Real life Football Manager

Hello folks.

Summer is coming up and I think we can all agree that it needs to be a damn site better than last summer, although it is also one we're somewhat dreading due to the likelihood of at least two key players departing (Toby and Eriksen). So, let's just say you've switched on the computer and loaded up the latest Football Manager game, except this time it's for real life, you're Poch for the summer, how does your ideal window pan out with regards to incomings and outgoings? How would you want Spurs to line up in the first game of next season?

 

Good thread idea DH, I've been thinking about this for a bit and this is what I would do (not what I think will happen). This will be a bit of a long post but there is a lot to get through so sorry to anyone reading this.

For the purposes of this I've first divided players up into several categories, listed in no particular order and limited to those who I would consider part of the first team picture (so Skipp is in this, but not Marsh or Eyoma):

Players I'd keep, that I think I can keep:
Gazza, Aurier, KWP, Verts, Sanchez, Foyth, Rose, Winks, Dier, Skipp, Sissoko, Alli, Kane, Son, Llorente (offer him an extension), Lucas Moura

Players I'd listen to offers for, but am happy to keep if nobody will meet the asking price:
Lloris, Lamela, Davies

Players I am resigned to losing:
Eriksen, Toby

Players I'm actively selling:
Trippier, Janssen, GKN, Wanyama, Vorm (out of contract anyway IIRC)

So as it stands we need (due to a mixture of who I want to/think will leave and just how things are anyway): a CM, an Eriksen replacement, a CB (assuming starters will be Dave and Jan we either want another Foyth or a more experienced CB who doesn't expect to walk into the team), a RB and a wide forward/attacker in a similar mould to Son. If Lloris leaves then Gazza starts and we need a GK, if Lamela leaves we need another attacking player, and if Davies leaves we need a top young LB to challenge Rose. So it's at least 5 new players we need, and at least three of them need to be of starting XI quality. Actually we need a young GK too, or we promote from the academy, and we'll need to buy a backup for Gazza if we sell Lloris. If we sell Tripps we probably want a third RB too, as KWP covers both 2nd RB and 3rd LB in this scenario.

Ultimately I see us moving to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 with the 3 at the back an option, or the diamond if we want to put two up top. Assuming 4-3-3 and everyone leaves:

Gazza
Aurier - Dave - Jan - Rose
Dier
Dele - 'New CM'/'Eriksen Replacement'
'New Forward' - Kane - Son

So I see us using Dele as one of two players from the midfield who have a license to make forward runs, along with new CM/Eriksen replacement. Dier or Winks can anchor it. This will be a somewhat more rigid formation than we've played this season but I actually think we've taken the fluidity too far at times and need to make the most out of having some good passing players, a couple of DMs who can keep the tempo of the game ticking over, and with Son and someone like Timo Werner (pipe dream) or Jarrod Bowen (more realistic) we have the pace and flexibility to get players around and running past Harry, supported by Dele and his new teammate coming from deep.

 

OUT
Aurier (not good enough to be first-choice RB, and we need someone who is)
Wanyama (if his injury problems are as bad as rumours suggest, it's best to replace him now)
Janssen (frankly it would be a mercy kill at this point)
GKN (we should have gone Marie Kondo last summer, but didn't)
Llorente (out of contract)
Vorm (out of contract)
Ogilvie (out of contract)
Glover (we have approximately 17 youth goalkeepers, and he's the most expendable)

IN
1.) STARTING RIGHT BACK
Trippier's weaknesses have been brutally exposed at several points this season, to the point where what initially appeared to be a momentary brainfart that cost us against The Sheikh Mansour Team has turned out to be a regular occurrence and he's generally been sloppy when he's a guaranteed starter that wasn't an issue when he was the rotation option, while Aurier has disappointed for the two seasons he's been with us (contrary to what Twattle users say) so neither justifies a starting place nor justifies dropping Trippier, so we need a player who can...and if Trippier doesn't like it, KWP can benefit
Thomas Meunier (PSG, 27yo, Belgium, contracted until 2020)
Ricardo Pereira (Leicester, 25yo, Portugal, contracted until 2023...and we passed on him to sign Aurier)

2.) CENTRAL MIDFIELDER
While there's no denying that Sissoko has worked his backside off to try and fill the Dembele-shaped hole in our midfield and he deserves all the plaudits for it, there's no getting away from the fact that he and Winks are the only central midfielders the team has at this point and that is not a position we should be in, so we definitely need to sign at least one player in this position because the current approach of having Winks and Sissoko carrying midfield with the only other option being throwing Skipp in at the deep end
Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon, 22yo, France, contracted to 2023, likely target of a transfer auction)
Youri Tielemans (Monaco, 21yo, contracted until 2022, and most importantly Leicester don't have a clause to make his loan permanent)
David Brooks (Bournemouth, 21yo, Wales, contracted until 2022...and we could've got him for a fraction of what Bournemouth expect last summer)
Houssem Aouar (Lyon, 20yo, France/Algeria, contracted until 2023)
Nicolo Barella (Cagliari, 22yo, Italy, contracted until 2022)
Florian Grillitsch (Hoffenheim, 23yo, Austria, contracted until 2021 (albeit with a release clause))
Mateo Kovacic (Los Ladrones do Madrid, 24yo, Croatia, contracted until 2021, the Chavs have no option to make his loan permanent)
Adrien Rabiot, PSG, 23yo, France, out of contract this summer - and he's told his batty mother to do one)

3.) DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
This season's played havoc with our defensive midfield options: Wanyama's been a real sicknote and there's rumours of him having chronic injuries, while Dier's alternated between being out with appendicitis and tonsillitis while also having occasions where injuries elsewhere mean he's deployed more as a central midfielder that only demonstrates he's best deployed as a hatchet man instead of a water carrier, and because of this we need to consider letting Wanyama leave and replacing him with a long-term option capable of not just breaking up play but recycling the ball
Sander Berge (Genk, 21yo, Norway, contracted until 2021)
Lucas Tousart (Lyon, 21yo, France, contracted until 2023)
Declan Rice (West Scam United, 20yo, "England", contracted until 2024, would be ****ing hilarious to see their fans' response)
Nabil Bentaleb (Schalke, 24yo, Algeria, contracted until 2021, fulfills several HG criteria)
Stanislav Lobotka (Celta Vigo, 24yo, Slovakia, contracted to 2023 (albeit with a release clause))

4.) KANE UNDERSTUDY
That old chestnut returns to be a pain in the backside, because at present it looks like Llorente will leave in the summer for £0.00 while Janssen will be allowed to leave to try and rebuild his career, and this leaves us short up top because while Son can perform in that role when needed he's not a permanent option, while Sterling and Parrott are at least a full season away from being credible bench options. Also, it has to be said, Poch's belief that a target man is a credible Plan B has issues given a target man requires the rest of our players to change their approach on the fly, so a poacher would be a more logical signing - although if somebody can combine being a poacher with an aerial threat, that's the best of both worlds
Maxi Gomez (Celta Vigo, 22yo, Uruguay, contracted until 2022 (albeit with a release clause))

5a.) IF TOBY LEAVES
On the one hand you'd think that having Verts, Sanchez and Foyth available we'd be able to carry on, however the fact is that Verts is 31 and only has a year on his contract so he's won't be around forever, and Foyth is still raw so approaching a season with them as the defensive options is not a wise idea, so we definitely need to address this
Joachim Andersen (Sampdoria, 22yo, Denmark, contracted until 2022, we've supposedly been in contact)

5b.) IF ERIKSEN LEAVES
If this does happen, the first option is to completely and utterly lose your ****...provided you don't follow up by saying something boneheaded such as how we should sell Harry Kane as well. However, if this does happen, we need to act ****ING FAST to secure his replacement or we're not going to have a good time
Isco (Los Ladrones do Madrid, 26yo, Spain, contracted until 2022)
Nabil Fekir (Lyon, 25yo, France, contracted until 2020, and it'll royally piss off the Saltypudlians)
James Maddison (Leicester, 22yo, England, contracted until 2023...and we passed on him three years ago)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea, 28yo, Belgium contracted until 2021, and highly unlikely but ****ing funny to post here...)

6.) PROSPECTS
As both James Maddison and David Brooks demonstrate, for all the talk of us unearthing prospects there's a few that we let pass us by and they go on to flourish elsewhere, and we really need to prevent this happening again so should act sooner
Eberechi Eze (QPR, 20yo, attacking midfielder, contracted until 2021)
Max Aarons (Norwich, 19yo, right back, England, contracted until 2023)
Jack Clarke (Leeds, 18yo, left wing, England, contracted until 2021)
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea, 18yo, left wing, England, contracted until 2020, would be shipped off to Bayern if we made a bid but still...)

7.) WINGER
This is way, way down the list of priorities because on the one hand we have plenty of options on the flanks, but on the other there' no denying that the Lamela cycle of having a good run of form before getting injured and being painfully ineffective when he returns is well established by now, while Moura's been blowing hot and cold since the start of the season, so if the opportunity to sign a player who greatly improves on them becomes available we should definitely act as it would improve the squad
Nicolas Pepe (Lille, 23yo, Ivory Coast, contracted until 2022, probably going to be a transfer auction)
Cengiz Under (Roma, 21yo, Turkey, contracted until 2022...and we passed on him a eighteen months back)
Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham, 18yo, England, contract until 2020)
Carlos Soler (Valencia, 22yo, Spain, contracted until 2021, can also play centre midfield)
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund, 18yo, England, contracted until 2022...but Mansour FC have a buyback clause)
Gareth Bale (Los Ladrones do Madrid, 29yo, Wales, contracted until 2022...but our first refusal clause expires in June)
Rodrigo de Paul (Udinese, 24yo, Argentina, contracted until 2023, is basically Lamela with pace)

 

Great posts guys. All seem to have very similar views on positional targets/ strengthening.

Definite outs:
Vorm, Aurier, Trippier, Wanyama, Nkoudou, Llorente, Janssen.
Good offer outs:
Lloris, Davies, Lamela
Crying, waving goodbye outs:
Toby, Eriksen

With that in mind, if say all those were to leave (which won't happen), I'd love to see us start next season with something like:

Gazza
AWB, Dave, Jan, Rose*
Alli, Dier, Brooks
Zaha, Kane, Son

A new formation, mainly because I don't think we can get a like for like replacement for Eriksen and so I think it'd be best not trying to bring in a poorer version but instead opt for a new style that sees two attacking CMs (Alli and Brooks), with Dier dropping into a back three in spells to allow the FBs freedom to bomb forward. The front three would cause major problems for any defence.

Then, a bench to choose from the following squad:
Pope, Whiteman;
KWP, Tarkowski, Foyth, Chilwell*
Sissoko, Berge, Winks, Skipp
Lucas, Bowen, Edwards
Watkins, Parrott

* - Happily see first choice unless Rose proves fitness, will become first choice sooner or later anyway.

Reason for the ins:

First XI:
Wan-Bissaka - Huge fan, arguably the best RB in the Prem.
Brooks - Gutted we never took the initial punt, looks superb.
Zaha - Probably the best attacking player outside of the top six.

Squad:
Pope: Back to being a backup at Burnley, they also have Joe Hart, so would likely sell one in the summer.
Chilwell - Probably already as good if not better than Rose, will be first choice in time.
Tarkowski - Won't sign a CB better than Toby but would need one to compete with Dave and Jan.
Berge - Highly rated DM with an eye for a forward pass.
Bowen - Type of player Poch could mould nicely.
Watkins - Can also play anywhere in the AM, been a fan of his since his Exeter days.

 

Good posts both - gotta say I disagree on Zaha though. I've never quite been convinced. I'd be skeptical of us being able to get AWB or Chilwell either tbh but would love either of them, RB is obviously the priority though. I'd keep Llorente too, he's a genuinely different option and as frustrating as he has been this season he's proven that he can be effective in the right circumstances. He's vastly experienced, seems to get on well with the squad and manager, and I think it's worth keeping him around for another year.

I'm glad someone agrees with me on 4-3-3 as well, I think its the way forward with the personnel we are likely to have. It will also get the most out of Dele, who is probably the least crucial of the four DESKs when we play as we have this season, but has so much more to offer a midfield than just goals. Once or twice he's played the deeper role for us and has looked like he's born to that. I see no reason why he can't be as influential for us as Pogba has been since Mourinho left United. They are remarkably similar players.

 

18 months ago I'd have said no to Zaha. But I think he's starting to become the player SAF saw when he signed him, it's taken him a while to reach that point but I think in a better side, Zaha could be devastating now.

AWB and Chilwell definitely won't be easy to get but if Spurs want the best available, they're the ones in my eyes.

I wouldn't be against keeping Llorente but his contract ends this summer and at 33, I don't think we'll give him a new deal.

As for the 433, it's definitely the (at least "a") way forward. I'd like to see it tested this season once Alli's back, he and Eriksen sitting just in front of Dier (when also back) or Sissoko, with Son and Lucas/ Lamela either side of Kane, could be pretty tasty.

 

If we do go 433 that would bump up the necessity of bringing in another winger because, while Son is the guaranteed starting LW, he has no direct rotation option while on the right we would be well stocked with Lucas and Lamela yet we could upgrade

That would also potentially open doors for Edwards and Shashoua too

 

I agree - its also the reason why I want us to target players like Bowen (or Werner I mentioned but he's a pipe dream) because they have played centrally as well and help us build redundancy in the squad.

You mentioned Bentaleb as well, who I would take back at Spurs in a heartbeat, as I mentioned on a different thread a while back. Helps us with the quotas as well.

 

Bringing Bentaleb back is an interesting one. Was always a fan of the player and he’s really progressed into a top player at Schalke (which many of us expected anyway). If his attitude has improved (which was why he was sold), I’d have no qualms with him coming back.

 

Werner's probably been allocated his spot on the Bayern conveyer belt already, given he's in the last eighteen months of his contract

 

Very true, plus we know they want wingers. Scratch that then, onto the next

 

Have you got a crystal ball so many of those youngsters you mention were in my thoughts as well

 

Aarons and Clarke have both been linked with us in the past couple of months and they both make a lot of sense for squad complexion, while CHO popped into my head remembering how The Sheikh Mansour Team only showed interest in Jadon Sancho when faced with the possibility of him playing for us, which is why he wanted out in the first place

 

I might upset a few on here but I would put Hugo up for sale and get Heaton from burnley a class keeper who doesn't have brain farts every other game plus helps us with home grown players .maddison I already mentioned earlier in the season we should have gone for him ages ago.Eze at qpr I have seen is a star in the making so much talent for a youngster .apparently the young Norwich right back is very good but haven't seen enough of him to comment .THE ONE PLAYER I WOULD LIKE is ISCO he would be a sensational signing.

 

The one thing we definitely need in the summer is a statement of intent signing, with central midfield being the most logical place for that signing to be made - but if we lost Eriksen we'd definitely need to make a statement when signing his replacement, and that boils down to a choice between Isco or Fekir

Thing is, signing Fekir would rule out signing Ndombele or Aouar, because like hell Lyon would let us sign two of their players without us paying the GDP of a Central American nation for the privilege

 

Out
1) Vorm (out of contract)
2) Aurier (simply can not defend...or take throw ins!)
3) Rose (mercenary that I can not forgive)
4) Wanyama (too injury prone unfortunately)
5) Lamela (as above)
6) Eriksen (IF he doesn't sign a new contract which I think will be the case)
7) Toby (not our choice unfortunately)

Keep (out of those others mentioned)₩
1) Llorente (useful when used correctly)
2) Davies (needs a full pre season and an injury free run)
3) Trippier (as above...plus a real rest)
4) Lloris (as with Trippier)

Put to sleep
1) Janssen
2) GKN

It's the kindest thing in both cases.

No idea who to bring in as I do not know anything about most teams outside the uk but would be tempted with buying...

1) Sessenoine (if I could spell his sodding name).

2) Declan Rice (but hammers will never sell him to us).

3) The Brighton forward...scored against us this season...(if I could remember his name).

4) The Rangers Forward...(if I could remember his name).

 

Sessignon I would have poch could work on him and the crystal palace right back whatever his name is looks a class act

 

Would now be a bad moment to bring up that Anthony Knockaert is a winger?

 

Ohhhhh...look at Mr I Can Spell...

 

I think you’ll find that more and more people are beginning to realise that Hugo is in a strong decline. He was poor last season and has hardly been great this. His plight has looked even worse because Gazzaniga has been fantastic. Poch has managed the situation really poorly, he needs to let go of favouritism and play players in form, Gazza should’ve been given a run in the side months back.

Eze’s someone I only took notice of a couple weeks ago, definitely looks like he’s got a top future.

Isco would be a great signing, I can see him leaving in the summer as well.