Saturday's win against Birmingham brought consternation to White Hart Lane Sunday, as Ledley King suffered a groin injury and Luka Modric fractured his right tibula in a collision with Lee Bowyer.
The injury to the tiny Croatian could have a more obvious effect, as Tottenham were basically running their offense through his creativity prior the his injury, but King's injury could hurt the team more if he misses any time, as they are now down to exactly one fully healthy center back and he hasn't even been with the club for a month yet. Reports on King's injury are conflicting, though, with some sites saying he should be back by the Manchester United game two weeks from now and others saying that he has a torn groin muscle, which would obviously take more time to heal. If that's the case, Tottenham would need to buy some cover for their central defense position, with Honduran Osman Chavez likely filling the role.
Modric is a more difficult situation, as he fractured his right tibula and, according to the club, will be in a walking boot for six weeks before returning to training. This suggests that the team needs to buy temporary cover while he recovers.
In the past 24 hours, Spurs have been linked with bids for versatile Real Madrid and Dutch Rafael Van der Vaaart, who hasn't even been given a squad number this season despite his obvious skill level. Van der Vaart can play any one of the four midfield positions, so he could give Redknapp some intriguing options once Modric is healthy again. Out of all of the potential links, this one is one of the iffier ones, however, despite Van der Vaart's refusal to move to Turkish side Besiktas in hopes of securing a transfer to the EPL.
Tottenham were interested in Arjen Robben and Klass-Jaan Huntelaar in Real Madrid's casting off of their now-excess players already this year and neither one of those deals went through, so this one is probably just as unlikely. Besides, a team like Manchester United or Liverpool (ha) could come in at the last second and buy up a player of VDV's quality. The other problem with Spurs buying him is that Van der Vaart would need to play somewhere and Tottenham is fast running out of opportunities in the midfield, as Aaron Lennon and Wilson Palacios aren't going to be moved and the left midfield position goes away when Modric comes back. That leaves Tom Huddlestone's position as the only open one on a week to week basis and Redknapp will probably not touch him as long as he plays as commandingly as he has the past couple of weeks.
It would be nice to have a playmaker of Van der Vaart's obvious quality available, but he is a strong enough player that he really does need to play every week on a team that isn't named Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester United. Spurs have reported put in a €15 million bid for the Dutch international. If that works out, things could get very interesting.
Spurs are also constantly linked with Martin Petrov. That would be a last ditch option, as he is nowhere near as skilled as the other players that are being talked about and also extremely injury prone, meaning he won't be able to consistently provide the expected production that Spurs would need out of him when asked.
The most likely move to happen (along with Sandro moving from Brazil in either this window or January's to provide cover for Wilson Palacios in the midfield) is the reported £8 million bid for Portsmouth's Niko Kranjcar and David James. If this move happens, Redknapp will have effectively transferred all of the offensive firepower and the starting keeper off of his Pompey squad to Spurs, which would be a remarkable feat likely increasing the squad's already excellent chances at relegation.
Kranjcar knows Spurs strikers Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe, as well as Redknapp, from their time at Portsmouth and Vedron Corluka and Modric from the Croatian national team, meaning he would be able to acclimate himself rather quickly. The left winger is a bit more aggressive than Modric, going for the goal more than his tiny counterpart. The only problem with purchasing him is that he really doesn't have a place once Modric is healthy again, but he is a free agent at the end of the year if Spurs don't resign him.
The signing of James could unsettle Heurelho Gomes, who was just beginning to settle in before hurting his groin a couple of weeks ago. If Redknapp ensured Gomes, who has a much higher upside and ability to make the big saves than James, that he was the starter and James' role was that of the level-handed backup, though, this move could pay huge dividends for the remainder of the season.
Redknapp may have an ulterior motive for all of these moves, however, as he may see this window as his last chance to spend legitimate money, in part due to Modric's injury. In other words, 'Arry probably assumes that Spurs will qualify for Europe in some capacity next year and doesn't want to be caught as off guard and short on players as the team was last season. Assuming Spurs buy Van der Vaart, Kranjcar, James and Chavez, here are what next year's lineups could look like, particularly if Spurs are involved in Europe.
Lineup A:
GK: Gomes
D: Corluka-King-Woodgate- Assou-Ekkotto
M: Lennon-Palacios-Van der Vaart?-Modric
S: Defoe-Crouch?
Lineup B:
GK:Gomes (James)
D: Hutton-Dawson-Bassong-Naughton (Bale)
M:Bentley-Huddlestone-Sandro-Kranjcar
S:Keane-Pavlyuchenko
Granted, the second lineup gets a bit thin in places (striker, in particular , but it is legitimately better than a lot of EPL teams and Redknapp could be going for that effect when some of his players need to be rested or saved for an important Europe fixture. The potential moves make so much more sense when looked at with the two lineup theory in mind, especially when one remembers that Redknapp has spoken admiringly of Manchester United's ability to effectively have two separate lineups in the past.
The end of the transfer window is going to be fascinating on White Hart Lane. Hopefully this all works out for the best.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Tottenham 2 - Birmingham City 1
Tottenham eked out a narrow victory Saturday despite dominating the game the whole way through, but winning the three points may have cost more than they were worth, as both Ledley King and Luka Modric went down to injury.
The match was frustrating for Spurs throughout, as the team had three legitimate chances on goal in the first 10 minutes, with the back of the net continuing to be elusive for much of the match. The first half was very much Tottenham's as attack after attack was thrown against Birmingham's seemingly weak defense only to be averted at the last second by a miraculous save or by a shot trickling inches off of its target.
The first major injury came at halftime, as Ledley King came out of the game with a groin injury, to be replaced by Alan Hutton. The Scottish defender was excellent against Hull City last week, but his replacement would prove to be detrimental to the squad this week, in part due to a seeming lapse in strategy by manager Harry Redknapp, who placed Hutton in King's center back position instead of in his preferred right back spot.
Any time King is injured, of course, it is a major concern, as the defender has proven time and time again that he is one of the players who makes up Tottenham's backbone. This injury was even more concerning, however, because fullbacks Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson are already out with injuries, meaning that the only center back who is fully healthy is the just-bought Sebastian Bassong. Redknapp supposedly brought Honduran international Osman Chavez in on trial last week. Hopefully Chavez impressed Redknapp enough that he can be pressed into action soon, if need be.
The second major injury came in the 46th minute, when Birmingham midfielder Lee Bowyer clipped the side of Modric's right calf on a challenge. Redknapp said that the injury looked pretty nasty and acknowledged that if it looks like the Croatian is out for any extended period of time, he may be forced into the transfer market to find a temporary replacement. (There may be a ready-made one right at 'Arry's former Fratton Park stomping grounds in the form of Niko Kranjcar. After all, who better to replace a play-making Croatian than a play-making Croatian? Redknapp said anything to back that up, but there have been reports all summer linking Spurs to the left midfielder. Another solution may be Manchester City misfit Martin Petrov, who the Daily Mail is seemingly certain will end up at Spurs.)
Modric was replaced by Peter Crouch, who instantly added another dimension to Tottenham's attack, with crosses landing on his head from all angles, with the lanky striker getting three chances between the 58th and the 60th minutes. His chance in the 64th minute proved to be a thrilling one, however, as Robbie Keane, who had dropped into Modric's left midfield slot when Crouch came in, sent a cross in to Crouch's head that met the crossbar before bouncing out. Crouch's next chance was cleared off of the line by Birmingham defender Lee Carsley, with Tottenham players swearing that the ball had broken the imaginary plane.
Alas, Crouch wasn't done quite yet. Aaron Lennon made one of his thrilling runs down the right hand side, where he was tripped up by Lee McFadden. Tom Huddlestone, who was again excellent throughout the game in running Spurs' midfield, took the free kick and sent a beautiful ball looping into the box, where Crouch rose to meet it and sent it careening into the back of the net for a well-deserved lead.
After the game, Redknapp said that Crouch could easily have had three or four goals on the day and that really isn't an exaggeration. The recent transfer truly was a game changer once he came on, giving Spurs an aerial threat that they truly lacked throughout last season.
The joy at White Hart Lane was short-lived, however, as Birmingham brought striker Christian Benitez on for Carsley in a move that showed immediate dividends for Alex McGleish's squad. Spurs' defenders began to appear lost as a unit, as City had more chances in the 16 minutes than they did in the rest of the game.
The near-fateful moment, however, came when Benitez tapped a ball into the path of Bowyer, with Hutton and Carlo Cudicini suffering a major communication issue, as Hutton's attempts to knock the ball back to the keeper resulted in the ball lying in the Birmingham player's path for one of the uglier goals in the recent history of White Hart Lane. It is worth mentioning that, despite their excellent form so far this season, Spurs have yet to keep a clean sheet. This goal was clearly the result of miscommunication between Hutton and Cudicini, the result of two essentially reserves being on the field at once. If Tottenham are actually going to make a run at the top of the table this season, these kinds of mistakes just can't happen.
After Bowyer's goal, Birmingham fans were noticeably louder than Spurs fans, obviously thinking that they would be able to sneak out of London with a point in hand and, possibly, three points, which appeared to be the case when City were the team menacing for much of the final 15 minutes.
That all changed, however, when Lennon, who Fabio Capello is planning to recall to the English squad for next week's World Cup qualifier against Croatia, swooped in to make the difference in injury time for the second week in a row. The moment was the result of ex-Spur Stephen Carr suffering a tumble in his own territory, allowing maligned striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, who came on after Jermaine Defoe (who wasn't completely clinical for the first time this season) suffered a knock, to swoop in on the right wing and send a pass to Lennon, who was lurking unmarked on the left side of the field. Lennon ducked to his right and rifled a shot towards goal that City keeper Joe Hart managed to get a hand on but not save, allowing the midfielder to be the hero for the second week in a row.
The development of Lennon is one of the stories of the season for Spurs so far this year as he, like his club, is finally beginning to emerge from years of being labeled as the next big thing to actually producing. Lennon is crossing accurately, moving well and playing with a confidence that Spurs fans haven't seen from him thus far, meaning that the Englishman is finally beginning to claim his place as a valuable part of the future, but, more importantly, a part of the present for both club and country.
Spurs ended up with 60 percent of the possession today, in comparison to Birmingham's 40 percent. Tottenham also recorded 26 shots on goal (10 on target) in comparison to City's 13 (5 on target). In other words, Spurs definitely deserved to win this game despite both teams having excellent chances at scoring throughout, with any result but three points to the London side being something of a fluke. This is the type of game-gritty, tough, injury-ridden, frustrating-that Tottenham wouldn't have won in the past couple of seasons and shows the continuing growth of this team.
The match was frustrating for Spurs throughout, as the team had three legitimate chances on goal in the first 10 minutes, with the back of the net continuing to be elusive for much of the match. The first half was very much Tottenham's as attack after attack was thrown against Birmingham's seemingly weak defense only to be averted at the last second by a miraculous save or by a shot trickling inches off of its target.
The first major injury came at halftime, as Ledley King came out of the game with a groin injury, to be replaced by Alan Hutton. The Scottish defender was excellent against Hull City last week, but his replacement would prove to be detrimental to the squad this week, in part due to a seeming lapse in strategy by manager Harry Redknapp, who placed Hutton in King's center back position instead of in his preferred right back spot.
Any time King is injured, of course, it is a major concern, as the defender has proven time and time again that he is one of the players who makes up Tottenham's backbone. This injury was even more concerning, however, because fullbacks Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson are already out with injuries, meaning that the only center back who is fully healthy is the just-bought Sebastian Bassong. Redknapp supposedly brought Honduran international Osman Chavez in on trial last week. Hopefully Chavez impressed Redknapp enough that he can be pressed into action soon, if need be.
The second major injury came in the 46th minute, when Birmingham midfielder Lee Bowyer clipped the side of Modric's right calf on a challenge. Redknapp said that the injury looked pretty nasty and acknowledged that if it looks like the Croatian is out for any extended period of time, he may be forced into the transfer market to find a temporary replacement. (There may be a ready-made one right at 'Arry's former Fratton Park stomping grounds in the form of Niko Kranjcar. After all, who better to replace a play-making Croatian than a play-making Croatian? Redknapp said anything to back that up, but there have been reports all summer linking Spurs to the left midfielder. Another solution may be Manchester City misfit Martin Petrov, who the Daily Mail is seemingly certain will end up at Spurs.)
Modric was replaced by Peter Crouch, who instantly added another dimension to Tottenham's attack, with crosses landing on his head from all angles, with the lanky striker getting three chances between the 58th and the 60th minutes. His chance in the 64th minute proved to be a thrilling one, however, as Robbie Keane, who had dropped into Modric's left midfield slot when Crouch came in, sent a cross in to Crouch's head that met the crossbar before bouncing out. Crouch's next chance was cleared off of the line by Birmingham defender Lee Carsley, with Tottenham players swearing that the ball had broken the imaginary plane.
Alas, Crouch wasn't done quite yet. Aaron Lennon made one of his thrilling runs down the right hand side, where he was tripped up by Lee McFadden. Tom Huddlestone, who was again excellent throughout the game in running Spurs' midfield, took the free kick and sent a beautiful ball looping into the box, where Crouch rose to meet it and sent it careening into the back of the net for a well-deserved lead.
After the game, Redknapp said that Crouch could easily have had three or four goals on the day and that really isn't an exaggeration. The recent transfer truly was a game changer once he came on, giving Spurs an aerial threat that they truly lacked throughout last season.
The joy at White Hart Lane was short-lived, however, as Birmingham brought striker Christian Benitez on for Carsley in a move that showed immediate dividends for Alex McGleish's squad. Spurs' defenders began to appear lost as a unit, as City had more chances in the 16 minutes than they did in the rest of the game.
The near-fateful moment, however, came when Benitez tapped a ball into the path of Bowyer, with Hutton and Carlo Cudicini suffering a major communication issue, as Hutton's attempts to knock the ball back to the keeper resulted in the ball lying in the Birmingham player's path for one of the uglier goals in the recent history of White Hart Lane. It is worth mentioning that, despite their excellent form so far this season, Spurs have yet to keep a clean sheet. This goal was clearly the result of miscommunication between Hutton and Cudicini, the result of two essentially reserves being on the field at once. If Tottenham are actually going to make a run at the top of the table this season, these kinds of mistakes just can't happen.
After Bowyer's goal, Birmingham fans were noticeably louder than Spurs fans, obviously thinking that they would be able to sneak out of London with a point in hand and, possibly, three points, which appeared to be the case when City were the team menacing for much of the final 15 minutes.
That all changed, however, when Lennon, who Fabio Capello is planning to recall to the English squad for next week's World Cup qualifier against Croatia, swooped in to make the difference in injury time for the second week in a row. The moment was the result of ex-Spur Stephen Carr suffering a tumble in his own territory, allowing maligned striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, who came on after Jermaine Defoe (who wasn't completely clinical for the first time this season) suffered a knock, to swoop in on the right wing and send a pass to Lennon, who was lurking unmarked on the left side of the field. Lennon ducked to his right and rifled a shot towards goal that City keeper Joe Hart managed to get a hand on but not save, allowing the midfielder to be the hero for the second week in a row.
The development of Lennon is one of the stories of the season for Spurs so far this year as he, like his club, is finally beginning to emerge from years of being labeled as the next big thing to actually producing. Lennon is crossing accurately, moving well and playing with a confidence that Spurs fans haven't seen from him thus far, meaning that the Englishman is finally beginning to claim his place as a valuable part of the future, but, more importantly, a part of the present for both club and country.
Spurs ended up with 60 percent of the possession today, in comparison to Birmingham's 40 percent. Tottenham also recorded 26 shots on goal (10 on target) in comparison to City's 13 (5 on target). In other words, Spurs definitely deserved to win this game despite both teams having excellent chances at scoring throughout, with any result but three points to the London side being something of a fluke. This is the type of game-gritty, tough, injury-ridden, frustrating-that Tottenham wouldn't have won in the past couple of seasons and shows the continuing growth of this team.
Spurs sign developmental contract with Internacional to help Sandro bid
Tottenham have been linked with a slew of physical box-to-box midfielders this offseason, from Sulley Muntari (rejected a move) to Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse wanted £25 million for him) to Harry Redknapp's latest infatuation, 20-year-old Brazilian Sandro, who has yet to make an international appearance but has been called up for World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Chile next month.
Daniel Levy and other Spurs executives have reportedly been in Brazil at some point over the last week, trying to tie up the transfer of the £26 million rated player, but a £14 million bid was rejected.
Spurs' chances of completing the transfer, however, received a boost Friday when Internacional and Tottenham announced a developmental agreement between the two clubs similar in nature to Tottenham's agreement with MLS' San Jose Earthquakes and South Africa's Supersport United. Internacional have a long history of developing excellent talent, as players such as Pato, Lucio, Luis Adriano and Daniel Carvalho began with the club. This agreement seems to indicate a strong working agreement between the two clubs, hopefully leading to the transfer of Sandro, with Levy's next bid reportedly weighing in at £16 million.
The only issue with Sandro is that Spurs already have a very similar player manning their midfield with Wilson Palacios, and Tom Huddlestone has given Tottenham an enhanced threat from the midfield plus the physical presence that has been so integral to Spurs' success this season. Levy won't pay that much money for a player who isn't playing week in and week out, so the Brazilian U-20 captain would need to be able to make an immediate impact on the squad. Hopefully Sandro can do that, both offensively and defensively, because much of the flair that Luka Modric and Aaron Lennon have shown this season can be attributed to Huddlestone's outlet passes. If Sandro were to quickly step in for Huddlestone, the message sent to the rest of the team will be an extremely pathetic one.
This would be an excellent deal, but it would mean that Redknapp needs to manage the team carefully for the rest of the season, something that he has done very well so far.
Daniel Levy and other Spurs executives have reportedly been in Brazil at some point over the last week, trying to tie up the transfer of the £26 million rated player, but a £14 million bid was rejected.
Spurs' chances of completing the transfer, however, received a boost Friday when Internacional and Tottenham announced a developmental agreement between the two clubs similar in nature to Tottenham's agreement with MLS' San Jose Earthquakes and South Africa's Supersport United. Internacional have a long history of developing excellent talent, as players such as Pato, Lucio, Luis Adriano and Daniel Carvalho began with the club. This agreement seems to indicate a strong working agreement between the two clubs, hopefully leading to the transfer of Sandro, with Levy's next bid reportedly weighing in at £16 million.
The only issue with Sandro is that Spurs already have a very similar player manning their midfield with Wilson Palacios, and Tom Huddlestone has given Tottenham an enhanced threat from the midfield plus the physical presence that has been so integral to Spurs' success this season. Levy won't pay that much money for a player who isn't playing week in and week out, so the Brazilian U-20 captain would need to be able to make an immediate impact on the squad. Hopefully Sandro can do that, both offensively and defensively, because much of the flair that Luka Modric and Aaron Lennon have shown this season can be attributed to Huddlestone's outlet passes. If Sandro were to quickly step in for Huddlestone, the message sent to the rest of the team will be an extremely pathetic one.
This would be an excellent deal, but it would mean that Redknapp needs to manage the team carefully for the rest of the season, something that he has done very well so far.
Two to Pompey as 'Arry sets Pav's price
Tottenham loaned midfielder Jamie O'Hara to Portsmouth and signed him to a new contract Friday on the same day that Harry Redknapp sold misfit Kevin-Prince Boateng to the south coast club who are desperately trying to shore up their frail squad before the transfer window closes.
O'Hara's move is an initial loan until January with an option to increase it to a season-long move, while Boateng brought around £4 million from Pompey, one of the Premier League's weakest-looking sides so far this season.
The move greatly benefits O'Hara, who appeared to be making great strides playing on the left side last season but hasn't been able to play there thus far this term due to the scintillating form of Luka Modric. O'Hara is reportedly thrilled with the possibilities that Fratton Park club offers, saying that he will likely play in the central midfield and attempt to score some goals for Paul Hart.
This potential move is interesting for O'Hara, who was predominantly deployed out left under Redknapp. By playing in the middle of the field, O'Hara will hopefully develop a new attacking edge to his game, one that he wouldn't have added by sitting on the bench at White Hart Lane. It is worth mentioning that O'Hara's first Premier League goal came against Portsmouth on March 22, 2008.
Boateng moved to Spurs in 2007, a buy of then-manager Martin Jol. The so-called "Ghetto Kid" appeared to be on his way towards a promising international career before his move to London, but after Jol was fired Boateng became more of a problem than an asset. He was one of the players whose squad number was stripped by Juande Ramos after the Spaniard moved to Spurs from Sevilla. Boateng has also had attitude problems with the German national team, leading him to stop playing for the Germans and start playing for his father's native Ghana. Redknapp, however, gave Boateng both his number and, possibly, his career back by putting Boateng on the field for two games in the 2008-09 season and then loaning him out to Borussia Dortmund in the midfielder's native Germany. The German club wanted to buy the attacking midfielder, but Tottenham's asking price was purportedly too high to work out.
Now, Boateng has the opportunity to complete his career's revival for a squad that desperately needs a few surprises in order to earn Premier League survival. Hopefully he can move beyond his attitude problems and succeed in Fratton Park.
Russian international Roman Pavlyuchenko has received limited opportunities on the squad this season, scoring against Donacaster Tuesday in his first legitimate action this term, and is beginning to worry about how his lack of play could affect his international standing for the 2010 World Cup. He and his agent discussed the issue with Redknapp this past week and, despite the manager's assurances that Pav would remain in North London for the rest of this season, the Daily Mail is reporting that Tottenham has told Zenit St. Petersburg that Pav will cost them £10.5 million. The rumor may be just that, but Redknapp has a history of saying one thing and then doing the next, something that he has already done with Spurs a few times.
With that said, Redknapp should try to keep Pav around, maybe even as his second striker, as he is younger than Peter Crouch and can't be less effective than Robbie Keane has been so far this term. Pav has the potential to be an excellent Premier League player, but hasn't yet settled into the striker rotation at White Hart Lane and will be constantly involved in transfer rumors until he is finally sold or finally finds a permanent role. Pavlyuchenko could have a huge year this year, if only he is given the opportunity to prove himself.
O'Hara's move is an initial loan until January with an option to increase it to a season-long move, while Boateng brought around £4 million from Pompey, one of the Premier League's weakest-looking sides so far this season.
The move greatly benefits O'Hara, who appeared to be making great strides playing on the left side last season but hasn't been able to play there thus far this term due to the scintillating form of Luka Modric. O'Hara is reportedly thrilled with the possibilities that Fratton Park club offers, saying that he will likely play in the central midfield and attempt to score some goals for Paul Hart.
This potential move is interesting for O'Hara, who was predominantly deployed out left under Redknapp. By playing in the middle of the field, O'Hara will hopefully develop a new attacking edge to his game, one that he wouldn't have added by sitting on the bench at White Hart Lane. It is worth mentioning that O'Hara's first Premier League goal came against Portsmouth on March 22, 2008.
Boateng moved to Spurs in 2007, a buy of then-manager Martin Jol. The so-called "Ghetto Kid" appeared to be on his way towards a promising international career before his move to London, but after Jol was fired Boateng became more of a problem than an asset. He was one of the players whose squad number was stripped by Juande Ramos after the Spaniard moved to Spurs from Sevilla. Boateng has also had attitude problems with the German national team, leading him to stop playing for the Germans and start playing for his father's native Ghana. Redknapp, however, gave Boateng both his number and, possibly, his career back by putting Boateng on the field for two games in the 2008-09 season and then loaning him out to Borussia Dortmund in the midfielder's native Germany. The German club wanted to buy the attacking midfielder, but Tottenham's asking price was purportedly too high to work out.
Now, Boateng has the opportunity to complete his career's revival for a squad that desperately needs a few surprises in order to earn Premier League survival. Hopefully he can move beyond his attitude problems and succeed in Fratton Park.
Russian international Roman Pavlyuchenko has received limited opportunities on the squad this season, scoring against Donacaster Tuesday in his first legitimate action this term, and is beginning to worry about how his lack of play could affect his international standing for the 2010 World Cup. He and his agent discussed the issue with Redknapp this past week and, despite the manager's assurances that Pav would remain in North London for the rest of this season, the Daily Mail is reporting that Tottenham has told Zenit St. Petersburg that Pav will cost them £10.5 million. The rumor may be just that, but Redknapp has a history of saying one thing and then doing the next, something that he has already done with Spurs a few times.
With that said, Redknapp should try to keep Pav around, maybe even as his second striker, as he is younger than Peter Crouch and can't be less effective than Robbie Keane has been so far this term. Pav has the potential to be an excellent Premier League player, but hasn't yet settled into the striker rotation at White Hart Lane and will be constantly involved in transfer rumors until he is finally sold or finally finds a permanent role. Pavlyuchenko could have a huge year this year, if only he is given the opportunity to prove himself.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Bentley's struggles continue
Midfielder David Bentley was undoubtedly one of the biggest busts of last season's transfer market, coming to Tottenham from Blackburn for £15 million and accomplishing little more than scoring a ridiculous goal against Arsenal.
Harry Redknapp has reportedly been trying to sell the man once labeled as the next Beckham all summer, with Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill reportedly showing sporadic interest. Unfortunately for the player, and possibly Spurs, though, Bentley has made himself pretty much unsellable by drunkenly crashing his Porsche, the latest step in his fall from grace.
This is the second incident in which a Tottenham player was nabbed in an alcohol-related incident since Redknapp came to the club, as Ledley King was arrested after getting into a fight in the spring. After that incident, Redknapp pressed for a no-alcohol policy at Tottenham, an effort that apparently hasn't yet come to fruition.
Bentley's now-murky future will probably see him playing here and there behind Aaron Lennon for the rest of this season. Redknapp could give him another look on the left wing, but Bentley looked awful there last year and there are other candidates already at the club (Giovani dos Santos if he sticks around, Danny Rose, Jamie O'Hara, and possibly Luka Modric, to name four.) in addition to the possibility of Redknapp buying someone to move into that slot.
Bentley is the kind of player who the fans are likely to blame when things go wrong because of his personality, but who has a tantalizing degree of talent that could allow him to be a major contributor on a good team someday. (At Blackburn two seasons ago, he was one of the best crossers of the ball in the entire league.)
According to Bentley, his accident was a "wake up call, both professionally and personally." Hopefully he means that and will begin to put his career back together.
Harry Redknapp has reportedly been trying to sell the man once labeled as the next Beckham all summer, with Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill reportedly showing sporadic interest. Unfortunately for the player, and possibly Spurs, though, Bentley has made himself pretty much unsellable by drunkenly crashing his Porsche, the latest step in his fall from grace.
This is the second incident in which a Tottenham player was nabbed in an alcohol-related incident since Redknapp came to the club, as Ledley King was arrested after getting into a fight in the spring. After that incident, Redknapp pressed for a no-alcohol policy at Tottenham, an effort that apparently hasn't yet come to fruition.
Bentley's now-murky future will probably see him playing here and there behind Aaron Lennon for the rest of this season. Redknapp could give him another look on the left wing, but Bentley looked awful there last year and there are other candidates already at the club (Giovani dos Santos if he sticks around, Danny Rose, Jamie O'Hara, and possibly Luka Modric, to name four.) in addition to the possibility of Redknapp buying someone to move into that slot.
Bentley is the kind of player who the fans are likely to blame when things go wrong because of his personality, but who has a tantalizing degree of talent that could allow him to be a major contributor on a good team someday. (At Blackburn two seasons ago, he was one of the best crossers of the ball in the entire league.)
According to Bentley, his accident was a "wake up call, both professionally and personally." Hopefully he means that and will begin to put his career back together.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Redknapp eying moves for Crouch, Delph, McCarthy
Tottenham could become involved in the transfer market very quickly in coming days, as Harry Redknapp is suddenly being linked with moves for a slew of players. Most notable among those is Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, the 6'7 English international who 'Arry has already purchased twice in his career.
Crouch, who has also drawn the interest of Sunderland and Fullham, is one of the better English strikers in the game at the moment and, due to his size, certainly one of the most unique. His goal scoring rate, however, fell off rapidly last season after Redknapp moved to Spurs, taking Jermaine Defoe with him. It is certainly worth noting, also, that Crouch's stats aren't quite as good as he seems to be remembered, as he scored 22 goals in 85 appearances with Liverpool and 11 goals in 35 games last season with Portsmouth.
As long as there are other players available, Redknapp should avoid a move for Crouch who, while an interesting target man, simply doesn't produce enough to be a particularly valuable player for any side.
There are many better ways to spend £12 million.
One of those ways may be registering an interest in Leeds United midfielder Fabian Delph, a young Englishman who has been one of the top prospects in England for two seasons now. Leeds, which is notable for producing excellent midfielders (Aaron Lennon included), reportedly want somewhere between £5 and £6 million for Delph.
The central midfielder would be an excellent addition for Spurs, but doing so would almost certainly mean the end of either Tom Huddlestone or Jermaine Jenas, as Luka Modric and Wilson Palacios are solidified in the starting central midfield spots. It would, however, likely be a move that pays off in the future and could also help Spurs prepare for the rumored FIFA 5+6 rules. Delph has also been strongly linked with Marin O'Neill's Aston Villa, who appear to be the favorites in the race for his signature.
Another move to the future would be the signing of Hamilton Academical striker James McCarthy, who has been strongly linked with a move to Wigan. McCarthy is a legitimate prospect, something affirmed by Wigan's interest. He does not, however, appear likely to move to Spurs, as Roberto Martinez's club are more interested in the player and could offer playing time pretty quickly.
Tottenham have reportedly not offered a concrete bid for McCarthy yet.
Crouch, who has also drawn the interest of Sunderland and Fullham, is one of the better English strikers in the game at the moment and, due to his size, certainly one of the most unique. His goal scoring rate, however, fell off rapidly last season after Redknapp moved to Spurs, taking Jermaine Defoe with him. It is certainly worth noting, also, that Crouch's stats aren't quite as good as he seems to be remembered, as he scored 22 goals in 85 appearances with Liverpool and 11 goals in 35 games last season with Portsmouth.
As long as there are other players available, Redknapp should avoid a move for Crouch who, while an interesting target man, simply doesn't produce enough to be a particularly valuable player for any side.
There are many better ways to spend £12 million.
One of those ways may be registering an interest in Leeds United midfielder Fabian Delph, a young Englishman who has been one of the top prospects in England for two seasons now. Leeds, which is notable for producing excellent midfielders (Aaron Lennon included), reportedly want somewhere between £5 and £6 million for Delph.
The central midfielder would be an excellent addition for Spurs, but doing so would almost certainly mean the end of either Tom Huddlestone or Jermaine Jenas, as Luka Modric and Wilson Palacios are solidified in the starting central midfield spots. It would, however, likely be a move that pays off in the future and could also help Spurs prepare for the rumored FIFA 5+6 rules. Delph has also been strongly linked with Marin O'Neill's Aston Villa, who appear to be the favorites in the race for his signature.
Another move to the future would be the signing of Hamilton Academical striker James McCarthy, who has been strongly linked with a move to Wigan. McCarthy is a legitimate prospect, something affirmed by Wigan's interest. He does not, however, appear likely to move to Spurs, as Roberto Martinez's club are more interested in the player and could offer playing time pretty quickly.
Tottenham have reportedly not offered a concrete bid for McCarthy yet.
Gunter's Spurs spell ends
The initial news that Tottenham had agreed to loan 19-year-old right back Chris Gunter to Nottingham Forest proved false yesterday, as the deal was not a loan but instead a permanent sale, with Gunter costing the Reds £2 million.
Gunter has a the potential to end up being a very solid player for the duration of his career, but there was simply no place for him in a Tottenham squad that is undeniably looking to win its way back into Europe next season, as Redknapp already has Corluka, Hutton, and Chimbonda at right back.
Best of luck to Gunter at Nottingham Forest. Hopefully he can impress and work his way back onto another Premiership squad.
Gunter has a the potential to end up being a very solid player for the duration of his career, but there was simply no place for him in a Tottenham squad that is undeniably looking to win its way back into Europe next season, as Redknapp already has Corluka, Hutton, and Chimbonda at right back.
Best of luck to Gunter at Nottingham Forest. Hopefully he can impress and work his way back onto another Premiership squad.
Friday, July 17, 2009
The Madrid striker interest continues . . .
After inking the signings of the "Kyle duo" today, Harry Redknapp is continuing his interest in another duo-Real Madrid strikers Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Alvaro Negredo.
Madrid reportedly need to sell at least five players before they go on another spending spree, and Spurs are reportedly interested in both the strikers and winger Arjen Robben.
Negredo appears to be the closest to a deal, as there are reports emanating out of Spain that suggest that the deal with the Spaniard could actually be completed by the weekend. Negredo, who many Madrid fans feel could be the next great Spanish footballer, has spent the last two seasons with Alemeria, where he scored 32 goals in 70 appearances.
The 23-year-old had been linked to Liverpool earlier in this window as a makeweight for Xabi Alonso, but the Anfield club seem to be more interested in receiving a massive sum for the midfielder than a striker.
The Daily Mail suggests that Tottenham's bid for Negredo means that Redknapp thinks he is losing out to Stuttgart for the signing of Huntelaar, but that is not necessarily the case.
Stuttgart have had a bid (believed to be €15.5 million) accepted for Huntelaar, but the ex-Ajax man doesn't seem particularly thrilled about heading to the relative backwater of Germany, even if it does mean Champions League football. Instead, Huntelaar has been stalling on the move by delaying talks with Stuttgart, essentially hoping that some English team will drop from the sky with a solid bid for him.
Huntelaar, who is 25, has been one of the major prospects in footballing circles for two or three years now, so it was huge when he finally headed to Madrid in January. He didn't fit in right away, however, scoring eight goals in 20 appearances, a solid output but not quite what was expected of him. Huntelaar could play at any club in the world and would be an ideal target man to work with Jermaine Defoe and receive crosses from the scintillating Aaron Lennon.
Tottenham are reportedly putting together a deal for him and, hopefully, it's enough to get the job done. There is some concern that Arsenal could hijack the deal if they sell Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City in the coming days, but Arsene Wenger seems to be more interested in Marouane Chamakh, in part due to the Bordeaux striker's much lower price tag and strikingly similar skill set.
Bringing in Huntelaar and Negredo, which Redknapp should definitely try to accomplish, would mean the end of Darren Bent and Roman Pavyulchenko (and possibly Robbie Keane, again) at White Hart Lane, but Huntelaar in particular has been discussed as the "first big guy" type of signing, the respected player who changes the way a club is perceived amongst the footballing world. (If this move somehow works out, I'll write about this more extensively.)
Harry should do everything he can to buy both Huntelaar and Negredo, as both players receive the kind of respect that Spurs are hoping to work their towards in the near future, hopefully as soon as August 15th.
Madrid reportedly need to sell at least five players before they go on another spending spree, and Spurs are reportedly interested in both the strikers and winger Arjen Robben.
Negredo appears to be the closest to a deal, as there are reports emanating out of Spain that suggest that the deal with the Spaniard could actually be completed by the weekend. Negredo, who many Madrid fans feel could be the next great Spanish footballer, has spent the last two seasons with Alemeria, where he scored 32 goals in 70 appearances.
The 23-year-old had been linked to Liverpool earlier in this window as a makeweight for Xabi Alonso, but the Anfield club seem to be more interested in receiving a massive sum for the midfielder than a striker.
The Daily Mail suggests that Tottenham's bid for Negredo means that Redknapp thinks he is losing out to Stuttgart for the signing of Huntelaar, but that is not necessarily the case.
Stuttgart have had a bid (believed to be €15.5 million) accepted for Huntelaar, but the ex-Ajax man doesn't seem particularly thrilled about heading to the relative backwater of Germany, even if it does mean Champions League football. Instead, Huntelaar has been stalling on the move by delaying talks with Stuttgart, essentially hoping that some English team will drop from the sky with a solid bid for him.
Huntelaar, who is 25, has been one of the major prospects in footballing circles for two or three years now, so it was huge when he finally headed to Madrid in January. He didn't fit in right away, however, scoring eight goals in 20 appearances, a solid output but not quite what was expected of him. Huntelaar could play at any club in the world and would be an ideal target man to work with Jermaine Defoe and receive crosses from the scintillating Aaron Lennon.
Tottenham are reportedly putting together a deal for him and, hopefully, it's enough to get the job done. There is some concern that Arsenal could hijack the deal if they sell Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City in the coming days, but Arsene Wenger seems to be more interested in Marouane Chamakh, in part due to the Bordeaux striker's much lower price tag and strikingly similar skill set.
Bringing in Huntelaar and Negredo, which Redknapp should definitely try to accomplish, would mean the end of Darren Bent and Roman Pavyulchenko (and possibly Robbie Keane, again) at White Hart Lane, but Huntelaar in particular has been discussed as the "first big guy" type of signing, the respected player who changes the way a club is perceived amongst the footballing world. (If this move somehow works out, I'll write about this more extensively.)
Harry should do everything he can to buy both Huntelaar and Negredo, as both players receive the kind of respect that Spurs are hoping to work their towards in the near future, hopefully as soon as August 15th.
Spurs beat Everton to Sheffield defense duo
Harry Redknapp's first summer signings seem to have finally (unofficially) occurred today and, surprise, they weren't the Real Madrid strikers that Spurs have been linked so heavily to over the past few days.
Instead, it was Sheffield United defenders Kyle Walker and Kyle Naugton for a combined £8 million, with Walker being loaned to the Blades for the upcoming season.
Everton had been in competition with Tottehnam, particularly for Naughton, as the Goodison Park club had the first offer (believed to be around £5 million) accepted for the player, but then Redknapp swooped with the higher bid and, evidently after some discussion, Naughton (who received the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this summer) and Walker came to terms with Spurs and agreed to the switch.
Naugton is a 20-year old defender who primarily plays at right back. This is an issue because Spurs already have Vedran Corluka, Alan Hutton, Pascal Chimbonda and Chris Gunter at the position. (Even though 19-year-old Gunter has been loaned back to Nottingham Forest, where he impressed last season.) Redknapp is believed to have been interested in Naughton because he has had some experience at left back out of the past season, although he was more there out of necessity than because he showed any particular aptitude for the position.
While Naughton is an excellent young player, the eventual gem of the deal could be Kyle Walker, who can play at both right back and center back. Redknapp likely sees Walker as a long-term replacement for either Ledley King or Michael Dawson, with some rumors swirling around Dawson recently and King entering the final year of his contract.
19-year-old Walker, who starred in Sheffield's final four games last season, will return to Sheffield on loan initially, aiding both club's and likely the player's development.
This could be an excellent deal for Tottenham as they are buying two highly rated young players in one fell swoop, but one player will likely see a fair amount of competitive play right from the start of his time at White Hart Lane while the other will continue to grow and develop in order to contribute next season.
It's not the type of headline signing that the supporters have been waiting for, but 'Arry's first step into the transfer market could prove a fruitful one.
Instead, it was Sheffield United defenders Kyle Walker and Kyle Naugton for a combined £8 million, with Walker being loaned to the Blades for the upcoming season.
Everton had been in competition with Tottehnam, particularly for Naughton, as the Goodison Park club had the first offer (believed to be around £5 million) accepted for the player, but then Redknapp swooped with the higher bid and, evidently after some discussion, Naughton (who received the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this summer) and Walker came to terms with Spurs and agreed to the switch.
Naugton is a 20-year old defender who primarily plays at right back. This is an issue because Spurs already have Vedran Corluka, Alan Hutton, Pascal Chimbonda and Chris Gunter at the position. (Even though 19-year-old Gunter has been loaned back to Nottingham Forest, where he impressed last season.) Redknapp is believed to have been interested in Naughton because he has had some experience at left back out of the past season, although he was more there out of necessity than because he showed any particular aptitude for the position.
While Naughton is an excellent young player, the eventual gem of the deal could be Kyle Walker, who can play at both right back and center back. Redknapp likely sees Walker as a long-term replacement for either Ledley King or Michael Dawson, with some rumors swirling around Dawson recently and King entering the final year of his contract.
19-year-old Walker, who starred in Sheffield's final four games last season, will return to Sheffield on loan initially, aiding both club's and likely the player's development.
This could be an excellent deal for Tottenham as they are buying two highly rated young players in one fell swoop, but one player will likely see a fair amount of competitive play right from the start of his time at White Hart Lane while the other will continue to grow and develop in order to contribute next season.
It's not the type of headline signing that the supporters have been waiting for, but 'Arry's first step into the transfer market could prove a fruitful one.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
So long Didier and more striker stuff
One drawn out transfer was finally completed today and another seems to be nearing its end, as Tottenham are finally officially beginning the clearing out that hopefully signals the beginning of a spending spree in the near future.
Midfielder Dider Zokora was finally sold to Sevilla earlier today for roughly €9 million. Zokora didn't play much this season, especially after Wilson Palacios came over from Wigan in the winter transfer window, but he was an important part of the Spurs' squad for most of his time in England.
Zokora, who came over from St. Etienne in 2006, never scored a goal for the Lilywhites but proved extremely valuable due to his versatility and defensive skills. He is the type of player who Spurs are going to need if they ever want to become a top 4 club, as teams like Manchester United and Liverpool essentially have two squads and Zokora would be an invaluable part on the second squad. Unfortunately, though, Spurs are looking to reduce their squad size and do not have the "distraction" of the UEFA Cup (or Euro League) next season. This is likely not a move that Tottenham will regret, but Zokora is a part who will always prove useful at the strangest times.
Here's wishing him the best of luck in Spain. I hope he shuts Christiano Ronaldo down at least twice a season.
As for how the sale affects the immediate future, it finally gives Harry Redknapp some money to maneuver in this transfer window. It may not, however, be the last sale this week, as Darren Bent looks like he may be close to a move.
According to the Sun, Blackburn's Sam Allardyce has his eye on Bent and Kenwyne Jones. Bent has now drawn the interest of both Blackburn and Sunderland and is expected to draw somewhere between £10 and £13 million on the market. It still seems as if he is more likely to head to the Stadium of Light, but if Redknapp could manufacture some haste on the part of the two interested parties he may cause a mini bidding war. It still looks unlikely, though, that Spurs are going to recoup the £16 million that they spent on Bent two seasons ago.
Bent proved to be a solid striker at Spurs, but hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of fans and, therefore, has required the constant label of "overrated." Bent does have a tendency to disappear at times, but he also scores some very important goals. He is a very good third or fourth striker to have and certainly valuable if he is on a team that expects to play a lot of games. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to really have a place on Tottenham's squad, at least for the next season, so he will be sold. (That's actually something that most of the players Redknapp is selling have in common-they are good players who just don't fit because Spurs are not likely to have as full of a schedule next year as they did this past year, when the managers did an awful job of balancing playing time.)
There are times that I like Bent and times that I hate him, but he is undoubtedly a useful player. Hopefully for the sake of everybody involved, this transfer, whether it be to Blackburn or to Sunderland. (And I would say Sunderland have the upper hand in part because of Blackburn's interest in Kenwyne Jones, in part because of their long term interest in Bent and in part because of the close relationship between Steve Bruce and 'Arry.)
The other rumor that emerged this week is that Redknapp is again interested in Manchester City's Craig Bellamy, a player he wanted in the winter transfer window. I'll keep this one short: Please, Harry, no. We do not need a player who spends 1/2 or more of every season injured and who has a history of being a polarizing figure in the locker room.
By the end of the week, Redknapp will have between £18 and £20 million to spend. Hopefully he begins to make some of the moves that we have been hearing about.
Midfielder Dider Zokora was finally sold to Sevilla earlier today for roughly €9 million. Zokora didn't play much this season, especially after Wilson Palacios came over from Wigan in the winter transfer window, but he was an important part of the Spurs' squad for most of his time in England.
Zokora, who came over from St. Etienne in 2006, never scored a goal for the Lilywhites but proved extremely valuable due to his versatility and defensive skills. He is the type of player who Spurs are going to need if they ever want to become a top 4 club, as teams like Manchester United and Liverpool essentially have two squads and Zokora would be an invaluable part on the second squad. Unfortunately, though, Spurs are looking to reduce their squad size and do not have the "distraction" of the UEFA Cup (or Euro League) next season. This is likely not a move that Tottenham will regret, but Zokora is a part who will always prove useful at the strangest times.
Here's wishing him the best of luck in Spain. I hope he shuts Christiano Ronaldo down at least twice a season.
As for how the sale affects the immediate future, it finally gives Harry Redknapp some money to maneuver in this transfer window. It may not, however, be the last sale this week, as Darren Bent looks like he may be close to a move.
According to the Sun, Blackburn's Sam Allardyce has his eye on Bent and Kenwyne Jones. Bent has now drawn the interest of both Blackburn and Sunderland and is expected to draw somewhere between £10 and £13 million on the market. It still seems as if he is more likely to head to the Stadium of Light, but if Redknapp could manufacture some haste on the part of the two interested parties he may cause a mini bidding war. It still looks unlikely, though, that Spurs are going to recoup the £16 million that they spent on Bent two seasons ago.
Bent proved to be a solid striker at Spurs, but hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of fans and, therefore, has required the constant label of "overrated." Bent does have a tendency to disappear at times, but he also scores some very important goals. He is a very good third or fourth striker to have and certainly valuable if he is on a team that expects to play a lot of games. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to really have a place on Tottenham's squad, at least for the next season, so he will be sold. (That's actually something that most of the players Redknapp is selling have in common-they are good players who just don't fit because Spurs are not likely to have as full of a schedule next year as they did this past year, when the managers did an awful job of balancing playing time.)
There are times that I like Bent and times that I hate him, but he is undoubtedly a useful player. Hopefully for the sake of everybody involved, this transfer, whether it be to Blackburn or to Sunderland. (And I would say Sunderland have the upper hand in part because of Blackburn's interest in Kenwyne Jones, in part because of their long term interest in Bent and in part because of the close relationship between Steve Bruce and 'Arry.)
The other rumor that emerged this week is that Redknapp is again interested in Manchester City's Craig Bellamy, a player he wanted in the winter transfer window. I'll keep this one short: Please, Harry, no. We do not need a player who spends 1/2 or more of every season injured and who has a history of being a polarizing figure in the locker room.
By the end of the week, Redknapp will have between £18 and £20 million to spend. Hopefully he begins to make some of the moves that we have been hearing about.
Rumor Roundup: EPL Version (7/8)
There has been a multitude of rumors and official movements concerning Tottenham targets or just affecting Spurs in the past 24 hours. Try to stick with me as I sort through them. This could take a little while.
Manchester United are now the favorites in the race to sign Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, as AC Milan to spend the money that they received from Madrid for Kaka on Sevilla's Luis Fabiano instead. Huntelaar was linked with Tottenham earlier in this transfer window, but everyone sort of knew that the move would never happen, as Huntelaar was pretty much in the same position as Karim Benzema (a young striker who all of the world's best teams want) until Madrid bought him in January and seemingly forgot about him. Huntelaar would be a very good fit for the Red Devils and could go a long way towards making Christiano Ronaldo (and his protracted transfer saga) fade into the past.
Another player who Spurs have been linked to several times in the past is Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson. The English U-21 midfielder is now being linked with Chelsea, the club that he seems destined to end up with. The reasoning, however, is the most interesting part in all of this, as Carlo Ancelotti reportedly realizes that he needs to prepare his squad for FIFA regulations concerning the number of English players there need to be on a squad. That probably doesn't affect Spurs too much yet (and Harry Redknapp seems to have a preference for English players anyways), but it could affect the way other teams approach the transfer window in the near future.
Wigan's Lee Cattermole has apparently caught the eye of Sunderland's Steve Bruce, no surprise considering that Bruce brought Cattermole to Wigan when he was the manager there last year. Bruce seems to have a fair amount of money to spend this summer and Cattermole would be a good fit on most sides in the EPL (Spurs reportedly wanted to link him back up with Wilson Palacios in the midfield). Bruce has been good at making something out of nothing in the past, so it will be interesting to see what he can do at Sunderland, where there already seems to be the beginning of something.
Blackburn apparently want strikers as bad as Tottenham do, but they are actually determined to make a move (unlike Spurs). The two players that they have seemingly targeted are Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent (a player Sunderland are also interested in). Jones, who Redknapp wanted during the winter window, reportedly will cost about £9 million, while Bent will probably run about £10 million (more on him in a later post, though). The only thing clearing up Jones' move to Blackburn is seemingly Bent's move to Sunderland. Blackburn are a club that always seem to just stay up and I see Sam Allardyce and Jones clashing if this transfer does go through, as Jones has a tendency to disappear at times. He is, however, also a very good player when he chooses to be, so it could be a very good fit if Allardyce can keep Jones motivated.
These moves all seem to have a fair amount of truth to them, as they (oddly) all make a good degree of sense. What does and doesn't happen, though, will inevitably be as strange as ever. Luckily, there are no Ronaldo (or Gareth Barry) transfers in this batch, even though the Johnson move has been rumored for about as long as that one was.
Manchester United are now the favorites in the race to sign Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, as AC Milan to spend the money that they received from Madrid for Kaka on Sevilla's Luis Fabiano instead. Huntelaar was linked with Tottenham earlier in this transfer window, but everyone sort of knew that the move would never happen, as Huntelaar was pretty much in the same position as Karim Benzema (a young striker who all of the world's best teams want) until Madrid bought him in January and seemingly forgot about him. Huntelaar would be a very good fit for the Red Devils and could go a long way towards making Christiano Ronaldo (and his protracted transfer saga) fade into the past.
Another player who Spurs have been linked to several times in the past is Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson. The English U-21 midfielder is now being linked with Chelsea, the club that he seems destined to end up with. The reasoning, however, is the most interesting part in all of this, as Carlo Ancelotti reportedly realizes that he needs to prepare his squad for FIFA regulations concerning the number of English players there need to be on a squad. That probably doesn't affect Spurs too much yet (and Harry Redknapp seems to have a preference for English players anyways), but it could affect the way other teams approach the transfer window in the near future.
Wigan's Lee Cattermole has apparently caught the eye of Sunderland's Steve Bruce, no surprise considering that Bruce brought Cattermole to Wigan when he was the manager there last year. Bruce seems to have a fair amount of money to spend this summer and Cattermole would be a good fit on most sides in the EPL (Spurs reportedly wanted to link him back up with Wilson Palacios in the midfield). Bruce has been good at making something out of nothing in the past, so it will be interesting to see what he can do at Sunderland, where there already seems to be the beginning of something.
Blackburn apparently want strikers as bad as Tottenham do, but they are actually determined to make a move (unlike Spurs). The two players that they have seemingly targeted are Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent (a player Sunderland are also interested in). Jones, who Redknapp wanted during the winter window, reportedly will cost about £9 million, while Bent will probably run about £10 million (more on him in a later post, though). The only thing clearing up Jones' move to Blackburn is seemingly Bent's move to Sunderland. Blackburn are a club that always seem to just stay up and I see Sam Allardyce and Jones clashing if this transfer does go through, as Jones has a tendency to disappear at times. He is, however, also a very good player when he chooses to be, so it could be a very good fit if Allardyce can keep Jones motivated.
These moves all seem to have a fair amount of truth to them, as they (oddly) all make a good degree of sense. What does and doesn't happen, though, will inevitably be as strange as ever. Luckily, there are no Ronaldo (or Gareth Barry) transfers in this batch, even though the Johnson move has been rumored for about as long as that one was.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Pav saga continues and Keane rumors begin anew
Roman Pavlyuchenko has been linked with clubs as big as Chelsea and clubs like Turkey's Besiktas. He has been linked with Stuttgart and Roma and, now, just to ensure that one team in every country is interested in him, he has been linked with Villarreal.
The Russian striker, who some perceive as having flopped in his first season at White Hart Lane (a ridiculous presumption, considering that he had basically been playing for two straight years and was just adjusting to the EPL), has reportedly drawn the interest of the Big Yellow.
The thinking is that Spurs don't want to lose money on Pav, meaning that they are looking to recoup the transfer fee that they paid for him, which is pricey when one considers that Tottenham paid more for Pav than Arsenal paid for his national team strike partner, Andrei Arshavin. If Harry Redknapp knows what he wants to do with the money coming in, great, Tottenham should sell Pav as soon as possible and buy a replacement striker. If not, they should hang on to him, as the Russian could very well prove to be the target man that Spurs seem to be desperately searching for in this transfer window.
Tottenham should be very wary about selling Pavyluchenko, as he was probably at his absolute worst last season (new language, team in turmoil, constant playing leading to fatigue, changing strike partners, different style of play . . . the reasons just go on) and could develop into an excellent Prem striker yet. In fact, I would bet that if Pav plays next season next to either Robbie Keane or Jermaine Defoe, he excels.
In the same vein, Keane has already been linked to Sunderland and now Aston Villa have reportedly registered an interest in the Spurs captain. There probably isn't very much to this rumor, as Redknapp has reportedly already prevented Sunderland's Steve Bruce from making a bid for Keane. It does beg the question, however, when and if the Spurs-Aston Villa swap machine is ever going to go in motion, with Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley being linked to Villa, and Ashley Young and Nigel Reo-Coker have been linked to Spurs. It may never begin, but even if it does I wouldn't expect to see Keane's name involved in the eventual dealings. Despite his inability to find the net after returning from his ill-fated time at Anfield, Keane did show himself to be a difference maker on the pitch during his time at the Lane.
Also, Spurs' pursuit of Newcastle's Sebastien Bassong appears over, as the Frenchman reportedly was demanding too high of wages. This may be a good thing, as players who play well for bad teams don't always play well for good teams. (I know, it's bizarre logic. Just think of a mediocre actor surrounded by terrible actors on a soap opera and that same actor surrounded by stars in a big budget movie. That actor is going to disappear in the movie but be notable in the soap opera.) Bassong needs at least one more year in the Prem before a team like Spurs considers paying him high wages, especially when Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King are already two of their highest earners. Let Arsenal or Man City spend their money on Bassong.
In other news . . .
Interestingly, Chelsea phenom Michael Mancienne, who played in the EPL last season at the age of 21, is potentially going to be on the block, with clubs like Wolves and Reading showing the most interest so far. If Mancienne really is available, Redknapp should go after him, as he is one of the most touted young talents in all of England and definitely represents a better long-term solution to the defense issue than Richard Dunne, who has repeatedly been linked to Spurs.
In other news around the Prem, Fergie is stepping up his interest in Sergio Aguero, Athletico Madrid's star Argentinian striker who would be a superstar if he ever suited up for the Red Devils. A part of me hopes that this actually happens, as Aguero is one of the most underrated players in the world right now and would receive the notoriety that he deserves if he moved to Manchester United.
Also, Arsenal are beginning to look like players in this transfer window, as Arsene Wenger has registered interest in Karim Benzema AND Franck Ribery, two of the biggest target of this window. The notoriously thrifty Wenger is apparently looking to change his ways, particularly if he sells Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan, as has been rumored in recent weeks. This is scary for Spurs fans worldwide. Fortunately, Wenger will be successful in neither pursuit. (Benzema likely won't move this summer and Ribery will end up at Real Madrid.)
Frazier Campbell, meanwhile, is set to join Steve Bruce at Sunderland after a protracted negotiation where it looked like the player wasn't very interested in the team. Campbell, who spent last season on loan at White Hart Lane, showed flashes of brilliance at times and could develop into a very good Jermaine Defoe-esque striker, particularly under that tutelage of Bruce, who seems to develop young players better than most managers in England.
Nothing too fascinating for Spurs today. Hopefully Harry Redknapp gets moving on this transfer market, as the players will begin to fly at some point and I'd much rather Tottenham be a buyer than a spectator.
The Russian striker, who some perceive as having flopped in his first season at White Hart Lane (a ridiculous presumption, considering that he had basically been playing for two straight years and was just adjusting to the EPL), has reportedly drawn the interest of the Big Yellow.
The thinking is that Spurs don't want to lose money on Pav, meaning that they are looking to recoup the transfer fee that they paid for him, which is pricey when one considers that Tottenham paid more for Pav than Arsenal paid for his national team strike partner, Andrei Arshavin. If Harry Redknapp knows what he wants to do with the money coming in, great, Tottenham should sell Pav as soon as possible and buy a replacement striker. If not, they should hang on to him, as the Russian could very well prove to be the target man that Spurs seem to be desperately searching for in this transfer window.
Tottenham should be very wary about selling Pavyluchenko, as he was probably at his absolute worst last season (new language, team in turmoil, constant playing leading to fatigue, changing strike partners, different style of play . . . the reasons just go on) and could develop into an excellent Prem striker yet. In fact, I would bet that if Pav plays next season next to either Robbie Keane or Jermaine Defoe, he excels.
In the same vein, Keane has already been linked to Sunderland and now Aston Villa have reportedly registered an interest in the Spurs captain. There probably isn't very much to this rumor, as Redknapp has reportedly already prevented Sunderland's Steve Bruce from making a bid for Keane. It does beg the question, however, when and if the Spurs-Aston Villa swap machine is ever going to go in motion, with Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley being linked to Villa, and Ashley Young and Nigel Reo-Coker have been linked to Spurs. It may never begin, but even if it does I wouldn't expect to see Keane's name involved in the eventual dealings. Despite his inability to find the net after returning from his ill-fated time at Anfield, Keane did show himself to be a difference maker on the pitch during his time at the Lane.
Also, Spurs' pursuit of Newcastle's Sebastien Bassong appears over, as the Frenchman reportedly was demanding too high of wages. This may be a good thing, as players who play well for bad teams don't always play well for good teams. (I know, it's bizarre logic. Just think of a mediocre actor surrounded by terrible actors on a soap opera and that same actor surrounded by stars in a big budget movie. That actor is going to disappear in the movie but be notable in the soap opera.) Bassong needs at least one more year in the Prem before a team like Spurs considers paying him high wages, especially when Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King are already two of their highest earners. Let Arsenal or Man City spend their money on Bassong.
In other news . . .
Interestingly, Chelsea phenom Michael Mancienne, who played in the EPL last season at the age of 21, is potentially going to be on the block, with clubs like Wolves and Reading showing the most interest so far. If Mancienne really is available, Redknapp should go after him, as he is one of the most touted young talents in all of England and definitely represents a better long-term solution to the defense issue than Richard Dunne, who has repeatedly been linked to Spurs.
In other news around the Prem, Fergie is stepping up his interest in Sergio Aguero, Athletico Madrid's star Argentinian striker who would be a superstar if he ever suited up for the Red Devils. A part of me hopes that this actually happens, as Aguero is one of the most underrated players in the world right now and would receive the notoriety that he deserves if he moved to Manchester United.
Also, Arsenal are beginning to look like players in this transfer window, as Arsene Wenger has registered interest in Karim Benzema AND Franck Ribery, two of the biggest target of this window. The notoriously thrifty Wenger is apparently looking to change his ways, particularly if he sells Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan, as has been rumored in recent weeks. This is scary for Spurs fans worldwide. Fortunately, Wenger will be successful in neither pursuit. (Benzema likely won't move this summer and Ribery will end up at Real Madrid.)
Frazier Campbell, meanwhile, is set to join Steve Bruce at Sunderland after a protracted negotiation where it looked like the player wasn't very interested in the team. Campbell, who spent last season on loan at White Hart Lane, showed flashes of brilliance at times and could develop into a very good Jermaine Defoe-esque striker, particularly under that tutelage of Bruce, who seems to develop young players better than most managers in England.
Nothing too fascinating for Spurs today. Hopefully Harry Redknapp gets moving on this transfer market, as the players will begin to fly at some point and I'd much rather Tottenham be a buyer than a spectator.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Tottenham reach bottom as Palacios interest is endangered
The Harry Redknapp honeymoon is absolutely, unequivocally over at White Hart Lane. Thanks to West Brom's 3-0 defeat of Middlesbrough today, Spurs are now bottom of the table.
To add insult to injury, Manchester United and Manchester City have both reportedly made a bid for Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios, a player whom Redknapp covets. It is believed that United may try to outbid Spurs in part as payback for the way that Daniel Levy handled the Dimitar Berbatov negotiations in August. And City, well, they have more money than they know what to do with right now, and they seem to plan to spend a fair amount of it in this January transfer window.
Palacios would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' midfield, and if 'Arry wants the deal to be completed to his advantage, he needs to finish it as soon as possible, namely before tomorrow's fixture against Pompey. Otherwise, he risks the lure of playing for top-of-the-table United or the moneybags that City will undoubtedly throw at him snatching Palacios from under his thumb.
This transfer window has been ridiculously frustrating for Spurs, as they have had all of their interest in players rebuffed outside of that for Jermain Defoe. First it was Stewart Downing, then it was Craig Bellamy (who seems as if he'll end up coming to Spurs anyways as a result of potentially shady dealings) and then it was Kenwyne Jones. The thing is that there is entirely too much talking being done by and about Spurs' potential transfers and not enough that are actually being completed.
The team undoubtedly needs help in the form of new players. It remains to be seen whether they'll receive it.
To add insult to injury, Manchester United and Manchester City have both reportedly made a bid for Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios, a player whom Redknapp covets. It is believed that United may try to outbid Spurs in part as payback for the way that Daniel Levy handled the Dimitar Berbatov negotiations in August. And City, well, they have more money than they know what to do with right now, and they seem to plan to spend a fair amount of it in this January transfer window.
Palacios would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' midfield, and if 'Arry wants the deal to be completed to his advantage, he needs to finish it as soon as possible, namely before tomorrow's fixture against Pompey. Otherwise, he risks the lure of playing for top-of-the-table United or the moneybags that City will undoubtedly throw at him snatching Palacios from under his thumb.
This transfer window has been ridiculously frustrating for Spurs, as they have had all of their interest in players rebuffed outside of that for Jermain Defoe. First it was Stewart Downing, then it was Craig Bellamy (who seems as if he'll end up coming to Spurs anyways as a result of potentially shady dealings) and then it was Kenwyne Jones. The thing is that there is entirely too much talking being done by and about Spurs' potential transfers and not enough that are actually being completed.
The team undoubtedly needs help in the form of new players. It remains to be seen whether they'll receive it.
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