Anmeldung neuer User » rebuilding the Potters from a team content

BOSTON – The rumour mill is swirling in these parts as the hometown Red Sox spiral out of the American League playoff picture. Discount NBA Jerseys . The focus is on ace left-hander Jon Lester, whos been a standout on two world champion pitching staffs (Boston in 2007 and 2013). According to a report in CSNNE.com, the Blue Jays are among as many as eight teams pursuing Lester. The report suggests the Blue Jays have been the "most aggressive" in their interest. What is true and what isnt is often disputed at this time of year. Lester has an expiring contract, about to test the free agent waters for the first time in his career, and the 30-year-old is expected to command an annual salary well above $20-million. He would be a perfect fit in Toronto. Hed also be a perfect fit with 28 other big league teams. Dont expect general manager Alex Anthopoulos to part with either of his star pitching prospects, Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez, who are now with the Blue Jays and each contributing significantly to the clubs pennant drive. Closer Casey Janssen, the longest tenured Blue Jay, didnt comment specifically on the Lester rumours but indicated the clubhouse is watching developments intently. "Need to? I dont know if need to is the right word but I think a lot of people in this locker room would like to," said Janssen of acquiring a significant asset. "Its been a while since weve made the playoffs. Its been a while since weve been relevant. Weve worked so hard to get to where we are and if theres a guy out there that can get us to the next level well embrace him like crazy and try and ride the wave with him. "Hopefully the front office is doing something, continuing to try to improve this team and make this thing a special season for us." Infielder Danny Valencia, acquired from the Royals on Monday for pitcher Liam Hendriks and catcher Erik Kratz, arrived in time for Tuesdays game at Fenway Park but wasnt in the starting lineup. As for the Red Sox, Lester is scheduled to start Wednesdays series finale. Manager John Farrell indicated right-hander Brandon Workman would take Lesters place in the event hes traded or that a deal is imminent. A chat with Kevin Seitzer The Blue Jays entered Tuesdays action where theyve been all season: the top 10 in the games major offensive categories. Toronto ranks first in home runs (129), ninth in walks (349), fourth in batting average (.263), third in on-base percentage (.331) and third in slugging percentage (.430). TSN.ca sat down with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer to discuss the season, the degree to which Blue Jays hitters have bought into his approach and the nature of todays strike zone. You can listen to the audio here. Below is the transcript: TSN.ca: Kevin, the teams won eight of 11 games coming out of the All-Star Break and it seems the bats have come around after a bit of a lull through June and the early part of July. What are some of the keys youve seen in the last couple of weeks? SEITZER: Well, I really started focusing, emphasizing big time more, getting back in the middle of the field because I really felt guys were … especially when Brett (Lawrie) went down it started, then Lindy goes down, then Eddie goes down and guys were really trying to step up and carry the weight and do too much and we got away from the things that we were doing to get us hot when we were smoking hot in May and it was getting back in to the middle of the field. If you focus on having good at-bats and the way I put it to the guys and continued to emphasize over the course of the last couple of weeks was weve got to focus on singling teams to death, just base hit, base hit, base hit, single teams to death and let the damage unfold and if were focused on singling teams to death well find ourselves in better counts, well still end up squaring up balls more consistently that can go the other way or to the pull side and thats when the at-bats got better. Thats what allows you to be more disciplined at the plate. These guys have got to stay aggressive, theyre going to swing at bad pitches, theyre going to get fooled but if you really have a plan and an approach thats really emphatically back through the middle of the field youre going to end up giving yourself a better chance to be consistent and thats what weve been doing and its been great because some of the guys whove come up from Triple-A are really having great at-bats right now and theyre contributing and thats what we need. Its been a good roll. The break couldnt have been more timely for the offence. TSN.ca: How long did it take you to push that message through or to have that message be received as well as it has been? I think you recognize that when you were hired, you were hired by a club that had developed a reputation and I think had earned a reputation as a free swinging team. SEITZER: That was my whole plan coming in was to, I dont want to take away power, I want to enhance power, I want to enhance run production, increase on-base percentage, generate more runs because thats the bottom line to winning ballgames from an offensive standpoint, youve got to score more runs than the other side and the more runs you can get day in and day out the better chance you give your club to win. Im as big a fan of home runs as anybody and I just felt like it was more that they were geared toward hitting the ball hard. It wasnt so much that they were, you know, Im just going to go up there and swing hard and just try and hit it hard, they were really just trying to have good at-bats and hit the ball hard but really they work on the middle of the field, they practice that way but then when you get in the game thats where you have to apply it and that was kind of the last little hump to get these guys over to where, okay, Ive got a shift on, Im going to work on hitting the ball the other way everyday in batting practice, maybe Ill have some confidence to try it in a game, boom it happens, they get an RBI, we get a rally going, we keep a rally going and then it just kind of fuels the fire. It hasnt hurt our home runs at all. When we left Oakland, we got swept out in Oakland, when we went to L.A. I had a long meeting with the guys and I just kind of went through the unfolding of the season and the ups and downs and keys that I saw that guys were doing consistently when we were good and then keys that we needed to make adjustments now that were not doing. It was very well received. Basically what I do is I go in I just spill my guts, just pour my heart out to them. Its something Im very passionate about, very convicted about it and when guys do the adjustment and they start to see the results from it thats when its really fun, very rewarding from my side. TSN.ca: Is Jose Bautista perhaps the prime and best example of how to beat the shift, Kevin? By that I mean, there were times when he would take the ball up the middle or the other way earlier this season and weve actually seen defences adjust. SEITZER: You take your hat off to him because hes primarily a pull guy, a home run guy, he gets paid to drive in runs and I take my hat off to him because hes putting the team first and thats the commitment that he made when I started, when I met him, when I started talking to him in spring training. He goes, whatever I need to do in order to help this team win, thats what Im focused on. Im seeing it. Im seeing it everyday but when the guys went down I saw him try to do a little bit more to try to pick up the slack and hes one Ive been trying to stay on to take your base hits, take your base hits and let the damage unfold. Thats when his hands start working again because when he gets big, tries to do too much, not only is he not hitting home runs, which he wants to do, but hes not even having good at-bats. When his hands start working, that guys got as quick a hands as anybody in baseball and thats when its fun because he can catch some balls out front without even trying and hit them out. TSN.ca: Weve talked at times over the course of the season about strike zones and home plate umpires and if youve had issues with a strike zone, youre probably one of 30 hitting coaches at some point this year that has. What is it you want your hitters to do, how is it you want your hitters to react when those situations arise? SEITZER: These guys dont want to hear it because its, oh back in the day it was way different, but I can attest to back in the day the strike zone was much bigger than it is right now. I tell them the same things that I always tried to do as a hitter is dont change the zone. If you start expanding the zone because you think it might get called or it does get called, youre going to get yourself out anyway. You can get yourself out or you can let the umpire get you out but if you dont expand and you stay consistent and you handle the umpires in a professional manner youll have more success than what youll think. Thats the biggest thing. Home plate umpires are human. Theyre not going to be perfect and were not going to be perfect. There are times when guys are looking on one side of the plate, really locked in on it and then they get a pitch on the other side and their brain says that wasnt even close and then you go back in and look and you go, well, it wasnt that far off. It may not have been a strike but it was close to the edge of the plate, which if it was a ball off it was a strike when I played. That was something that you just understood. You didnt swing at it until you had two strikes. With two strikes you tried to protect that but not expand even more and thats the hardest part from a hitting standpoint, when you start feeling that youre trying to cover 20 inches, 22 inches, its impossible. With the pitching were facing you cant do it. Youve got to continue to hold on to your strike zone, dont deviate from it, hunt your pitch and let the results be what they are. TSN.ca: You work long hours, you prepare everyday but how does your job change when the team is doing as well as it was in May to how it was performing in June? SEITZER: You have to continue to stay the course. You have to be consistent with the message. Especially being my first year, you have to let these guys personalities unfold and sometimes they dont want to hear a certain message at a certain time and you have to know when you can give them something, when you need to let them go a little bit and then work youre way in to bringing them back to where they need to be. You cant get frustrated, you cant get mad, you cant panic. They cant sense anything different than the way I was when things were going good. I may just not be walking around with as big a smile on my face but as far as our message, the preparation, the meetings, every advanced meeting Ill have a little point from the last series of things that I liked, of things that Id like to see adjustment-wise, here are some things going in that this pitching staff will do compared to the past, the advanced video that theyre going to be watching is going to see us being vulnerable at x and so we have to counter that by locking in on whatever it is. Theres always a little different that I might said and sometimes, you know, you may come out of a good series when you sweep somebody, stay right there, dont change a thing, whatever it is. The consistency is the biggest thing you have to show these guys on a daily basis whether youre going good or bad because thats what my expectation is out of them is not get too high, too low so I have to lead by example. TSN.ca: Adding up to 100, how would you break down your job? Coach, teacher, psychologist, how do you break those facets down? SEITZER: Coach and teacher are kind of the same thing. Its probably 60-percent coach, teacher and 40-percent psychologist and some days it may be 80-percent psychologist depending on what were going through. Its amazing the things that I learned through my career how hitters, and I was one of them, will search for mechanical adjustments as soon as things start to go awry you start to tweak mechanics. Its my head, its my stance, its my set up, its my hands, I need to raise them, I need to lower them, I need to move them back, move them in and what I found through my last few years of playing is the brain will totally dictate what position, what consistency in your swing youll have. When things start to go awry I go right to the brain and not to the mechanics. There may be a mechanical adjustment or two but its always the brain thats the underlying culprit when things start to go awry and youve got to go fix that first. TSN.ca: Kevin, thanks very much for this, appreciate it. SEITZER: All right, youre welcome. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic . Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., had 18 aces in the match. He needed one hour 39 minutes to complete the victory. Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys . Redden played a total of 1,023 regular-season games with Ottawa, the New York Rangers, St. Louis and Boston. He finished with 457 points (109 goals, 348 assists) and a plus-160 rating over his career. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/ . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training.Welcome back, Premier League football. Weve missed you dearly. The international break and EURO 2016 qualifiers meant we have been without our favourite league since the end of August. Two weeks of misery, and more importantly reflection on the transfer window come and gone, leading to even more hype and anticipation for the debuts of all new signings across the Barclays Premier League this weekend. Since no games have yet been played following a flurry of transfer activity, its still appropriate to dole out the grades for each club on their ins and outs through the summer window. An incredible ?￡835 million was spent this summer, shattering the previous record of ?￡630 million spent in 2013. It was a dizzying process, sifting through rumour and speculation leading to eventual dealing. Call this a proper refresher on how your team and others faired in the transfer market. The report card may be late arriving, but nonetheless fitting heading into Match-day four. Arsenal Grade: B+ Net Money Spent: ?￡46 Key Players In: Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck, Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers Key Players Out: Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen, Carl Jenkinson (loan) The grade would have been an A if another top defensive midfield player was brought to the Emirates. That miss aside, it was a very good summer for Arsene Wenger. Sanchez fits perfectly in the Arsenal team, possessing pace and precision in attack. Welbeck could turn into a coup, especially with Olivier Giroud out long-term. Whether Welbeck can be a consistent finisher remains up for debate, but his speed will work well with all the talent on the ball. Louis Van Gaals comment Welbeck wasnt up to standard for United was accurate. Welbeck has a long way to go before being in the same conversation of the likes of Falcao, Rooney or Van Persie. He will have every opportunity in the coming months. A running start against Manchester City Saturday, coming off a brace for country is as high pressure an introduction one can have. The pick-up of Chambers represents Wengers keen eye for the future. He will be relied upon to replace Vermaelen over the short-term with no other suitable replacement brought in. Aston Villa Grade: D+ Net Money Spent: ?￡6 Key Players In: Tom Cleverley (loan), Carlos Sanchez, Aly Cissoko, Philippe Senderos Key Players Out: Antonio Luna (loan), Karim Al Ahmadi, Marc Albrighton Paul Lamberts summer purchases leave much to be desired and are a clear statement of ownerships lack of financial backing in the team. Its a bunch of projects, has-beens or never-beens brought to Villa Park. Cleverley intrigues for what he was suppose to become. A move out of Old Trafford was essential. He has a lot to learn about starting and maintaining attacking football. While the transfers mostly add depth, team success is more about what the up-and-coming players (Fabian Delph, for example) can become. The summer acquisitions are nothing more than patchwork. Burnley Grade: D Net Money Spent: ?￡8 Key Players In: Lukas Jutkiewicz, Matt Taylor, George Boyd Key Players Out: David Edgar, Chris Baird The Premier League newcomers were completely priced out of the market. Numbers were brought in but nothing of true substance. Canadian Edgar left his promoted club to remain in the League Championship. Burnley is punching above their weigh in the top flight. Burnley needed an out-and-out goal scorer and was unable to secure the service of one. Its the price of doing business in the EPL. This team isnt good enough. Chelsea Grade: A+ Net Money Spent: ?￡10 Key Players In: Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Felipe Luis, Didier Drogba, Loic Remy Key Players Out: David Luiz, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Samuel Etoo, Demba Ba, Fernando Torres (loan), Romelu Lukaku, Marco van Ginkel (loan) Hats off to Jose Mourinho for continuing his meticulously build of a team to his liking. That meant over 20 players leaving the club. Mourinho understands what kind of player he needs and thus the great clear-out of 2014 ensued. For a club that annually spends with the top clubs in the world, a net spend of just ?￡10 is jaw-dropping. No more excuses of not having any strikers. Costa has taken the league by storm over the first three weeks, and Drogba and Remy are proven Premier League goal-scorers. Fabregas is a coup: a significant upgrade over Frank Lampard. The January signing of Nemanja Matic is almost like a new addition. The only area with any kind of question is depth at centre-back, but quite frankly, most teams could use more at that position. This team is built to win the league. Crystal Palace Grade: B- Money Spent: ?￡11 Key Players In: Frazier Campbell, Wilfried Zaha (loan), Martin Kelly Key Players Out: Kaigsho Dikgacoi, Jose Campana, Jonathan Parr The most significant loss may be manager Tony Pulis who left before a ball was kicked in the new season. Pulis took a team seeming destined for relegation and turned them into one of the toughest to beat in the league. Zaha is an astute pick-up, after having so much success at Selhurst Park in their promotion season. The rest of the signings arent over the top, but add decent quality to a team thats success is predicated on team rather than individual. Campbell upfront is an immediate upgrade. This team should be improved. Everton Grade: B Money Spent: ?￡33 Key Players In: Romelu Lukaku, Samuel Etoo, Gareth Barry Key Players Out: None Keeping Lukaku at Goodison Park was paramount: Mission Accomplished. It cost Everton a club record ?￡28 million but money well spent on a 21-year-old who scored 15 goals in 31 Premier League matches a season ago. Samuel Etoo gives Lukaku a proven strike-partner. Roberto Martinez wanted to reunite with Cleverley but refused to do it on Uniteds terms. We will see if the team has requisite depth to deal with European competition. They may be a player or two short. Martinez is banking on internal growth and consistency in player and approach leading to success. Hull City Grade: B+ Money Spent: ?￡25 Key Players In: Michael Dawson, Tom Ince, Jake Livermore, Mohamed Diame, Gaston Ramirez (loan), Hatem Ben Arfa (loan), Abel Hernandez Key Players Out: Robert Koren, Shane Long, George Boyd Steve Bruce had a busy window, and brought in genuine talent at the death in Ramirez and Ben Arfa. The latter is a top Premier League player when focused. Its a decent spot for the Frenchman to land: a place he will have every chance to play to re-establish his value. Hernandez and Ince give a team lacking true attacking punch more of a genuine threat. The sale of Shane Long to Southampton was pure robbery and shows how over-valued certain talent is in the transfer market. The money spent is considerable for a mid-table club. Progressing into the Europa League certainly would have helped the books. It may be a blessing in disguise for this team to solely focus on domestic competition and avoid the trap of distraction. Leicester City Grade: B Money Spent: ?￡10 Key Players In: Leonardo Ulloa, Esteban Cambiasso, Marc Albrighton, Nick Powell (loan) Key Players Out: Lloyd Dyer Big money (?￡8m) spent on Ulloa, expected to make a smooth transition from Championship to Premier League football, is a massive risk. He has looked good to start his top-flight career. We will soon find out what legs Cambiasso has left. At 34, the Argentine is worth the risk for a team lacking true experience at the top level. Strengthening down the spine is always advisable when making the jump. The Foxes show confidence in their team that was hands down the topside in the Championship a season ago. Liverpool Grade: B+ Money Spent: ?￡36 Key Players In: Adam Lallana, Lazar Markovic, Emre Can, Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli, Alberto Moreno, Dejan Lovren Key Players Out: Luis Suarez, Daniel Agger, Martin Kelly, Andre Wisdom (loan), Pepe Reina After spending the summer buying up part of the successful Southampton team from a season ago, the biggest move unquestionably was losing Suarez. Whether they have done enough to replace the top player in the Premier League is reasonable to question. There can never be a true, straight-up replacement for Suarez. It has to be done by committee. Liverpool replaced one temperamental, unpredictable striker for another. One hopes the signing of Mario Balotelli is more than just selling team kits. Brendan Rodgers quipped Balotelli brings more trouble into the team, and he may not be far off. The upside of such a signing is too substantial to ignore. If any manager can teach Super Mario how to play proper football, its Rodgers. Balotelli will have to learn to play with his head in an intelligent system with some promising talent. There was enough brought in to Anfield to expect another competitive outfit. How good they are may depend on how Lovren settles at centre-back, on the surface, Liverpool looks slow in this position. Lallana and Lambert have much to prove whether they can make the jump and maintain top form at a new club. Manchester City Grade: B Money Spent: ?￡32 Key Players In: Fernando, Bacary Sagna, Willy Caballero, Eliaquim Mangala, Frank Lampard (loan) Key Players Out: Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards, Alvaro Negredo (loan) City was limited in summer transactions due to financial fair-play. That being said, the team did very well to add in positions of need, which werent many areas to begin with. Fernando looks a natural fit in the middle of the park, allowwing Yaya Toure and the other attacking midfielders thrive within the system. NBA Jerseys Store. Mangala has the make-up of a top centre-back. The Frenchman, alongside Vincent Kompany could form an imposing partnership at centre-back for years to come. The only questionable play is allowing Negredo go out on loan. It doesnt make much sense, considering the checkered injury record of Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic coming back from an injury plagued campaign. Perhaps Manuel Pellegrini is comfortable moving David Silva or Samir Nasri forward in attack in a change of system, if need be. Manchester United Grade: A Money Spent: ?￡122 Key Players In: Falcao (loan), Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo Key Players Out: Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez (loan), Rio Ferdinand Extreme Makeover: Old Trafford edition was an expensive one. Sir Alex Fergusons rulebook for buying players was thrown out the window. Louis van Gaal splashed significant funds on players who had successful World Cup campaigns and already in their prime. None of that truly matters. For a team that makes the most revenue in the world, it was time they started spending like it. Whether it be out of desperation or coming to the staunch realization the development of young players at the club has been sub-standard, van Gaal had no choice than to invest, and invest quickly. The squad is still flawed: a centre-back and maybe even another central midfielder is required. But this team now has substantial talent to compete with the best. When you have a chance to sign players as Di Maria or Falcao, you simply cannot say no. They are game-changers and among the best at their positions. Shaw was expensive but is a move as much now as is for the future. Herrera, Blind and Rojo have to prove they are of Manchester United quality, but each has shown signs they can be very good players. United had the most impressive transfer window of all. You get what you pay for. Excitement coming back to Old Trafford. Newcastle Grade: B- Money Spent: ?￡25 Key Players In: Emmanuel Riviere, Remy Cabella, Siem de Jong, Jack Colback, Daryl Janmaat, Facundo Ferreyra (loan) Key Players Out: Mathieu Debuchy, Hatem Ben Arfa (loan) I like the summer signings for Newcastle, but the cloud of distrust and overall dislike for Mike Ashley, Alan Pardew and Co. has lead to a muted response. Pressure is on the team to win now. But like any team with new faces taking on important roles, it takes time for it to come together. The team brought in some useful players. The long-term injury to de Jong (thigh) delays any impact of his signing. That being said, Riviere and Cabella have showed signs they can be players. Its a big ask for new players to provide goals right off the hop. QPR Grade: B- Money Spent: ?￡21 Key Players In: Rio Ferdinand, Steven Caulker, Mauricio Isla (loan), Leroy Fer, Jordan Mutch, Eduardo Vargas (loan), Sandro Key Players Out: Loic Remy, Julio Cesar, Stephane Mbia, Esteban Granero Harry spent money, but did he spend wisely? The defensive unit needed improvement and Caulker does add to that area. I just wonder about the mix of players at the club. Proven Premier League names are scattered throughout the squad. But is it the right mix? You worry when a new team to the Premier League tries to re-invent itself over a summer. Isla, Fer and Vargas are going to have to be key contributors. Im a big fan of Mutch, however not quite sure he has the consistency that will demanded of him. Southampton Grade: A- Money Spent: ?￡31 profit Key Players In: Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle, Fraser Forster, Shane Long, Ryan Bertrand (loan), Toby Alderweireld (loan) Key Players Out: Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Calum Chambers, Gaston Ramirez (loan) The summer started in panic will the sell-off of key players in the squad. Supporters were questioning the methods behind the madness. In truth, the club capitalized on sky-high valuation of their players: a good problem to have for any mid-table club. The losses of Shaw and Chambers hurt, but the others are readily replaceable. Southampton did just that, bringing in intriguing talents in Tadic and Pelle. All Alderweireld does is win and the team upgraded at goalkeeper with Forster. The biggest win was refusing to sell Morgan Schneiderlin, who has proven to be a physical force in the middle of the park. All the while Southampton made a substantial summer profit. With Jay Rodriguez working his way back to fitness, this is a team that should round into form under Ronald Koeman in the coming months. New manager, new players, new energy. Stoke City Grade: B Money Spent: ?￡0.5 Key Players In: Mame Biram Diouf, Steve Sidwell, Bojan Krkic, Victor Moses (loan), Oussama Assaidi (loan) Key Players Out: Ryan Shotten, Michael Kightly, Matthew Etherington, Cameron Jerome Hows this for a concept: replacing workmanlike players with superior talent. Mark Hughes is slowly rebuilding the Potters from a team content to kick-run-defend into a team that actually desires to play football. The transition takes time, but is well underway. Its Hughes biggest challenge to loosen the reigns and allow his team to play. Heres hoping Krkic, Diouf, Assaidi and others have the freedom to attack. It all depends on how this team lines up. Talent has been brought in and progress is being made. Sunderland Grade: C+ Money Spent: ?￡10 Key Players In: Patrick van Aarnholt, Jack Rodwell, Santiago Vergini (loan), Ricky Alvarez (loan) Key Players Out: Phil Bardsley, Jack Colback, Andrea Dossena, Ignacio Scocco Gus Poyet is swinging for the fences bringing in the likes of Will Buckley and Jordi Gomez to the Stadium of Light. Poyets other summer signings make a lot of sense. Van Aarnholt has made an immediate impact, standing out as starting left back. Its time to find out what Rodwell can be, after having his career stagnated sitting on the bench at the Etihad. Alvarez should be an upgrade on Altidore but is no sure thing. Perhaps the biggest loss for Poyet is talented central midfielder Ki-Sung Yueng going back to Swansea after a successful loan-spell last season. Swansea City Grade: B+ Money Spent: ?￡1.5 Key Players In: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jefferson Montero, Bafetimbi Gomis, Lukasz Fabianski, Federico Fernandez Key Players Out: Michu, Ben Davies, Michel Vorm, Alejandro Pozuelo, Chico Flores, Jose Canas The Swans have thrived off structure. The players they lost were replaced with like for like. Michu goes, Sigurdsson comes in. Need more speed on the wing, here comes Montero. Pozuelo and Canas leave, they bring back a better player in ball possession in Ki-Sung Yueng. Not just that, Gomis has the makings of a massive signing. Some believed it was cover in case Swansea lost Wilfired Bony. They not only kept the Ivorian, but provide him with another goal-scorer to compliment his game. The Welsh side made be a centre-back short, but there is a lot to like about this team. Speed to burn down the wings, strong through the spine. Tottenham Hotspur Grade: C Money Spent: ?￡6 profit Key Players In: Eric Dier, Federico Fazio, Ben Davies Key Players Out: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Michael Dawson, Sandro, Lewis Holtby (loan) It was a quiet summer at White Hart Lane after a spending spree a season ago. Mauricio Pochettino seemed more focused on getting rid of players than adding to his squad. Bounce-back seasons from the likes of Erik Lamela will go a long way to proving few moves were required. It is somewhat surprising the club wasnt more active after being dismantled by Liverpool before the transfer window closed. More moves could come in January if desired results arent achieved. Size in the back was added with the towering Dier and Fazio. The team is one of the biggest and fastest in the league. West Bromwich Albion Grade: C+ Money Spent: ?￡13 Key Players In: Craig Gardner, Joleon Lescott, Brown Ideye, Christian Gamboa, Andre Wisdom (loan), Silvestre Varela (loan), Jason Davidson Key Players Out: Billy Jones, Liam Ridgewell, Diego Lugano Aside from big money being splashed on Ideye, which raises some eyebrows, not a whole lot was spent revamping this team in need of improvement. However, some useful pieces were brought in. Gamboa, Davidson, and Gardner have their worth. A motivated Lescott should benefit if he ever comes to the realization he isnt as good as he think he is. That doesnt mean he cant be a true upgrade across the back four. The team didnt lose much in terms of quality. But do they have enough to avoid the relegation battle? West Ham United Grade: B- Money Spent: ?￡31 Key Players In: Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia, Alex Song (loan), Carl Jenkinson (loan), Morgan Amalfitano Key Players Out: Joe Cole, Matt Taylor, Jack Collison Valencia joining the attack after a promising World Cup suggested West Ham would win virtually every aerial challenge in attack. The Ecuadorian can flat out jump. Andy Carrolls continual battle with injuries has postponed that idea, most likely to the chagrin of tactical wizard Sam Allardyce. There is something to this team. The arrivals of Zarate, Song, and Jenkinson give marked improvement in important positions. The squad is significantly upgraded. The money spent demands it. So does Big Sams job. I look for this team to be much more difficult to beat. @WheelerTSN gareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca ' ' '