themanwhofellasleep
z-list internet celebrity
- Dec 14, 2006
- 690
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It has probably not escaped everyone's attention that Jermaine Defoe has scored quite a few goals since going to Pompey.
This doesn't really surprise me. Although his last few months at Spurs were crap, whenever he got a decent run in the team, he always scored goals. I remember last season when Keane was injured and everyone was going on about the "Defoe/Berbatov" partnership. Similarly, I can imagine that if Bent got a proper run in the team (eg 7 or 8 consecutive starts, not the occasional 20 mins here and there) he could score lots of goals. At the time I was happy for Defoe to be sold, because he couldn't break up the Keane/Berbatov partnership and he wasn't effective coming off the bench. Still, it is galling to see him scoring so many for Pompey, particularly since we've struggled somewhat for goals in recent games. Defoe was a natural goalscorer for Spurs WHEN he got a run in the team.
My point is really that by sticking so firmly to the Keane/Berbatov partnership, the 3rd (or 4th) choice striker really doesn't get much time on the pitch to affect things. Some strikers are supersubs who seem to thrive off coming off the bench and scoring in their 20 mins on the pitch but neither Defoe nor Bent really seem like that kind of player. Looking at Defoe's situation at Spurs reminds me of Peter Crouch's current situation at Liverpool. Crouch was excellent last season, but Benitez has gone for Torres and Kuyt up front, and Crouch is feeding off scraps and falling out of form. I was really surprised to see Ramos start with Keane and Berbatov up front against Man City because I felt that it was time for Bent to get a decent run in the team, particularly as both Keane and Berbatov have looked knackered over the last month or so. At the moment Bent looks crap, but I think that given a proper run in the team he could prove himself. I don't want to end up with another Defoe situation on our hands, where Bent fails to break up the Keane/Berbatov partnership, hardly plays for us, gets sold to another club where he starts every week and then scores loads of goals.
We have little to play for except pride at the moment. Let's see Ramos giving Bent a proper run in the team and find out if he really is worth £16.5 million.
This doesn't really surprise me. Although his last few months at Spurs were crap, whenever he got a decent run in the team, he always scored goals. I remember last season when Keane was injured and everyone was going on about the "Defoe/Berbatov" partnership. Similarly, I can imagine that if Bent got a proper run in the team (eg 7 or 8 consecutive starts, not the occasional 20 mins here and there) he could score lots of goals. At the time I was happy for Defoe to be sold, because he couldn't break up the Keane/Berbatov partnership and he wasn't effective coming off the bench. Still, it is galling to see him scoring so many for Pompey, particularly since we've struggled somewhat for goals in recent games. Defoe was a natural goalscorer for Spurs WHEN he got a run in the team.
My point is really that by sticking so firmly to the Keane/Berbatov partnership, the 3rd (or 4th) choice striker really doesn't get much time on the pitch to affect things. Some strikers are supersubs who seem to thrive off coming off the bench and scoring in their 20 mins on the pitch but neither Defoe nor Bent really seem like that kind of player. Looking at Defoe's situation at Spurs reminds me of Peter Crouch's current situation at Liverpool. Crouch was excellent last season, but Benitez has gone for Torres and Kuyt up front, and Crouch is feeding off scraps and falling out of form. I was really surprised to see Ramos start with Keane and Berbatov up front against Man City because I felt that it was time for Bent to get a decent run in the team, particularly as both Keane and Berbatov have looked knackered over the last month or so. At the moment Bent looks crap, but I think that given a proper run in the team he could prove himself. I don't want to end up with another Defoe situation on our hands, where Bent fails to break up the Keane/Berbatov partnership, hardly plays for us, gets sold to another club where he starts every week and then scores loads of goals.
We have little to play for except pride at the moment. Let's see Ramos giving Bent a proper run in the team and find out if he really is worth £16.5 million.
