Improve in the Trenches - Quality Midfield Depth

Article by e-Spurs USA Writer Brent Weber

The long term goal for Spurs is not only to qualify for Champions League, but to compete in Champions League. Spurs want to play for trophies because “The Game is About Glory.” In order to compete for trophies and compete in Europe, Spurs must address the lack of quality depth and rotation in the central midfield. This season was plagued with injuries in the midfield and I believe that the lack of a quality rotation and fatigue contributed greatly to these injuries. We just don’t have the quality depth in the central midfield to compete for the top 4 consistently, cup trophies, and European play. There are moves that need to be made in the summer transfer window to strengthen the midfield to make Spurs a legitimate contender.

Our current midfield options are Sandro, Dembele, Holtby, Huddlestone, Parker, Livermore, Carroll, and Bentley. I consider Sandro and Dembele to be Champions League quality central midfielders. No matter the formation going forward, Sandro and Dembele will be anchors in the midfield. Lewis Holtby is new to the team and is showing promise. Holtby is not a like for like substitution for Sandro or Dembele but he does add depth and versatility. He will be a Spur for many years to come. Tom Huddlestone has played well over the last few weeks, but he has been inconsistent the last few seasons. Scott Parker is a hard worker and relentless competitor but he is a little long in the tooth and his play has really dropped off this year. Jake Livermore is really an unknown in my opinion because he has had little playing time. He is a holding midfielder and I believe he has potential, but he needs more development and playing time. Tom Carroll is a young, promising player. He has loads of potential but definitely needs consistent playing time against top competition. I hardly of know of Bentley and have personally never seen him play.

In my opinion, there are moves that need to be made quickly in the transfer window focused on the midfield to free up cash and roster space. First, I would sell Bentley to any club willing to take him. Next, I would sell Scott Parker while he still has some value in the market and I think they are a few potential suitors for his services. This next phrase kills me to write, but I would put Huddlestone on the market. He is one of my favourite Spurs players, but due to his current form, his value is probably higher now than it will be again and AVB should capitalise on this immediately. In addition, Huddlestone wants first team football and it is highly unlikely that he will play in front of Sandro or Dembele on a consistent basis. These moves alone free up 3 roster spots and could potentially bring in 6-9 million in transfer fees.

Carroll and Livermore are more interesting because of their longer term potential. Livermore is 23 and Carroll is only 20. A decision needs to be made to either commit to playing them or loaning them out for the season. The first option is to make a commitment and play them during League Cup, FA cup matches, and other mid-week matches. AVB could afford to rotate one of these at a time into matches for development. He shouldn’t put them together as a pair, but playing one alongside a Dembele or Sandro would give them great experience with limited risk to Spurs. Both could be used in Europa play as substitutes or starters depending on the match. However, neither of these players is currently ready for Champions League level play. I would like to see Livermore go out on loan and I would like to see Carroll in meaningful action next season.

Spurs could potentially have 4 to 5 roster spots available in the midfield alone. In my opinion, we must build a five-player, high quality, central midfield rotation to be competitive in league play and Europe. Currently we are only 3 deep with Sandro, Dembele, and Holtby. At a minimum, we must bring in 2 established, high quality midfielders during the transfer window along with some young, talented, lesser known options to build depth and upgrade the midfield. Here is my wish list of high quality midfielder I would love to see at Spurs:

Joao Mountinho (Porto)
Victor Wanyama (Celtic)

Mohamed Diame (West Ham)

Christian Erikson (Ajax)

Yann M’Vila (Rennes)

Daniele DeRossi (Roma)

Younes Belhanda (Montpellier)

As I said, this is a wish list, but I feel confident that Spurs could attract a few players from this list. My favourite on this list is Mountinho! He is a dynamic, creative, attacking midfielder who would immediately upgrade our roster and set us up for the attacking 4-3-3 formation that AVB likes. A midfield with Sandro, Dembele, and Mountinho would be amazing. I feel that Mountinho wants a move to a more competitive league and Spurs would give him a great opportunity to prove himself. I just hope Levy will open up his wallet and really go after him. Erikson and DeRossi are being courted by many big name clubs like Mountinho and I just don’t know if we can attract them since we are not playing in Champions League. That leaves Wanyama, Diame, M’Vila, and Belhanda. All of these are good quality players and I would love to have any of them at Spurs. My preference would be Wanyama and Belhanda.

There are several priorities for Spurs going into the transfer window. We must sign at least 1 if not 2 high quality, top tier Strikers. We need an overhaul at LB. A little depth at CB and Wing wouldn’t hurt. However, I don’t feel that Spurs can make the next step forward without strengthening the central midfield. I compare the central midfield to the line of scrimmage, also known as “the trenches” of American Football. Football games are won or lost in the trenches and the team that controls the line of scrimmage will typically win the game. Soccer is no different. The team that controls the trenches typically wins the match. We need young, quality, depth in the midfield to control the trenches, build on our momentum from this season, and to be true contenders in England and in Europe. Hopefully AVB and Levy are prepared to invest!

Comment on this article below and follow e-Spurs on Twitter www.twitter.com/e_spurs

Share on Google Plus