SIX Tottenham fringe players to leave in January - keep or get rid?

After Tottenham’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park yesterday, The Mirror today are reporting that Mauricio Pochettino is ready to sell six of his first-team squad during the January transfer window.

Spurs have a sizeable senior squad and as a result plenty of players that have been signed at expense are left watching on from the sidelines.

The report claims that Aaron Lennon, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Kyle Naughton, Younes Kaboul and Emmanuel Adebayor will all be offloaded if an appropriate buyer can be found before the end of the month.

But, with squad strength in depth in mind, who should be sold and is there a last chance in the offing for some of the afore-mentioned fringe men?

Aaron Lennon

The diminutive winger has been slightly unlucky in my opinion not to have received more time on the pitch this term, especially given Andros Townsend’s questionable virtues and form of late.

Having been at the club since 2005 and an important part of the side that performed so well in the sole Champions League campaign, nostalgia can cloud the judgement when considering Lennon’s future.

At 27 there is no doubt that Lennon has plenty left in the tank and his pace offers something different from the bench. I’d sell Townsend before letting Lennon leave.

VERDICT - KEEP


Paulinho

The Brazil international arrived in North London with a considerable reputation and track record, but has simply failed to deliver in his time with Tottenham.

With five central midfielders ahead of him in Pochettino’s thinking, Paulinho’s opportunities to play are likely to be very limited unless something miraculous happens.

If given time he could well be a top player, but his lack of determination and softness in the tackle means his Spurs tenure looks over. Could also collect a good transfer fee for him.

VERDICT - SELL


Etienne Capoue

After a promising start to life at White Hart Lane last season, injury in the North London derby stalled Capoue’s progress and he has not played enough to really settle into life at Spurs.

At times he can look like he exudes authority and he has a physical presence in the centre of the park that will be beneficial in closing out games or in tough away fixtures.

However with others ahead of him in the pecking order, his time on the pitch is likely to be few and far between. That said, with Bentaleb away at the African Cup of Nations and Paulinho looking likely to leave, Capoue could be needed.

VERDICT - KEEP


Kyle Naughton

Looks destined to leave the club having not ever won the fans over and never looking like he possesses the self-belief, drive or quality to feature regularly for a club with top-four ambitions.

With others returning from injury Naughton has no real chance to feature and Spurs have enough players to cope with his departure.

VERDICT - SELL


Younes Kaboul

The French defender is in his second spell at the club but has lost his starting place to Federico Fazio this term under Pochettino.

I have always felt that Kaboul has the tendency to make a ridiculous decision, unforgivable mistake or get sent off when he plays, and as such he is best out of the team.

With Eric Dier looking like a real prospect to deputise at centre-half if needs be, Kaboul would be best advised to look for another club. Mr Levy, please don’t sign him a third time in the future.

VERDICT - SELL


Emmanuel Adebayor

There is no question that on his day, Adebayor can be a top-notch centre forward with the ability to score goals and brings others into the game - the issue is that those days are all too rare.

The hot-and-cold striker seems to continually have issues off the pitch and is now a forgotten man again due to the exploits of Harry Kane.

Earning one of the biggest wages at the club, getting him off the books could well be difficult. It is time to either sell him or start to use him more.

If a replacement can be brought in to support Kane and take some of the goalscoring burden from his shoulders, Ade’s time at Spurs could well be over.

VERDICT - SELL

Final question, where is Vlad Chiriches on the Mirror’s list? With reported interest in him from overseas, the Romanian’s botched time at Tottenham should come to an end.

 

Another player that needs to go is Dembele he adds nothing to the team apart from side and backwards passes! he has scored one goal for us in the league in his whole career for us? how many assists has he had in that time? none i bet! he takes an age to pass the ball and stagnates our midfield by slowing it down! he has no vision to pass the ball forward for the forward to run onto! a waste of space! another Paulinho that never influences a game or contributes anything to it! i would rather have a reserve player in there! watch when he turns his back and doesn't even attempt to block Puncheons shot for there second goal yesterday! disgraceful pansy! sell him and buy someone with a tiny bit of steel, flair and influence!

 

Capoue definitely has to go - awful

 

Yesterdays performance was predictable. The midfield had no legs, no cutting edge, no defensive capability and no will to make tackles. Stambouli is good at what he does, but that's limited. He'd get away with it if Mason or Bentaleb was in there, because those two run. Dembele doesn't. God knows what Dembele does, actually, he's so so poor against PL opposition. With regards to the list, sell all but Capoe - his early season form warrants more time given now. Bring in two midfielder - heck, this could be Carroll and Holtby back from loan - as cover, and for gods sake let's get another striker

 

I agree with this article.

All those six players should be sold. Dembele should be sold as well.

The problem is does anyone want them and also who can Spurs bring in?

Next season we will have Pritchard, Winks, Carroll and Veljkovic hopefully being promoted to the first team.

This season is more of a transition period. Pochettino has to find a way to do well with the players he was given until he can develop his own team.

 

Lennon has to stay the rest on the list can go lamela too for me , his weak lazy maybe i time he may improve but ahead of Lennon no his work rate alone would put him above lamela,Townsend,chadli, plus add in walkers questionable defending he is needed . But the policy to out the English core from the team seems to be the case at spurs, as were most teams have a home grown base to build on delph ings. Would be good additions to the squad but we will see .

 

I'm going to title this response. INTERNATIONALS

What we need to do is buy internationals.


These are proven quality. The extensive scouting networks of the said country have chosen these people cos they are the best in their country in that position.

Buy internationals.

Re the match yesterday why take Townsend off for Capoue?

We needed that outlet wide to take some pressure off and we know Andros can shoot, and as these players are meant to be fit he could have beed the difference in the last 20.

I would have replaced Stambouli with Capoue.

Still i hope to see Stambouli against Burnley and Sheff U to get a good look at him, but not Sunderland. I'm certain he's not fully fit. We definitely need Wesley Sneijder, a striker and a solid winger perhaps James Miler to make the top four.

 

Add Townsend and Dembele to the list to be sold. Sell all of the 8 players.

Bring in some proper footballers like Konoplyanka and next season give more of the youth players a chance.

 

think you'll find all those players who were up for discussion are internationals..
I totally agree that we have better MF players plying their trade on loan .. especially Carroll & the lad at Brentford.
Capoue... I've seen super tankers with more mobility than him.... get rid.

 

I'll give u 11 that need shifting-

Poorlinho
Adeycantscore
Soldaflop
Lame-la
Crapoo
Kaboul
Chiriches
Lemon
Townsend
Stambouli
Rose

Before i have the usualls telling us all how weve got a buisness to run and we dont understand id like go point out where is the financial sense in paying people to coast along at the club with no intention of improving or delivering?
What a disgraceful waste of wages, our time and our effort.
And 2 more people that really should head the list of out goings is Ming the Penniless and his handy man Baldini who have been instrumental in stock piling such a bunch of nobodies!

 

Agree with all the verdicts given in the article including selling Townsend before Lennon. Paulinho for me is a waste of space and by far the biggest disappointment of all the recent signings, cut losses and get rid of ASAP. Capoue seems to divide opinions here, im seeing a few people calling for him to be sold. Can anyone seriously tell me why? what because a player who has hardly kicked a ball since November through injury came on late and didn't see much of the ball. Before he was injured this was our most consistent player in the early season. His stats for breaking up play, touches of the ball, effective passes and that includes long passes were not only the best in this club, some of them were the best in the league. Ive said before that stats don't always tell the whole story but they don't lie either. When fit he is the best HM at this club. Against le arse earlier he was superb. Like any player he has a few areas that need improving on, such as getting back to help out in the box when we are under pressure but so are all of our so called DMs. His biggest issues I believe are to do with attitude and this is supposedly Poch's strong point. Agree sell Naughton, Kaboul, Ade.

 

Not Nats, your on point with that comment re Capoue. People should take a read of that response its a very decent comment (not sure about selling our wide men first point though). I think the pressure is going to be on us all the way to the end of the season to make top four. Otherwise you know what will happen. Yes we lose Lloris and maybe Jan ect. So the pressure is real and we need to respond professionally against first Burnley then very importantly Sunderland.

I think we should of had a penalty at the end but i don't know why Lennon didn't come on for Townsend. I just don't get the logic of that. There's a player playing for his future who should have got a run out. We must see him against Burnley, to confirm that indeed we do want to sell, cos in my mind that 27 year old gives us a decent wide outlet. But re the penalty call that Walker handball was a stone wall penalty for them. As for the selling of players ect Naughton, Kaboul and if we can find a replacement Soldado, for me he has to go. But not Ady i think he will find form, but will the wage issue be the door opener?

Back to the pressure on top four, i think realistically we will struggle however there is a competition that could save us, that the Europa Cup. Winners get Champions League and i fancy our chances on the day. But lets be clear we need the Chapions League for both the stadium development (which i don't like btw, get the Americans in to build something more 'beautiful' inside and out), and to keep our best players. As always COYS. And lets get active in the market now, not with about an hour of the dam thing still to go.

 

Actually I was agreeing with the author that we keep Lennon, I was only agreeing that id sell Townsend before Lennon as I believe Lennon offers more width and team balance but tbh I wouldnt sell either just yet without genuine wide player replacements. Also agree re the Walker handball, it hasnt been mentioned much but for me, a dead set pen.

 

Keep lennon what a joke, when did he last score a goal when did he last have a shot at goal when did he last put in a decent cross when did he last beat his full back add the fact that he cant take corners or free kicks because he cant kick a ball correctly.This man earns fifty or sixty grand a week what a joke, he wont move anywhere because any new club would rumble him after one game.

 

Yes i see Not Nats, its a big gamble selling our wide players their not rubbish players and the do offer up chances, yes Lennon might be predictable at times i.e. get to the byline pull it back, but it works. They are nigh impossible to defend against in real time and goals our scored that way. (Burnley's equaliser last week Eriksen's chance yesterday ect). Nobody would have been complaining if we'd been 2 0 up when Kane scored his brilliant goal. (Was that even a chance? What a talent.)

Some of shite i've read on here re Lennon really pisses me off. We only need a single action in ninety minutes to win a game from our wide men and with Lennon he will give you that. Townsend sadly is not guaranteed to do this just yet, but we need to persevere, i like his attitude. And for people who realistically never need to work again his desire to play is refreshing and i think genuine.

Going back to Lennon, his work rate off the ball and in defence never fails to impress and i think that side of his game often goes un recognised. With all these games stacking up we need proven pros around the place and Lennon is proven. I have looked up who gets Europa League qualification and both FA and League Cups gets you their, i know its not ideal but its a great chance for the squad to be fully used and to see the youth come through. I personally think its great and tbh, with the Champions League you have to field your best 11 mid week and with a squad like ours the league form will suffer and we'll probably go out early any way so is it really what we need? Well, the answer is yes to meet the wages for the best players and the new financial demands of the new ground.

I do think that our director of football has to go he, has not impressed me at in the transfer market. He should be tailoring the wages to the performance more, a straight 60k for a week for a foreign player who may take time to settle if at all is just not right. Give em say 30k and assess the performances with independent assessors and if they play well all round i.e. 7 out 10 material hand over the other 20k. Not before. My list to sell to go on the record is this.

Baldini
Naughton
Kaboul
Stambouli
Paulinho
Soldado

With replacements for the last three and a creative lively centre mid preferably from Eastern Europe or Russia. Lets do our bit for world peace a.

 

The cut list is different under Poch's system than it would have been under previous managers.

I don't think Poch values genuine midfield wide-men. Under Redknapp or 442, we needed wingers to get down to the touchline and put in crosses to tall targets like Crouch. So, Townsend and Lennon would be playing on their correct sides.

How many times does this happen under 4231? Hardly ever. Poch seems to be playing a continental style, based on high pressing, and where 'inverted wingers' either cut inside and shoot, or play intricate/through balls to the striker, or on-coming midfielders (e.g. Erikson). The option of crossing the ball is done by overlapping fullbacks - DeYedlin, Walker, Rose, Davies.

Under this system, I think Lennon and Townsend are both poor. Neither play well, or make good decisions as inverted wingers. There are plenty of players (not necessarily better individually), but who can play that role better. So I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up selling both at some point....

 

What the heck r some of u lot talking about.lennon is still the only winger we have that can and does get to the byline. Problem is the argy twit, we have as a coach has no clue about subs, and solidago, sticks to the ground like glue.He never gets across his defender, consequently, every time we have a cross in the box, no one is there. We can't continue being static, in the opposing box, relying on Harry Kane.we need a mobile forward, and young danny inns is perfect.re Paulinho, Naughton, Kaboul, Dembele, mister crab, cause I only go sideways, sell them. Bring back Holtby and Carroll. Also get Pritchard back from Brentford. sell Adebayor to anyone, and get Lennon back in the team and functioning.How can we beat Chelsea one week then bloody loose to Palace. No body wanted to run at the palace defenders at all. There was not a decent cross put in all game. Also our corners again are awful.mplay to the front post for a flick on,and we're is Eric Dier?. This lad was signed as a central defender, so give him a go there, especially against Burnley,.Sorry guys but to me Poch is another Redknapp with no plan b at all.. Yiddish forever. danny

 

Lee your right at moment its 5 in midfield and thus whipping crosses in isn't offered that often due to their only being the single target. But still that skin your man get to the by line and pull back to one of the midfielders is a great asset to have, not carried out better than by Lennon, imo. Not forgetting raw pace in the last period of the game is useful to have. The other thing is that Townsend with his shooting ability should thrive under this system but is yet to really adapt to it. We need him to be a bit like his old self and pull the trigger a bit more often. (And lets not forget the guy can take an awesome penalty and we just might need that at some stage). Yes we may sell but for me neither should go this window as they can deliver at this level. But is this a general sense against wide men from Poch? Or is it perhaps a reflection of what he thinks of our strikers. Though if we do get a decent striker or our strikers find form with Kane then we may need that additional width. COYS.

 

Poch's subbing of Townsend for Capoue still has me mystified. Was Lennon on the bench? Let's say Walker's arm was good for a PK, I'd rather have seen that than the bad call on Stambouli. And Harry legitimately went down at the other end. But that's history.

I definitely keep Lennon. How many "wide men" are top scorers these days? He fights going forward and back, and let us not forget the wonderful relationship he had with Walker two seasons back that produced many positives.

YES! Dump the Rumanian pastrami. And Ady, a subtractee. Townsend? A project we may not have time for. Keep Rose and make him an attacking wing half. Paulinho might do better somewhere else, as with Soldato, who has a nice intelligent touch but lost his way where it counts most, in front of goal.

Naughton will be valued elsewhere and could be a useful addition to another PL squad. I used to love having the bull in defense, but now I've seen too much bull in his play, so Younes definitely needs to change shirts and probably continents. Bring back Carroll and Holtby!

No comment on who to bring in as I am not familiar enough with what they do to make them fits in our system.

 

Holtby is a better allround player than Mason and is perfect fit for this system he also has shown great attitude and team ethic, so why was he loaned out?