Defensive Must-Keeps | Vital Football

Defensive Must-Keeps

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Bienvenu17

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Enough of the season has passed that we probably have have formed opinions as to which players we’d like to stick around. If you will, compare notes here. Who are your must-keeps defensively among players involved in the first team setup (including goalkeepers)...?
 
The Club is fortunate that Tanganga has consolidated himself as a Premiership player so quickly, and given his versatility our need for defensive signings is far less than it might have been.
Although he's still OK, Lloris doesn't have too many PL seasons left in him, and we should be looking for a replacement for him.
Signing a quality RB is a must, that signing together with Sanchez, Tanganga and Davies will make a decent back four, particularly as Tanganga can be switched to RB or LB with Alderweireld coming in as necessary.
Don't think that Sessegnon is a suitable alternate for Davies, based on what he's shown so far only his age is in his favour, he didn't set the PL alight with his appearances for Fulham, and has looked pretty ordinary for us.
 
In order of best player to worst player in each position, here's my thoughts for next season

New keeper, Lloris, Gazza
New RB, Aurier
New LB, Davies, Sess
New LCD, Sanchez or Tanganga, Toby, Dier

That makes Vorm, KWP, Rose, Vertonghen, Foyth, CCV etc as surplus.

What's interesting is that some fans have already got to the place that they realise that Aurier, Toby and Lloris aren't the answer. I'm pretty convinced that Davies isn't either. I predict a make or break pressure on both Sanchez and Davies coming up.

I want to see a fit Davies first as in this last week he's been playing like a thirty something. Doesn't help when you have Jan and Toby inside you though.
 
Looks like we are all pretty like minded on this .
New keeper urgently . Gazza has to go , would Lloris accept going from number one to number two ? , but that needs to happen, and quick .
New right back , keep Aurier as back up .
Keep Foyth as a squad player , he is too young to discard yet .
Keep Tanga , Sanchez , Davies , bring two more CBs in , phase out Toby and Verts ,push Sess further up and sign another left back.

Simples
 
Until we see tang and Sanchez together as CBs in a 4 it's hard to answer that but Toby is
probably finished as a top level CB imo. Jan definitely is. Davies never excited me but has periods of being good enough if rest of the team is performing well.

Davies, them two and Aurier with a new DM might just be passable. Aurier obviously a liability but he's racking up assists so if covered by a fast CB and a DM he could perhaps continue.

I'd personally like all LB, CB and RB urgently. GK least urgent as whilst Hugo is in decline he's solid enough, can't say the same for other positions at present.

God it's depressing.
 
Until we see tang and Sanchez together as CBs in a 4 it's hard to answer that but Toby is
probably finished as a top level CB imo. Jan definitely is. Davies never excited me but has periods of being good enough if rest of the team is performing well.

Davies, them two and Aurier with a new DM might just be passable. Aurier obviously a liability but he's racking up assists so if covered by a fast CB and a DM he could perhaps continue.

I'd personally like all LB, CB and RB urgently. GK least urgent as whilst Hugo is in decline he's solid enough, can't say the same for other positions at present.

God it's depressing.

I look beyond the assists thing. If we had Aarons I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have less assists but we'd have someone that has spent an entire season defending in the Prem. I hope we go there. I'd also like to see Davies seriously challenged.
 
At last, we all agree, Jan and Toby just aren't up to it anymore; if by some bizarre process Jose declares another 'success' in signing Vert on a new contract, I think I'll put a contract on Jose.

Sess, frankly I don't know what he is yet; but Jose seems to think he's the next Ashley Cole.

Aurier is one of the most frustrating players I've seen; MOM in 4 games this season and in others stinks the place out.

Sanchez was magnificent against Leipzig, but we desperately need to find better to play alongside him.

Son of Ledley, well I've beat the drum on him long enough, but fear we may break him if we're not careful; he needs to be in the middle and we need to trust him.

Davies as a defensive Left Back is good enough, but going forward we need better.

Lloris is better than so many here think, but his time is also up and we need a top-class keeper again now.
 
Ryan Sessegnon not feeling heat as fellow young English players thrive in Premier League
EXCLUSIVE: Tottenham youngster Ryan Sessegnon says he is not feeling the heat despite the success of fellow starlets Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham

By
Darren Lewis
  • 22:30, 21 FEB 2020
Sport

Jose Mourinho launches passionate defence of Tottenham squad after RB Leipzig defeat
Jose Mourinho launches passionate defence of Tottenham squad after RB Leipzig defeat



Current Time 0:08
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Duration 1:17





Mourinho launches passionate defence of squad after Leipzig defeat



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When Spurs visit Chelsea, Ryan Sessegnon will be among friends reunited.

The 19-year-old winger played alongside the likes of Blues midfielder Mason Mount and striker Tammy Abraham at the Under-21 European Championships last summer.

Yet while their Premier League careers have taken off this season, Sessegnon has been left on the runway because of injury.

Spurs fans, mindful of a slow start a certain Gareth Bale had, have sent the former Fulham teenager messages of support on social media. His time will come. But for the moment he is surrounded by patience.

“It’s been good for Tammy and Mason,” said Sessegnon. “They are doing very well and I’m happy for them.

“It’s neck and neck between us and Chelsea to get that fourth place at the moment. So we’ll be looking to go there and win the game, obviously, and hoping they drop more points.




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Sessegnon insists he is under no pressure (Image: Phil Harris) Related Articles



“When you look at what Mason and Tammy have have done so far this year, and what Mason did at Derby and Vitesse before that, you see that they are fantastic young players.

"At the Euros I played alongside him, Phil Foden, James Maddison and Dom Calvert-Lewin.

“You could say there’s a little bit of ‘it could have been me’ when I see the way that they’ve kicked on this season. But everything happens for a reason.

“So I’m going to stay calm and positive. I’m not going to try not to put too much pressure on myself as I’ve done before.”

Sessegnon arrived at Spurs as a big-money signing last summer but was injured until November and has so far made just six Premier League appearances and 11 in all competitions.

He is grateful to his parents for the level-headed approach helping him to shrug off the hype heaped on him since the age most kids were taking their A-levels.


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Sessegnon will be among pals at Stamford Bridge (Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
“It can be tough,” he said. “For me, it probably started when I was 16 and I scored my first goal for Fulham.

“The spotlight was on me because purely because of my age. I’d become the youngest scorer in the Championship at the time.

"So from then on, you start realising that everyone is looking at you to see what you do on and off the pitch.

“That comes with its own pressure. Then there’s the pressure that you put on yourself.

“But I would say I was mentally strong. Mature for my age as well. That’s down to my upbringing, My parents always taught me to stay positive, calm.

"To remember where I’d come from. Not to put too much pressure on myself.


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Sessegnon speaks to our man Darren Lewis (Image: Phil Harris)
“With young players, you probably see that a lot. You almost try to take everything on your shoulders a little bit, when as a young player you shouldn’t be allowed to.

“Before I’d probably taken on a role where you become almost the man of the family. It can be tough, mentally. And not many people see that.”

Dele Alli, another huge hit after stepping up from MK Dons, has taken Sessegnon under his wing, helping the teenager to cope with the increased profile.

“He was young when he came to Spurs as well.” said Sessegnon.

“He was chucked into a team and did very, very well. So it just makes sense for him to help me out. I appreciate everything he has done.”

The youngster also cites Bale, Ashley Cole and Luke Shaw as role models.

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“You saw the way he played at Arsenal and at Chelsea,” he went on.

“He was an aggressive left-back. He could attack as well as cross and score goals. The manager wants me to be more aggressive and I am working on that.

“Luke is not that much older than me. But I love the way he burst on the scene of Southampton as an attacking fullback. That’s the way I like to play as well.

“Gareth too. He did it at Southampton, then Spurs now look at him at Real Madrid.”

Sessegnon has big shoes to fill but will give himself as much time as he needs to do it.

  • Ryan Sessegnon was speaking at a surprise visit to one of Tottenham Hotspur’s Player Development Programmes at Epping St John’s School. For more information visit tottenhamhotspur.com/development.