We signed the wrong guy

It seems Roberto Soldado’s days at White Hart Lane are numbered after a number of publications reported that Atlético Madrid are interested in bringing the Spaniard back to his home country.

Spanish paper Marca believe Atlético could replace outgoing forward Diego Costa with Soldado and Evening Standard back up those claims.

Standard believe new Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino is willing to listen to offers for the striker, while the Spanish international would also be willing to move back to Spain to try and rediscover the form that made him a huge success in La Liga.

Sports Witness report that Soldado has informed his agent that he would like to leave the club anyway and that he would be willing to take a wage cut to secure a transfer away from London. Although all rumours, it doesn’t paint the picture of a player desperate to impress in his second season.

Also, although many believed that the 29-year-old cost Spurs £26 million last summer, according to the Standard the initial fee was in fact £13 million. The rest of the transfer fee depended on various targets and because of this, chairman Daniel Levy will accept around £13 million.

Cut ties with Bobby

Ben Pearce, Tottenham Journal’s correspondent, believes it is time Spurs cut their losses with Soldado and it is hard to disagree with him.

Soldado moved to Spurs with a massive reputation built off his goalscoring prowess in Spain but he has failed spectacularly in the Premier League scoring just six goals, and only two of those from open play.

Although many will argue that Soldado should be given this campaign after adjusting to the Premier League and England, it would still represent a gamble.

The former Valencia man failed to significantly show how good he was last season, he had bright moments and some impressive games but far too many were substandard.

Massive gamble

Pochettino could decide that Soldado is his main forward for next season but what happens if he doesn’t fire again? If again he struggles in front of goal you have a player with decent wages who is failing to match his price tag.

Also, importantly, it will be a sign to the rest of Europe that he has gone another season without success and could be past his best e.g Fernando Torres. If you add in the fact he’ll be 30 by the end of the 2014/15 campaign it all points towards Tottenham cutting their losses now.

It isn’t as if Soldado is a full package forward either. He isn’t a strong player like Didier Drogba or Diego Costa who, if not finding the net, can still prove their worth with other attributes.
The Spaniard probably does needs a partner and balls/crosses delivered perfectly to him but the former is something he will unlikely have with Pochettino renown for playing one up front.

Best option?

Therefore the best option for all parties involved would be to allow Soldado to leave the club. Spurs could then replace him with a forward capably of playing up front on his own in the Premier League and able to produce a piece of magic out of nowhere.

Spurs haven’t played a system that suits Soldado but at the same time the forward hasn’t showed anywhere near enough to suggest he will turn into the proven goalscorer we thought we were buying last summer.

It is a harsh reality but Tottenham would be wise to buy a forward that is adapted and proven in the Premier League with various different qualities. Dare I mention Romelu Lukaku?

With Chelsea looking to buy Costa, Lukaku will presumably be either second or third choice at Stamford Bridge or be set for another loan. Surely those are options which won’t appeal to the Belgium and with several international team mates already at the Lane it could be an appealing move.

Roman Abramovich and Levy aren’t exactly the best of friends but with Uefa’s financial fair play regulations tightening, Chelsea may look to raise more funds by selling the 21-year-old forward and we could be the profiteers.

 

I still cant beleive we scoured europe with a large wedge of cash looking to buy a player to play the lone striker role in the EPL (the most physical and fastest league in the world) and between the tactical wizard boas constrictor and the talent spotter Baldini they opted for the shortest, slowest, laziest striker they could find.

 

Goodbye and goodluck bobby ! Can see lamela following him too. Think the 13 million thing sounds like a convenient levy smoke screen. But the players form was down to himself, he had so many missed chances if he was a cricketer he'd be suspected of spot fixing ! Lukakais a possibility but would like to see a fit benteke at the lane. Coys.

 

I think Roberto Soldado HAS shown enough to believe that if he was 26/27 the club would DEFINITELY look to keep hold of the Spaniard. Teddy Sheringham was a player who didn't necessarily possess the kind of physical attributes you would associate with a modern EPL striker (i.e. blistering pace or a great amount of strength) but we all know what a class act he was, and for me, Soldado is in a SIMILAR mould.

There is ALWAYS a place in ANY squad for a clever, technical, striker, and that is exactly what Roberto is. Some of his touches, passes and off-the ball movements were a joy to behold, and given the FLUID, DYNAMIC and HIGH TEMPO interchanges, within the front line, that Pochettino likes to implement in his sides, I feel the Spaniard is more than capable of leading the attack, as the sole striker.

I believe it was more the, somewhat, RIGID, and at times PONDEROUS, nature of the tactics deployed by AVB, than the actual system itself that Roberto struggled to cope with. The fact that Spurs also lacked a player (other than perhaps Holtby who was sent out on loan) capable of CONSISTENTLY threading a ball into the channels between the CBs, or the CB and FB, also made life harder for a striker who feeds of that kind of service.

Given the benefit of a season in EPL behind him, aligned with a better understand of his team-mates in game habits (and vice versa), Soldado has every chance of enjoying the kind of campaign he became accustomed to in Spain, should he stay for another season in England.

Towards then end of the season, Soldado was getting the kind of service, in the right areas where you would expect him to do better, - leading me to believe the main issue under Sherwood was CONFIDENCE, more than anything else.

That being said, do I think that Should Spurs sell now and reinvest in a younger more physically gifted forward ? Given his age and decreasing market value, perhaps. But considering his CV, and the relatively young composition of the current Spurs squad, there is a LOT to be said for having an EXPERIENCED, HIGH-QUALITY player around.

 

Would be stupid to sell Soldado now!! With a proper manager and a system that plays to his strengths he will be lethal...He showed glimpses last season. Some of his link up play was better than any other striker we have at the club!!! He will come right, don't believe the papers one bit!! Why would we sell him for such a loss- right when we hire a Spanish speaking manager that plays a system that will play to Robbies strengths?

 

I wouldn't sell him unless we already has someone else lined up. I think he could come good under Pochettino but if we do sell and get Lukaku or Jay Rod from Southampton, I guess that would be a good deal.

 

Everyone seems to forget Soldado had personal issues at the end of 2013. He was played in a system under Avb with no service and then lost confidence. Then under Sherwood he wasn't given a chance!
His wife had a miscarriage and lost his baby. I believe he will come good by starting a fresh season!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...Soldado-reveals-wife-lost-baby-expecting.html

 

Seems a good guy, everyone wants him to come good, intelligent, links up well, I wouldnt have a problem if he wants to stay and fight it out but I would also be ok if he wants to move on. I just dont think he's suited in this league enough to be the main man or be the 20+ striker that we need. for me he's a useful striker but not good enough to build a team around. he links up well so putting him in with a top three might work, Poch seems to like good movement and interplay in the forward zone but ultimately a move to Athletico might be his best option.

 

Omg, poch is a one-forward guy? Oh dear. One of the most stupid formations i've had to endure as a fan for over 60 years. Especially in bpl play.

 

Surely Soldado's off field tragedy had a huge affect on his play, and he suffered a crisis of confidence looking terrible in front of goal, it's therefore very hard to assess him. I do want to give him a chance but he was so bad at finishing, I would let him go if we could get a replacement eg Lukaku. I have heard a lot of people argue Soldado should be the sole man to play up front, yes he is a better passer than Adebayor, however without Ade despite his inconsistencies we would have been much worse off and likely finished worse than Man United, his hold up play, height for winning headers and bringing long balls down, strength and finishing, and the fact he successfully played the lone striker role for most of the season make him much better suited to the role.

Soldado's season was so frustrating, his finishing looked terrible and was given a long run in the team, then he finally scored a decent goal from open play I hoped at the time that it would be the beginning of a decent run, TS then dropped him next game, which was ridiculous he played him when Soldado wasn't in form then when he scores and might hit form he drops him, it was almost like Tim was playing him just to make a point that AVB and Baldini's signings were no good, then finally when he comes good was dropped.

 

atletico wont sell Costa until they find replacement. Replacement sorted, Soldado. spurs sell Soldado to Atletico Chelsea sign Costa. Chelsea sell Lukaku to spurs. spurs sell Paulinho to Chelsea and buy Lukaku with Paulinho fee. Does that sound too easy ?

 

glad to see the majority of us still believe in the kid and want to give him a chance. He is a quality player and was pretty much spains no9 wen we signed him... the problem was that Avb deployed him as a lone furrow which in itself aint a problem but with a no10 player nowhere in sight,no willing runners to support from mid and out wide. Under Avb I don't remember him missing many chances to be fair we just didn't create. Come the end of the season TS didn't give him a fair crack. Games when we were firmly in control and a couple infront he was barely introduced when the pressure would have been off him. Where is the man management in that? Then wen we finished the season playing with two up he never even got a single start in particular after his goal v Cardiff which could have been a turning point for him and us. Another reason why Sherwood seen his ass...

 

Chicorito, suarez, tevez are the only small forwards in recent times to be top strikers and all 3 have the same thing in common- high work rate and real desire. The big defenders knew theyr gona be in for a torrid time trying to keep an eye on their movement and ability to lose their markers. Soldado does neither and is majority of the time sulking and invisible unless he puts a proper shift in hel never score goals in the Prem. Totally unsuited to the prem and why we never bought Lukaku or Benteke over him is beyond me! Sell him and get a proper front man that terrorises defences with pace hunger and power!