What do we think.
I am finding it strange that we seem to be sitting back whilst other teams, Newcastle in particular, are actively going after him. I even heard Arsenal are showing an interest.
Having had the basic problem of our inability to play through teams who adopt a defensive formation, usually 5-4-1, royally confirmed to us in the Roma friendly, it must be obvious to Conte / Levy that James Maddison, who has clear PL experience / abilities at a high level, would be ideal in our currently defensive dominated midfield.
Not to mention, preventing us from watching Harry belt yet another free kick into the opposition wall or row z.
Two reasons could be relevant:
1. English players are always 10/20% more expensive. Sounds like Leicester may want around £60m. Perhaps the club think too much ?
2. We ( as in Conte in particular ) have sights firmly elsewhere. Zaniolo has been mentioned a lot, but is listed as an attacker in their squad details.
My worry is that, outside of the "big 6" the majority of the others, when coming to our place, will play that defensive format, relaying on nicking it from set plays and corners, which we are rubbish at. We have seen this time and again, with just the other night when playing Roma. Jose would have known that, and so do the other teams in the PL.
So why not Maddison ? we do have the funds ( allegedly )
If we do nothing and watch him go to, and improve a direct rival, for me it is a mistake.
Maddison ??
posted on 2/8/22
Just to put some Leicester fan perspective on your debate over our finances.
In short I think you are both right. Our owners' finances have been severely hit by the pandemic due to their focus being duty free stores and hotels and the club's finances have been hit hard by the pandemic, albeit I imagine no worse than most other clubs.
It is reported that we cannot buy any players unless we sell for two reasons - (1) we need the money, and (2) we have a big squad that needs trimming.
There is a recognition that if we are to invest then we need to sell to meet FFP. At least we are aiming to meet FFP rather than craft some implausible route to work round it.
In summary, we are an average sized club that has over achieved for several years, and we do not have the financial muscle to invest massively in the team without European football or selling off the family jewels as we have in the past (e.g. Kante, Mahrez, Drinkwater, Chilwell, Maguire).
posted on 2/8/22
comment by Diamondlights (U20501)
posted 51 minutes ago
I think Maddison is the difference between Spurs Challenging for the title and winning a cup Vs being a top 4 contender/ Going deep in the cups without getting it over the line
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He really isn't that good.
posted on 2/8/22
comment by Diamondlights (U20501)
posted 1 hour ago
Conte's 3-4-3 system is great and we are now in much better position to play it. Perisic, Spence, Doc and Sess will all thrive in that system. The problem is that the likes of PEH & Skipp don't offer enough going forward when the have the protection of 3 CBs.
Signing Maddison would give us a great plan B should we need to switch formations.
343
*****************Hugo************
*****Romero*****Dier*****Lenglet****
**Doherty***Bissouma***Bentancur***Perisic***
**************Kulu***Kane****Son*****
4231
****************Hugo**************
***Spence***Romero**Dier***Perisic***
************PEH****Maddison***********
*****Kulu**********Kane****Sonny****
*****************Richarlison**************
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My thoughts precisely. At the moment if we are playing well, Kane and Son are clicking, then fine. But so often we come up against a Brighton with a tactically aware manager, and we just can't get past their defensive formation.
When look at our dropped points last year, it was usually against so called lesser teams, who simply sat back in numbers and had either a good free kick taker ( Southampton ) or good at free kicks or corners ( west Ham )
We really do need that creative plan B.
I am not saying Maddison is the best out there, but he does appear to be approachable and apparently prefers London. CL obviously a draw too.
If it's £60m just to get talking to Leicester, then so what. We were happy to lash out a similar amount on Richarlison, not a first choice player and Maddison, who knows a big six club will probably get him more attention with Southgate, has proven PL experience and, for me has the specific quality we need and don't have.
posted on 2/8/22
Agree on the need for Maddison. What we currently have on our bench is a series of pound shop versions of what we have on the field. No different options for when the going gets tough. Like you say, where is that plan B?
posted on 2/8/22
Even in preseason you could see Kane dropping deep to pick up and create something, which started happening in the second half against Roma. He's brilliant at it but to be honest, he's only really doing it because he's getting frustrated at the lack of supply. He didn't do any of that whilst Eriksen was here. He could have, but he didn't need to. That's the difference.
We need a creative attacking midfielder who scores goals takes set pieces and has a good assists record. Maddison is that guy. Not Zaniolo.
posted on 2/8/22
Maddison is the perfect player for us which makes it infuriating that we are instead chasing Zaniolo
He's up for grabs for £60m, just pay the money because he improves our squad massively, plus he's homegrown and a good age
Excellent set piece taker, creative and versatile, with good end product to boot
posted on 2/8/22
comment by Analog (U17200)
posted 20 minutes ago
Maddison is the perfect player for us which makes it infuriating that we are instead chasing Zaniolo
He's up for grabs for £60m, just pay the money because he improves our squad massively, plus he's homegrown and a good age
Excellent set piece taker, creative and versatile, with good end product to boot
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Yep... Get him done and its been the perfect window (Esp if we can raise a few quid from GLC, Ndombele & Winks
posted on 2/8/22
Would love Maddison. Hope we go in for him.
posted on 2/8/22
Doesn't he have two years left on deal? Interesting if he doesn't sign one by next summer
posted on 2/8/22
Somethings that's always been a big mystery ( and irritation ) to me is why Spurs are the only PL club where everyone is leaving or needs to be held onto.
Just about every segment on Sky Sports involves some non entity telling us Kane needs to go, or they need to hold onto Conte. Then the , well if they lose Son they are in trouble. Then we get German media outlets like Bild trying to fabricate a non existant tranfer to Bayern for Kane!
Then you come on places like here, and all we see are comments from people who know even less than the idiots on Sky, sprouting on about Kane leaving, or Kane needs to win this or that or he will walk.
Apart from the obvious Media narrative, coupled with the fans who continually fall for that narrative, everyone needs to understand how contractual law works.
Kane is under contract until 2024. Levy has the power and, put simply, Kane, or Son can't just walk away just because they want to. Levy needs to agree to it.
I am fairly sure Sky have a very expensive legal team, but chose to ignore the basic principles of law and continually go with the "let's keep theorising, but in a way that sounds like it will happen"
I mean, does it not occur to people that it is a bit strange that nobody is looking to move from any other team, according the the daily tittle tattle given out by the media ?
The like of Merson must be laughing his head off at this constant Spurs / Kane / Conte narrative. Some of which he personally has stoked up for obvious reasons.