- May 26, 2004
- 4,797
- 2,139
Good Week
Gareth Bale
He really is looking a world beater now. Two amazing goals, great attacking displays, his move to the centre/floating around the striker is really paying off and he is resembling Cristiano Ronaldo in the way he runs with the ball, shoots with tremendous vengeance, and with 8 goals in 11 PL games, a phenomenal scoring rate.
Bale’s development was always going to see him move inside (I remember writing a column about it two seasons ago) however AVB has addressed the problem of when he comes inside of that left flank by removing him completely from the wide berth and giving him free reign behind the striker. It does leave us a little short and narrow on the left wing and we still have our nemesis, the ten men behind the ball trick, to overcome but with Gazza’s form at the movement, you have to wonder who can stop him.
Lewis Holtby
Two sub appearances, two impressive performances. The German has not only slotted right in, but he appears to be the link between midfield and attack that we have been missing since Modric and VDV left. Defoe’s injury may mean Dempsey is needed elsewhere, and Holtby can come into the starting eleven. Plus he seems really really pleased to be here.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Togo were knocked out of the Cup of Nations, but in terms of his club career he now has the chance to be the main man in attack. If we get the Adebayor of last season then we could go on a winning run, if we get the Adebayor of this season we might be seeing more of Jon Obika.
With the quality and fluidity of the attacking 3 behind him, there is no way Adebayor can blame a lack of service or penetration for poor form.
Harry Kane
Returned from a pretty poor spell at Norwich where injuries and then a rather strange decision to play him as a lone striker that does not suit him, expect to see the Harri-kane on the bench from now til season’s end
Andros Townsend
I’d say a decent proportion of Spurs fans are disappointed Andros has not been used more often this season, and with Bale moving inside it is strange we let our only backup winger move on. In practice, however, AVB was always going to choose Holtby/Dempsey/Sigurdsson ahead of Townsend, so if he can get regular football at a PL team then it is the right move.
Andros certainly did not hurt his potential Spurs career by picking up the MotM award on his QPR debut, making plenty of running and looking like a PL player. If he can add a couple of headline grabbing goals as well he will surely convince AVB he deserves more game time (can you imagine an attacking line of Towsend-Bale-Lennon running at you? We’d end up playing against eight men every week)
Bad Week
Daniel Levy
Levy was always likely to get it in the neck if he didn’t sign a striker. The folly in the summer has continued into the winter, and while we will never know the real story a last day move for Leandro Damiao was never going to happen. Given that Levy seemed happy for us to enter the season with Defoe, Adebayor and Dempsey up front, it would have been strange to see that change in January.
So you can call it sod’s law or fortune coming back to bite Levy in the behind, but Defoe’s injury leaves us one suspension, injury or plain bad form away from failing in our quest for the Champions League, losing a star player, and continuing to play this game where we are always one signing short of completion.
Dempsey will score a few goals but he cannot lead the line; Adebayor can lead the line, but only when he wants to. At other times you might as well play with ten men.
On the plus side, the signing of Holtby shows the scouting department is working to some extent and that Levy will do a deal quickly when the terms are right, but its typical that the final deal, the one for that striker that will take us on that final step, is the hardest deal to do.
If Damiao is the man, then Levy has two objectives between now and July 1st – sign Damiao, and sort out naming rights for the new stadium.
Jermain Defoe
Every time I see that twist of the ankle I wince. I suffered a similar injury (not quite in a sporting arena – I was crossing the road with a load of dry cleaning in my hands and fell over) and it can take a while for it heal, and then longer to get back to playing football properly. Just look at Tom Huddlestone.
Kyle Walker
Never nice to be spat at.
Kyle Walker’s corner
Some are okay, but some go straight out play. Hotlby’s were a bit better, but Sigurdsson’s sole corner was the only one which someone got on the end of.
Gareth Bale
He really is looking a world beater now. Two amazing goals, great attacking displays, his move to the centre/floating around the striker is really paying off and he is resembling Cristiano Ronaldo in the way he runs with the ball, shoots with tremendous vengeance, and with 8 goals in 11 PL games, a phenomenal scoring rate.
Bale’s development was always going to see him move inside (I remember writing a column about it two seasons ago) however AVB has addressed the problem of when he comes inside of that left flank by removing him completely from the wide berth and giving him free reign behind the striker. It does leave us a little short and narrow on the left wing and we still have our nemesis, the ten men behind the ball trick, to overcome but with Gazza’s form at the movement, you have to wonder who can stop him.
Lewis Holtby
Two sub appearances, two impressive performances. The German has not only slotted right in, but he appears to be the link between midfield and attack that we have been missing since Modric and VDV left. Defoe’s injury may mean Dempsey is needed elsewhere, and Holtby can come into the starting eleven. Plus he seems really really pleased to be here.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Togo were knocked out of the Cup of Nations, but in terms of his club career he now has the chance to be the main man in attack. If we get the Adebayor of last season then we could go on a winning run, if we get the Adebayor of this season we might be seeing more of Jon Obika.
With the quality and fluidity of the attacking 3 behind him, there is no way Adebayor can blame a lack of service or penetration for poor form.
Harry Kane
Returned from a pretty poor spell at Norwich where injuries and then a rather strange decision to play him as a lone striker that does not suit him, expect to see the Harri-kane on the bench from now til season’s end
Andros Townsend
I’d say a decent proportion of Spurs fans are disappointed Andros has not been used more often this season, and with Bale moving inside it is strange we let our only backup winger move on. In practice, however, AVB was always going to choose Holtby/Dempsey/Sigurdsson ahead of Townsend, so if he can get regular football at a PL team then it is the right move.
Andros certainly did not hurt his potential Spurs career by picking up the MotM award on his QPR debut, making plenty of running and looking like a PL player. If he can add a couple of headline grabbing goals as well he will surely convince AVB he deserves more game time (can you imagine an attacking line of Towsend-Bale-Lennon running at you? We’d end up playing against eight men every week)
Bad Week
Daniel Levy
Levy was always likely to get it in the neck if he didn’t sign a striker. The folly in the summer has continued into the winter, and while we will never know the real story a last day move for Leandro Damiao was never going to happen. Given that Levy seemed happy for us to enter the season with Defoe, Adebayor and Dempsey up front, it would have been strange to see that change in January.
So you can call it sod’s law or fortune coming back to bite Levy in the behind, but Defoe’s injury leaves us one suspension, injury or plain bad form away from failing in our quest for the Champions League, losing a star player, and continuing to play this game where we are always one signing short of completion.
Dempsey will score a few goals but he cannot lead the line; Adebayor can lead the line, but only when he wants to. At other times you might as well play with ten men.
On the plus side, the signing of Holtby shows the scouting department is working to some extent and that Levy will do a deal quickly when the terms are right, but its typical that the final deal, the one for that striker that will take us on that final step, is the hardest deal to do.
If Damiao is the man, then Levy has two objectives between now and July 1st – sign Damiao, and sort out naming rights for the new stadium.
Jermain Defoe
Every time I see that twist of the ankle I wince. I suffered a similar injury (not quite in a sporting arena – I was crossing the road with a load of dry cleaning in my hands and fell over) and it can take a while for it heal, and then longer to get back to playing football properly. Just look at Tom Huddlestone.
Kyle Walker
Never nice to be spat at.
Kyle Walker’s corner
Some are okay, but some go straight out play. Hotlby’s were a bit better, but Sigurdsson’s sole corner was the only one which someone got on the end of.