Managed to catch a bit of the City Chelsea game and the level of football was a stark reminder of how far away we are from competing at the top level again.
Both teams were just filled with players that have the combination we so sorely lack: physicality and technical ability. From back to front both teams are full of quality on the ball and energy off it.
I think our league position at present pretty much aligns with our quality though we do have the X-factor of Kane which gives us a shot at overachieving in any given period.
This isn't meant to be a debate about Mourinho's failings or what X new manager could do with the squad but rather an honest assessment of our players without nostalgia tinted glasses or Spurs bias.
I will split out the squad into a few categories:
Technical high level (assured control and general play, reliable/measured passing):
- Kane
- Ndombele
- Lo Celso
- Bale
- Bergjwin (before reaching the penalty area)
- Alderweireld
High-level physically (Pacey and or/dominating presence in one on one duels):
- Kane
- Hojberg
- Son
- Lucas
- Lamela
- Reguilon
- Rodon
- Tanganga
- Sanchez
Neither:
- Aurier
- Sissoko
- Winks
- Dele
- Davies
- Dier
- Vinicius
- Doherty
For me the issue is we have very few players that fall into the first two categories. I would say probably only Kane and a fit Gio.
The highest level of modern football requires a team full of athletes who are technically sound and we simply don't have enough technical quality in our ranks - and certainly not enough combination of the two.
The other glaring issue is the amount of minutes the group in the "neither" category have seen for us in recent times. Any team giving any combination of those players significant minutes is not set up for success, it's as simple as that.
Looking at the sorry state of the squad is the reason I believe recruitment will be the key factor in how we progress over the next few years not a change of manager. I want to see better, progressive football but I don't want to give the new manager this rubbish to work with.
Realistically it takes time (and a lot of money) to put together a squad like City, Chelsea or even United so there is no quick fix for this. But we need to making incremental progress every window.
So just how good do you think our squad is?
Both teams were just filled with players that have the combination we so sorely lack: physicality and technical ability. From back to front both teams are full of quality on the ball and energy off it.
I think our league position at present pretty much aligns with our quality though we do have the X-factor of Kane which gives us a shot at overachieving in any given period.
This isn't meant to be a debate about Mourinho's failings or what X new manager could do with the squad but rather an honest assessment of our players without nostalgia tinted glasses or Spurs bias.
I will split out the squad into a few categories:
Technical high level (assured control and general play, reliable/measured passing):
- Kane
- Ndombele
- Lo Celso
- Bale
- Bergjwin (before reaching the penalty area)
- Alderweireld
High-level physically (Pacey and or/dominating presence in one on one duels):
- Kane
- Hojberg
- Son
- Lucas
- Lamela
- Reguilon
- Rodon
- Tanganga
- Sanchez
Neither:
- Aurier
- Sissoko
- Winks
- Dele
- Davies
- Dier
- Vinicius
- Doherty
For me the issue is we have very few players that fall into the first two categories. I would say probably only Kane and a fit Gio.
The highest level of modern football requires a team full of athletes who are technically sound and we simply don't have enough technical quality in our ranks - and certainly not enough combination of the two.
The other glaring issue is the amount of minutes the group in the "neither" category have seen for us in recent times. Any team giving any combination of those players significant minutes is not set up for success, it's as simple as that.
Looking at the sorry state of the squad is the reason I believe recruitment will be the key factor in how we progress over the next few years not a change of manager. I want to see better, progressive football but I don't want to give the new manager this rubbish to work with.
Realistically it takes time (and a lot of money) to put together a squad like City, Chelsea or even United so there is no quick fix for this. But we need to making incremental progress every window.
So just how good do you think our squad is?