OneMoSalah

Bales technically still got a very good all round skillset. Think he will be a much needed boost for Spurs. In fact he would still manage to play for most teams in the PL bar maybe Liverpools front three and Citys - even then that’s arguable after they sold Sane. Plus the talk of injuries etc is all well and good but he’s played like what less than 50% of the games in the last 2 seasons since Zidane returned despite being fit for the majority of it, that will mean longer time to get up to speed maybe but will also benefit him as he wont have had any significant minutes where he could have any underlying wee niggling injuries prior to getting started. He still has plenty to offer the PL. As does James, who again has already shown that needing physical attributes even if your game isn't hugely reliant on it in attacking positions to play in the PL as an attacking midfielder/winger is a bit of a myth.

Spurs have just spent 5 trophyless seasons building a team. They need ready made players with a winning mentality to push them to that next level. If nobody can see that Now then they never will. Same with us in that season we won the league with Jose, we needed guys like Cesc, Costa, Filipe Luis.

Yet people were adamant he would be an effective player for us and after Sarri didnt start him for 6 months the pitchforks were out despite many including myself saying something like this also regarding the position. Its no surprise he didnt pick him straight away, it probably took him the 6 months to get to grips with what Sarri wanted from his midfield on and off the ball and Ruben was probably very lucky he played 433 because he wouldnt have got a look in anywhere else IMO. If he played 4231 as a 10 hed of struggled based on what weve seen under Lamps. Although I felt he would have suited this role but he just looks like Ozil does for Arsenal most weeks IMO just swans about doing nothing majority of the time and without the ball he doesn’t make any effort. Okay obviously he does try but he looks very nonchalant. Even As a winger in a team such as ours his workrate will be exposed even more and even then why shoehorn him in or change the system to accommodate him? We have much better players. He has a big big season ahead of him to prove his worth. I think he will be alongside Ross 2 of the guys in the squad who will be very vulnerable.

Would sell him and keep Barkley (never thought Id say that). That's how bad he was the other night. I know its one game but even last season and looking at this squad, he just doesnt fit. Is he a 10? No. He played in a 3 with Sarri and looked good but had Kante and Jorginho doing the other side for him.

Attacking fullback going to Spurs. Good luck. Thats two now they’ve bought if this one goes ahead with Doherty and Regulion. Cant wait to see one of them sitting tucked in as a third CB like Davies did against Everton whole they have all of the ball 🤣

As long as Ruben doesnt start, go with same team or potentially put Werner on the left and Giroud uptop dropping Mount out too.

Could maybe have done a bit better maybe but again it takes a horrible dip. Even then, Mason Mounts attempt to close the shooter down all of the two yards he was away is absolutely criminal. Its not been mentioned once ironically either for all the talk of Mounts defensive contributions. For all the talk of work rate etc he’s on the edge of the box its 2 yards its not difficult.

Pretty shite so far. Well not the worst but not good either. Ruben still looks a shadow of the player he was. Honesty think this season will be his last here if he doesn’t prove himself to be an asset. I really do. Also not playing Havertz as a 10 looks to be stifling him a bit but also, no surprise he looks a bit rusty.

Loftus-cheek out wide? Or Mount?

Maybe but I think the competitive level thing is severely overrated and even then, that wont make a difference with regards to his fitness really. As long as he’s fit and keeps himself going he will be fine. In regards to another good CB, perhaps, but Thiago Silva and an improvement in any of the other 4 playing regularly in our backline, it will be better than last season. Just have to see how it goes. Also isnt too bad, gives us time to plot a move for someone next summer if needed as the top top CBs aren’t particularly available or attainable this summer in my eyes.

Overreacted? Really? Did you watch us last season? We were equally as bad. Set pieces probably as bad as the ones weve seen from Leeds today.

Wont get more than 15 goals for Real Madrid in upcoming season. The argument of him playing in a better team and with a proper LB when he was here was always an excuse in my eyes. No doubt hes a great player but he has barely done anything at Madrid with much superior players.

Interesting so far. Leeds look dangerous everytime they go forward. Liverpool look shite defensively same as in Community Shield.

Thiago Silva played virtually every game for PSG in the league and in the CL including the final where he looked so comfortable against arguably the most in form player in Europe this season. He will be fine.

Think he got all 3. His shot was saved for first goal, his corner for second and his pass for third.

You either back the manager or back the player. We had already decided to get rid of Conte by then. So if anyones to blame its the higher ups making the decisions who decided to keep him despite that incident. Looked very good on his debut for Arsenal, also got 3 assists. He had our highest goals and assists involvement in attacking midfield last season and letting that go to a rival was potentially going to not end well. Regardless of how people feel about him, if he recreates those or betters them numbers, it reflects badly.

Well deserved he gets number 10. Easily our most important player last season and in the long run he is going to be the face of the club alongside Havertz for the next 10 years plus. Marketing side there too but anyone who says he shouldnt of been the number 1 option to get it would be lying.

Pretty sure his contacts almost done. 1 year left. Signed 5 years when he signed under Conte IIRC. Or did he renew? If so stupid move just let him for free.

I really dont know with Soumare. Honestly he just reminds me of Bakayoko in terms of he has had only the one decent season and I was wary of Bakayoko when were linked despite the opinion he was the second coming of Yaya Toure, for this exact same reason....

Bit unrealistic. He had a really good 3 or 4 months under Antonio before flakering away after the Barca game. Tbf, Hes put some really solid matches in since over the last 2 seasons with Sarri and Frank but again hasnt been too consistent and the defence which hes been part of has been poor. I dont see where this could be world class thing comes from. Its the same as when he was in the academy people were spouting it. Could be world class and being world class are 2 totally different statements. Would much rather people say he is world class because that means he is doing it. As opposed to he could be, which means he isnt doing it or done it yet. I understand you need to be patient with players but you either are world class or your not. He has the potential to be a very good player but he isnt yet. He is a pretty decent player but is still flawed and still can grow.

Should of just sold Zouma and let Tomori compete with Rudiger to play with and also learn off of Thiago Silva who I think is going to definitely start this season. I mean he was very good in the CL run and shackled Lewandowski pretty expertly if you ask me in the final. Baffling decision if I am honest. You sign a 36 year old CB whos won everything more or less in several leagues, captained his national team and then loan out one of your two young CBs who could learn a shit tonne of invaluable things off him from playing with him and training with him. A season after playing him sort of regularly with no PL experience. Hmm. Okay may seem harsh on Zouma, obviously he is decent enough but he probably isn't going to elevate his game much much higher in the same way Ross Barkley isnt going to even if we signed the likes of a Zidane or someone in that position. Their at ages now where theyve more or less sort of shown what sort of players they are going to be. Obviously Frank has his preferences, as we know he likes Ross, he likes Zouma which may have accounted for it but still questionable. Plus the games Tomori played last season I would say he was likely to he ahead of Christensen in the pecking order too. I suppose if we were weeks into the season and he didnt play its also a fair idea but we wont know, I can see him going to Everton and having a good season, where people will probably question why did we loan him out if we end up with a shite GA again. Also whats changed after last season? We should of just loaned him out last season if Frank felt he needed a move to play more PL games. He will be better off having played in the PL for 1 season so a loan move now strikes me as very odd.

Loan RLC out for another year? Havertz is like 21 and so is Mount. Plus Kovacic and Kante are probably going to be here for another 2 or 3 seasons. There isn’t really any room for one of Ruben or Ross if I am honest. We have left and right sided midfielders for a 3 man MF. Despite Barkleys obvious limitations I think FL will keep him ahead of Ruben right now, we all seen him try shove Ruben in as a winger at times the 2nd half of the season, he doesnt suit playing there and he looks well short of being the player he was under Sarri. It will be interesting but Mount, Kovacic, Havertz and Kante are going to be ahead of both this season for those roles in a 3 man MF. Jorginho as a 6 although I do think your right and Frank wants Declan Rice.

I dont see how selling Jorginho or Kante is going to make this squad work. In deeper midfield those two are our best players if I am honest and Lampard has to get one of them in at least if he is to be successful. Its more guys like Ross or Ruben who will be likely to find playing time hard to come by and likely to go eventually if I am honest. Even more so in a 433 with two 8s say to how City play, it would still be same scenario if I am honest. Havertz has to play. Mount has shown he is incredibly hard working and Lampard is a keen admirer hence the minutes he got last season despite playing through sticky spells. Jorginho is still our only midfielder truely capable of dictating a game and the tempo. our best football came with Mount-Kovacic-Jorginho actually last season.

Who is saying sell Kante? Have you seen how top heavy the team is? How shite we were in transitions last season and if we keep same approach will likely continue to be this season? And selling Kante is still in some people’s minds? Fuck me

Some great stat comparisons etc but even in his first season it was so obvious to me if we wanted to move forward and be a team that dominate the ball and play like the way we all wanted to he would be the key player in midfield. His passing range is always overlooked but as many have seen it is there and it is good. You need the movement and the fluidity in other areas of the pitch and we always haven’t had that. Even the fullbacks athleticism let us down st times particularly on the left before MS trusted Emerson. I felt Sarri would of brought that sort of football but it didn't really happen either and maybe he needed a bit longer but with Hazard and Willian in attack, who in my opinion more likely to want the ball to feet to try dribble or break a team down than run off it in the same way Pedro did at Barcelona or Sterling does for City under Pep or Callejon did for Sarri in Naples or get into the box regularly, it was always going to need time or personnel changes to make it work. Pulisic I think has that selfless running and ability to get into the box in an area between the two goal posts regularly and now Werner as well could have done that from the left. obviously now with Frank its no surprise to see we are upgrading in attack, these additions should be aiming to improve the fluidity, movement and overall quality which should help Jorginho as well from that deeper position to find runners over the top more or players at least making movements that can open space up for other players in the team as well.