Tottenham Q&A: Werner and Dragusin delight, FA Cup draw and Man Utd 'opportunity'
Tottenaham Q&A: Werner and Dragusin delight, FA Cup draw and Man Utd 'opportunity'
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00:00 James, it is the first Spurs Q&A of the new year. We are of course in the January transfer
00:06 window and Spurs are already doing some early business. We look firstly at Timo Werner,
00:10 of course ex-Chelsea. He's now coming to Spurs on loan, I think with an optional obligation
00:15 to buy, so probably will end up at Spurs most likely permanently come the end of the season.
00:20 It's an interesting one because of course Chelsea didn't really ever hit the ground
00:24 running, he failed to become that sort of striker where he'd be getting lots of goals
00:30 on a regular basis. But Ed Spurs under Postacoglou with that attacking philosophy, that sort
00:35 of pacey football, could this be the right suit for him?
00:39 Yes, I think it could be. I think it certainly surprised a lot of Spurs fans. He's come out
00:44 of very much left field, almost wrapped up within 48 hours after breaking at the weekend.
00:50 I think a lot of Spurs fans would have been delighted had he got over the line, lasting
00:55 on the transfer deadline. But the fact he's coming so early has been a little bit underwhelming
00:59 for some Spurs fans. Six months loan, with an option to buy I think of around £15 million.
01:07 But I think for Spurs it's been said quite widely, but low-risk, high-reward potentially.
01:12 What he brings to a Postacoglou system is extreme pace, he runs all day long, he can
01:18 play across the front three. He is a quality player. He was known at Chelsea for some high-profile
01:24 misses but actually a couple of journalists have done a little bit of digging into his
01:27 stats and his output was a goal or an assist every other game for Chelsea. But unfortunately
01:33 he was known for a couple of terrible misses there and became a bit of a pantomime villain
01:37 didn't he? But I think for Spurs, the big thing is that Andrew Postacoglou wanted him.
01:44 For me, we trust him. He seems to be given the keys in terms of the transfer ownership
01:48 and we were only going after players that Andrew Postacoglou wants. And if there's anybody
01:53 who can get him back to his best, I think it is Postacoglou. We play fantastic football,
01:57 really exciting, high-press, high-line, high-energy attacking football and Werner really suits
02:04 the system to a T. I think if you had said to me during his time at Leipzig we were after
02:08 him and he did come in, instead of going to Chelsea it would have been an absolute marquee
02:12 signing. The flip side is we still haven't really invested the Harry Kane money so you
02:17 could argue a six-month loan with a low fee option to buy at the end of the season isn't
02:23 really reinvesting the Kane money. That said, I think strikers are a rare commodity at the
02:29 moment aren't they? You can see a lot of teams crying out for number nines, Chelsea Arsenal
02:33 in particular. There's a bit of a dearth of the actual number nine forward isn't there?
02:38 So I think, as I say, low-risk Harry Ward, excited actually. I think the fact he's got
02:43 a point to prove in the Premier League just might give us the edge. As I say, he gives
02:47 us options down the middle with Son at the Asian Cup. He can also play off the left.
02:52 He can also make a difference off the bench. So lots of positives. I think where he does
02:57 need to improve is his final third output and I think you could probably say that about
03:01 the majority of the Spurs front-line. Excluding Son, with Charleston, Johnson, Kulishevski
03:07 all need to improve in terms of goal output. So he kind of fits into that category which
03:11 if we're looking for somebody a little bit clinical, perhaps he does have a point to
03:14 prove but overall I think it could be quite a smart bit of business and nice to see Spurs
03:19 recruiting early in the window as well which is exactly what the manager wanted.
03:23 But of course it's not the only piece of business that Spurs have been involved in at the moment.
03:28 In particular, a transfer where they appear to have beaten Bayern Munich to the signing.
03:32 What else can you tell us James?
03:35 Well by the looks of it, a major coup. This guy is one of the most up-and-coming defenders
03:39 in Serie A, Radu Dragacin. Looks like, fingers crossed, he's going to complete that move
03:44 to Spurs after the Bayern Munich intervention and attempted hijack earlier in the week.
03:50 He's chosen Spurs and I think that is a bit of a coup for us really. It's a bit of a statement
03:54 as well. Whether the deal was too far advanced and Bayern were just in the party too late,
04:00 who knows. The lure of the Premier League is obviously huge but I think also, as I said
04:04 before, the lure of playing for Ancel Postacoglou. He's really identifying these key players
04:08 that he wants and he's selling a bit of a vision. There's a feel-good factor around
04:13 Tottenham at the moment. Dragacin obviously desperately needing a centre-back Spurs. He
04:17 fits the profile, he's young, plays the high line, he's aggressive, wins lots of duels.
04:21 I think he just needs to work on his ball distribution. I think he's an excellent dribbler
04:25 by all accounts from the sort of research I've been doing. But areas of his game that
04:30 do need improving. But again, fits the Spurs profile, he's young, he's upcoming, a bit
04:35 of a star in the making potentially. He'd be a perfect foil for Cristiano Romero and
04:39 Micky van der Ven. Obviously both injured at the moment. Van der Ven on his way back,
04:43 fingers crossed. But we're obviously desperate for a centre-back. So again, another smart
04:48 bit of business. The fact that Spurs are moving so early in January, I think this is the earliest
04:52 we've ever signed players that I can remember in January. So we're backing the manager.
04:57 It's a bit of a statement. We're getting in that squad depth, which we desperately
05:00 needed. We're right in touch in terms of the league. We're still in the FA Cup obviously
05:05 as well. So this gives us real depth, real options just to mix things up a bit for Posse
05:11 Koglu and obviously provide really good cover at centre-back with all the injuries that
05:15 we seem to be picking up at the moment. So again, another huge tick in the box and a
05:19 positive signing for Spurs.
05:21 Moving to league football, Spurs take on Manchester United this weekend. Manchester
05:28 United are a team who this season have been very up and down. I think a lot of their wins
05:32 have perhaps been a bit fortuitous. So given Spurs' attacking nature as a team, there's
05:38 a chance they could blow them away.
05:41 Yes, I think it's a really good opportunity. Up until a couple of seasons ago, we had a
05:45 dreadful record at Old Trafford. But actually we've been there a couple of times and won
05:50 in recent seasons. I've been lucky enough to be in the crowd for a couple of really
05:53 good victories there. You never quite know what you're going to get with Manchester United.
05:59 You can't deny they're a team of talented individuals, but they don't necessarily play
06:02 as a team. I'm not really sure of the system. They're obviously beset by quite a lot of
06:07 injuries as well. So I think it's a real opportunity for Spurs, provided Dragerson comes in and
06:13 gets done before the deadline, because Ben Davies pulled up with a hamstring problem
06:18 at the end of the FA Cup game last week. So whether Van de Ven's fit as well, that's going
06:22 to be interesting. Spurs are obviously carrying lots of injuries at the moment, but it gives
06:27 us a real opportunity. And it'll be interesting to see how we approach the game, really, in
06:32 terms of the front line. Will Werner come straight in? Will he be used off the bench?
06:35 I think he's been carrying an obductory injury this season. Only made two starts for Leipzig,
06:40 a couple of goals as well, I think. But his fitness might mean he has to wait for his
06:44 chance off the bench. But maybe Richarlison will be looking over his shoulder, despite
06:49 his really good form. Five goals in six games, he looked very out of sorts in the Cup game
06:55 at Burnley. So maybe, you know, Angus throwing people in from the off, he threw Van de Ven
06:59 in straight away for his debut at Brentford. So he's certainly not afraid to give players
07:03 the head and just let them loose. So it'll be really interesting to see how we shape
07:07 up. We will take the game to Manchester United. We'll play with that high line, we'll be aggressive.
07:14 And it'll be interesting to see. I mean, you'd like to think you're pretty confident, but
07:18 as I say, Manchester United do have quality, they can turn it on, but they have been very,
07:22 very hit and miss. And we beat them at the Tottenham Oxford Stadium early in the season.
07:27 They actually played pretty well that day. That's probably one of their best performances.
07:30 But we managed to come on strong in the second half. So I'm really excited for the game on
07:35 Sunday. And fingers crossed, we've got a good chance of going there and getting a result.
07:42 And finally, in the FA Cup, as you mentioned, Spurs progressing against Burnley. A Pedro
07:48 Porro wonder goal that sent you through in the end. But although Burnley did have a couple
07:52 of big chances right towards the end, and it was probably heart and mouth moment, but
07:57 Spurs have drawn Manchester City in the fourth round. Although they are at home, which of
08:02 course is an advantage. And in fairness, Spurs have quite a good record at home to Manchester
08:06 City of recent years. So I think we said just before the call started, if you want to be
08:11 the best, you have to beat the best, James. And so very much a case of it in this fixture.
08:15 Yes, I mean, I'd have rather it not been in Round 4 of the FA Cup, to be perfectly honest
08:19 with you. I was really excited and looking forward to the draw until Gary Marbert pulled
08:24 out number 21, I think it was, which was Manchester City, which was a bit ironic being our last
08:29 FA Cup winning captain to draw us the tie of the round, if you like. I mean, you know,
08:34 Man City are a fantastic team, they're winning everything. They've just come back from winning
08:40 the World Club Cup and they're just starting to hit the straps, you know, after a bit of
08:43 an indifferent start to the season, I think it's fair to say. I mean, you know, how they
08:47 keep motivated after winning the treble, it must be very, very difficult, but they are
08:52 looking like they're bouncing back to some kind of form. So, you know, it's going to
08:56 be a tough game. They don't come any tougher than Manchester City. The plus side is we're
09:01 at home and as you just referenced there, Manchester City have been to the top of the
09:05 Motspur Stadium five times, they've suffered five defeats and haven't scored a goal yet,
09:08 despite outplaying us on numerous occasions. So, you know, if there's an omen there, then
09:13 that potentially could be a good one. And as you say, if you want to be the best, you've
09:18 got to beat the best and if we could get one over on them, you know, with the home crowd
09:22 behind us, it'd be a brilliant sort of galvanising effect, potentially not just for the FA Cup
09:28 campaign, but for the league season. So, you know, I think the team selection was really
09:32 interesting from Possokoglou in the third round against Burnley. You know, we went very,
09:37 very strong, pretty much the full strength team that he could have picked, you know,
09:39 despite all the injuries. You're right, it was probably one of the worst performances
09:43 actually, we were pretty flat. Burnley had some excellent chances, didn't they? They
09:47 should have levelled it right at the death. But nonetheless, you know, Pedro Porro scored
09:53 an absolute wonder goal and, you know, just rewards as well. He's been outstanding this
09:56 season. I think he's been one of our unsung heroes, really. Lots of questions over whether
10:00 Porro could play as a full back in the Possokoglou system, having been brought in as a wing back,
10:05 obviously, with Antonio Conte. But, you know, the defensive side of his game has been absolutely
10:09 superb and, you know, he's got a handful of assists and now adding a goal to his game
10:14 and it was a strike worthy of winning any game, wasn't it? What a fantastic effort from
10:19 the edge of the box. It was an absolute cracker and worthy of winning any game, really. So,
10:24 you know, we got into the hat. It wasn't convincing, but, you know, we're into the next round and,
10:28 you know, we look forward to Man City. As I say, I'd have preferred an easier draw.
10:32 It'd have been nice to get one of the lower league teams at home, no disrespect to them,
10:36 but just to get us into the next round. But, you know, tie the round, as I say, and it
10:41 should be an exciting game. And as I say, we have got the hoodoo on Manchester City.
10:46 We scraped a three-all draw somehow from the jaws of defeat at the Etihad earlier in the
10:50 season, didn't we? So, it'll be really interesting. We actually play them pretty close after in
10:54 the league as well. So, perhaps a good barometer as to how we'll get on. But, hopefully, we
11:00 get a few injuries back. There's Thorpe Madison might be back for that game, which would be
11:03 massive. You know, hopefully Van der Ven will be fully up to speed with him coming back
11:07 from his hamstring injury. Cristian Romero too. And then those we've just been speaking
11:12 about, you know, you add Werner into the mix, Dragosin potentially, and, you know, who knows
11:15 what else the transfer window will bring as well. I think Spurs still looking for other
11:20 opportunities, I think, should anything arise. Conor Gallagher's been linked with a move
11:24 from Chelsea, which is quite an interesting one, actually. He's actually captain in Chelsea
11:29 at the moment, but he would be a terrific number six. He's got a brilliant engine. And
11:32 if you go back to his time at Crystal Palace, he was a real player on lots of people's radar.
11:37 So, that'll be an interesting one. Just one to watch. I think possibly more likely to
11:41 move in the summer if he is going to move. I don't think Pochettino's keen on losing
11:46 him, but obviously, financial fair play may take that out of his hands. So, we'll see
11:50 what happens there and any other opportunities that crop up. And that may well see a couple
11:54 of departures as well, with Heubert potentially heading out as well. So, lots going on.