Strikers: Which is most likely to be replaced?

[lilywhitecurtis]

I think most of us accept despite their limitations, Defoe and Crouchie will be at the club next season.

So given links to Dzeko and other such strikers, who do you think is most likely to leave? Robbie Keane, or Super Pav.

I'm sure in January we'd have all had one conclusion, that Pav's days were numbered. Then Keano is sent on loan, and suddenly Roman is given his chance and proves to be a hit at a vital part of the season.

Of course there is no ignoring the contribution Robbie Keane has made to the club, over 100 goals, a great unique partnership with Berba, and some fantastic goals (personal favourite the Blackburn goal).

However, since the start of the season and arguably toward the end of the season before, he looked a shadow of the creative force and goalscorer I'd known and loved. So will Harry share the same opinion, and sale Robbie?

Then we come to Pav, redemption seemed to come with every touch after his goal against Leeds. Yet Harry remained tentative in post match interviews, especially about a previous lack of effort. His fantastic run of goalscoring scored ended, but Harry continued to start him over Crouch, and we of course won 2 vital matches against Chelsea and Arsenal.

Yet Pav missed a number of decent chances in the Chelsea match especially. Given Harry's past negativity, and his goals drying out at the end of the season, has he done enough for Harry to want him here next season or will he leave to Russia?

Interest is rumoured in both players, at similar prices, so who, if either will leave?

Opinions my fellow SC'ers. I personally, I think it depends on the offer we receive for either player. However if I had to call it, I'd say Pav, even though I'd rather Robbie went (sorry Keano fans, I do recognise his contribution).

I've ignored Eidur of course.. But blah the post was getting long and drawn our anyway, and if we can get him cheap, Viking power will be at a bargain price.

 

[Goldman]

Keane.

 

[nferno]

Gudjohnsen for Keane, big name for Pav.

 

[scat1620]

Keane and Pav will both go this summer, IMO. And I wouldn't be too unhappy with that, I think that it will be easier to upgrade on those two than it would be to upgrade on Defoe and/or Crouch, albeit none of those 4 couldn't be upgraded on.

 

[lilywhitecurtis]

So far everyone seems to be agreeing that one of the four is going to go. However Goat curry appears to be a tasty option.

Nferno, that's not a bad idea, Gudjohnsen is a similar type of player to Keane, however is older, and perhaps there is more to come from Pav?

 

[nferno]

True that Gudjohnsen is older than Keane, but he was never blessed with speed, so he never relied on that to craft out chances. Keane wasn't that quick but he did rely on his pace in some situations, and whatever's left of it must not be much... and even that pace will deplete with age. I'd rather have a more intelligent Gudjohnsen for another 2 years, than a slightly pacier, but less inteligent, Keane for another 2 years.

I want Pav to stay but I don't think he will want to play 4th in the pecking order after big name, Defoe, Gudjohnsen and Crouch.

 

[joey55]

They are both fairly sure to leave. Niether are good enough. Well both are very good players, but for various reasons (age/legs in Keane's case) they aren't right for the Prem.

 

[StartingPrice]

Gudjohnsen for Keane, big name for Pav.

I think this is probably what will happen.

I think Guddy is a class act, o much as it pains me to accept that Keano is finshed...:hello:

As for Pav. (Super Pav.) I think h showed in the second half of the season (both when he was scoring, and in terms of over-all play when he wasn't), to be worth another go...but if we sell him and get in a rea marquee striker who turns out to truly be the nuts, I won't get all sentimental about it.

 

[nailsy]

Pav will go - Harry doesn't like the fact that he doesn't speak English.

Keane will go if we get a good offer, but I think Harry would be happy to see him stay.

 

[fazza]

Goat Curry, :think: never tried that before. :lol:

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

I'd happily be rid of all of them and start from scratch tbh.

I don't particularly rate any of our forwards at the moment (except Gudjohnsen) and our frontline is definitely the weak link in our side.

 

[lilywhitecurtis]

I'd happily be rid of all of them and start from scratch tbh.

I don't particularly rate any of our forwards at the moment (except Gudjohnsen) and our frontline is definitely the weak link in our side.

Be serious, not even Defoe as a third striker? (yes he has had a dry spell..) Baring in mind that the third strikers at the clubs above us are Sturridge/Kalou, federico macheda, I'd even argue Defoe and Pav are better than all of Le' Arse's strikers bar Van Persie.

We just need a superb number 9 ala Drogba, Rooney, or Van Persie. Easier said than done I know, but utterly possible.

Crouch is most definitely a worthy squad player, and is drastically underrated at times.

 

[Locotoro]

This is a tricky question. Its easy to say sell Keane and keep Gudjohnsen but in effect that would be the same 4 we finished the season with. I would love us to bring in a prolific striker to add the spearhead to our attack but it would take some player to do that. If it isnt the player we need then by selling Pav we are selling a decent 1 in 2 striker. (His record over his career has shown him to be just that). With a full season of games could he get us 25 goals? Its possible.

Thats what I hope we can bring in. if we cant we're wasting our time and money.

 

[brett.spurs]

I think Jermain is unfairly treated on here and by Spurs fans in general. His game only started to regress when he'd picked up a couple of niggling injuries, with no other pacy forward available Harry had to get him back into the side asap, his game ultimately suffered because of this and I don't believe that he was ever 100% again, basically he needed a break. We would have been absolutely nowhere without his goals, everybodys favourite Keane and Berba never reached the amount of goals that Jermain gave us. The first half of the season showed us that he's improved his all-round game, stronger, hold up and link up player was far better, brought the rest of the team into the game etc.

It was only once that he'd picked up a couple of injuries that his form suffered, I agree that his form really did nose-dive, but people on here have short memories, I'm sure if his form was reversed and he'd started off poorly then this wouldn't even be up for discussion. I for one hope he is here next season and starting up top with a real quality forward.

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Be serious, not even Defoe as a third striker? (yes he has had a dry spell..) Baring in mind that the third strikers at the clubs above us are Sturridge/Kalou, federico macheda, I'd even argue Defoe and Pav are better than all of Le' Arse's strikers bar Van Persie.

We just need a superb number 9 ala Drogba, Rooney, or Van Persie. Easier said than done I know, but utterly possible.

Crouch is most definitely a worthy squad player, and is drastically underrated at times.

Defoe and Crouch as 3rd and 4th I can cope with.

Defoe didn't have a dry spell. He had one of his biennial purple patches in early autumn then reverted to his normal self. He didn't have a particularly great game after the Wigan one in November - that was 6 months.

 

[lilywhitecurtis]

+1 Brettspurs. Defoe's loss in form also coincided with Lennon's injury, and Defoe bagged a large amount of his goals through link up with Lennon. See the Wigan game for example.

He also had niggling injuries, and his general game his improved significantly this season. His assist against Le' Arse is just an example of an the hold/link up play he has worked on. O.k, he's a poacher who stopped scoring goals towards the end of the season, but he still finished our top scorer, regardless of when and whom the goals came against.

 

[yozza]

Personally, I think Pav will go, solely due to the fact thatthis will leave a massive slot for the "special" player harry will want to bring in. Plus, there's already been interest shown in him since the end of the season, and I don't think he'll put up too big a fight if Levy told him we'd accepted an offer.

I also think if a good enough offer comes in for Keane as well, he'll be off too.

 

[michaelden]

Said Keane as think Harry bought him again in desperation.

:lol: ... loved the curried goat option. Nearly went with that :up:

 

[stevenqoz]

To me Keane went a long time ago

 

[mattstev2000]

Agree with Dan Ashcroft although personally I'd prefer Keane and Crouch as 3rd and 4th rather than Defoe and Crouch.