Spurs will be better without Bale

As Gareth Bale prepares to walk out on Spurs for Real Madrid the demise of Spurs might be greatly exaggerated. Actually Spurs might have a stronger team without Bale.

Last year with no defined striker the goal scoring fell on Bale, while this year with Spurs have a proven goal scorer in Soldado who will come close to matching Bale's goal output. This years starting 11 for Spurs is deeper and stronger with Bale gone. With the addition, this also allows AVB to change the game when he needs to on the bench.

Just take a look:

Last years Spurs went with a 4-2-3-1 formation: 

Striker: Adebayor/Defoe 
Attacking Midfielder: Dempsey/Sigurdsson
Attacking Midfielder: Bale
Attacking Midfielder: Lennon
Holding Midfielder: Sandro 
Holding Midfielder: Dembele
Defender: Walker
Defender: Dawson 
Defender: Vertonghen
Defender: Assou Ekotto
Goalie: Lloris 


Now look at this years roster for Spurs playing 4-2-3-1, if the rumoured transfer for Willian and Lamala go through:

Striker:  Roberto Soldado
Attacking Midfielders: Lennon /Lamala
Attacking Midfielders: Willian
Attacking Midfielder: Sigurdsson/ Nacer Chadli
Holding Midfielder: Dembele 
Holding Midfielder: Paulinho
Defender: Walker
Defender: Vertonghen 
Defender: Dawson/ Capoue
Defender: Rose/Contrao
Goalie: Lloris

If the rumoured deals for William an Lamala go through, Spurs would have spent 117 million pounds on player this summer. That makes this team deeper, which might allow them to reach their ultimate goal which is Champions League football next year, even without Bale. 

World's Richest Transfers

If Bale leaves Spurs for Real Madrid, he will then top this list, but before that happens here are the top transfers fee record breakers. A great list and hours of fun.

The new Billionaires Derby: PSG vs. Monaco

Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona move over cause your money means nothing any more. Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain enter French football arms race as they chase Champions League. The two French clubs are selling out $90 millions for players left and right. From Falcao to Cavani, no player is too expense for these two clubs. For the season to come, football fans will be watching France to see if these team gel and see if they become global force that they hope to.

Is Porto really the best run club in Europe

They win trophies, they make a profit on most transfers. Could Porto be the best run club in Europe. You really can make that point and the people at Smash Report make that exact point . 

"The method is very simple to follow,'' the story says. "They scout young talent, sign them at a good reasonable price, develop them and finally sell them at a huge sum of amount. It more like seems an easy procedure but has a lot of problems which can go against their favor as well."

Who could lie with them. Besides making a profit with the selling of players the Portuguese power have also made 15 million euros by letting managers move on. They are printing money and trophies. 

The Global Munich

Last year Bayern Munich broke the bank and signed Javi Martinez for a German record 40 million euros from Athletic Bilbo, that move may have set the wheels in motion to the turn the German giants into a truly global club.

Not saying that Munich is not a global club. For generations Munich has a been a club that has been rooted in German players and coaches but that might be changing. Last years move for Martinez may have been the start of it.

Earlier this year, the German Giants tabbed former Barca manager Pep Guardiola to head the revolution. This is not your typical hire for Munich. In the past they would have targeted someone like Jurgen Klopp to run the show. The Guardiola hire shows that the largest club in German is up for more than more than German domination.

Then today more signs that Munich want to be global club. Rumors all over Europe are linking Munich to signing Neymar for 86 million pounds, according to the British press. The club is no stranger to signing Brazilian. Munich currently has three Brazilians on their roster, no of the quality or cost of Neymar. Munich brought the three in for a total of $30 million Euros.

Would getting Neymar allow Munich to be a force in Brazil? It might.

The changes are coming fast at the German giant, I want to see how this all ends.

How Bale Almost Left Spurs

The idea that Gareth Bale was going to be a star at Spurs was not always a forgone conclusion. Lets go back four years ago when Spurs wanted to sent him out of White Hart Lane. Boy has times changed. Thanks to 101 goals for the photo.

Oh Golden Balls

The winter transfer closed all over Europe and the biggest story in England was no other than Golden Balls. Ole Golden Balls signed with money bags club PSG on Thursday. The move was the lead of all the sports section in the England.

The $72 million man

After a half a season of hype, PSG fans finally got a look at their news $72 million man.

On Friday, the much hyped Lucas Moura made his debut for the club in their game against AC Ajaccio. Over the summer the oil rich club bought the 20 year old from São Paulo. Both clubs agreed that he would not join PSG until January. During the summer PSG outbid Manchester United for Moura services.

To start the game Moura started on the right side of the midfield pushing forward at any chance he got.

During the game he showed some of the skills that made him one of the worlds most valuable footballers. The one thing that surprised me was that Moura got involved in a couple of challenges, you don't usually see that with a player coming over from Brazil. His on the ball strength was impressive for a player who is only 20 years old.



The one negative I see was that he kept drifting inside and not staying on the wing.

Based on a first appearance it looks like Moura is going to be a stat in the French capital.

The one that got away

During the summer Paul Pogba decided to leave the Manchester United for the greener grass of Juventus because of a lack of first team chance.

On Saturday, Juve took on Napoli at in a battle of top three sides in Italy. Pogba started the game on the bench but made a big impact after he came in 76th  minute. During the his 18 minutes on the field Pogba scored his first league goal on a great shot and showed flashes of why people say he is Patrick Vieira like.

Since Roy Keane left United, the Red Devils have been looking for a strongman in midfield. They have tried Fletcher, and even Phil Jones. Progba would have been perfect for that role and would have allowed United not to worry about this position for the next decade.

I know that people wanted to keep him at United, but it hurts when you see him showing the promise at another club. 

Poor Stewart

Steward Downing time at Liverpool has not the been the best, especially when it comes to playing in the Premier League. Its so bad that newly signed Manchester United left back Alexander Buttner has had more scoring success than the England. 

Below are the numbers and we all know that they never lie:

• Stewart Downing ; Winger, 39 games, 0 goals, 0 assist, £20 million.
• Alexander Buttner ; Left back, 1 game, 1 goal, 1 assist, £4 million.

OTWT All Transfer team

With the transfer windowing now finally shutting around Europe. Here is the OTWT ALL Transfer Team. This team may have cost a ton, but I bet I can could coach them to a league title in any country.

Goalie: Hugo Lloris from Lyon to Tottenham Hotspurs
Defenders: Thiago Silva from AC Milan to PSG
Defender: Jordi Alba from Valencia to Barcelona
Defender:Javier Martineze from Athletic Club to Munich (I know he players in midfield but he has played 22 times in defense last year with Athletic Club)
Defender: Jan Vertonghen from Ajax to Tottenham Hotspur
Midfielder: Marco Reus from M'Gladbach to Dortmond.
Midfielder: Eden Hazard from Lillie to Chelsea
Midfielder: Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid
Midfielder: Alex Witsel from Benfica to Zenit St. Petersburg
Forward: Robin van Persie from Arsenal to Manchester United
Forward: Zlatan Ibrahimovic from AC Milan to PSG

Bench: Lucas Mora from Sao Paulo to PSG, Hulk from Porto to Zenit St. Petersburg, Oscar from Sao Paulo to Chelsea. Gregory van der Wiel from Ajax to PSG.

Fox Soccer Fail

First it was ESPN.com screwing up now it's Fox Soccer. During the Spurs Newcastle game, FSC said that Emmanuel Adebayor was coming on to replace Gylfi Sigurosson. Small problem Adebayor is still a Manchester City player even though he spent last season on loan at Spurs. I know it's the first week of the season but this can't happen.

Could Nick Powell be the Ronnie?

Not saying this is a fair comparison but some suggest that newly signed Manchester United player Nick Powell could be the next Cristiano Ronaldo. Interesting to see the similarities, but Powell as a long way to go to live up to that comparison.

Eden Hazard = Lebron James

For the last couple of week Eden Hazard has keep the soccer world waiting. Everyone wants to know where he is going to be playing next season, is it going to be Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea. Hazard has drug this out over the last couple of weeks and there seems to be no end in sight. Hazard is turning into Lebron of soccer world, all that is missing is the "Decision Special."

These kids are valuable

An interesting list of the 30 best young players in the world of soccer, put together by Futebol Finance. Very interesting to see the value of some of the players.

Start Spending Like Crazy

A list put together by BBC Sport on the top 50 players from around the world that could be on the move during the month ahead.

Andy Carroll makes money for doing nothing

Last January Liverpool paid 35 million pounds to Newcastle for striker Andy Carroll and 13 starts later that its not looking like the greatest purchase ever. Despite his struggles Carroll is set pocket £150k bonus from Liverpool, according to the Daily Mail. Not bad for a guy who has only scored four times for the reds.

Fergie's Babes

You know you have been a club a long time when you can make a starting 11 with players that weren't born when you took over. Sir Alex can do that and his team would probably end up finishing in the top half of the Premier League, simply amazing.

A new Premier League Transfer Policy

Things are changing in the Premier League, gone are the days of clubs spending $14 million on a 26 year old players, now its all about the kids. The Daily Mail's Matt Barlow takes an interesting look at practice.Clubs are looking at the resale value of a player kind of like what happened with Ronald at Manchester United.  

PSG outguns Chelsea with Money

PSG has outgunned Chelsea in the race for Javier Pastore. The $62 million move is more then a move to acquire a top rated creative midfielder, its shows that PSG is set to become a huge force in the transfer marker for years to come.