Window of opportunity missed?

So that’s it then, window 2 of the Pochettino era closed.

Some more promising potential through the door in the shape of Yedlin & Alli. Naughton gone, Lennon out on loan and finally BAE off the wage bill.

After a will he won’t he saga we failed to get Adebayor out of the club even on loan much to the dismay of many of us. And the same can be said of Kaboul & Chiriches etc.

Many will point to the business side of things, but there were some decent offers on dead wood that are of no help to the club, so why aren’t they moved on? If they are being difficult settle it (within reason) as a lump sum, to me that’s better than paying a big wage to not only a bench warmer, but a toxic bad apple that essentially offers nothing.

Now although Yedlin & Alli are good purchases, I can’t help feeling slightly disappointed at the lack of ambition in the 1st team yet again and not just this window either. Poch will only have so long to deliver and buying talent for 5 years’ time will not help him in the next 2 years, he needs to be backed and backed properly.

We currently sit in a good position to make a viable charge for top 4, we’re in the final of the League Cup and latter stages of the Europa which could also give us CL football. My worry is that we are an injury to Eriksen or Kane away from wasting a surprising, but very promising position.

Now, I know January can be difficult, but anyone that thinks we don’t need another forward is either deluded or clueless, but again we knew this in the summer also and many other windows. Yet, it is forever ignored.

This is/was always a transitional season, but I feel as explained the surprising position we sit in we should be speculating to accumulate, if we limp in to another fruitless finish from where we are due to lack of fire power then this will be certainly yet another opportunity missed. And every time we miss out our best players heads start to turn.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

 

Think you need to be a bit realistic. I too believe we don't need Ade or Kaboul in our long term plans. But getting rid of Ade with only Soldado as a back up would be stupid. Yes his wages are ridiculous, but until we can bring in another decent striker I don't see why we ought to let him go. Poch knows what he's doing, our season thus far is going well enough. Hopefully in the summer time, we'll be more attractive to decent high quality players (e.i. Benteke, Higuain and the likes).

 

we won't be attractive to top talent in the summer...our top talent will leave....we're on course for mid table mediocrity next year...

 

This was always going to be a season of transition and "bedding in" for Spurs and Poch. He's brought in his own training methods which have paid dividends with the team being much fitter. Getting players that much fitter doesn't happen overnight. He's also brought youth players into the first team, so we now have people like Bentalb, Mason and Kane who are key parts of the team. This acts as a boost for other youth players who can see that if they are prepared to work, they will be given their chance. While fans love to see big money signings brought in to the club, I would much rather see the team do well with a solid core of youth players becoming the next generation of home grown superstars. Remember ManU and the Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, Nevilles team? They did quite well.

 

Its not all about big money purchases, Mirrallas and Ings would have been good sensible and realistic targets had we put a bit more effort into it, both have proven ability at this level and would have strengthened our case.

 

Selling 10 players and buying 10 players every transfer window is not the answer!! Stability is!! Yes Ade needs be moved on but in the real world he's on 100 grand a week and he won't take a cut. He's virtually impossible to sell. He'll see out his contract with us.

 

I would have liked us to use Lenny to get Mirallas the other way on loan. They only way we could have got another foreign player in though was to ship one out. With only Naughton and Lenny going out that didn't remedy our quota. Seems like until the final day Ade wasn't interested in going out until the wages bit was on the table from 2 other clubs. No way was he going to Wet Spam without a replacement. QPR are screwed anyway and he is not the type for a relegation battle. He has 18 months to go, then he will look elsewhere. Until then Ade will go nowhere. Kaboul expires in the summer so he can choose his options but is finished now. Vlad I still think has a backup place but he may not want that. If we get Reid in the summer then he will be gone too.
In the summer would like Ntep and Benteke to fill the foreign void of Kaboul and Vlad. Sorted.

 

That's the spirit :-S

 

Spurs have been in constant transition since I started supporting them 33 years ago. If I had aound for e dry time we have been told that Spurs are bedding in and next season we will bring back the glory years , I would be able to invest myself!!
The situation with Adebayor just showed what a prize prat levy is. He hates West Ham and gold and Sullivan because levy wanted the move to the Olympic stadium and now he is having to have WHL redeveloped, something he never wanted in the first place as it would cost ENIC too much money.
Cutting your nose off to spite your face isn't good business, is it pathetic. I think we can forget winston Reid signing for Spurs in the summer. This yet again proves levy is a meddler. Those who think he doesn't meddle in team affairs need a reality check,

 

I have to say Matt, your comments come with no basis or foundation.

So what Levy didn't want Adebayor going to West Ham? Regardless of how much we dislike Ade at present, or want him out....why the hell should we subsidies any of his wages so he can go play for West Ham? The same West Ham who would NEVER EVER do the same for us.

The same West Ham, who brought a DVD out in the summer after beating us 3 times last season?!

Oh yes, sod you Levy for not giving West Ham a helping hand!

And with Winston Reid? He's out of contract in the summer - meaning when his contract expires HE IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WEST HAM FOOTBALL CLUB. They have no say in where he goes, so how can they stop us doing a deal?! Please explain...

It's been accepted that ALL of our signings so far this season have been authorised by Poch (Fazio, Stambouli, Davies, Ali).

Don't you consider, that Poch may have said to Levy & co - "no point buying players for the sake of it...i'm happy with what I've got" (which is what he has come out and said in press conferences, albeit in broken english)

Oh no, I'm wrong - everything is Levy's fault. That is fact, so lets use any excuse we can and use it as a stick a beat him with it.

Even if we signed Lionel Messi for £500m last night, fans like you would still be moaning that we didn't shift Etienne Capoue out to West Brom, or Kaboul to Roma.

 

Well said Siggy .. The amount of unsubstantiated nonsense on here is unreal .. Some people have wicked imaginations ..

 

Fair play to poch for showing faith in the squad he has and it seems to be bearing fruits. Undoubtedly he was willing to let two or three go but if they don't wanna leave what can he do. The financial fair play meant he couldn't sign unless he sold and freed up wages. If he ever wanted anyone at all that is! If he is happy with what he's got there is noobobligation from the club to sign on his behalf to appease the fans. That mistake got made last summer and also under jol when the club signed bent Zamora zokora and kaboul. I think ideally he probably would have signed a forward but that was Dependant on Ade leaving. Reid konopklaplaya Ings are all available for free in the summer saving the club 20-30m or so if they sign and will illustrate whether they want to choose us over others in the first place!

 

Nope, i just don't get it. We have just lost a proven Champions League top flight 27 year old player, giving us a completely different dimension on the wing. If you say Lemela or Lennon out wide sorry but i'd take Lennon every time.

Losing a solid wide man and replacing him with nothing is just typical of Spurs.

 

I've said before that after his showing against us we could do worse than sign Jamie Murphy from Sheffield.Utd.He appears to have what is required of a good wide man and wouldn't cost a lot.He got 2 last weekend and has scored tonight also.From what I saw I would have him over Lamela at present.

 

I have never said it is fact that levy is a fool. I have always said it is my opinion. Levy could sign and messi and you are right, I would still not like him.
We were willing to subsidy the wages for him to go to QPR or palace. I know West Ham and Spurs hate each other but it would have still got most of his wages off the bill but now we have someone who has a poor attitude and collecting his wage all from us. That is a fact!! That is not good business sense.

 

And we bring DVDs out after we beat teams so if that has upset you, you are following the wrong sport. And yes, I do think we should have shifted Kaboul or Capoue or Chiriches. Not all of them, but can you not see how much deadwood we still have.
What you are saying is that you would rather Spurs pay ALL of Adebayors wages than part of them!!!! I mean, seriously? And I am deluded and not using anything with any foundation. I hope you don't run a business!!!

 

Kaboul, Capoue and Chiriches imo aren't rubbish players nor is Ady, they have proved themselves as players who can play at the top level if required, the odd bad game but on the whole decent squad players. Buying new at this stage is a risk, will they settle in? Its a gamble. I'm happy they stayed and gutted we let Lennon go without a replacement in sight. We have a decent squad with realistic cover in most areas. This we will need in the months ahead. We have a decent squad but we have weakened it with letting Lennon go without getting a replacement. That is nuts, and that is not how to run a business!

If you have 10 and i take one off you then you have 9, you are worse off and we are worse off for losing Lennon (who always worked his socks off for the team) with nothing in his place.

 

Something didn't work out at the last moment... I only guess it was Konoplyanka. Because that would have made the most sense. Spurs move Lennon to open space for Evhen. That would make Adebayor fully expandable. But...LFC went crazy and offered 16 million for player that would be available for free comes summer window. Levy backed off and stopped Ade from going away. Keeping Adebayor for 18 months is only 7.8 million, math is simple here...
I think Ade made a mistake not going to QPR and getting back with Sherwood who bookmakers are confident will replace outgoing Harry, but it is up to him... If he did go, Levy would have had a hard time to back off from Dnipro. Konoplyanka would be an upgrade, but Poch has no issues with Ade and Soldado and I am learning to believe that whatever Spurs HC says is true.
I must agree with Felon82 that window was a disappointment. It was not the end of the THFC, however. We did not lose much, we simply gain less than we could.

 

Just want to wish dear old Harry Redknapp a good retirement, 67 is a good age to give it a rest, and i for one thank him for all the great nights he brought to White Hart Lane. Could a knighthood be more deserved for services to the English grand passion that is football ? Arise Sir Harry ! And thankyou. Coys.

 

Dont know about a knight hood, but agree with thanking him. Arry for all his faults brought some of the best football ive seen at Spurs during my life time.