Squad Assessment: Full-backs
We have taken a brief look at the goalkeepers so a look at our full-backs next and where we stand.
The defence was the major area that Mauricio Pochettino wanted addressed, the existing defence simply wasn't top four standard. Yes we have finished 4th, 5th with it but it was getting older and we now play a high line which requires Ledley King pace, not Michael Dawson pace.
After his appointment and at his first meeting it was agreed that left-back and centre-back would be addressed. The need for a back-up keeper was known and an upgrade for Kyle Naughton, who while not a great player has served us well at both left-back and right-back without any real complaint. When I say served us well I mean he has been there when we needed him, quite frankly we would have been stuck without him at times.
Zeki Fryers played a game at left-back late in the season and hammered the ball into Mousa Dembele a couple of yards away or metres for you newfangled people, if you remember. Naughton has been a better option I would suggest, in that game he was playing at right-back. Fryers failed to progress as we had hoped and has now been sold to Crystal Palace as a result.
We have known the left-back position was a problem for a while and Danny Rose has not been a roaring success there, which to be fair to him has not been all his fault because he has had a lack of help in front of him.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto was our man but he has obviously done something seriously wrong and when Andre Villas-Boas told him he will never play for the club again, that seems to be being backed up by the hierarchy.
His Tweet on August 9th I raised a question about as it had a collision symbol after Spurs, that wasn't there by accident. He is still here and there hasn't been a whisper of him moving even though we offered him for free. Draw your own conclusions.
We need players who are English or qualify as home grown through the 3 year rule so improving the players we had was important. We are only allowed 17 non-home grown over the age of 21. Mauricio Pochettino had a look at Rose and decided he was someone he could work with so the club offered him a new 5-year deal which he has signed.
In addition we bought Ben Davies, a young Welsh left-back and quite rightly he has to fight for his place. Rose was superb in the first two Premier League games and then as soon as Liverpool wipe the floor with the whole team they question why he is playing. At the moment he is training with England while Davies is with Wales.
Danny Rose is 24, Ben Davies 21 so we have the left-back position covered for years to come, hopefully they will provide that long-term stability. Without injuries it will mean we don't have to play Jan Vertonghen there. He provides additional cover but as we know he doesn't like it, even if he does do it for his country.
On the right side we now seem to have a wealth of players but at the moment it is the new problem position. Kyle Walker is the number one choice, yet he has been injured for 6 months and has now had an operation so will be out for another 3 months I'd expect with recovery time and returning to fitness.
He is becoming a concern and we are paying the price for over playing him. You will remember our Europa League games where we have had so many injuries he had to play virtually every game with Kyle Naughton filling in at left-back. Walker is a lesson to Spurs that workloads have to be shared around, they catch up with you in the end.
In his absence Kyle Naughton took over and started this season with a sending off, so a centre-back, Eric Dier, plays there and does well, until Liverpool got hold of him. Naughton I'd expect to be around for the whole season now with another new purchase 21-year-old American DeAndre Yedlin not joining us until after the MLS season has finished in January and he has had a rest.
Recent Articles:
A manager signing from the right hymn sheet at last
Kyle Walker out until December
Holtby divided opinion
Spurs sitting pretty after the transfer window
Spurs fans complain yet again
Spurs outclassed
Tottenham by Carragher & THBN
Coming through we have Ryan Fredericks who is also 21 and has gone on loan to Middlesbrough where he will work on his defensive positioning. For now we have Naughton and Dier but come next season we will have Walker (24), Yedlin (21), Dier (20), Naughton (25) and Fredericks (21) who can all play there.
Walker and Yedlin will be competing for the position with possible cover from Dier and maybe Fredericks getting introduced. Naughton looks to have little future after this season at Spurs but for now he is very much required. Offers came in for him this window and while an upgrade is needed he couldn't really be allowed to leave with Walker still being injured.
Long-term both the right-back and left-back positions are sorted for years to come should players stay which gives us stability on both sides of the field. With the goalkeepers Lloris and Vorm behind them there are three positions we can all feel comfortable with looking ahead.
The defence was the major area that Mauricio Pochettino wanted addressed, the existing defence simply wasn't top four standard. Yes we have finished 4th, 5th with it but it was getting older and we now play a high line which requires Ledley King pace, not Michael Dawson pace.
After his appointment and at his first meeting it was agreed that left-back and centre-back would be addressed. The need for a back-up keeper was known and an upgrade for Kyle Naughton, who while not a great player has served us well at both left-back and right-back without any real complaint. When I say served us well I mean he has been there when we needed him, quite frankly we would have been stuck without him at times.
Zeki Fryers played a game at left-back late in the season and hammered the ball into Mousa Dembele a couple of yards away or metres for you newfangled people, if you remember. Naughton has been a better option I would suggest, in that game he was playing at right-back. Fryers failed to progress as we had hoped and has now been sold to Crystal Palace as a result.
We have known the left-back position was a problem for a while and Danny Rose has not been a roaring success there, which to be fair to him has not been all his fault because he has had a lack of help in front of him.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto was our man but he has obviously done something seriously wrong and when Andre Villas-Boas told him he will never play for the club again, that seems to be being backed up by the hierarchy.
His Tweet on August 9th I raised a question about as it had a collision symbol after Spurs, that wasn't there by accident. He is still here and there hasn't been a whisper of him moving even though we offered him for free. Draw your own conclusions.
Con on u spurs
com on ade
lol
com on ade lol We need players who are English or qualify as home grown through the 3 year rule so improving the players we had was important. We are only allowed 17 non-home grown over the age of 21. Mauricio Pochettino had a look at Rose and decided he was someone he could work with so the club offered him a new 5-year deal which he has signed.
In addition we bought Ben Davies, a young Welsh left-back and quite rightly he has to fight for his place. Rose was superb in the first two Premier League games and then as soon as Liverpool wipe the floor with the whole team they question why he is playing. At the moment he is training with England while Davies is with Wales.
Danny Rose is 24, Ben Davies 21 so we have the left-back position covered for years to come, hopefully they will provide that long-term stability. Without injuries it will mean we don't have to play Jan Vertonghen there. He provides additional cover but as we know he doesn't like it, even if he does do it for his country.
On the right side we now seem to have a wealth of players but at the moment it is the new problem position. Kyle Walker is the number one choice, yet he has been injured for 6 months and has now had an operation so will be out for another 3 months I'd expect with recovery time and returning to fitness.
He is becoming a concern and we are paying the price for over playing him. You will remember our Europa League games where we have had so many injuries he had to play virtually every game with Kyle Naughton filling in at left-back. Walker is a lesson to Spurs that workloads have to be shared around, they catch up with you in the end.
In his absence Kyle Naughton took over and started this season with a sending off, so a centre-back, Eric Dier, plays there and does well, until Liverpool got hold of him. Naughton I'd expect to be around for the whole season now with another new purchase 21-year-old American DeAndre Yedlin not joining us until after the MLS season has finished in January and he has had a rest.
Recent Articles:
A manager signing from the right hymn sheet at last
Kyle Walker out until December
Holtby divided opinion
Spurs sitting pretty after the transfer window
Spurs fans complain yet again
Spurs outclassed
Tottenham by Carragher & THBN
Coming through we have Ryan Fredericks who is also 21 and has gone on loan to Middlesbrough where he will work on his defensive positioning. For now we have Naughton and Dier but come next season we will have Walker (24), Yedlin (21), Dier (20), Naughton (25) and Fredericks (21) who can all play there.
Walker and Yedlin will be competing for the position with possible cover from Dier and maybe Fredericks getting introduced. Naughton looks to have little future after this season at Spurs but for now he is very much required. Offers came in for him this window and while an upgrade is needed he couldn't really be allowed to leave with Walker still being injured.
Long-term both the right-back and left-back positions are sorted for years to come should players stay which gives us stability on both sides of the field. With the goalkeepers Lloris and Vorm behind them there are three positions we can all feel comfortable with looking ahead.
Post a Comment