Luka Modric

He came second in the table and is in the Champions League ....
No, his team came 2nd in the table and he joined more than halfway through the season.

The player himself, costing £50m, has scored 1 goal ... against West Ham.

Pienaar cost £2.75m and is simply a squad cover player who has been injured for some time. You ask "how he is doing?", but it seems a pretty random issue to raise.
 
Are all Spuds fans so deluded that they consider Chelsea to be some kind of rival?

And then 'embarrassing' to a bunch of stats which proves nothing other than that Chelsea have been better than us over the past 20 years, as opposed to the inherent delusion we're supposed to have imprinted on our DNA.


Still, this is a thread about Luka Modric and we've taken it well off topic. Probably best to leave it there. If you wish to have the last word, please do so.
 
No, his team came 2nd in the table and he joined more than halfway through the season.

The player himself, costing £50m, has scored 1 goal ... against West Ham.

Pienaar cost £2.75m and is simply a squad cover player who has been injured for some time. You ask "how he is doing?", but it seems a pretty random issue to raise.


We can discuss nuances as much as you like, but the fact remains he came second in the league and will be playing in the Champions League this season.

It isn't random as we (by which I mean you) have been talking about the qualities of Tottenham's midfielders.
 
And then 'embarrassing' to a bunch of stats which proves nothing other than that Chelsea have been better than us over the past 20 years, as opposed to the inherent delusion we're supposed to have imprinted on our DNA.


Still, this is a thread about Luka Modric and we've taken it well off topic. Probably best to leave it there. If you wish to have the last word, please do so.
Thanks.
 
I don't agree that the chances of Spurs finishing in the top 4 are "pretty remote". Most caftards wrote off Spurs chances during the season when they did finish 4th.

This season Arsenal are considerably weaker (unless they pull off some amazing signings in the next 24 hours or so), Chelsea don't look all that so far and Spurs have finished above Liverpool for the last 2 seasons. I regard the top 2 places as being almost nailed on for City and Man. Utd, and all else up for grabs. Spurs stand a decent chance of top 4.


Well, Modric's "player power" has been squashed this summer - that's undeniable.


This is an arguable point of view. However, when you have a realistic choice (which a 6 year contract gives the club) I don't see that selling your best player is the best way of building up the team.

Far better to keep him, sell some deadwood (Palacios, Hutton, Keane, O'Hara etc) and bring in some upgrades - e.g. Adebayor, Parker, maybe (?) Cahill and perhaps one or two others.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on your first paragraph. Spurs won't finish 4th, if you beg to differ as strongly as you seem, put your money where your mouth is and let's have a bet...

Squashed my arse, all's you've achieved is maybe getting another season out of him, one that will probably be spent going through the motions until the big move eventually happens as it has always done when the likes of United, Arsenal and co have done it previously.

He wants to go, so with that in mind, I'd have thought revamping the team to make the squad as a whole better is the best solution, unless your name is Levy and you care more about showing off big cajones than doing what's best for Spurs.
 
Like who? And don't say Essien, because he's now semi-crocked and clearly past his best.

Mata is so much ahead of Bale it's unthinkable, and Malouda is also a superior player. Essien is twice the player Sandro is and Ramires is just as good, Mikel isn't worse either. Chelsea would either have to go mental or hire Redknapp and ask him to sign ten random players to go after either of them.
 
I don't agree that the chances of Spurs finishing in the top 4 are "pretty remote". Most caftards wrote off Spurs chances during the season when they did finish 4th.

This season Arsenal are considerably weaker (unless they pull off some amazing signings in the next 24 hours or so), Chelsea don't look all that so far and Spurs have finished above Liverpool for the last 2 seasons. I regard the top 2 places as being almost nailed on for City and Man. Utd, and all else up for grabs. Spurs stand a decent chance of top 4.


Well, Modric's "player power" has been squashed this summer - that's undeniable.


This is an arguable point of view. However, when you have a realistic choice (which a 6 year contract gives the club) I don't see that selling your best player is the best way of building up the team.

Far better to keep him, sell some deadwood (Palacios, Hutton, Keane, O'Hara etc) and bring in some upgrades - e.g. Adebayor, Parker, maybe (?) Cahill and perhaps one or two others.

I'm with WireRed on this.

I would happily have a bet on Spurs not finishing top four this season. Not to be totally dismissive but it's a good bet to take on.

If you want to have a bet on the relative places of Chelsea and Spurs, all the better.
 
Spurs chances of finishing top 4 are definitely remote. I'd say that even if Spurs had started strongly and were ahead of liverpool and chelsea... which they're not, they're at the bottom (yes yes I know they played the two strongest teams in the league arguably).
 
Well, we know Asston is a betting man. Surely he'll take you up on your offers. In fact, he will no doubt offer this bet to anyone on the board.
 
You might be able to swing him into betting that sp*rs finish higher than Arse. That's an interesting bet.
 
You might be able to swing him into betting that sp*rs finish higher than Arse. That's an interesting bet.

I actually don't know who to side with on that.

I'd normally go with Arsenal every time but not sure this year.
 
Spurs will not finish in the top 4 unless they sign a very quality striker and maybe a defender as well
 
Spurs will not finish in the top 4 unless they sign a very quality striker and maybe a defender as well

They have signed Adebayor already and are negotiating for Cahill, Parker and probably Diarra as well. If Cahill and one of Parker/Diarra sign they'll be pretty good.
 
It's the same situation as last season. The top three teams are pretty much nailed on (with Chelsea being the team with a very small possibility of dropping out as opposed to City last season), and then Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs battling for fourth. It wouldn't surprise me all that much if Spurs do get it, but they are probably the least likely of the three teams.
 
.... Spurs won't finish 4th, if you beg to differ as strongly as you seem, put your money where your mouth is and let's have a bet ....
I haven't said that Spurs WILL finish 4th, I have only said they stand a decent chance ... not the "remote chance" that you have stated.

At the moment it's all too unpredictable IMO, so I won't be taking up your bet offer. A clearer view of things will obviously be possible after the window shuts today.
 
I haven't said that Spurs WILL finish 4th, I have only said they stand a decent chance ... not the "remote chance" that you have stated.

At the moment it's all too unpredictable IMO, so I won't be taking up your bet offer. A clearer view of things will obviously be possible after the window shuts today.

You think Harry will put his faith in some of your youngsters? I notice Walker seems to be getting some games now, any exciting prospects you think are dead certs?
 
You think Harry will put his faith in some of your youngsters? I notice Walker seems to be getting some games now, any exciting prospects you think are dead certs?
I think the youngsters will mainly be played in Europa games and other cup matches - the likes of Harry Kane, Jake Livermore, Thomas Caroll, Andros Townsend and Ryan Fredericks ... as per the recent home match against Hearts. Maybe even the recent signing, Coulibaly, will get his chance too in such matches.

Walker will be more involved in league games, as will Danny Rose at LB if Ekotto gets injured.

Apart from Kane, many of our best prospects are out on loan - Steven Caulker (CB) at Swansea for example, or Ryan Mason at Doncaster.
 
I think it's going to be a long hard season for Spurs.....being gubbed 5-1 at home will not do anybody's confidence any good, Modric dragging his bottom lip and stinking the place out will brew unrest, and VdV tearing his hamstring means their most potent players are ineffective.

Even though Adebayor may bring in some firepower, they still seem to have a monopoly on non-scoring centre forwards.

Have nothing against Spurs , just the way I sees it.
 
I haven't said that Spurs WILL finish 4th, I have only said they stand a decent chance ... not the "remote chance" that you have stated.

At the moment it's all too unpredictable IMO, so I won't be taking up your bet offer. A clearer view of things will obviously be possible after the window shuts today.

You don't have a decent chance. You are miles behind Liverpool currently and far behind Arsenal in terms of quality as well, not to mention your team's mentality is as bad as Arsenal's. 10% chance at most but I'm not surprised that you think differently after you claimed halfway through last season that you were in the title race in spite of being like 10 points behind everyone who actually was in the title race. :D
 
you don't have a decent chance. You are miles behind liverpool currently and far behind arsenal in terms of quality as well, not to mention your team's mentality is as bad as arsenal's. 10% chance at most but i'm not surprised that you think differently after you claimed halfway through last season that you were in the title race in spite of being like 10 points behind everyone who actually was in the title race. :d

:d
 
Also reading through the last few pages, Glaston was so right.

Yeah, I've just had a scan through the pre- and early-season musings on here, and Glaston has been totally vindicated in his view. To be honest, I've often been baffled by the stick he gets on here; his arguments are usually reasonably balanced and considered.
 
He's another Arteta, good player, stands out in a non-top-4 team, just short of top class.

He is pretty good but thats about it.

Why dont we have the same debate about.... valencia...or palacios... or anyone half decent at a second rate club!

Quite funny second and third comments in the thread considering where the players mentioned ended up!
 
Funnily enough, considering Pete's comment, I don't believe we've lost a match to Arsenal when Modric has been in the team. Touch wood that run continues.
 
'Arry would be a fool to get rid of Modric, the key to their success. There's no one around at his level, at his age, with his experience and creativity.

Saying that, they can have Berbatov back with a few quid if they're selling :devil:
 
It might not be that long, we should start from where we left off, put a £40 million bid on the table.
If Chelski want to waste their time again - and thus again end up with a last-minute panic buy - then go right ahead.

Are you really so deluded as to believe that Spurs might sell Modric in January - half-way through a season where we have it all to play for in the league?

And do you seriously imagine that a 40m bid which failed in the summer is somehow, miraculously, going to persuade Levy now? You could bid 50m and the outcome would be the same.
 
It might not be that long, we should start from where we left off, put a £40 million bid on the table.

Spurs will not sell him in january. Pretty naive to expect otherwise. Next summer is the earliest you could hope for to land him.
 
If Chelski want to waste their time again - and thus again end up with a last-minute panic buy - then go right ahead.

Are you really so deluded as to believe that Spurs might sell Modric in January - half-way through a season where we have it all to play for in the league?

And do you seriously imagine that a 40m bid which failed in the summer is somehow, miraculously, going to persuade Levy now? You could bid 50m and the outcome would be the same.

Not in January, of course.

But in the summer the bidding may resume. And not just from Chelsea, United I'm sure would be interested.

There was never an official 40m bid, by the way. That figure comes from Redknapp's ramblings about what bid would be worthy for a player like Modric.
 
Not in January, of course.

But in the summer the bidding may resume. And not just from Chelsea, United I'm sure would be interested.

There was never an official 40m bid, by the way. That figure comes from Redknapp's ramblings about what bid would be worthy for a player like Modric.
Have you ever considered the distinct possibility that Chelsea may finish outside the top 4 this season? If they do, I doubt Modric will renew his interest in moving across town.

And if Spurs finish in the top 4, can you imagine how much money it'd take to persuade Levy to sell Modric next summer? The answer is more than Man. Utd could afford.

Btw, official or not, the 40m figure comes from many sources.