Could This Really Be About To Happen?
Firstly I don’t think there is anyway Daniel Levy would shell out £12m for a player who is almost 32 years old in David Villa however I do think there may be some truth in the rumor but I am sure he will get us a better deal than £12m if true. It’s not the [...]
Wigan Game, I’d Drop Parker For This Man
I do think Scotty Parker has been again one of our best players again since Sandro has been injured but for the Wigan game this weekend and a game we must take 3 points in I’d drop him, well not so much drop him but give him a rest for a week. My reason for [...]
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Great away win in the week away to Norwich and more impotantly a great performance. Next up it’s Swansea before a little run of home games.
Tottenham Starting XI
Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto; Parker, Sandro; Van der Vaart, Modric, Bale; Adebayor.
Here are our subs – Cudicini, Dawson, Rose, Kranjcar, Livermore, Pienaar, Defoe
The transfer window opens in just a few days and with Tottenham sitting pretty in 3rd in the Premier League some might say it would be foolish to not improve the squad and pretty much guarantee a top 4 finish as the CL revenue will cover the costs of doing so.
There will be players looking to leave, Gio, Pav, Kranjcar and maybe Pienaar and it is unfair to keep some of them any longer as many have served their time on the bench and deserve the opportunity to play elsewhere. This should bring in some funds and Harry has hinted that we could possibly expect something big to happen in January.
If you cast your mind back to the summer transfer deadline day we were heavily linked with a late swoop for Kaka, this would be my tip for what we might get in January. Harry and Levy know they can attract a big name player due to our league position. We know Harry would also like Tevez but I can’t see it happening. As previously said bringing in a player that would improve the squad and all but see us home in the race for 4th might well be worth the gamble of releasing extra funds especially if we let one or two move on.
I have no ITK crap to spout off about, I just have a gut feeling that previous opportunities have gone by when we had the chance to push on and maybe we have learned our lesson, bringing Kaka to The Lane would be my tip but even if I am wrong I still expect and hope that without rocking the boat we can bring in someone to help take us to that next level as well as possibly sealing a permanent deal for Adebayor to remain at Spurs.
Christmas is gone. New Year is next. In the footballing world this means the January transfer window is due to open. Spurs are sitting 3rd in the Premier League, 7 points behind the Manchester clubs with a game in hand. We have a very talented squad with the likes of Bale, Lennon, van der Vaart and Modric to name a few and even have players like Pienaar and Kranjcar on the bench. But what do we really need to improve on if we are to stay in 3rd or even push for the title?
Now, I find it quite insulting seeing Manchester City top of the league. I remember the days when Villa, Everton and ourselves were pushing so hard and doing everything we could to break into the top four. To see City who were just a mid-table team, a bit like Stoke or West Brom are now just luckily get rich owners and now believe the league is theirs to lose is pretty annoying. We have had to endure dodgy lasagne, infuriating decisions and exasperating performances to get to where we are now, something City know nothing about. But I’m glad both us fans and players had those experiences because without them, we wouldn’t be the team we are today. The whole point of my mini flashback is to show how far we have come as a club but to also explain why this January is a time for Spurs fans to demand a bit of payback from our beloved club.
If we want to become the best Samba, Holliet and Zamora are simply not the answers. We have not waited all this time to be one of the best teams in the country for us to simply buy Junior Holliet who is a good player to be fair but is he really going to make us better? Townsend who has recently signed a new contract could probably do a better job. We deserve the best. I’m not saying going out and making ridiculous bids for Messi or Ronaldo or Kaka because we obviously can’t afford that but the Daily Mail (I know, I know they are pretty unreliable but still…) are reporting that Chelsea and Liverpool could make a £25 million move for Gonzalo Higuain in January. If Liverpool who hardly look like top a 6 side and Chelsea who are a shadow of the team they used to be can make a bid for Higuain then why not us who are better than both sides? Higuain is one of the best strikers in the world and Redknapp said he wanted a big signing- well there he is and having just turned 24 and having played with both van der Vaart and Adebayor, we couldn’t be in a better position to offer him a chance to become one of the best strikers in the world if not the best. At the reported price of £25million he would break our transfer record but he would be worth every penny and for a player who has scored 20 goals a season consistently bar last season’s injury, is a real bargain.
I know we cannot offer the same amount of wages as some of the big teams can but if we want to be amongst the best we need to find a way to get world class players without having to really break our wage policy. It can be done because we are currently doing just that. A player like Higuain, who joined Real Madrid when he was 18, is probably not on the same wages as someone like Ronaldo or Alonzo and I’m sure Levy could give him similar wages or if not sort a deal out. Anyone we bring into the club needs to be able to improve the current team not just join it.
I know we still have a few defensive worries and I think Jan Vertonghen is just the man to stop them. He is Ajax captain and has already won more than Samba and Cahill put together. He is a left footed centre back and can play left back equally as good which I’m sure Assou-Ekotto would really appreciate. At 24, he is young for a defender but to be captain of Holland’s best side at such a young age speaks volumes of his ability and personality. A reported fee of £10 million, Spurs would have to pay relatively nothing in this day and age for simply a world class defender.
If we do buy Higuain and Vertonghen we would have spent £35million in transfer fees. I know that is quite a lot for Spurs but to put that into perspective- Liverpool spent that on Andy Carroll who is not in the same league as Higuain and Chelsea spent that plus £15million extra on Torres- Enough said! If we want to compete with the best we need to look at what they are trying to do. Would Manchester United buy Bobby Zamora or Chris Samba? Would A.C Milan even look twice at Junior Holliet? These are our competitors and if they are going for the best then so should we!
I am enjoying every minute of our fantastic season at the moment but I want it to continue for more than just this season. We need to build from what we have and our squad is so good that a couple more world class additions like Vertonghen and Higuain could really help us challenge the world’s best or even be the worlds best.
You can watch the match live in the Triffic Tottenham Forum, streams will be provided there.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all dropped points over the past couple of days and tonight is our chance to capitalize on their bad results. With a trip to East Anglia to face newly promoted Norwich surely the players will have taken notice of other results and go all out to pick up another away win.
Harry makes just one change from the draw against Chelsea as Younes Kaboul comes in for Ledley King. Rafa fit.
Tottenham Starting XI
Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto; Bale, Parker, Sandro, Modric; Van der Vaart; Adebayor.
Good enough to win tonight?
Tottenham Hotspur travel to Norwich on the back of a frustrating draw against fellow title challengers Chelsea. (title challengers I know it still sounds too good to be true). And although both sets of fans, Spurs and Chelsea alike would probably argue their team might have edged it.( Tis true the goal line clearance by John Terry still with rankles me|). A draw was a fair result.
Enough though of yesterday, let’s take a look at how we aim to take advantage of Chelsea (1-1) Liverpool (1-1) and Man City (0-0) only managing draws today. A positive result at Carrow Road could see us edge a four point gap between ourselves and the blue flag flyers from South London.
TEAM NEWS:
Harry Redknapp says he’s hopeful of Rafa van der Vaart featuring at Norwich tomorrow night (Tuesday, December 27).
The Dutch forward was forced off at half-time of Thursday’s draw against Chelsea with a hamstring problem but has been back in training at Spurs Lodge.
Meanwhile, Harry reported that Ledley King came through the Chelsea match okay but he wouldn’t have enough time to recover to feature at Carrow Road.
Harry also ruled Jermain Defoe out with his hamstring injury and that he’d ‘wait and see’ on Younes Kaboul’s hamstring problem.
Speaking after training on Boxing Day, Harry said: “We’re hoping Rafa will be fit and it looks like there’s a chance he’ll be okay.
“Jermain isn’t fit though, Ledley was okay after the Chelsea game but this one has come around too quickly for him. He’s not fit.
“We’re not sure on Younes yet, we’ll have to see how he is.”
Michael Dawson is on the road to full recovery from his Achilles injury while Tom Huddlestone (ankle) remains sidelined.
ADEBAYORS RUTHLESS STREAK:
With Defoe again being absent, it seems likely that Harry will continue with the tried and trusted front pairing of Adebayor playing off Rafa.
“If you want to be in the top four those are the types of games that you have to win home or away. We have to do what it takes to win those games. Otherwise, forget it.”
Adebayor, on a year’s loan from Manchester City, scored in last Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea and said Spurs should take heart from drawing with a title rival.
”Five or six years ago we know what would have happened [against Chelsea], which means, the club is going forward and we are improving,” he said.
MIDFIELD CONUNDRUM:
A more perplexing issue will be whether Harry continues with the same midfield that started against Chelsea with Sandro Parker Bale and Modric or will he opt for a little more pace and go for the young lad Townsend or perhaps Pienaar?
Pienaar will always give you that extra work rate. Something that cannot be underestimated on away days. Whereas Townsend will in my opinion offer more speed and directness, something we cannot have enough of.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES:
Another tester for Harry will be the centre of defence with Kaboul (hamstring) King (swelling to knee) and Dawson (achilles) all missing the game. (though Kaboul does have an outside chance). This leaves us with Gallas and Bassong. The former performing admirably in his last appearance though the latter has a lack of game time so far this season.
SOME GAME STATISTICS:
Spurs make 120 more passes per game than Norwich and complete 11% more. Spurs also run with the ball three times more often and Norwich have been dribbled past 146 times. With Kyle Naughton ineligible against his parent club, the questionable Richie de Laet may deputize at right back. Norwich have made a total of nine defensive errors with de Laet making two in just five appearances. If Gareth Bale is fit, the Welshman will relish running at the Manchester United loanee. Bale created four chances against Chelsea, including the assist for Adebayor’s opener.
Eight of the 18 goal assists made by Norwich so far this season have come from set pieces. Spurs have also made nearly 50 more shots than Norwich despite playing a game fewer. They have scored the sixth highest number of goals and Grant Holt is in the top ten goal scorers in the league. Grant Holt scores at better than a goal every two games for Norwich. He also has committed more fouls than any other player in the division, despite making only eight starts.
Norwich have a simple style of football. It’s predictable, but it’s hard to stop. They are aware of their limitations and so tend to sit back and defend until they get their chance. They love to use width (making 23 crosses every week) and they create 10 chances per game. Spurs press the ball when they are out of possession. They make more challenges per game (98 to 87 despite Spurs much higher possession average) and less tackles. Because Tottenham try to close the ball down all over the pitch, they have won the ball nearly twice as often in the final third (54 to 28).
Statitional credit to (SAMROOKE89) English Premier League Index. Many thanks.
