packing from North London in the summer – but do Spurs fans think it’s high time for their club to cash in?
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The summer transfer window may have only just slammed shut but we at Football FanCast are already looking forward to its winter counterpart. And we believe Spurs will be among the busiest clubs in the Premier League during the January window.Tottenham were by no means anonymous in the market during the off-season, splashing out around £32million as they welcomed a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino, but the Lilywhites still have plenty of unfinished business in the January salesÂand a number of lingering issues that need to be resolved in the new year.So without further ado, here’s the FIVE transfer dilemmas the White Hart Lane boss needs to find solutions toÂwhen the market reopens.
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It could be worse Nando, you could be one of these guys…
If there’s one major flaw of Tottenham’s current squad, it’s undoubtedly the absence of a dependable goalscorer.
A strike-force of Emmanuel Adebayor, Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado have found just 19 league goals collectively since last summer, including a solitary one this season. It’s shown in the table too – only six clubs have netted less than Spurs’ seven since the start of the 2014/15 campaign.
In terms of budgeted stop-gap solutions, Schalke assassin Klaas-Jan Huntelaar remains the best option.
The Netherland international’s contribution to open play is infamously limited, and at 31 years of age he’s no spring chicken. But he boasts returns of 35 in 65 for Oranje and 93 in 143 for the Miners – including this strike in the Champions League against Chelsea last week:
Huntelaar’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season and although Schalke want him to sign a new deal, he’ll have to take a wage cut. That makes a January departure incredibly likely. A more long-term resolution could come in the form of Swansea front-man Wilfried Bony, who netted 16 times in his debut Premier League campaign last season. Here’s a look at some of the 25 year-old’s highlights: //www.youtube.com/embed/L_zt5akDKGs Mauricio Pochettino favoured powerful, old-fashioned centre-forwards at Southampton and the 6 foot Ivorian fits the bill perfectly. Bony allegedly comes with a £19million release clause and his slump in form this season suggests a slight disgruntlement in not leaving South Wales during the summer. But whether Daniel Levy would be prepared to sanction such a costly purchase in January remains to be seen.
Adding a left winger/forward
The left side of attack was a real problem for Spurs last season, with Nacer Chadli, Aaron Lennon, and Andros Townsend failing to make the role their own before it was passed to Christian Eriksen, who remains his most effective at No.10. The Lilywhites planned to address this in the summer with a swoop for Danny Welbeck and Franco Baldini’s failure to strike a deal for the former Manchester United star could reportedly cost him the job of Sporting Director at White Hart Lane, which shows how big an issue the vacancy on the left has become for Spurs. Chadli’s filled the void impressively so far this season, as shown below:
But an inconsistent dribbler and even weaker crosser, he can’t be considered a long-term solution out wide. The Lilywhites were linked with Southampton star Jay Rodriguez on deadline day and could be tempted to revive their interest in January:
The 25 year-old flourished under Mauricio Pochettino last season to finish up as the third top-scoring Englishman in the Premier League with 15 goals. Here’s a look at his campaign highlights:
//www.youtube.com/embed/e3adfleiWiE?rel=0
But the Saints launched a staunch public resistance to selling the England international in the summer, so Spurs may have to consider some alternatives.
Perhaps Marseille wideman Andre Ayew? He’s has emerged as Ligue 1’s most potent wideman over the last few seasons, amassing an impressive 49 goals and 16 assists in 166 appearances for L’OM, and a January move seems likely with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
The Ghana international isn’t the most conventional winger but he’s strong defensively, versatile and a real threat in the final third. As viewable in the below video, he’s also outrageously good at heading:
//www.youtube.com/embed/0gIZogfsorU?rel=0
Decide the fates of fringe players
Fringe players are an inevitable part of every squad, but Tottenham have amassed quite a number over the past few years and it’s time to either get them more involved in the first team or move them on.
Moussa Dembele for example, has never quite hit the heights expected of him at White Hart Lane and he’s now being linked to Everton:
Spurs already boast decent depth in central midfield, so his departure won’t affect their first team plans too much. Likewise, £24million signing Roberto Soldado has never looked comfortable with the power and pace of the Premier League, and having featured only as a substitute thus far under Mauricio Pochettino, looks unlikely to replicate his scoring feats at Valencia any time soon. Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid have been linked and the time feels right to move the Spaniard on. That should free up some funds for Spurs to invest in a more dependable front-man. Then there’s Andros Townsend, once hailed as the future of English football after netting this wonder-strike past Montenegro last season: //www.youtube.com/embed/BAkOjFq1_Tc?rel=0 But the 23 year-old has continually struggled to evolve his game under the added pressure international football provides. Moving him on to a smaller club, or sorting out a loan stint until the end of the season, could do the winger a world of good.
Offloading the deadwood
In addition to a multitude of fringe players, there’s also a growing contingent in Tottenham’s squad that are simply surplus to requirements. For example, after signing Ben Davies from Swansea City this summer, Spurs now have five players capable of playing at left-back, including centre-half Jan Vertonghen. Two of these need to be moved on, namely Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Kyle Naughton. The former is a decent player and performed well on loan to QPR last season, providing a Man of the Match display against Charlton Athletic: //www.youtube.com/embed/2a3eNwANJTo?rel=0 But he’s now 30 years of age and appears to be only moving further away from the Tottenham starting XI. Likewise, Kyle Naughton’s versatility in being able to play on either defensive flank proved vital for the Lilywhites last season. But they now boast depth at No.2 and No.3, and the 25 year-old’s form has been questionable for some time. Here’s a look at his stats from last season:
Aaron Lennon too, although once a mainstay in the Spurs starting XI, was absolutely atrocious in terms of output last season, as shown below:
After nearly a decade in north London, his Tottenham tenure has probably run its course.
GRAB FABIAN SCHAR BEFORE ARSENAL DO
Tottenham are hardly light on bodies in defence, but if there’s one commonly mooted January target the Lilywhites must get their hands on, it’s undoubtedly Fabian Schar – before rivals Arsenal beat them to it.
As viewable below, statistically he was the best defender in the Champions League last season:
And the Swiss international’s World Cup performances weren’t too bad either, making eight interceptions during two outings at Brazil 2014.
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The 22 year-old comes with an interesting knack of scoring goals too, such as this incredible strike as a youngster at FC Wil…
He also takes set piece duties for Basel, and boasts a return of 3 in 8 for his country.
In short, Schar’s a fantastic talent, a ball-playing defender of the Jan Vertonghen mould. He’s been linked to Barcelona and Manchester United over the last few years, and if the Lilywhites don’t take up the opportunity to sign him in January, Arsenal or another top European club undoubtedly will.
Arsenal’s Emmanuel Frimpong has rejected claims he will be shown the exit door at the Emirates in January, but will be going out on loan in the near future. It is believed Championship side Wolves are considering a loan bid for the defensive midfielder to replace suspended captain Karl Henry.
Frimpong, who has been at Arsenal since he was nine years old, broke into the first-team last season and was sent on loan to Wolves to help the West Midlands club in their failed efforts to avoid relegation from the Premier League. The midfielder’s spell at Molineux was short-lived however following a serious knee injury in February.
Since returning from the sidelines, Frimpong has made two appearances in the Capital One Cup for the Gunners but has failed to claim a place in Arsene Wenger’s starting XI despite the sale of Alex Song in the summer. Mirror Football claims the Ghanaian will be ousted in January, but Frimpong has denied he plans on leaving, and rejected the notion that he is in the last year of his contract.
The 20-year-old tweeted late last night: “Subject to rumours am not leaving afc I am positive of going on loan this week which am really excited about and I am fully committed to afc.
“And am not in my last year or looking to be sold just to clear matters thank you and going on loan to get games and cum back to arsenal.”
It is believed the midfielder, who was capped six times for England U17s but has pledged his international alliegence to Ghana, will now return to Molineux in what will be his second loan spell for the club.
Wolves boss Stale Solbakken is hoping the Arsenal man can fill in for Karl Henry, who is serving a three match ban following a red card against Brighton on Saturday.
“We’ve discussed him [Frimpong] and he has a relationship with Wolverhampton, but it’s also important he’s 100 per cent fit when he comes here and is ready, so we don’t lose a month,” said Solbakken.
“I can’t say I know in detail about his fitness because he hasn’t played many games.
“We’re monitoring the situation. But I don’t want to underestimate the players here either. It’s a balance. We’re not panicking over the situation with Karl.
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“If we sign someone, it’s important it’s someone with other qualities,” he added.
Tottenham fans have been debating moves for a Toby Alderweireld replacement, and it seems they’d much rather do their shopping abroad.
Although recent reports suggest Manchester United’s interest in Alderweireld has died down, it seems like only a matter of time before the big Belgian departs North London.
Alderweireld is ageing and injury prone, so while a fully fit version of the defender is a huge figure to lose, Spurs could turn his probable exit into a good thing if they replace him quickly and smartly.
One name that has been mentioned a lot as a replacement is Matthijs de Ligt, who was superb for Ajax last season.
The young centre back is sensational with the ball at his feet, and is expected to form a dominant partnership for the Netherlands alongside Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in the coming years.
While the links to de Ligt have gone quiet in recent weeks, Jamaal Lascelles has come to the forefront as a possible target.
The Newcastle captain had an incredible season up north, and will consider himself very unlucky not to be at the World Cup.
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Fans would clearly much prefer a move for de Ligt though, who is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, as over two thirds voted for the Dutchman.
A few months ago, the prospect of losing Alexis Sanchez would have been a dreaded thought for Arsenal fans.
In January, the will-he-won’t-he saga came to an end when the Chile international joined Manchester United.
Arsenal did not miss out entirely, though, as the club secured the signature of Henrikh Mkhitaryan in a swap deal.
The Armenian international struggled to hold down a regular spot in Jose Mourinho’s team at Old Trafford.
Mkhitaryan showed glimpses of quality, but he failed to convince the manager to make him one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Since moving to the Emirates, the winger has made four appearances in all competitions, including two Premier League starts.
The 29-year-old has created four assists so far, three of which came in a convincing 5-1 rout over Everton.
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Following Thursday night’s 3-0 victory over Ostersunds in the Europa League, the fans voted Mkhitaryan Man of the Match.
On Twitter, some claimed that the Armenian is better for them than Sanchez was.