The on topic thread

[Jatz]

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/claudio-ranieri-leicester-city-premier-league/

Jatz

Fryer Tuck

That is outstanding. Absolutely great read.

Ranieri deserves more credit than what he gets imo. The players receive a lot of accolades (and rightfully so) but this is the guy that's masterminded the most unlikely of seasons. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a manager of any of my sporting teams more than I do Ranieri.

 

[moomba]

Just saw headlines on Sky. Liverpool apparently opening up an academy in Australia.

 

[Cruyff14]

Yeah, in Newcastle I think?

 

[jd2010]

Out of curiosity how many of these academies in Australia, Japan, USA India etc. have yielded even u21 players?

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

Out of curiosity how many of these academies in Australia, Japan, USA India etc. have yielded even u21 players?

Players? Wouldn't the question be how many have yielded mad stacks of cash?

 

[moomba]

I think you need to give an academy setup a good decade before you can start seeing the results. Ours had a big change back 6/7 years ago and only now are we starting to see results at senior level. And thats mainly from players bought at 16/17.

But if you look at the results and performances of our U12, U14 and U16 teams they're the ones that are getting the real benefit of our academy.

We have some sort of link up with the RTD Academy in Ghana, have a few from there out on loan in Holland/Belgium playing senior football.

 

[Magma]

Out of curiosity how many of these academies in Australia, Japan, USA India etc. have yielded even u21 players?

in general or for clubs specifically?

i think ajax's jong ajax from south africa has worked alright for them.

 

[OzBomber]

Any other Aussie expats around that are going to the England game in May? Got myself a ticket in the away end, should be a good atmosphere!

 

[ADL9798]

Just saw headlines on Sky. Liverpool apparently opening up an academy in Australia.

There was talk about it around the time when they came over for the Melb Victory game - guessing the signing of that kid Brimmer was meant as a signal of intent.

 

[jd2010]

in general or for clubs specifically?

i think ajax's jong ajax from south africa has worked alright for them.

In general. Yeah Ajax and South Africa has been around forever. Meant more the ones that have been around the past 15-20 years. Don't think we've seen a great deal come from them

 

[kangaspurs]

Can you post your best XI and then a reserve XI for me?

Quoted you in here so it doesn't take up the matchday thread.

Lloris
Walker - Alderweireld - Vertonghen - Rose
Dier - Dembele
Lamela - Alli - Eriksen
Kane

Vorm
Trippier - Carter-Vickers - Wimmer - Davies
Mason - Bentaleb
Son - Onomah - Chadli
N'jie (also an AM)

With Carroll in reserve and Pritchard hopefully fit next season.

The only obvious holes, as I've said previously, are a specialist DM to challenge Dier and a ST to challenge Kane. In reality Dier is probably our 4th CB but I didn't want to include him in both teams. Not sure what the purpose of this was, but it does show we have good depth and if we add those two players next season we will pretty much have two good players for every position

 

[jod23]

Quoted you in here so it doesn't take up the matchday thread.

Lloris
Walker - Alderweireld - Vertonghen - Rose
Dier - Dembele
Lamela - Alli - Eriksen
Kane

Vorm
Trippier - Carter-Vickers - Wimmer - Davies
Mason - Bentaleb
Son - Onomah - Chadli
N'jie (also an AM)

With Carroll in reserve and Pritchard hopefully fit next season.

The only obvious holes, as I've said previously, are a specialist DM to challenge Dier and a ST to challenge Kane. In reality Dier is probably our 4th CB but I didn't want to include him in both teams. Not sure what the purpose of this was, but it does show we have good depth and if we add those two players next season we will pretty much have two good players for every position

But that's not good depth for me. That's poor. Particularly when you do both XI's and have just Carroll and Pritchard as guys missing out.

Wimmer, Son and Chadli are decent players. Wimmer in particular. But Vorm, Mason, Bentaleb, Davies, N'Jie etc are dead set average and you cant even squeeze in the average Carroll.

Onomah is just a kid who has played less than 20 times for Spurs and hasnt really set the world on fire. Carter-Vickers is yet to even debut for the club hasnt he?

Ive read that Spurs reserves is full of internationals. Onomah, Carter-Vickers and Trippier arent. Mason has one solitary cap. Then you have a couple of guys playing for small nations like Davies with Wales and Bentaleb with Algeria, of course they are going to get caps but even being an International doesnt mean you're a great player anyways.

This is Liverpool depth chart. Im not saying either team is better and all that nonsense. Im purely talking about depth.

Mignolet
Clyne - Lovren - Sakho - Moreno
Can - Henderson
Lallana - Firmino - Coutinho
Sturridge

Ward
Flanagan - Toure - Skrtel - B.Smith
Lucas - Allen
Milner - Texiera - Ibe
Origi

After that we still have a host of guys not in either team.

Mario Balotelli
Luis Alberto
Andre Wisdom
Lazar Markovic
Jose Enrique
Joe Gomez
Danny Ings
Stephen Caulker
Marko Grujic

And if we're including players who have never played for the club like Carter-Vickers. Then what about these youngsters who actually have played for Liverpool.

Kevin Stewart
Jordan Rossiter
Pedro Chirivella
Tiago Ilori
Sheyi Ojo
Jerome Sinclair
Cameron Brannagan
Connor Randall

I could almost make a third team that would give the Spurs reserves problems.

------------Bogdan
Wisdom Caulker Gomez Enrique
Markovic Rossiter Grujic Alberto
----------Ings Balotelli

So that's a third team and still leaves out Stewart, Brannagan, Ilori, Ojo, Sinclair, Randall and Chirivella. So that is spare players after a THIRD team and those spare players, seven of them, have all played for Liverpool's first team at some point this season.

That's just my club. You can do that for all the top clubs in England. Arsenal, Chelsea, United and City. IMO Spurs squad is super thin. Amazingly you've had so few injuries it hasnt bitten you yet but you really need to bring some more quality players in and improve the depth of your squad.

 

[kangaspurs]

But that's not good depth for me. That's poor. Particularly when you do both XI's and have just Carroll and Pritchard as guys missing out.

Wimmer, Son and Chadli are decent players. Wimmer in particular. But Vorm, Mason, Bentaleb, Davies, N'Jie etc are dead set average and you cant even squeeze in the average Carroll.

Onomah is just a kid who has played less than 20 times for Spurs and hasnt really set the world on fire. Carter-Vickers is yet to even debut for the club hasnt he?

Ive read that Spurs reserves is full of internationals. Onomah, Carter-Vickers and Trippier arent. Mason has one solitary cap. Then you have a couple of guys playing for small nations like Davies with Wales and Bentaleb with Algeria, of course they are going to get caps but even being an International doesnt mean you're a great player anyways.

This is Liverpool depth chart. Im not saying either team is better and all that nonsense. Im purely talking about depth.

Mignolet
Clyne - Lovren - Sakho - Moreno
Can - Henderson
Lallana - Firmino - Coutinho
Sturridge

Ward
Flanagan - Toure - Skrtel - B.Smith
Lucas - Allen
Milner - Texiera - Ibe
Origi

After that we still have a host of guys not in either team.

Mario Balotelli
Luis Alberto
Andre Wisdom
Lazar Markovic
Jose Enrique
Joe Gomez
Danny Ings
Stephen Caulker
Marko Grujic

And if we're including players who have never played for the club like Carter-Vickers. Then what about these youngsters who actually have played for Liverpool.

Kevin Stewart
Jordan Rossiter
Pedro Chirivella
Tiago Ilori
Sheyi Ojo
Jerome Sinclair
Cameron Brannagan
Connor Randall

I could almost make a third team that would give the Spurs reserves problems.

------------Bogdan
Wisdom Caulker Gomez Enrique
Markovic Rossiter Grujic Alberto
----------Ings Balotelli

So that's a third team and still leaves out Stewart, Brannagan, Ilori, Ojo, Sinclair, Randall and Chirivella. So that is spare players after a THIRD team and those spare players, seven of them, have all played for Liverpool's first team at some point this season.

That's just my club. You can do that for all the top clubs in England. Arsenal, Chelsea, United and City. IMO Spurs squad is super thin. Amazingly you've had so few injuries it hasnt bitten you yet but you really need to bring some more quality players in and improve the depth of your squad.

Jod with the answer to the question no one asked. To be honest I couldn't give a **** about Liverpool's depth so that was a waste of time on your part.

So Mason and Bentaleb, our starting midfield for the entirety of last season - again I point out, a season in which we finished above Liverpool - are bang average? Ok. I guess you can't think much of Can, Henderson, Lucas etc if they finished below that midfield last season.

I made it clear I only included CCV to fill the side, in reality Dier is our 4th CB. Pochettino says he's our 4th choice but obviously that remains to be seen. But it really wasn't worth using as an inspiration to make whatever point it is that you're trying to make.

To be fair, I actually see the Liverpool squad as incredibly bloated. What's the point of having all that depth if your first XI is sitting 9th with 8 games to go. Behind the likes of West Ham, Stoke, Southampton etc? You could probably do with some trimming of the fat.

Pochettino said he prefers working with a smaller squad with youth players as options beyond that; hence our massive renovation last off-season. Anyway, the depth is clearly not poor and we have had injuries this season, fortunately not to Kane and Dier; the only positions where we need players next season, anything beyond an additional DM and ST is a luxury and not absolutely needed unless they're top class. But it's not worth discussing with you when your assumptions are erroneous in the first place and if you think the likes of Rossiter and Grujic, Caulker and Wisdom would give our reserves problems.

 

[jod23]

Jod with the answer to the question no one asked. To be honest I couldn't give a **** about Liverpool's depth so that was a waste of time on your part.

So Mason and Bentaleb, our starting midfield for the entirety of last season - again I point out, a season in which we finished above Liverpool - are bang average? Ok. I guess you can't think much of Can, Henderson, Lucas etc if they finished below that midfield last season.

I made it clear I only included CCV to fill the side, in reality Dier is our 4th CB. Pochettino says he's our 4th choice but obviously that remains to be seen. But it really wasn't worth using as an inspiration to make whatever point it is that you're trying to make.

To be fair, I actually see the Liverpool squad as incredibly bloated. What's the point of having all that depth if your first XI is sitting 9th with 8 games to go. Behind the likes of West Ham, Stoke, Southampton etc? You could probably do with some trimming of the fat.

Pochettino said he prefers working with a smaller squad with youth players as options beyond that; hence our massive renovation last off-season. Anyway, the depth is clearly not poor and we have had injuries this season, fortunately not to Kane and Dier; the only positions where we need players next season, anything beyond an additional DM and ST is a luxury and not absolutely needed unless they're top class. But it's not worth discussing with you when your assumptions are erroneous in the first place and if you think the likes of Rossiter and Grujic, Caulker and Wisdom would give our reserves problems.

I just posted Liverpool's as an example of the squad depth of a large English side. You'd find similar squads at Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United and City. Do you need that many players, probably not.

But injuries happen. Look at our CB crisis mid way through the season. In one game we had Enrique and Ilori at CB. Stuff happens like that. Look at Ings out for the year, Sturridge missed half the season. Luckily we had Benteke and Origi.

You need a large squad to compete on all four fronts. Spurs have never really experienced that but I think you definitely need to add players to your squad next season if you intend to be in the hunt for silverware. I mean take that striker problem into consideration. If roles were reversed and that happened to Spurs. Kane out for the first half of the season ala Sturridge and then your backup, who I dont even know if you have one. Say you use Chadli in that forward spot, he does a knee ala Danny Ings.

All of sudden Spurs are gonna really struggle to score goals and win matches. That DID happen to us but we still had Benteke and Origi available.

Also id love to see that third Liverpool team play your reserves side. It would be interesting.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Jod with the answer to the question no one asked. To be honest I couldn't give a **** about Liverpool's depth so that was a waste of time on your part.

So Mason and Bentaleb, our starting midfield for the entirety of last season - again I point out, a season in which we finished above Liverpool - are bang average? Ok. I guess you can't think much of Can, Henderson, Lucas etc if they finished below that midfield last season.

I made it clear I only included CCV to fill the side, in reality Dier is our 4th CB. Pochettino says he's our 4th choice but obviously that remains to be seen. But it really wasn't worth using as an inspiration to make whatever point it is that you're trying to make.

To be fair, I actually see the Liverpool squad as incredibly bloated. What's the point of having all that depth if your first XI is sitting 9th with 8 games to go. Behind the likes of West Ham, Stoke, Southampton etc? You could probably do with some trimming of the fat.

Pochettino said he prefers working with a smaller squad with youth players as options beyond that; hence our massive renovation last off-season. Anyway, the depth is clearly not poor and we have had injuries this season, fortunately not to Kane and Dier; the only positions where we need players next season, anything beyond an additional DM and ST is a luxury and not absolutely needed unless they're top class. But it's not worth discussing with you when your assumptions are erroneous in the first place and if you think the likes of Rossiter and Grujic, Caulker and Wisdom would give our reserves problems.

I felt like responding but then couldn't be ****ed. When Davies is rubbished as being poor despite pushing Rose all season, don't know what to say really. I'd prefer them both over Moreno.

I think I read somewhere that CCV could be promoted to being our 4th choice next season. Already trains with the main squad anyway.

Carroll is poor, I know Pups loves him but I'd want him sold. We do need a DM and a ST. Winger being a luxury... A luxury I doubt we'll fulfil. How many goals have Firmino and Coutinho scored this season. Chadli might still have them covered in the league lol.

It's a tough one really. We'll need a little more depth for the UCL next season particularly in those two areas and whilst we were happy to wait this season for a suitable striker, that doesn't wash next window. A striker has to come in. No ifs or buts.

 

[jod23]

I felt like responding but then couldn't be stuffed. When Davies is rubbished as being poor despite pushing Rose all season, don't know what to say really. I'd prefer them both over Moreno.

I think I read somewhere that CCV could be promoted to being our 4th choice next season. Already trains with the main squad anyway.

Carroll is poor, I know Pups loves him but I'd want him sold. We do need a DM and a ST. Winger being a luxury... A luxury I doubt we'll fulfil. How many goals have Firmino and Coutinho scored this season. Chadli might still have them covered in the league lol.

It's a tough one really. We'll need a little more depth for the UCL next season particularly in those two areas and whilst we were happy to wait this season for a suitable striker, that doesn't wash next window. A striker has to come in. No ifs or buts.

I never said anyone was poor. Just average. Davies is average, so is Mason and Carroll is below average.

I doubt Chadli has anyone covered. In fact I just looked it up and Firmino has eight goals and Coutinho seven in the league this season. Chadli wasnt on the list. I found a list that goes down to guys with five goals and Chadli wasnt on that list either haha.

I checked Wiki... that says he has 4 league goals. So.... yeah.

 

[go you pups]

Funny how jod lists everyone at Liverpool, yet a shitload of them are out on loan, while Liverpool may have more players on their books, we have far better quality of player on our list.

Davies average, haha......... Vorm is quite a solid back up keeper, not many clubs in the PL would have a keeper of his experience/quality as back up, only really Chelsea with Begovic as back up would out do us in that department, while Ospina hasn't really proven himself yet in the PL though he was good in Ligue 1 apparently.

I don't love Carroll, he's just a better footballer than Mason who is a Sunderland level player at best.

Yes jod Chadli has been useless this season, I want him out, I don't have much support on that view though. He's got a big slow strikers body yet is a winger/wide forward, just doesn't offer enough in the creativity stakes and is far too anonymous when he doesn't get on the scoresheet, his lack of pace out wide kills us imo.

 

[bok_party]

Ospina has definitely proven himself in the PL.

 

[moomba]

One Caballero
Theres only one Caballero
He used to be shite
Now he's alright
Walking in a willy wonderland.

 

[jod23]

Funny how jod lists everyone at Liverpool, yet a shitload of them are out on loan, while Liverpool may have more players on their books, we have far better quality of player on our list.

Davies average, haha......... Vorm is quite a solid back up keeper, not many clubs in the PL would have a keeper of his experience/quality as back up, only really Chelsea with Begovic as back up would out do us in that department, while Ospina hasn't really proven himself yet in the PL though he was good in Ligue 1 apparently.

I don't love Carroll, he's just a better footballer than Mason who is a Sunderland level player at best.

Yes jod Chadli has been useless this season, I want him out, I don't have much support on that view though. He's got a big slow strikers body yet is a winger/wide forward, just doesn't offer enough in the creativity stakes and is far too anonymous when he doesn't get on the scoresheet, his lack of pace out wide kills us imo.

Well they are still Liverpool players even if they are out on loan.

All im saying is you have a thin squad and with CL football coming then you will need to really bolster the squad to compete on four fronts.

Look what happened in the Europa League. For whatever reason Poch decided to rotate the squad and you simply werent up to it. Sure Dortmund are a very good side but you will face plenty of good sides next season in the CL and of course in the league.

What if you have a League Cup game say against City sandwiched inbetween a tough league game against Chelsea away before playing Bayern Munich in the CL or something. You're gonna need better blokes that Mason, Chadli and Carroll to rotate into the squad.

Or what if Dier is suspended, Dembele and Alli are injured. Do you go with Carroll and Mason in midfield, who's on the bench to help or make an impact or if someone gets sent off or there is another injury.

I just think Spurs need some players to come in. It's not even a bad thing. Your first XI is great, thats what is great about the situation, you're not even needing to make key signings and hope they work. You just need a few signings of quality to pad out the squad.

They dont need to be as good as Eriksen or Kane or Alli but they need to be better than Mason and Carroll and Chadli to really complete the squad.

Like take the recent Liverpool v Spurs game that finished 1-1. I was of course very wary of Spurs, you guys are a very good side. But I was only wary of who started on the day. I was never worried about anyone coming off the bench to change the game for Spurs. I was worried about Kane sure, Eriksen, Dier, Alli, good players capable of turning a game. But the bench didnt give the slightest of fears.

The bench that day was Vorm, Trippier, Davies, Mason, Carroll, Onomah and Chadli.

If any of those got up off the bench that day and was getting ready to come on, I was happy about it. It meant one of Spurs really good first XI was coming off. Not worried in the slightest about any of those players coming on and changing the game.

Liverpool on the other hand didnt have Benteke, Firmino, Ings or Origi in the starting XI. Sure a bloke like Ings or Origi wouldnt send shivers down any teams spine but they are capable of coming on and grabbing a goal, changing the game. Origi's pace and movement.

Benteke obviously is a handful and oppositions really should fear Firmino as he is a class.

I mean I'd tip Spurs for the title if next year they line up with the exact first XI as they do now but on the bench they have 3 or 4 guys who can change a game off the bench, the type of guys that worry you when they are set to come on.

You guys brought on Chadli and then Mason late in that game and substitutions are meant to liven up the side, give you a different look, a different option but in all honesty it made you worse.

That fine if you're winning 3-0 at home to Norwich. Bring on whoever you want but when you're at Anfield chasing a goal to try to win to keep your title aspirations alive im sure Spurs would have loved to be able to turn to someone like Firmino or Benteke off the bench to find a winner.

You guys need depth IMO.

 

[jod23]

Oh and im not saying you need Liverpool players, I just talk about our players as an example because I know my team best. If I were talking about Arsenal for example I wouldnt know as much about it. I used to think Iwobi was shit for example. I still do.

I saw him in one game and he was woeful. Apparently since then he has been really great but I havent seen it haha. So in my mind, he's still awful.

 

[Zidane98]

Spurs in the EL tie against Dortmund really showed up the depth of their squad. Wouldn't have been thumped 5-1 if they had quality squad players playing with half of the first xi.

Luckily for Spurs they have a great medical department which has kept their first xi on the park for nearly all season with only Vertonghen out long term.

 

[Cruyff14]

I thought Lucas is world class?

If he's world class why isn't he in the first team?

 

[Magma]

eugh

 

[SM]

But that's not good depth for me. That's poor. Particularly when you do both XI's and have just Carroll and Pritchard as guys missing out.

Wimmer, Son and Chadli are decent players. Wimmer in particular. But Vorm, Mason, Bentaleb, Davies, N'Jie etc are dead set average and you cant even squeeze in the average Carroll.

Onomah is just a kid who has played less than 20 times for Spurs and hasnt really set the world on fire. Carter-Vickers is yet to even debut for the club hasnt he?

Ive read that Spurs reserves is full of internationals. Onomah, Carter-Vickers and Trippier arent. Mason has one solitary cap. Then you have a couple of guys playing for small nations like Davies with Wales and Bentaleb with Algeria, of course they are going to get caps but even being an International doesnt mean you're a great player anyways.

This is Liverpool depth chart. Im not saying either team is better and all that nonsense. Im purely talking about depth.

Mignolet
Clyne - Lovren - Sakho - Moreno
Can - Henderson
Lallana - Firmino - Coutinho
Sturridge

Ward
Flanagan - Toure - Skrtel - B.Smith
Lucas - Allen
Milner - Texiera - Ibe
Origi

After that we still have a host of guys not in either team.

Mario Balotelli
Luis Alberto
Andre Wisdom
Lazar Markovic
Jose Enrique
Joe Gomez
Danny Ings
Stephen Caulker
Marko Grujic

And if we're including players who have never played for the club like Carter-Vickers. Then what about these youngsters who actually have played for Liverpool.

Kevin Stewart
Jordan Rossiter
Pedro Chirivella
Tiago Ilori
Sheyi Ojo
Jerome Sinclair
Cameron Brannagan
Connor Randall

I could almost make a third team that would give the Spurs reserves problems.

------------Bogdan
Wisdom Caulker Gomez Enrique
Markovic Rossiter Grujic Alberto
----------Ings Balotelli

So that's a third team and still leaves out Stewart, Brannagan, Ilori, Ojo, Sinclair, Randall and Chirivella. So that is spare players after a THIRD team and those spare players, seven of them, have all played for Liverpool's first team at some point this season.

That's just my club. You can do that for all the top clubs in England. Arsenal, Chelsea, United and City. IMO Spurs squad is super thin. Amazingly you've had so few injuries it hasnt bitten you yet but you really need to bring some more quality players in and improve the depth of your squad.

Do you hate Benteke that much?