Hello, Goodbye

 

We've known and expected it for days so it was no surprise when Tottenham finally announced the signings of Ben Davies and Michel Vorm from Swansea with Gylfi Sigurdsson returning back to the Welsh club. The only surprise was that Spurs bothered to let us know any of it, what with the brilliant cameo from Davies sporting Spurs colours during a training session via a video released by the club, later to be removed. Only Spurs can reveal a new signing by not officially revealing him. The deals are now all complete with all involved looking very happy with its conclusion.

Sigurdsson will seek to claim some consistency and a settled position to prove his worth. A secondary figure to most formations whilst at Spurs. Scored a few corkers. Is a player with some degree of talent and vision. He linked up well when playing off the likes of Eriksen, inter-linking well with Soldado too. Quick head, quick feet with ball but without pace. What proved damaging was the lack of that truly cemented role. I wish him all the best.

Davies gives us a new option on the left. As previously discussed, not the finished article but a player with raw talent that Mauricio Pochettino will fancy developing. What will be interesting is if he thinks he can do the same with Danny Rose, who struggles with lapses of concentration and discipline. Zeki Fryers looks to be preferred at centre-back so if you really wanted to nit-pick you'd argue the case for another left-back to be signed. I can't see that happening. I can see us adapting as per usual if an emergency calls for it. Just don't tell Jan Vertonghen he might still have to deputise there on occasions.

I like Vorm already. If only because he left his holiday in Ibiza to come and sign for Spurs and then returned to finish up sunning it on the White Island. The conspiracy theories are still doing the rounds. Why would a player like Vorm agree to come to Spurs and play second fiddle to Hugo Lloris and watch from the bench for most of the season? Where's his ambition? Why would he sign unless he has reassurances of first team football for next season (that's the one after the one that hasn't even started yet)?

Can we attempt to welcome new blood at the club with a little bit of optimism and half the cynicism we usually greet them with? Yes, Hugo is likely to be targeted every summer and yes he'll have ambitions to play consistent Champions League but admitting he'll get it somewhere else is pretty much defeatist. Let's at least pretend we're onto a good thing.

We needed a goalkeeper. We've gone for experience and proven quality. How is this possibly a bad thing? If, God forbid Lloris got injured, then what?

So what next?

Another centre-back would give us the required cover, what with the concerns relating to Yonus Kaboul's fitness. A forward to cover off Emmanuel 'African Cup of Nations' Adebayor and Roberto 'does he fit in'? Soldado. Is it too big of an ask to expect Harry Kane to spearhead the attack?

Morgan Schneiderlin to compensate for Sandro's fitness issues? Or to replace him altogether.

As for the left-wing? This is purely a statement of intent. Antoine Griezmann would add to the sparks that Christian Eriksen and hopefully Erik Lamela can ignite. If not Griezmann (come on, we've been here before with the teasing) then someone else. Maybe Baldini will shock us with a leftfield move (literally).

Yet, Pochettino keeps reminding us not to expect change. There will be. It doesn't need to be an overhaul. Just incisive. Biggest change is regrouping the mish-mash squad performance of last season to something resembling a team.

 

via Club Metro

with additional blurb