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The most pointless signing by Tottenham in years?

matty182

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2006
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I dont know if anyone has seen this and apologies if it's been posted already but I kind of agree with it.

http://www.footballfancast.com/2011...-most-pointless-signing-by-tottenham-in-years

A transfer for Everton’s Steven Pienaar to Tottenham Hotspur seems to be a done deal, either going through this January transfer window for £2million or on a Bosman transfer in the summer for free. At first glance that looks a really good deal for Spurs. Pienaar is a good football player and one that I personally rate at more than £2million given the current market of player transfer fees.
Yet is it really a worthwhile purchase for Tottenham? In my mind not really as he is exactly the kind of player they have in abundance in White Hart Land; slight, deft, skilful are the characteristics I would use to describe Pienaar and the majority of Tottenham’s current midfield. At the moment as things stand I can’t see him getting into the Tottenham first team. He is too similar to, but not as good as, Luka Modric, Rafael Van der Vaart, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. Unlike the possible signing of David Beckham, he doesn’t really bring anything greatly different that the squad doesn’t already have either in terms of style or experience.
So far this season that Tottenham midfield quartet midfield has been decent to say the least as well as consistent. Pienaar on the other hand, although generally I am a fan of his, simply hasn’t been performing consistently as well. Although no-one really has at Everton, bar Tim Cahill and possibly Coleman, hence the position they currently find themselves in the league.

I still don’t think it would be the best deal for Tottenham even if they were to accept that Pienaar was not a first choice eleven player and use him as a squad player to play when he regains his form of the previous season and replace anyone of that midfield quartet, as he is rather versatile, when they’re injured or not playing too well. As I feel Niko Kranjcar is perfectly suited to do this role and is already at the club. To take a look back and see how few games he has played over the last few months I believe gives an indication of how little Pienaar would play were he to arrive, and why therefore he is a player that would be surplus to requirements.
It is mainly the presence of Kranjcar that leads me to believe Pienaar would be a pointless signing for Spurs. I believe Kranjcar should remain the first midfield creative to replace any of these four. I feel he has been hard done by this season, considering how much he contributed last time and this signing would only hasten his exit out of the White Hart Lane door and with Pienaar hardly flying at the moment it would not be much if any improvement. Ultimately I think Kranjcar carries more goal potential, with a fearsome strike and there is simply no room for both of them at the Lane along with all the other attack minded midfielders Tottenham have.

Does Niko still have it? Would you prefer Pienaar? :shrug:
 

danielneeds

Kick-Ass
May 5, 2004
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Niko seems like he loses match fitness too easily to be a squad player, he needs to go somewhere where he plays every week. Pienaar looks more naturally fit, and will be able to come in and be at the pace of the match.
 

dynamoSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
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Are you mad? Pienaar is 10x more what we need (notice I didnt say "better") than Niko.

And how is Pienaar not an instant starter at Everton? He's STARTED 18 times this season out of 21 games in the Prem. He's easily one of the first names on their team sheet.

He's a great player and just what we need, I'm confident.

We won't get him though. 100%.
 

Donki

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May 14, 2007
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I love Niko but I think Pienaar will bring more, he is ALOT more versitile and hard working he truely can play anywhere in midfield. You ask ANY Toffee and they will tell you how much he brings to the team. I think he is being looked at to fill in for VdV when he is unavailable.

Niko IMO is a wide man and only on the left, I want him to be able to play in the middle and behind the striker but I haven't seen him perform well there or out right consistantly. With Bently now gone Niko is the only experienced wide man we have in reserve.
 

kishman

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2005
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Well it seems Niko can't just be a squad player. He is somebody who you need to be playing in your first team quite regularly in order to get the best out of him. I personally wish Niko was used a bit more. I would've like to see him play when VDV was injured, so he could play in the hole behind the front man. If Bale or Lennon get injured we don't have alot of replacements. Only Niko at the moment. GDS it seems is out of the picture, Townsend is probably going to go out on loan, so it makes sense to sign Pienaar.
 

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
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Are you mad? Pienaar is 10x more what we need (notice I didnt say "better") than Niko.

And how is Pienaar not an instant starter at Everton? He's STARTED 18 times this season out of 21 games in the Prem. He's easily one of the first names on their team sheet.

He's a great player and just what we need, I'm confident.

We won't get him though. 100%.

From what I have heard from my Evertonian friends we will, he wants to stay in England for sure and he has been in talks with us since last summer.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
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I wouldn't describe Pienaar as slight, he's very tenacious.

I think HR knows we need better quality but less numbers in midfield. We can happily let O'Hara, Bentley and one other leave with Pienaar's arrival. This will also give Sandro an opportunity to play.
 

sidford

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2003
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pienaar is sturdy enough, wouldnt call him slight he can look after himself on a pitch so thats misleading. for 2m how can he be a bad signing considering bentleys gone and the noises from niko's camp that he wants to leave due to lack of games. i'd be very happy with the deal IF he comes
 

kaz Hirai

Well-Known Member
Nov 5, 2008
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so he's happy to leave everton to come sit on our bench? suppose he'll feel he can force himself into the starting 11 but i wouldnt bet steak dinners on it
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
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I think Pienaar is actually a great stand in for Modric. Sure he can also cover the wings but I think we miss creativity centrally when Modric is missing.

I also think like for like is just what we need. We lose a pacey winger and have to replace with Kranjcar or Bentley, which takes away from our play.

This is just the type of player we need in the squad. It's all well and good saying we have plenty of tricky players, but the likes of Bale and Lennon are wingers only. VDV is an attacking midfielder, Modric is a playmaker. They all bring different qualities.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
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so he's happy to leave everton to come sit on our bench? suppose he'll feel he can force himself into the starting 11 but i wouldnt bet steak dinners on it

But with CL and hopefully an FA Cup run we need much more than a starting 11.

In midfield we have Modric, Lennon, Bale, Palacios, Huddlestone (out for 5 weeks), Sandro, Jenas and Kranjcar.

I didn't count VDV as he is playing as one behind the striker.

Pienaar can cover all positions and he can get regular games.

This is a good signing if HR rotates the squad effectively.
 

dynamoSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
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From what I have heard from my Evertonian friends we will, he wants to stay in England for sure and he has been in talks with us since last summer.
He will stay in England.. My guess is with Everton. Can;t see him living, especially not in Jan!

What? It's more pointless than signing Chimbonda for the second time?
I know you're being tongue-in-cheek, but comparing the two signings is ridiculous. Doing Pienaar a grave injustice. He's a quality player and honestly, I think he's one of the most perfectly suited Spurs players that we could possibly get our hands on.

I know we need strikers, but if there's any chance (which I doubt), then we should snap him up.
 

Spurs_Q8

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2005
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Redknapp said Niko hates playing on right, while Ekotto is the only natural LB, it would increase our backup for Bale-VDV-Lennon. it's not pointless signing.
 

TwoSaintsComeMarching

PIMP-tastic
Jul 26, 2008
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Lets see...

If Modric is out - Pienaar can cover.
If Lennon is out - Pienaar can cover.
If Bale is out - Pienaar can cover.
If VDV is out - Pienaar can cover.

So to conclude... you are wrong.

He would be a very very useful squad player.
 

Gilzeanking

Well-Known Member
May 7, 2005
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As an armchair chairman with one eye..well two eyes on the financials , Pienaar is worth more than 2 mill..he's this cheap cos his contract is running down .

SO , we buy him for this price and we've made an instant profit as he'll be on a longer contract . We then sell him on for mebbe , what..6-7 mill (the boy's good) if he doesn't fit .
 

llamafarmer

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2004
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1,055
Lets see...

If Modric is out - Pienaar can cover.
If Lennon is out - Pienaar can cover.
If Bale is out - Pienaar can cover.
If VDV is out - Pienaar can cover.

So to conclude... you are wrong.

He would be a very very useful squad player.

Exactly. He'd actually end up being a pretty regular starter I reckon, his only gripe might be that he wouldn't really have a regular position.
 
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