Did that happen during training?!? Holy shit that's a real problem. My assessment of Sissoko's importance to the team is gonna get tested way more than I ever wanted. I look forward to the Dier-Wanyama-Winks-Eriksen MF against Liverpool
I read yesterday that they are going to pay the fee now, because that makes him a bit cheaper than waiting til summer.Guess that guarantees Lo Celso sticks around
Agree wholeheartedly. Would love to see Tanganga become a thing -- the save off the goal line was a big time baptism by fire.Tanganga was pretty good given what he was being asked to do, although he did get cooked pretty badly on the Firmino goal. Still, I'm all for less of Serge Aurier so I'm willing to roll with Tanganga for now.
Looks pretty close to done. Really good opportunistic deal, as currently speculated - 3.5m loan fee for 18 months with a purchase option around 45m at that point.
Lo Celso has looked *really* good. And regarding Piatek, I don't know, maybe they finally realized they need an adequate Kane backup? And then they can stop playing Kane in Cup matches against squads like Rochdale, but still have someone relatively threatening.Some actual winter transfer window news at Spurs:
- As noted above, Spurs signed Gedson Fernandes on a 18-month loan with an option to buy from Benfica. Decent move since there's not a lot of financial risk, but I'm skeptical Gedson will be a first XI player when everyone is fit, and he doesn't feel the gaping hole at DM. Suggests that Mourinho sees Lo Celso as more of a #10 than a #8.
- Eriksen has left for Inter Milan for 17m gbp, a very nice piece of business for a player with only six months left on his contract who has clearly wanted out since the summer, although the better move in hindsight would have been to sell Eriksen 12-18 months ago for big money. Eriksen was a great player for Spurs for several years, but has massively undermined his legacy among Spurs fans by shooting his way out of town the last six months. He was been downright awful all season. Rumor is also that he had a pre-contract deal set with Real Madrid to leave on a free this summer before Zidane vetoed it. In a related story, I now need a new Spurs jersey.
- Spurs have made the Lo Celso move permanent, exercising their option on Lo Celso and signing him to a 5 year contract through 2025. Lo Celso has been their best player the last month once he finally started getting a run in the starting XI, is an immense talent, and is still just 23. They've now locked up his prime years and Spurs should be really fun to watch once both Ndombele and Lo Celso start playing together.
- Danny Rose looks to be on the outs with Mourinho and is likely to get moved on, potentially to Newcastle. Walker-Peters seemed likely to be loaned to Southampton. Both reasonable deals in the abstract but that leave Spurs dangerously thin at fullback, already a position of weakness.
- Spurs have either completed a deal, or are very close to completing a deal, for Stefan Bergwijn of PSV, in the 25-30m range. He fills a hole in Spurs' squad for a genuine winger who can threaten to dribble past defenders. He's just 22 and his stats and analytics are good, but obviously Eredivisie attacking numbers always have to be taken with several large grains of salt. But this is the sort of smart, forward-thinking business Spurs should be doing.
- Spurs have come up a lot in rumors involving Polish AC Milan forward Krzysztof Piatek, but I'd be surprised if that goes through if the Bergwijn deal gets done unless they really think Kane is permanently crocked.
Bergwijn and KWP are official. Spurs may not be done, as the Piatek rumors are still swirling and now Giroud (!) is being mentioned. Giroud would actually be a pretty awesome pickup. He's a big lug that has only presumably become even more lug-like with age. However, he is a terrific skilled hold up player, and he can certainly get on the end of crosses, something which Spurs are finding success with (particularly with Aurier as wingback). The other rumor that actually gets me very excited is that Juve are shopping Emre Can. I've never really liked Can's game, but he would slot perfectly into Spurs squad right now. The reason I don't think this gets done is because it seems Mou/Levy are 100% all in on NEXT season. That's my takeaway from the Gedson and Bergwijn signings. Any Spurs fan could tell you that if the goal is to improve the squad for this season then they should be targeting DMFs, FBs, and a striker. Instead the two signings are CMF and a winger. In addition, Gedson is 21 and Bergwijn is 22. These guys are the future. It makes some sense too--players like Lamela, Moura, and Son (BIG GULP!) will have real value in the summer window and sales of some of these players would allow Spurs to improve other positions (namely striker and FB) while also shortening the rotation.Some actual winter transfer window news at Spurs:
- As noted above, Spurs signed Gedson Fernandes on a 18-month loan with an option to buy from Benfica. Decent move since there's not a lot of financial risk, but I'm skeptical Gedson will be a first XI player when everyone is fit, and he doesn't feel the gaping hole at DM. Suggests that Mourinho sees Lo Celso as more of a #10 than a #8.
- Eriksen has left for Inter Milan for 17m gbp, a very nice piece of business for a player with only six months left on his contract who has clearly wanted out since the summer, although the better move in hindsight would have been to sell Eriksen 12-18 months ago for big money. Eriksen was a great player for Spurs for several years, but has massively undermined his legacy among Spurs fans by shooting his way out of town the last six months. He was been downright awful all season. Rumor is also that he had a pre-contract deal set with Real Madrid to leave on a free this summer before Zidane vetoed it. In a related story, I now need a new Spurs jersey.
- Spurs have made the Lo Celso move permanent, exercising their option on Lo Celso and signing him to a 5 year contract through 2025. Lo Celso has been their best player the last month once he finally started getting a run in the starting XI, is an immense talent, and is still just 23. They've now locked up his prime years and Spurs should be really fun to watch once both Ndombele and Lo Celso start playing together.
- Danny Rose looks to be on the outs with Mourinho and is likely to get moved on, potentially to Newcastle. Walker-Peters seemed likely to be loaned to Southampton. Both reasonable deals in the abstract but that leave Spurs dangerously thin at fullback, already a position of weakness.
- Spurs have either completed a deal, or are very close to completing a deal, for Stefan Bergwijn of PSV, in the 25-30m range. He fills a hole in Spurs' squad for a genuine winger who can threaten to dribble past defenders. He's just 22 and his stats and analytics are good, but obviously Eredivisie attacking numbers always have to be taken with several large grains of salt. But this is the sort of smart, forward-thinking business Spurs should be doing.
- Spurs have come up a lot in rumors involving Polish AC Milan forward Krzysztof Piatek, but I'd be surprised if that goes through if the Bergwijn deal gets done unless they really think Kane is permanently crocked.
Hearing Rose to Newcastle and KWP to Southhampton are done. They both were not at training this morning based on the reports. Following all the twitter hype is maddening. One minute they are signing Piatek, the next it’s Giroux. Then it’s Bale....you really do not know until the player is holding up the jersey.One of the ITK accounts on twitter that got Bergwijn's timing right is saying that Rose is gone.
Rose has had a very up-and-down career at Tottenham but he scored one of my favorite ever Spurs goals, all the way back on his debut against Arsenal:Rose loan to Newcastle confirmed. I'm saddened by this--Rose has been fun to root for and is a very brave player. He certainly had a role to play in this squad, but it really does seem like several key fixtures from the past wanted to get a fresh start elsewhere. I'll always appreciate Rose and will root for him and the Toons against just about anyone except Spurs.
CCV loan to Luton Town also confirmed. Likely just trying to have someone else pay his wages while Spurs see his contract out.
Still hoping Spurs nab some type of target forward, if for nothing else to give Mou a reasonable option when he needs to rotate.
Agreed, but that guy was already goneI'll miss Rose a lot, he was capable of some excellent runs down the side and was a world-class shit-stirrer.
He was very good and consistent as recently as the second half of last season. I don't think he's fully cooked at all.Agreed, but that guy was already gone
wasn’t that always the knock on Eriksen in that he always would hit the first man? I read an interesting article in the Athletic about how he purposely always tried to do that .. basically threading the needle between the first and second defender .. a high risk high reward type of play in that it’s incredibly difficult to defend if the corner makes it past the first guy. When it fails it looks like that clip ..
I believe Jose has said that he does not believe that Parrott is ready to be a consistent player in the EPL, but I believe he has also said that he doesn't want to send him out on loan because he wants him to train with the club.Does anyone have the details on where Spurs are at with Troy Parrott? Is he going out on loan, or is he staying with the club this spring?
If it is the latter, I assume he has to be part of the answer to Jose's complaints about not having enough attacking players this spring, even though he is only 18.
There's a bigger key here. If I remember correctly he needs to stay at Tottenham until he's 18 so he get be classified as home grown. Otherwise I think he would have been loaned out already.I believe Jose has said that he does not believe that Parrott is ready to be a consistent player in the EPL, but I believe he has also said that he doesn't want to send him out on loan because he wants him to train with the club.
Jose seems to have made Winks figure out that you can actually run and pass the ball forward and not just sideways or backwards. I keep waiting to see LoCelso, Winks and Ndombele all starting together. I assume there is some tactical reason that might not be happening that I just don't understand, but I'd like to see it.Bergwijn showed some skill and potential, but was also fairly wasteful (like the rest of our attackers) although he scored a magnificent goal so he gets an A for his debut. Ndombele came into the game and immediately made a huge difference, I have no idea why he isn't starting and I'm afraid that he is going to end up being the new Pogba for Mourinho.
Yeah, he's been struggling with injuries and fitness the whole season. I suspect he hasn't done a whole lot of first-team training as a result. It's a shame though because even his limited playing time so far while half-fit has made clear he is outrageously talented.Problem with Ndombele is conditioning. Even at the end of modest playing time yesterday he was gassed.
I think that, and nothing tactically, is why you're not seeing him feature yet.
While true, it's worth noting, in my opinion, that he is a player who "looks" tired, even when he's fresh. They way he moves is slow & languid, which makes his quick shakes and feints even more effective.Yeah, he's been struggling with injuries and fitness the whole season. I suspect he hasn't done a whole lot of first-team training as a result. It's a shame though because even his limited playing time so far while half-fit has made clear he is outrageously talented.
They really got spanked by City though and were extremely lucky not to concede 2 or 3 goals. I wouldn't put much stock in that.Spurs have allowed 2 goals in last 4 games, with 2 clean sheets. The last clean sheet prior to that was early December.
Sure, but at some point it's results oriented--need the 3 points. Also, that seems to be how we always operated against them.They really got spanked by City though and were extremely lucky not to concede 2 or 3 goals. I wouldn't put much stock in that.
Am I too much of a simpleton here for thinking this just means that Hugo is still really damn good?They really got spanked by City though and were extremely lucky not to concede 2 or 3 goals. I wouldn't put much stock in that.
This seems the consensus from today, sadly.And maybe that Super Jan is washed.
This seems the consensus from today, sadly.