Steven Caulker

[Wardie]

James

Carey Caulker Fonts

Albert Skuse Ribs Elliot Rose

Stead Pitman

Johnson, Haynes,Cisse,Stewart,Hunt,Gerken as bench

Ribs in central midfield?!

[Redcliffe 78]

Great comment by Harry Redknapp in the Sun today i was going to put Caulker on the bench against West Ham but after the Arsenal game he had cramp everywhere including his ears. I thought he done well against Arsenal apart from the pen i thought he handled Vela pretty well. Highly rated from what i read about him by everyone at Spurs, time will tell bit i'm very optimistic about him.

[Steve Watts]

Bit confused by this comment on the bbc website though

"Under the rules of the youth loan, Caulker will still be allowed to train with Spurs and play reserve-team matches for the Premier League side."

I assume that means that he'll be allowed to train with Spurs if both clubs want that....seems an odd situation to play someone who's not been training with you and therefore embedding into the team and tactics....?

[SJC]

Funny signing this one, one that creates more problems than it solves.

The signing itself is good, a promising young centre back who appears to immediately upgrade the position.

The issue here is the knock on affect.

Caulker, as with Rose, will play or be recalled. Carey will also start which either means a change in formation - at a time when points rather than a settling period are required, playing an out of position centre back at full back in Fontaine, or leaving Fontaine and, more significantly Stewart, who is a proven Championship performer, completely out in the cold.

The preferred of those three options, for me, is moving Fontaine to the bench, because if it goes any other way we are accomodating Caulker's inclusion at the expense of the team in general.

Playing Fontaine out of position is not a solution, nor is it an upgrade, at left back. Hunt and Stewart who, on paper, are top end Championship performers are frozen out, especially Stewart. Granted performances to date have not been acceptable, but the concern is that two proven players are already, less than ten games into the season, dead wood within the squad.

If it is to be 3-5-2, which I am not opposed to per se, you limit Rose and Adomah's attacking capabilities, unless you play Adomah up front where he has looked less threatening than when he is running at the defense. In turn the logic of playing Rose centrally is complete lost on me, considering he clearly poses a greater threat on the flank.

The player himself upgrades centre half, thus certainly no objections on the ability of the signing. However the knock on affect and therefore necessity of recruiting another centre back needs to be questionned, when there are cleary more pressing needs which would limit upheaval across the board.

[Ian M]

Bit confused by this comment on the bbc website though

"Under the rules of the youth loan, Caulker will still be allowed to train with Spurs and play reserve-team matches for the Premier League side."

I assume that means that he'll be allowed to train with Spurs if both clubs want that....seems an odd situation to play someone who's not been training with you and therefore embedding into the team and tactics....?

He said in his interview on player that he's staying in the same hotel as Rose so I guess he'll be here for a good part of the week.

[Guest Parson St Station]

Ribs in central midfield?!

Yup,drop straight back to 442 if getting hammered or got to 3-4-1-2 if getting on top.Albert into the 'hole'

He can actually tackle, beat a man and PASS THE BALL FORWARD TO A TEAMATE!!.....unlike most of our current midfield.

Got to be worth a go, even if only for a half.

Then again what do I know?

[Nugget]

Agent 46 on Twitter to me yesterday.... "I heard BCFC are going 3 CBs at the back now Caulker arrived @myvirginkitchen"

Not saying this is a cert, but he's got some excellent contacts.