Premier League 23/24 Squad

[sudoku]

Just to "tidy up" this thread here are the U21s on loan and those that have been named in a first team squad:

PHILLIPS

UDOGIE

SARR

VELIZ

SANTIAGO

DONLEY

DORRINGTON

ON LOAN

Scarlett

Devine

Parrott

Udogie and Sarr we know about.
Veliz and Donley have been given limited sub apps.
Phillips??
Nippy winger Santiago has a slim chance of minutes as does CB Dorrington.
Devine and Parrott's loans have been successful.
Edit: Scarlett returned from Ipswich but can't go on another loan because he has also appeared for Spurs this season.
Possible loan for Veliz?

 

[spursmalc]

Still think Ange could do worse, maybe v Burnley in FA Cup, to give youngsters a start or more likely time off bench as without Son (at Asian Games) we are one goalsoring forward short so playing time for Jamie Donley, Yago de Santiago and/or Jude Soonsup-Bell makes good sense.

So you are not interested in winning a trophy? If they are good enough play them in the PL. need to go strong or we will get beat.

 

[Spursidol]

So you are not interested in winning a trophy? If they are good enough play them in the PL. need to go strong or we will get beat.

With Son at Asian Cup when Burnley match is on (the first match in 2024) that leaves us with Richarlison and Johnson as forwards who have any pedigree of scoring goals in England - Veliz, Solomon and Gil do not.

So who will occupy the 3rd forward position where goals might come from - Donley, Santiago and Soonsup-Bell have been scoring for fun in youth so a decent bet to get involvement.

So you are not interested in winning at all ? Ok continue to be a loser, just don't involve Spurs in that.,

 

[McCOYS]

So who will occupy the 3rd forward position where goals might come from

Most likely Johnson..... Richarlison......Kulusevski.

I don't think we can play a weakened team for that match by playing youths.

 

[Spursidol]

Most likely Johnson..... Richarlison......Kulusevski

Kulusevski will be needed in midfield - Bissouma and Sarr at Afcon, Bentancur and probably Maddison both out injured, so down to 'arry's 'bare bones' in CM too.

 

[McCOYS]

Kulusevski will be needed in midfield - Bissouma and Sarr at Afcon, Bentancur and probably Maddison both out injured, so down to 'arry's 'bare bones' in CM too.

Another option would be to play Royal at RB, then move Porro up to the right forward position. Move Johnson to the left forward position and Richarlison in the middle. I think if we underestimate Burney and play youths in the starting line up we might well have another early cup exit.

It's unlikely we're going to win the league this season so it's most likely to be our only chance of winning a trophy. We don't play again for over a week after that match so we need to field the storngest team that we can muster.

Edit, we could also use Gil on the left forward position.

 

[Spursidol]

Another option would be to play Royal at RB, then move Porro up to the right forward position. Move Johnson to the left forward position and Richarlison in the middle. I think if we underestimate Burney and play youths in the starting line up we might well have another early cup exit.

It's unlikely we're going to win the league this season so it's most likely to be our only chance of winning a trophy. We don't play again for over a week after that match so we need to field the storngest team that we can muster.

1 Longer term we desperately need some Club trained players - at the moment we only have Skipp and a 3rd GK to fill 4 positions due to almost total neglect of youth development by successive coaches since Kane and his generation came through.

So if we want to have a full squad to compete in all competitions in the future we need to take the matter seriously and start playing the youngsters where appropriate.

2 Our biggest problem with Son at Asian games will be goal scoring as we'll be down to Richarlison and Johnson as players with any goal scoring pedigree (and with our cm's decimated by players at Afcon and injury we cannot rely on moving Kulusevski.

Moving players like Porro is just re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic - he's an excellent RB in Ange's team set up, Royal less so, and Porro has no track record of being a goal scoring forward. So rather than undermine the team by moving our best players to where they are less effective I'd rather risk playing a youngster. Ange has already given Donley a few minutes start and he's had Santiago on bench too (whilst Soonsup-Bell started in League Cup for Chelsea), so its not so far fetched.

 

[Notabadsquad]

I have done thos im another thread. Should amalgamate the two.

 

[McCOYS]

1 Longer term we desperately need some Club trained players - at the moment we only have Skipp and a 3rd GK to fill 4 positions due to almost total neglect of youth development by successive coaches since Kane and his generation came through.

So if we want to have a full squad to compete in all competitions in the future we need to take the matter seriously and start playing the youngsters where appropriate.

2 Our biggest problem with Son at Asian games will be goal scoring as we'll be down to Richarlison and Johnson as players with any goal scoring pedigree (and with our cm's decimated by players at Afcon and injury we cannot rely on moving Kulusevski.

Moving players like Porro is just re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic - he's an excellent RB in Ange's team set up, Royal less so, and Porro has no track record of being a goal scoring forward. So rather than undermine the team by moving our best players to where they are less effective I'd rather risk playing a youngster. Ange has already given Donley a few minutes start and he's had Santiago on bench too (whilst Soonsup-Bell started in League Cup for Chelsea), so its not so far fetched.

Well we'll have to see what Ange does for the Burnley match, I believe that Porro could provide lots of good crosses for Richarlison, if it's goal scorers that we're lacking due to not having Son, we need to play to Richarlisons strengths. TBH I've never seen Soonsup-Bell play and not enough of Donley to give an opinion of them.

 

[Spursidol]

Well we'll have to see what Ange does for the Burnley match, I believe that Porro could provide lots of good crosses for Richarlison, if it's goal scorers that we're lacking due to not having Son, we need to play to Richarlisons strengths. TBH I've never seen Soonsup-Bell play and not enough of Donley to give an opinion of them.

FYI, Soonsup-Bell's latest goal. Scored against Championship side Sunderland's no 2 GK


View: https://x.com/Spurs_Academy/status/1734301350266065133?s=20

He took advantage of lax defending (Sunderland had 4 or 5 with Championship experience in the side they fielded) before scoring from a very acute angle with a powerful shot away at Sunderland.

Donley is averaging 1.5 goal involvements (goal or assist) per game which is why Ange is looking at him.

 

[McCOYS]

FYI, Soonsup-Bell's latest goal. Scored against Championship side Sunderland's no 2 GK


View: https://x.com/Spurs_Academy/status/1734301350266065133?s=20

He took advantage of lax defending (Sunderland had 4 or 5 with Championship experience in the side they fielded) before scoring from a very acute angle with a powerful shot away at Sunderland.

Donley is averaging 1.5 goal involvements (goal or assist) per game which is why Ange is looking at him.

Okay thanks.

 

[sudoku]

With Son at Asian Cup when Burnley match is on (the first match in 2024) that leaves us with Richarlison and Johnson as forwards who have any pedigree of scoring goals in England - Veliz, Solomon and Gil do not.

So who will occupy the 3rd forward position where goals might come from - Donley, Santiago and Soonsup-Bell have been scoring for fun in youth so a decent bet to get involvement.

So you are not interested in winning at all ? Ok continue to be a loser, just don't involve Spurs in that.,

January is a great opportunity for Veliz and potentially Scarlett to make a name for themselves.
Massive shame that we got Burnley and not a lower league team in the FA Cup. They are hitting form now as well.

 

[5purs]

25 man squad - 4 Sept 23 01 Austin 02 Davies 03 Forster 04 Johnson 05 Maddison 06 Sessegnon 07 Skipp 08 Whiteman 01 Bentancur 02 Bissouma 03 Dier 04 Gil 05 Højbjerg 06 Kulusevski 07 Emerson 08 Lloris 09 Lo Celso 10 Perisic 11 Porro 12 Richarlison 13 Romero 14 Solomon 15 Son 16 Van De Ven 17 Vicario

25 man squad - 4 feb 2024 01 Austin 02 Davies 03 Forster 04 Johnson 05 Maddison 06 Sessegnon 07 Skipp 08 Whiteman 01 Bentancur 02 Bissouma 03 Gil 04 Højbjerg 05 Kulusevski 06 Emerson 07 Lo Celso 08 Porro 09 Richarlison 10 Romero 11 Solomon 12 Son 13 Van De Ven 14 Vicario 15 Werner 16 17

U21s included in the match day squad this season:
Udogie, Dragusin, Dorringotn, Sarr, Donley. Veliz, Santiago, Scarlett

 

[sudoku]

Contract expiry dates: Edit 11 Jan

AUSTIN	2024	Craig, Matthew	2026
WERNER	2024	Dorrington, Alfie	2026
PERISIC	2024	Lankshear, Will	2026
DAVIES	2025	Devine, Alfie	2027
HOJBJERG	2025	Donley, Jamie	2027
FORSTER	2025	Scarlett, Dane	2027
LO CELSO	2025
NDOMBELE Tanguy	2025	Parrott, Troy	2025
REGUILON Sergio	2025	Santiago, Yago	2025
RODON Joe	2025	Soonsup-Bell, Jude	2025
SESSEGNON Ryan	2025
SON Heung-min	2025
TANGANGA Japhet	2025
WHITEMAN	2025
BENTANCUR Rodrigo	2026
BISSOUMA Yves	2026
GIL Bryan	2026
ROYAL	2026
RICHARLISON	2027
ROMERO Cristian	2027
SKIPP Oliver	2027
SPENCE Djed	2027
KULUSEVSKI	2028
MADDISON	2028
PORRO	2028
SOLOMON	2028
PHILLIPS	2028
VICARIO	2028
JOHNSON	2029
VDV	2029
VELIZ	2029
SARR	2030
UDOGIE	2030
VUSKOVIC	2030	DRAGUSIN	2030

 

[Perryman]

Squad update: With Reg officially back and Lloris gone then Reggie I assume is available for selection?

FIRST TEAM	2ND TEAM	GK	INTER	INJURED	LOAN	TOTAL
VICARIO	FORSTER	AUSTIN
PORRO		WHITEMAN
UDOGIE	REGUILLON			SESSEGNON
ROYAL	DIER		BISSOUMA	ROMERO	TANGANGA
DAVIES	PHILLIPS			VDV	RODON
BENTACUR	SKIPP		SARR		SPENCE
GLC	HOJBJERG			MADDISON	NDOMBELE
JOHNSON					VUSKOVIC
KULUSEVSKI				SOLOMON
GIL			SON	PERISIC
RICHARLISON				VELIZ
11	6	2	3	7	5	34

Reg is not in the squad. If he plays we cannot loan him out again.

 

[Perryman]

I think it's odds on that Tanganga will return which will leave Rodon, Ndombele and Vuskovic as 1st team squad loanees. Will Ndombele return, too?

Academy loanees Parrott, Devine and Keeley.

1	VICARIO	NON-HG		1	FORSTER	HG
				2	AUSTIN	HG
				3	WHITEMAN	HG
2	ROYAL	NON-HG		4	SPENCE	HG		UDOGIE	U 21	1
3	PORRO	NON-HG		5	SESSEGNON	HG
4	REGUILLON	NON-HG
5	van de VEN	NON-HG		6	DAVIES	HG		PHILLIPS	U 21	2
6	ROMERO	NON-HG		7	TANGANGA	HG		(Dorrington)
7	DIER	NON-HG
8	HOJBJERG	NON-HG		8	MADDISON	HG		SARR	U 21	3
9	BISSOUMA	NON-HG		9	SKIPP	HG		(Donley)
10	LO CELSO	NON-HG						(Santiago)
11	BENTANCUR	NON-HG
12	PERISIC	NON-HG
13	SOLOMON	NON-HG		10	JOHNSON	HG		VELIZ	U 21	4
14	KULUSEVSKI	NON-HG						(Scarlett)
15	GIL	NON-HG
16	RICHARLISON	NON-HG
17	SON	NON-HG

Currently injured players in bold.

Players on international duty in italics.


(Academy players in brackets)

The good news is that there is no release clause in Ndombele loan. Thank god. Probably going to give Tanganga a free transfer. He owes us nothing.

 

[sudoku]

Edit: 30 January

1	VICARIO	NHG		1	FORSTER	HG
				2	AUSTIN	CT
				3	WHITEMAN	CT
2	ROYAL	NHG		4	SESSEGNON	HG		UDOGIE	U 21	1
3	PORRO	NHG
4	van de VEN	NHG		5	DAVIES	HG		DRAGUSIN	U21	2
5	ROMERO	NHG						(Dorrington)
6	HOJBJERG	NHG		6	MADDISON	HG		SARR	U 21	3
7	BISSOUMA	NHG		7	SKIPP	CT		(Donley)
8	LO CELSO	NHG						(Santiago)
9	BENTANCUR	NHG
10	WERNER	NHG
11	SOLOMON	NHG		8	JOHNSON	HG		VELIZ	U 21	4
12	KULUSEVSKI	NHG						(Scarlett)
13	GIL	NHG
14	RICHARLISON	NHG
15	SON	NHG

Currently injured players in bold.

Players on international duty in italics.

(Academy players in brackets)

Squad total: 23 so we can buy/loan 2 more senior players.

NB: Sarr, Udogie and Dragusin will need to be named in the EPL squad 2024-25

 

[Spursidol]

1	VICARIO	NON-HG		1	FORSTER	HG
				2	AUSTIN	HG
				3	WHITEMAN	HG
2	ROYAL	NON-HG		4	SESSEGNON	HG		UDOGIE	U 21	1
3	PORRO	NON-HG
4	REGUILLON	NON-HG
5	van de VEN	NON-HG		5	DAVIES	HG		DRAGUSIN	U21	2
6	ROMERO	NON-HG						(Dorrington)
7	HOJBJERG	NON-HG		6	MADDISON	HG		SARR	U 21	3
8	BISSOUMA	NON-HG		7	SKIPP	HG		(Donley)
9	LO CELSO	NON-HG						(Santiago)
10	BENTANCUR	NON-HG
11	PERISIC	NON-HG
12	WERNER	NON-HG
13	SOLOMON	NON-HG		8	JOHNSON	HG		VELIZ	U 21	4
14	KULUSEVSKI	NON-HG						(Scarlett)
15	GIL	NON-HG
16	RICHARLISON	NON-HG
17	SON	NON-HG

Currently injured players in bold.

Players on international duty in italics.

(Academy players in brackets)

We are bang on 25 kosher squad but scope to easily add 3 more.

I think Reguilon will go out on loan - so one non HG squad place.

Given Ange said a week ago that Perisic is unlikely to play for Spurs again, I think means he may not retain his squad place (although we will need to keep him on payroll and pay his medical bills until 30 June 2024. Would be a 2nd non HG place if needed.

Might even be a couple more loans of players who are unlikely to play in 2nd half - Gil, Sessegnon and Whiteman for example.

 

[sudoku]

I think Reguilon will go out on loan - so one non HG squad place.

Given Ange said a week ago that Perisic is unlikely to play for Spurs again, I think means he may not retain his squad place (although we will need to keep him on payroll and pay his medical bills until 30 June 2024. Would be a 2nd non HG place if needed.

Might even be a couple more loans of players who are unlikely to play in 2nd half - Gil, Sessegnon and Whiteman for example.

Agree with all those.
But the sweet thing is THFC are in complete control. We are kosher with the squad and so every change can be done with no pressure.
Eg Reggie is not the best in the west but a couple of injuries and he becomes useful, like he was for United.

 

[Spursidol]

I've just been revisiting our 'transfers in' since 2021/22 when Paratici joined :

Most players are straight forward to assess - and its a to say the player is acceptable quality (and in some cases even excellent quality)

2021/22
Gollini - Loan, but not convincing
Romero -
Sarr -
Royal - (versatile RB/LB.CB)
Gil - Great dribbler, but physically not up to PL
Kulusevski -
Bentancur -


2022/23
Lenglet (loan) - Loan, not up to Spurs standard
Forster (free) - Covered Lloris absence at end of last season well
Perisic (free) - Decent option off bench for assists
Danjuma (loan) - Not really tried by Spurs ?
Porro -
Spence - Jury out, but could be a dud for Spurs ?
Udogie -
Bissouma -
Richarlison - Tricky to assess on first year(ish), but 5 goals in last month very acceptable

2023/24
Vicario -
Van Der Ven -
Maddison -
Johnson -
Solomon - Not played enough to assess
Phillips - Youngster to assess next season
Veliz - Youngster to assess next season

Werner - Too early to assess, but looks promising
Dragusin - Too early to assess, but looks promising

Summary
So that's 14 players with a - a successful player transfer.
- Richarlison is difficult to assess. If he keeps up his recent 5 goal success I think he's probably another
- 3 loans in didn't really work (Gollini, Lenglet and Danjuma)
- Gil is not physically up to PL
- Spence - jury is out
- Solomon, Phillips and Veliz, Werner and Dragusin not assessed as they've not played enough or just arrived at Spurs

Conclusion
Other than 3 loans which didn't work, its only Spence and Gil who haven't really worked out but 14 players who have worked out (and sometimes outstandingly well), and maybe a 15th with Richarlison.

And another 5 players (youngsters or just arrived) who might still come good.

In general commercial acquisitions of businesses its said that less than 50% of acquisitions live up to pre-acquisition expectations.

So this is an astonishingly successful transfer record over last 3 years , with so many successes and very few failures (most of whom were on 'try before you buy' loans, so very limited financial impact).

We really are cooking !