transfer window

Smooth Spurs, Nice and Easy Does It

/ Alan / 9 Comments

Swiftly into our stride against Peterborough, Spurs banished any thoughts of giantkilling with an afternoon of smooth attacking football, four goals being scant reward for our dominance.

It was an inauspicious start as a pigeon had unloaded on my seat. A quick search revealed the sole toilet that actually had some paper towels but frantic pre-match scrubbing was only partly successful, as clearly a major proportion of the refuse had been baked on in an industrial oven. I’ve seen some crap at the Lane over the years but never before sat in it.

Defoe responded in kind, with an early astonishing miss from under the crossbar, not quite as shocking as the legendary Acimovic effort against Fulham but seen by many around me as an omen. Cue solemn muttering about, “it’s going to be one of those days”.

It became one of those days that we are seeing more frequently, thank goodness, where we played some delightful football. Once we realised Lennon’s absence and stopped looking to feed the ball down the right (it took a few minutes), Modric and Kranjcar asserted their midfield authority and were irrepressible. They cut in alternately from the flanks to find space in front of the Boro’ box and directed a steady flow of passes into the channels or out wide, where they found Bale in particular a willing ally.

Just as the excellence of their keeper Lewis provided more ammunition for the glum ‘one of those days’ theorists, Modric’s sweeping cross field pass allowed his mate to cut in and slam a sizzling curling shot into the far corner. I leapt up to salute a superb goal but the reaction was out of keeping with the eerily muted atmosphere. Only Peterborough I know but I can’t recall such a lack of response to a Spurs goal at the Lane, given that it was the first and was of such high quality.

Spurs’ onward march was temporarily hampered by an outbreak of flickiness, sometimes seen when we get too big for our multi-coloured, individually signed and ludicrously expensive boots. Suddenly it was all back-heels and one-touches over the head with the outside of the foot. However, complacency did not take hold. Learning lessons from other games this season, we kept the tempo high and continued to make chances throughout. Harry became anxious at 2-0 when our opponents forced a couple of corners, rising from seat to offer a few well-chosen words, but there was little to worry about as we set about achieving Cliff Jones’ half-time prediction of 4-0.

Without wishing to kick someone when they are down, I haven’t seen a side who defended in depth with five in midfield and who worked as hard as Boro to so little effect. There was space all over the pitch. Their superb keeper kept them in the game. I suggested that here was the second keeper that our squad needs (see my preview), then the Park Lane took up the cry of ‘Tottenham’s number two’.

Bale had a fine game, raiding down the left with determination and pace and delivering regular crosses at full tilt, setting up our second and third with classic precise pull-backs for Niko and JD (impudently with the outside of his foot) to touch home. Sterner tests will provide solid evidence of his suspect defensive qualities but he couldn’t have done more today. He was certainly not short of confidence. A great talent that needs to be nurtured.

Rose came on for a nice cameo. The only time I have seen him play was for the Under 21s when he had a more central role. On the left he was well-balanced and lightning fast, schooled to move and deliver a quick ball. He and Lenny have been working together, clearly. Naughton joined him. On first sight he too is upright and confident on the ball but he saw little action, although he could have conceded a penalty before Rose whizzed up the other end to be brought down for our fourth.

In my preview I suggested that the non-appearance of Pav and Hutton would most likely signal their imminent departure but on second thoughts league position is the target for any club thinking of buying.

Defoe went off early and may have a hamstring problem, the only bad news on a cold but pleasant day as thoughts move to the clash against Liverpool next weekend.

Is It Safe?

/ Alan / 4 Comments

The transfer window is closed and Tottenham Hotspur have concluded their business.

Our new Director of Football

Our new Director of Football

Is it safe? Is it safe? I detest the window, or more accurately the hullabaloo that surrounds it. I love the banter and camaraderie of the messageboards, so why is it that as deadline day nears, everyone goes mental? The bloke who texts the Sky Sports News ticker that his cousin’s best mate’s dad is a taxi driver and he’s been told to pick up Van der Vaart from Heathrow to take him to White Hart Lane is not telling the truth. Yet these and other similar rumours have been picked over and debated for the past few weeks on the boards. Oh, and is it too late to mention Van der Vaart was in the Dutch squad for an international at the time???

I am currently holidaying in not-sodding-sunny Cornwall and mercifully have been spared the ghastly spectacle of Sky Sports News on deadline day. Oh these gorgeous Cornwall villages and their cottages, oak beams, slate floors, roses growing round the window and only 5 T V channels – so delightfully quaint! I am therefore indebted to the Guardian online for the information that SSN knew big things were in store for Spurs today because, “Normally Harry Redknapp gives us a wave when he arrives at the training ground.”

I expect it was a full day of Standing Outside in the Cold news. Why do they have to stand outside a training ground or stadium to tell us what is happening? That is actually the last place to be, not only away from where decisions are being made but also out of  touch with other news-gathering sources. I’ll tell you what is happening outside the grounds – nothing. So then they spend several minutes telling us in excited, conspiratorial tones that nothing is happening.

As technology goes, Teletext will in years to come be regarded as the media equivalent of betamax. I never really mastered the knack of going back one page without it going through every page over again, and then missing out the one I wanted. But oh how I miss the humble page 302 now. Information. Plain and simple. This has happened. That’s all I needed to know. If the chief teletext reporter had a moustache like Ned Sanders, it was hidden from view. Irrelevant.

Pass the oil of cloves, deep breaths, HOLD and relax. The last few days have been good for Spurs. Kranjcar is a superb player, technically gifted, good on the ball and highly astute. Good for a passing game and for retaining possession, links well with the strikers, does things at set pieces. A steal at that price: this blog is unreservedly delighted at his arrival.

This is no short-term over for Modric’s injury nor squad-building, although we do have strength and quality in depth. He could initially slot in on the left but could play anywhere in midfield. Maybe Luka will settle into centre midfield, probably his preferred position, or we adopt the flexibility of the Croatian team, where they have a hard working, fluid midfield who support the man on the ball and use the space without having totally fixed positions across the field. Palacios will enable them to play. The prospects are genuinely exciting.

O’Hara’s loan looked at first glance as a sign that he was on the way out, but now it’s more like a sweetener to seal the Kranjcar deal. Portsmouth needed to bring players in before any could leave, because their squad looks well sort of Premier League quality. They will struggle and Boeteng will not help their cause. In 40 years of watching Spurs, I have never been so underwhelmed by a substantial signing. His brief performances proved only that he was a liability, full of hasty late tackles, conceding possession and positional naivety. Being skilful and promising takes you only so far. 4 million – thank you very much.

Finally, kudos to Daniel Levy. I’ve been extremely critical of his work in the transfer market in the past. This time last year he was desperate to buy any striker at any price and still failed, whilst letting Arshavin slip through our fingers is a cardinal sin. However, in the past he has shrewdly played clubs who he feels are weaker than us. Taking Keane and Lennon at the last minute from Leeds is a case in point, as is our ability to come up with cash for Sheffield United and the Kyles, and thereby outmanoeuvre our rivals Everton. All three deals with Portsmouth have been perfectly judged.

Spurs Are Good. Or Bad. Or Both.

/ Alan / 5 Comments

Don’t stop now!

Years of waiting, dreaming of a 100% start and now we must put everything on hold for the international break.

Like many fans who are passionate about their team, for this blog club comes before country. I’ll watch the qualifiers and I’m pleased Capello has exerted his authority over our overpaid underperforming national stars, but success for Tottenham Hotspur means more than qualification for the World Cup. It’s not something that I really think about. Rather, my physical and emotional response to watching Spurs compared with England tells me all I need to know. With Spurs, the troughs are infinitely deeper and the peaks stratospheric.

A little like the Birmingham game, in fact. This was further evidence that our attacking prowess is enough to overwhelm most teams, and all that was lacking was some steadiness in front of goal in the first half and a bit of luck in the second as Crouch singlehandedly (singleheadly?) took on their defence with efforts scraped off the line and hitting the bar. We continue to be on course for a successful season and the progress is exceptional.

Alternatively, this was further evidence not just of defensive fragility but more significantly a lack of resilience. We cannot finish off inferior opponents and remain vulnerable. Always able to let teams back into the match, someone sometime is going to make a mistake in our box. We were lucky in facing a weakened team with no decent strikers, who missed chances better teams will put away in future. Therefore we are back to square one. The old faults remain hidden just below the surface veneer of a few reasonable performances.

Same match, two totally different analyses. In reality, both are probably true, at least to some extent. It is foolish to ignore our increased confidence and team cohesion, that in turn leads to excellent flowing attacking football. However, much more work is required to create and sustain a hard edge that marks out a team of winners and a winning team. Resilience will be a key concept as this blog continues through the season.

Then the lovely Luka has to go and have his leg broken. It’s my fault. I wasn’t there to watch over him. I had thought he had grown up just that little bit and didn’t need my patrician watchfulness (Luka, It Must be Love).

I’m reeling from the blow. We really have something going on with him, and now this. Good sources suggest that the description of his injury as a broken leg is a bit over the top, rather like Lee Bowyer… Let’s hope he’ll be back in 6 to 8 weeks or so.

Meanwhile, cue a plunge into the transfer market? Harry knows we have something too and he is certain to want to maintain some momentum, not necessarily with a direct Modric replacement but certainly someone, maybe a centre midfielder, to drive us on. He may well activate one of the many offers and enquiries that have been around this summer. Krancar? He will do for me and will fit right in. Frankly I’ll be relieved when the window is closed and the frenzy of speculation ends.

Spurs v Birmingham. And Beyond

/ Alan / 5 Comments

Spurs v Birmingham. And the Transfer Window

No change. That will do. Steady as she goes. Nothing to see here. More of the same. God this blogging lark is easy.

It is nothing short of remarkable that these things can be written about Tottenham Hotspur. We are only four matches into the season, yet a number of potential obstacles have popped up, like a 1980s Sonic computer game, but we have nonchalantly brushed them aside. Title contenders, tricky away games against local rivals, the trap set by lower league opposition in the Cup, all safely negotiated. Full bonus points, extra lives, on to the next level.

Although the prospect of a home match against Birmingham hardly sets the pulse racing, it remains a true test of our progress. The last time we played Birmingham at home, we lost 3-2 in a match that we dominated. I left the ground full of the indignant rage so familiar to Spurs fans over the years, fuelled partly by the utter injustice of this travesty, partly by anger towards our team who once again failed to convert our superiority into goals and who watched as Jerome Cameron strolled through the defence to score the late winner. Neither he nor Larsson, who volleyed a stray ball home from 30 yards, would ever again score such spectacular goals, yet they had to go and do it against us. I railed at the bluenoses ringing 606 to say their season had turned around. Fools. I was right, they were relegated, but of course once more it’s Spurs who lose to the teams at the bottom.

However, I do not believe we will falter tomorrow. This blog is more miserablist than blindly optimistic, but it’s realism that suggests we will be able to outmanoeuvre Birmingham’s well-organised midfield pressing game and that our forwards will be too strong for their defence, in whatever combination we choose to offer. King will return and Corluka move to full back, but otherwise it will be an unchanged team from last weekend. Corluka, a player I admire greatly, has not had a great start to the season, nothing serious but he may be under some pressure from Hutton, especially as the latter gives extra width. That width is not so crucial with Lennon in fine fettle, so perhaps a quiet word with Palacios to ensure the defence is properly protected is all that is required.

The other major issue is of course the transfer window, which closes in a few days time. Throughout the summer I have looked for improvement and consolidation in our squad, rather than wholesale rebuilding. Discounting men like Boeteng, who have appeared so infrequently that they don’t feel like Tottenham players anyway, there is not a single squad member who I would wish to be sold. Upon that foundation we need to bring in a few extra players to develop our quality, provide strength in depth and offer tactical options, either from the bench or to counter specific dangers in the way opponents are set up.

Crouch and Bassong fit the bill perfectly. A left sided midfielder just for the sake of it is not a priority, but another strong centre midfielder who can tackle and pass would be perfect. Trouble is, everyone is looking for the same thing.

Players will not be sold for the sake of it. I have insisted all along that despite Redknapp’s quotes at the beginning of the window, we do not need to sell in order to buy. However, some players are vulnerable if we can upgrade. One in, one out will be the order of the day. Selling Bentley or Jenas is a possibility, Pavlyuchenko a probability (I would keep all of them regardless of who joins), but without replacements the squad suddenly looks thin. Therefore, our current success should not lead to reckless selling and a squandering of our assets.

Pav wants to leave and in all probability Harry does not rate him, but he cannot be allowed to depart unless we have a replacement in the wings, and again good strikers are in short supply. Redknapp has placed a number of serious enquiries and maybe offers, and will continue to juggle the balls for as long as he can, until something shifts and everything starts to fall into place. Levy will not prevaricate on the fine print of the contracts – he would not dare to look Harry in the eye.

So farewell then Pascal Chimbonda – again. A decent price for a decent player, who contrary to most opinions I believe was an excellent buy in January. Remember the context of his arrival. The new manager bounce had well and truly vanished and our threadbare squad was performing poorly at the bottom of the league. Chimbonda could fit straight into the team, providing much needed defensive cover, and possessed the priceless asset of being available. At the time King had been written off, by Ramos at least, Woodgate was injury prone, Dawson right off form and Assou Ekotto not up to the job. We were therefore hugely vulnerable. As it transpired, of course, we did not suffer injuries, except later on to Dawson, King was magnificent, Benny the most improved player in the Premier League and Dawson found his form. Chimbonda was surplus to requirements, then as now, but a good buy at the time.

Finally, as I have written before, the absolute priority in the window is to keep our top players. Do anything to prevent Luka from being unsettled, let alone sold.