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Transfers January 2022 - Transfer Window

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Ndombele for Kessie is a no brainer

Kessie has no where near as much ability but is a far superior player in almost every way

Another way to look at it, is Ndombele and Kessie could be a no brainer. These two players should actually compliment each other - even if they need A N Other in a CM3 (like Conte's Inter 352). I'm a huge fan of Kessie, have been for a while, but football is about balance and blend, if Kessie helps bring out the best in Ndombele and Conte gets us working as a cohesive unit then this (along with another midfielder in a CM3) could be a very good midfield - and we haven't said that much in the last 20 years.
 
I like adding Kessie but I am not sure how Kessie, PEH, Skipp all work in the MF. I don't see any of them playing the deep role in the 3-5-2 and two of them in the other two MF is a really defensive team.

I am hoping that Sarr could fill that deep lying role when he comes in next season, even if just in the 2nd team, but if not that is a 4th player for what should be 1 spot.
 
Another way to look at it, is Ndombele and Kessie could be a no brainer. These two players should actually compliment each other - even if they need A N Other in a CM3 (like Conte's Inter 352). I'm a huge fan of Kessie, have been for a while, but football is about balance and blend, if Kessie helps bring out the best in Ndombele and Conte gets us working as a cohesive unit then this (along with another midfielder in a CM3) could be a very good midfield - and we haven't said that much in the last 20 years.

Tbh, the 352 appeals to me more than a CM2 does right now..... I think unless you have a MF game-changer like Kante or Dembele then it's tough to control the MF in the EPL with a 2... Particularly when you consider the top 4 cunts all play 3 atm.
 
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I like adding Kessie but I am not sure how Kessie, PEH, Skipp all work in the MF. I don't see any of them playing the deep role in the 3-5-2 and two of them in the other two MF is a really defensive team.

I am hoping that Sarr could fill that deep lying role when he comes in next season, even if just in the 2nd team, but if not that is a 4th player for what should be 1 spot.
I've seen a bit of Sarr for Metz this season.

He doesn't play the deeper role. In fact he is quite the opposite. Plays higher up the pitch almost like an attacking midfielder.
 
I've seen a bit of Sarr for Metz this season.

He doesn't play the deeper role. In fact he is quite the opposite. Plays higher up the pitch almost like an attacking midfielder.

I don't think it is a perfect fit for him, but he is very versatile when I have watched him play, which is only a few games, so I was hoping he could fit in that role especially because we have zero players who can play there now and assumedly need at least 2 guys.
 
Another way to look at it, is Ndombele and Kessie could be a no brainer. These two players should actually compliment each other - even if they need A N Other in a CM3 (like Conte's Inter 352). I'm a huge fan of Kessie, have been for a while, but football is about balance and blend, if Kessie helps bring out the best in Ndombele and Conte gets us working as a cohesive unit then this (along with another midfielder in a CM3) could be a very good midfield - and we haven't said that much in the last 20 years.

The problem we have is that Ndombele, although regarded as a technically very good footballer, has failed over the 2 years he's been at Spurs under Poch, Mason, Mourhino and Nuno to consistently perform.

This season our core midfield has tended to be Hojbjerg ad Skipp with Ndombele usually playing a bit in front of them (and Dele in a similar role earlier in the season).

So unless Ndombele plays like Laszarus in a remarkable resurrection back to the Lyon player we thought we had bought, Kessie has been brought in to be the creative player to compete with Ndombele or possibly to play in a 3 with Hojbjerg/Skipp with Kessie and Ndombele - but if Ndombele doesn't want to exert himself Ndonbele .becomes more of a bit part player.

Remember Conte comes with a reputation of training players hard - something Ndombele seems to be allergic to.
 
Tbh, the 352 appeals to me more than a CM2 does right now..... I think unless you have a MF game-changer like Kante or Dembele then it's tough the control the MF in the EPL with a 2... Particularly when you consider the top 4 cunts all play 3 atm.

Although Tuchel does often go with a CM2.

I definitely think a Conte 352 could work for us. Less Moura, Bergwijn, Alli bumbling about in forward areas, wing back roles might suit Emerson and Reguilon (though both need a lot of working on IMO - Nuno was right to kick Reguilon up the arse this weekend IMO) and if we end up with a CM3 that includes people like Ndombele and Lo Celso (and Kessie) I think it could really work for us.

Despite my reservations about the whole "process" and direction we've taken the last couple of years, and my preference for another "approach", I have no doubts about Conte's ability as a coach and tactician. Even with reservations it's hard not to be intrigued. If we are going to step outside my preferred "process", I guess there isn't a better guy to do it with. At least we should see evidence of something coached, some genuine tactical application, some aggression and intensity about what we do.
 
The problem we have is that Ndombele, although regarded as a technically very good footballer, has failed over the 2 years he's been at Spurs under Poch, Mason, Mourhino and Nuno to consistently perform.

This season our core midfield has tended to be Hojbjerg ad Skipp with Ndombele usually playing a bit in front of them (and Dele in a similar role earlier in the season).

So unless Ndombele plays like Laszarus in a remarkable resurrection back to the Lyon player we thought we had bought, Kessie has been brought in to be the creative player to compete with Ndombele or possibly to play in a 3 with Hojbjerg/Skipp with Kessie and Ndombele - but if Ndombele doesn't want to exert himself Ndonbele .becomes more of a bit part player.

Remember Conte comes with a reputation of training players hard - something Ndombele seems to be allergic to.

He never failed under Poch, he was mostly injured, he never got a chance under Mason at all, he was chucked under a bus early on for the sake of Mourinho's ego, and it's hard to put much stock in Mourinho's judgement last few years isn't it? and Nuno was picking him every week lately until Saturday, and that went well for him.

There's been a lot of bollocks written about Ndombele and his willingness to exert himself. Last game he played he covered more ground than anyone. His defensive metrics, pressures etc were better than all our other midfielders bar Hojbjerg's last season. That's not to say I'm blind to his weaknesses, I just think they've been over stated because fundamentally Mourinho scapegoated him and the shit stuck, so instead of getting "fair" criticism, it was hyped out of proportion.

He's got areas he definitely needs to improve, but he's actually still quite young and hasn't really had great coaching the last two years has he?

He's never been quite right for a CM2, few Cm's are, certainly not the ones that can do what he does, at Lyon he mostly played in a CM3. Mourinho constantly playing CM2's was part of the problem. Maybe if we get a proper coach (which we seem to have now) and get him back in a CM3 with a proper 6 next to him (and Kessie is not being bought to do what Ndombele does, he's much more of a 6 than an 8, just one that is also technically comfortable too) we might just see the player we saw at Lyon.

Either way, if he gets a run of games in the format that suits him best, at least then we can judge him properly, instead of judging him based on the last 2 years of mismanagement and wasting his natural skill set trying to get him to be a fucking water carrier or a triquartista. If we then judge him not good enough, then fair enough.
 
looks like barella will sign a new deal for five years, couldnt see him leaving, the fans love him there, brozovic is still yet to sign nothing has been offered

If we nail Kessie, surely Conte can fashion something from Kessie, Ndombele, Sarr, Gio, Skipp & PEH?

That said, I think expecting him to elevate both Gio & TN is a bit of a ask; so I suspect one with leave in the summer along with Winks & Dele.
 
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