Minhosa

The biggest problem though, and clearly the elephant in the fucking boardroom, is that owld 'Island Heed' has not shown he's capable of improving talented players nor finding a system to at least entertain the idea of giving a Thauvin, De Jong, Marveaux etc a run. They might very well be shite or too flimsy/not suited to our league but at least give them a run of 12-15 games to show something.

I, for one, cannot wait to see him fly down the wing like a whippet, cut back in on his only foot and stick that ball in Row Z, time after time.

More than Thauvin and Obertan. Thauvin who has played in a shit team, in a handful of games. Obertan, another flying winger, who we overpaid for at the behest of a clueless manager from a better team. Hmmm.

Think Shelvey has at least proven he can be very effective in this league. Townsend on the other hand hasn't, and he's been in this league for years, total gamble there IMO. I can see the logic in the punt on Shelvey. Townsend, not so much. All I would say though is that you've got a team that has plummeted down the league, needing their best players to stay up and he's been flogged as soon as they could find a buyer. He was quickly binned at Liverpool and he's known for having a questionable attitude. It's not without it's risks.

It is if you place any value on the opinion of the manager. I really like Pochettino as a manager. He's currently driving Andros up with a big f*** off smile on his face. Is that a positive thing? Depends on the way you play tbh. Townsend is very direct and that might not suit how Pochettino wants to play. There are loads of reasons a manager might let a player leave, it doesn't automatically mean the player is shit. I'm pretty sure Towsend had a big falling out with some of the backroom staff so that might have something to do with it? The other thing to bear in mind is that we're battling relegation and Spurs are fighting for the Champions League. Maybe Townsend is good enough for a mid-table team but not a top 4-5 team. So, we've signed two huffy cunts who fall out with backroom staff then. I fully understand managers can flog players for various reasons but Townsend's not had a look in, in a side that plays with two wide advanced players and breaks at speed. Surely, he'd get some time off the bench for them? Poch signed Son in place of Andros in a deal, the likes of which, we should be considering i.e: taking a punt on someone who might be better than you expected in a league they've not played in. We're probably going around in circles, all I'm saying is, I don't like the new approach and predict the judgement for these 'known' guys to perform will be made over a much shorter period and, if we're not careful, we'll be left with a load of guff we can't shift because they're either 'trouble' or, more likely 'overpaid, overrated'. Basically, like the mackems.

I feel for this kid. Victim of circumstance iyam.

It is if you place any value on the opinion of the manager. I really like Pochettino as a manager. He's currently driving Andros up with a big fuck off smile on his face. Is that a positive thing?

Is Townsend better than Obertan? Yes. Is he better than HBA? No. Does he have potential to be? No. My point is, if we're never going to compete at any notable level, the best we can hope for is unearthing a gem we can call our own and pray for some decent football. I reckon I love Perez more because we picked him up for peanuts and he's taken to the league brilliantly well. That's a back story I can warm to. Andros pissing Townsend flying down the wing, cutting inside on his only foot, and skying one over the Gallowgate is harder to accept when we've had our pants pulled down on the fee and we all knew all of this already.

I'd say it is different this time in that he's approving the purchase of 'established' english players rather than punting on the likes of those we bought in that window. There's clearly a shift in policy.

Shelvey is a proper cunt so there are close similarities with Cattermole there. If the mackems had signed him, ask yourself, what you would think of the bloke. That's not to say I don't rate him per say, but he is very much in the 'get stuck in' English grit mould. In his very interview he says he'll 'never shirk a tackle' ffs . Townsend is them buying someone used to the league i.e: taking less of a risk which strikes me as, to some extent, disregarding the old model. I'd rather see an unknown than an out of form/favour 'known' all day long personally.

New Consequence: Having a squad filled with players other premiership clubs don't want nor rate, on big wages, hard to shift who bring very little surprise. I have to say, probably an unpopular view, but I always liked the idea of signing a Thauvin (unknown, lots of potential, new to the league etc) over a Townsend (known, limitations also known, fairly poor record in the prem etc) because of the mystery. When you're never going to win anything, don't particularly entertain and are going nowhere, the only hopes are new signings turning out well and potentially seeing decent football. If we wanted a new 'english grit' approach, I'd have happily seen them spank money on Shawcross or somebody but not midfielders/attackers that have never stood out in the league already.

Big fan of this lad but probably had his worst game for us against Man Utd.

Strikes me as throwing money at people in the hope that one of them hits the ground running to the extent that they 'save' us this season but it doesn't look sustainable at all to me. There appears a massive disjoint between the old approach (Carr, France etc etc) and the new one (McClaren, PL experience etc) and the imminent departure of Thauvin compounds that. The result is a massively lopsided squad with too many midfielders, not enough decent defenders nor strikers and a head coach who seemingly can't get performances out of obviously talented sportsmen (De Jong, Thauvin, Marveaux etc) nor consistent performances out of others (Gini, Sissoko, Anita, Perez, Mitro). The purchase of Townsend is like a typical Mackem signing imho. Overrated, overpaid and the good old english premium to boot. This whole thing smacks of 'English Grit' and I don't think it will take long for people to see the limitations in this new approach. On the bright side, we'll have the most expensive squad in championship history next season.

Nailed on to be hated by all and sundry by this time next year, if not sooner. One trick pony.

Aye - can see this happening all day long. I know about 7 or 8 'proper' Spurs fans and every one, independently, has said we'd be mad to take him. Literally, not one of them rates the bloke.

£10m too much. Absolutely right. Sprinter not a footballer.

Gameweek 22 Spurs 2-1 Sunderland Bournemouth 3-1 Norwich Chelsea 2-1 Everton Man City 3-0 Crystal Palace Newcastle 2-2 West Ham Southampton 2-1 West Brom Aston Villa 1-2 Leicester Liverpool 2-1 Man Utd Stoke 1-3 Arsenal Swansea 1-2 Watford

Afraid you're right.

This is just weird. On every level. Player, club, everything.

Someone needs to stop the messing around and get a message out to Rudi. Yeah. Better think of your future.

This is spot-on. I wouldn't bother with one that isn't quick at this stage. A young Bellamyesque player would be the perfect foil for Mitro and create space for Gini to run into. Exactly the player I thought of when mulling over what we need. A young Craig Bellamy.

Look at this guy getting carried away because we scored as many goals last night as our previous six matches put together. Getting all Billy Bigtime with the goals predictions.

Think I sat staring at the TV for a good couple of minutes, just sheer disbelief that he hadn't even tried to score. Literally unbelievable. He wasn't even waiting for contact, he just didn't know what to do.

How in the holy fuck has he not got a shot away there? Absolutely fucking hopeless this cunt.

2-2.