jimmylibel

FWIW, Chelsea have supposedly engaged the agent Pini Zahavi to get a deal done for Fekir.

Sign Coutinho to replace Coutinho!

That didn’t take long... he’s really put the speculation to bed here. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/18/mauricio-pochettino-refuses-comment-manchester-united-manager-speculation Pochettino was asked whether he had any message for the Spurs fans who worry that he will be tempted by the Old Trafford vacancy. “After nearly five years as manager of Tottenham, there are a lot of rumours that happen in my position here,” he replied. “I cannot answer this type of question because this type of rumour happens in this business, in football. This business, we know very well – the rumours, a lot of rumours happen but it’s not my business what happens in another club. ****** Say what you like about Mourinho but if he ends up disrupting the Mancs and Spurs this season he’ll be due some kudos.

Exactly. Although I’ve omitted perhaps the most bizarrely interesting option (which would require a series of significant changes to even be a minute possibility) but... Arsenal.

Let’s see. I reckon there’s going to be a bit of a managerial merry go round next summer. I could easily Juve taking a look if they lost their current incumbent to someone else (Mancs, Madrid, PSG). Bayern have hired worse. Watch, this will be just like after he got sacked by Chelsea last time around. He’ll be linked with every ‘big’ job going.

‘Big’ clubs you could see taking a punt on Mourinho.... - PSG - Bayern - Real Madrid - AC Milan - Inter - Juventus - Chelsea (not in the short term admittedly) - Spurs Other options... Portugal or England national teams. Far too soon to be writing his Premier League obituary I’m afraid.

Suggestions from Le Parisian that alleged Liverpool target Rabiot has agreed a deal to sign for Barcelona.

Giggs as the short term solution perhaps? Pochettino or Zidane in the summer. I’d say Spurs fans are really happy with this news and all.

Ha, exactly, imagine how annoyed they’ll be at that deal. This way he can take charge of the 2nd team on Merseyside!

Tenuous links to Silva once he completes his loan at Everton. Value of £25m supposedly. Might be worthwhile for purely fume purposes if nothing else!!!

This is one of the most interesting threads I’ve read in ages. I think our passing approach has been off. We seem to be playing riskier passes this season and the result being the ball is not sticking up top as much as it used to. Some of that is certainly down to how the opposition is being set up to counter us. But other times we seem to want to try the most difficult threaded ball when a simpler, also positive option is available. Last season it was like our players instinctively knew where their teammates were. This season there seems to be a lot more crossed wires/ poor judgment. This may come back to the positional issues raised by Molby. Agree strongly with Maldini too, the front 3 don’t look to be working as hard. Think they may be getting frustrated at times by the passing choices and this is partly the issue. Also it’s coming back a lot more because we’re surrendering possession in attacking areas more cheaply (at least that’s what it seems) so perhaps they don’t have the stamina to press as often as is currently required. HP, thanks for posting that link. Fascinating read.

Have read before that he and the MK Dons manager met with Rodgers in a hotel during the summer before he signed for Spurs. Deal was agreed. Shortly thereafter we turned around and said actually no, we’re offering less. Plug got pulled. Think it was Karl Robinson the then MK Dons manager that told that story.

Rabiot was posting a pic of Anfield with ‘love’ emoji after the CL semi finals last spring. At the time I though he was a potential option to replace Can (at least until Fabinho arrived). Seems determined to wind down his contract.

I for one think that we should take on board all Allardyce and Gary Neville have to say on the subject. Mourinho needs to be given more patience and time. (As an aside I’d really say that the possession and shots stats were key pointers to Allardyce as to who deserved to win when he was setting his teams up to defend deep and hope to barge one in from a set piece.)

What’s not said in that interview is that he was told by LFC to hold firm and we’d come back for him next Christmas/ following summer when Newcastle wouldn’t be muddling the water. But he wouldn’t wait and signed for a club he didn’t want anyway. Effectively he gave Real their way and messed LFC about all over again. We all knew he had that release clause at Newcastle (£12m if memory serves), but his injuries and his bad choices put paid to that ever being enacted. I also have some understanding for the wanting to continue to test himself at the top line he uses in his signing for the Mancs. But you don’t get to make that choice and continue to say LFC is your club. Anyone who truly feels this way just doesn’t go there. It’s that simple.

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

Would have been closer if Sunderland didn’t look like they were wearing different kits depending on which way their players were facing Bobby Duncan looks pretty composed on the ball doesn’t he?

Echo was saying if they go it will be to a European side over the next couple of weeks anyway.

Newcastle media suggesting Rafa was in for Klavan today in a 'cut price deal' (along with 3 other players) but the Newcastle board wouldn't let him proceed with any of them. Unsurprisingly, Rafa is supposed to be furious.

The speculation, recently, has all been about him going to Arsenal.

Suggestions from France Football that Chelsea have bid for Fekir. Separately, Fekir was also quoted today after training with Lyon... "As you can see I am in Lyon. I am very happy here. But the transfer window is still long and everything goes very quickly in football. We don't know what will happen in the future but I am very happy at Lyon. I feel brilliant in this squad. We have very good players, a great atmosphere. It is a bit like the French national team, a mixture of youngsters and older players, with some players more experienced than others. We have a good group, very homogeneous. We feel good together and I hope that Lyon will have a very good season."

Didn’t think he looked nervy in the slightest. We were directly behind him first half and we thought he was so calm with everything - even the relatively easy shot he almost let slip through his hands into the bottom corner. Just had a huge air of competence. Loved when he came to claim a cross a min over that mistake I mentioned. As Maldini said he passing was class all along and he was so comfortable in possession, even when their players were closing him down.

Spurs again seem to be briefing that Dembele, Aldweireld and Rose are available. Burnley bid £12m for Gibson from Middlesbrough and had £16m bid rejected by WBA for Rodriguez.

He had a right foot high he refused to recognize. It was his Taiwan. Had forgotten all about that. Pr*ck.