At last! I am not the line voice in the wilderness! I have been posting this in message boards for the past five years!
If anyone wants to know what a successful rebuild looks like, I’d say this is a good example. Saturday 17 October 2015, White Hart Lane. Klopp’s first game as Liverpool manager. Tottenham 0 Liverpool 0.
Less than four years later when they beat us in the CL final, only two players remained from his starting XI, Origi and Milner, who were both subs. Their entire starting XI had been replaced. Each season, they bought one top quality player to improve the first team. Firminio, Mane, Van Dijk, Salah, Robertson, Keita, Allison.
By way of contrast, we started seven players from our 2015 squad, having only brought in Trippier and Sissoko, and playing Son and Winks instead of Lamela and Chadli.
I'm sure I would agree with a lot of points but it's hard to read the entire piece when there are some blatant points that are just so off the mark. Such as Son, Kulusevski, Solanke and possibly Maddison not walking into a top four sides first choice is just wrong. For example, Solanke is walking into Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal as a Striker first choice 9/10 times, with the only exception being City. But to the point, even if they might not walk into 1 or 2 teams, the 4 mentioned here (Maddison debatable) are at least walking into 1 out of 4 "top" teams. To say they wouldn't and are just good enough "starters" is just wrong.
Great article that speaks a lot of sense and I like it as it agrees with my own opinion on most of the points made! We can knit pick at who is top-4 quality (I think Solanke is btw if you have high scoring wingers) but the overall point is right - Spurs lack quality and the approach of by young (18-24) to minimise risk and maximise return on investment is a sensible business approach, but not one that gets you challenging for the league. Outside the back 4, Solanke, and occasional runs of form from Madders and Deki, we are pretty short. Odobert could be a gem, and Bergvall and Gray have bags of potential, but look at Yamal - you can play these guys if you surround them with experience and quality to take the pressure off and allow to make mistakes.
The biggest concern is what’s next…we are in the middle of a difficult window (sorry haters) where players are available, but the good ones are only available at inflated prices. Those who are available are either out of favour, Kolo Muani who was arguably the best of this category, or come with risk. Cherki at Lyon probably has one of the best YT reels going, mad skill and technique, can do things on the level of N’Dombele and Taaarabt on their days, but comes with the attitude of Anelka - damaged goods which is why no one has taken the leap at a mere £21m fee. The other complication is the new CL format - previously, group games would be done by now and several sides we whose best players we could take, might already be out and therefore more open to sales. Take Jonathan David at Lille who are going well in the UCL - he might be out of contract but if you get to the round of 16 they can bank €11m or €12.5m for the quarters - there is arguably not enough difference to make an early sale worth it given the added benefits to a club of going deeper in the competition.
If you look at the positions of need (I agree with the assessment but there are a couple of exceptions) if you look at the type of talent we should be looking for then Angelo Stiller at Stuttgart is exactly the type of midfielder we should be considering, but they are still in the UCL even if only just. Tillman at PSV is another midfielder impressing as is winger Bakayoko, but he will only go to a top club challenging for honours and CL and with PSV still in it, why would he move. Gyokeres at Sportiny is another, but why sell now when you can create a bidding war in the summer. It’s a sellers market, and if you want a team’s best player (which we should do) you are paying over the odds to compensate.
This leaves us with the prospect of having to sign players we wouldn’t go for in the summer. We missed out on the best loan in Kolo Muani. Arguably we could bag a left back which doesn’t actually help us that much. We have been crying out for a 6 & 8 with the lack of Bentancur and Biss reliability and Sarr’s lack of passing range to compliment his athleticism. The amount of stick I got in the summer suggesting Conor Gallagher was a player we desperately needed doesn’t look as silly now. Maybe we could take a punt on someone like Redondo at Inter Miami or Puig at LA Galaxy, but all we’d be doing is taking a punt.
People will be up in arms if we don’t get anyone, but I am yet to be convinced there is anyone to get. We know the January window does desperate things to desperate people, but with the majority of signings not working out (look at the magnificent 7 from the Bale money) forcing ourselves to do something is a bad approach.
Ange needs to be left alone, this article outlines why, but he has had the worst luck I’ve known any manager in the history of the PL to have. Poor bloke.
"Now some may say that Postecoglou created the injury crisis with his refusal to rotate, but it’s worth looking back to the first midweek match of the season when he had a full complement of players and the luxury of rotation - he made eight changes to the starting XI. His first Europa League match saw him make five changes." --> This is what frustrates me most about the Ange rotation criticism. I understand the argument for making more consistent changes to the lineup twice a week rather than saving them for one match, but that also seems like a matter of degrees. He absolutely could've given Spence a run sooner, but without the Europa League as an option to prove himself -- as Bergvall, Gray, and Moore have all had -- thanks to the aformentioned squad mismanagment, you're asking Ange to throw him in to the PL right away.
Brilliant article...I'm adding this article also to my list of sources to help me refute those who simply say Ange out/ his methods cause injuries/he's tactically inflexible/ any other BS
At last! I am not the line voice in the wilderness! I have been posting this in message boards for the past five years!
If anyone wants to know what a successful rebuild looks like, I’d say this is a good example. Saturday 17 October 2015, White Hart Lane. Klopp’s first game as Liverpool manager. Tottenham 0 Liverpool 0.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34493617
Less than four years later when they beat us in the CL final, only two players remained from his starting XI, Origi and Milner, who were both subs. Their entire starting XI had been replaced. Each season, they bought one top quality player to improve the first team. Firminio, Mane, Van Dijk, Salah, Robertson, Keita, Allison.
By way of contrast, we started seven players from our 2015 squad, having only brought in Trippier and Sissoko, and playing Son and Winks instead of Lamela and Chadli.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48368443
THAT’S WHAT A PROPER REBUILD LOOKS LIKE! Not the half-assed four-manager turnaround fiasco Levy has sanctioned since he sacked Pochettino!
I'm sure I would agree with a lot of points but it's hard to read the entire piece when there are some blatant points that are just so off the mark. Such as Son, Kulusevski, Solanke and possibly Maddison not walking into a top four sides first choice is just wrong. For example, Solanke is walking into Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal as a Striker first choice 9/10 times, with the only exception being City. But to the point, even if they might not walk into 1 or 2 teams, the 4 mentioned here (Maddison debatable) are at least walking into 1 out of 4 "top" teams. To say they wouldn't and are just good enough "starters" is just wrong.
Our one beacon of light!
Great article that speaks a lot of sense and I like it as it agrees with my own opinion on most of the points made! We can knit pick at who is top-4 quality (I think Solanke is btw if you have high scoring wingers) but the overall point is right - Spurs lack quality and the approach of by young (18-24) to minimise risk and maximise return on investment is a sensible business approach, but not one that gets you challenging for the league. Outside the back 4, Solanke, and occasional runs of form from Madders and Deki, we are pretty short. Odobert could be a gem, and Bergvall and Gray have bags of potential, but look at Yamal - you can play these guys if you surround them with experience and quality to take the pressure off and allow to make mistakes.
The biggest concern is what’s next…we are in the middle of a difficult window (sorry haters) where players are available, but the good ones are only available at inflated prices. Those who are available are either out of favour, Kolo Muani who was arguably the best of this category, or come with risk. Cherki at Lyon probably has one of the best YT reels going, mad skill and technique, can do things on the level of N’Dombele and Taaarabt on their days, but comes with the attitude of Anelka - damaged goods which is why no one has taken the leap at a mere £21m fee. The other complication is the new CL format - previously, group games would be done by now and several sides we whose best players we could take, might already be out and therefore more open to sales. Take Jonathan David at Lille who are going well in the UCL - he might be out of contract but if you get to the round of 16 they can bank €11m or €12.5m for the quarters - there is arguably not enough difference to make an early sale worth it given the added benefits to a club of going deeper in the competition.
If you look at the positions of need (I agree with the assessment but there are a couple of exceptions) if you look at the type of talent we should be looking for then Angelo Stiller at Stuttgart is exactly the type of midfielder we should be considering, but they are still in the UCL even if only just. Tillman at PSV is another midfielder impressing as is winger Bakayoko, but he will only go to a top club challenging for honours and CL and with PSV still in it, why would he move. Gyokeres at Sportiny is another, but why sell now when you can create a bidding war in the summer. It’s a sellers market, and if you want a team’s best player (which we should do) you are paying over the odds to compensate.
This leaves us with the prospect of having to sign players we wouldn’t go for in the summer. We missed out on the best loan in Kolo Muani. Arguably we could bag a left back which doesn’t actually help us that much. We have been crying out for a 6 & 8 with the lack of Bentancur and Biss reliability and Sarr’s lack of passing range to compliment his athleticism. The amount of stick I got in the summer suggesting Conor Gallagher was a player we desperately needed doesn’t look as silly now. Maybe we could take a punt on someone like Redondo at Inter Miami or Puig at LA Galaxy, but all we’d be doing is taking a punt.
People will be up in arms if we don’t get anyone, but I am yet to be convinced there is anyone to get. We know the January window does desperate things to desperate people, but with the majority of signings not working out (look at the magnificent 7 from the Bale money) forcing ourselves to do something is a bad approach.
Ange needs to be left alone, this article outlines why, but he has had the worst luck I’ve known any manager in the history of the PL to have. Poor bloke.
"Now some may say that Postecoglou created the injury crisis with his refusal to rotate, but it’s worth looking back to the first midweek match of the season when he had a full complement of players and the luxury of rotation - he made eight changes to the starting XI. His first Europa League match saw him make five changes." --> This is what frustrates me most about the Ange rotation criticism. I understand the argument for making more consistent changes to the lineup twice a week rather than saving them for one match, but that also seems like a matter of degrees. He absolutely could've given Spence a run sooner, but without the Europa League as an option to prove himself -- as Bergvall, Gray, and Moore have all had -- thanks to the aformentioned squad mismanagment, you're asking Ange to throw him in to the PL right away.
Brilliant article...I'm adding this article also to my list of sources to help me refute those who simply say Ange out/ his methods cause injuries/he's tactically inflexible/ any other BS
Fantastic blog Ryan...dissertation levels!
I think you correctly make the point that the turning point would be if he started losing the players.
this is an outstanding take. Cheers!
Great post! Thanks for writing this all up in one place.