The January Sales: Do Tottenham Need a Bargain?
Thursday, 05 November 09, 10:06 AM · Comments(14)
I know, I know. We're not even in December yet. Although, you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise with the amount of tinsel, fairy lights and ‘great gift ideas’ polluting my telly box in the last few days; already I’m getting that urge to take my best scissors to the mains and put shot to the whole damn thing. ‘Go away Christmas. Please, just go away.’ It won’t be long, I’m sure, before Coca-Cola get their chomps on the festivities with a saccharine sweet ad campaign that’ll officially tell us the news. The. Holidays. Are. Coming. And it’s going to cost you.
Providing we make that far, the January sales could be an interesting one. Compared to last year- when the objective was to papier-mâché over the ship's peppered underbelly and stop it jettisoning into the sun- this could be a wholly more somber affair. As of yet, no panic, no wholesale changes required, no walls to be dismantled or re-built. Perhaps just a touch of Polyfilla in the cracks and a good sanding down.
Wilson needs cover, or, indeed, a partner. This has been mentioned and seemingly addressed by Redknapp with his public courting of Brazilian U21 midfielder, Sandro.
He said this last month, gawd bless him:
"We've only got three central midfield players," Redknapp said.
"Jamie O'Hara went, Kevin-Prince Boateng went, Didier Zokora went. Suddenly we're very, very short in there. Jermaine Jenas is on four bookings, Palacios on three.''
"So I'm looking for someone else who can play in midfield here. We've been looking at Sandro. He's just breaking into the Brazilian team from the Under-21s. He can play - he's a modern day midfield player.’’
So what say you? Where else does Harry need to strengthen? If anywhere?
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A hearty expedition into the mind of a troubled, easily swayed Tottenham fan.
14 Comments · Add yours
We don't need a bargain. We need a thoroughly well researched, well scouted procurement.
I'm probably at least as susceptible as most to Christmas bargains. Unbelievable discounts, even more so when found online, free delivery, for things I don't really need; or even the mad rush mania that seeps in when you visit Harrods during the sales - everyone's grabbing and you don;t want to leave empty handed for the fear that you've somehow missed out.
We don't need a bargain. We know what we need, and it doesn't matter what the seller says, no matter what awards they are reputed to have (KPB?), if they're going to be 'squad player' then we've far too many as it is. What we need are players that can immediately challenge the current first choices for the positions that they play. In the same wasy that Azza improved when Bentley arrived, we need one that can simply slot in. Wilson is an exact example. We needed him, he's validated his purchase, he's first pick when fit, full stop.
Replace a bench warmer with a slightly better bench warmer? There are some reasons (financial, morale) where this is worthwhile, but in all honesty - the Summer Sale Window is a much better platform in which to pick up a decent bargain.
Reply to Trembly:
I'm not really advocating a bragain as such, just a purchase in the window which, due to the time of year, would be labelled a January Sales Bargain.
(I'm not sure I do.)
If you get my meaning, sir.
Saying that, in hindsight, Wilson could easily be called a snip at 14Million. At the time it felt like hefty sum for a relative unknown but now it's peanuts.
Would you warm to having J'OH back?
Recall JOH: He's doing well at Pompey and can help out here. Not a long term answer, but squad depth is vital in the 2nd part of the season.
Buy Sandro: Sarge needs help. I don't claim to know what Sandro is about beyond what I see on Youtube, but if Harry thinks he can do a job then I'll go along.
Sell Jenas: He's almost 27 FFS! He has his uses but if he hasn't made the leap yet, it probably isn't going to happen. Join Benty and Steed in Mackem land. Even better if Jose did actually want him.
Thud: Still young and has his good points. Being able to help cover our crocked CBs makes me want to keep him.
Pav: I wouldn't sell him but Harry probably will. If Jenas goes too, there's the Sandro money and then some. Let Obika cover and get some cup games.
Keep in mind that Seb and BAE are gone for a month at ACN, so maybe some make-dos in the back.
Thats just it SSG. Squad depth is so important in the final stetch, that I wouldn't even get rid of Jenas. Jamie O will be pissed off not getting on except for the odd cup match, but would be good to have around even if we sell him in the summer.
WFRF, I expect I got woried by the use of the word 'bargain'. We need to keep seeking to unearth otherwise unheard of bargains (perhaps Chan is on - doubt it though), but I worry about buying and selling for the sake of it. How we perform in this Jan transfer window is at least as important as how we've performed so far this season - failure to address, could lead to just that I fear.
stretch even
Reply to Trembly:
Initially thought you wrote "final stench" which would be applicable at times
I wouldn't hate it if JJ stayed, but if we had the Palace, Sandro, Jamie and Thud I could live with him going.
Reply to Trembly:
Dam right Trembly.
lets hold on to what we have and spend big on at least one player that will fit straight into our midfield.
That is how we can push on in the new year.
Also. look at our currant squad, there aren't many teams in the prem with better, NO
Reply to SeattleSpursGuy:
That stench you refer to has been hanging around since last weekend. I trust that there's been clear-the-air talks at Spurs Lodge
It's worth remembering Kranjcar can play in the middle in a pinch as well. If we sign another central midfielder, I wouldn't lose any sleep if we sent JJ packing and/or released Taarabt from his purgatory.
Jamie O'Hara, for all his endeavor, is a very good Championship footballer. That we all have a soft spot for him because he's one of a vanishing few in the squad who seem to have a passion for winning is, quite frankly, a pathetic situation.
Once Modric is back and purring along, I wouldn't mind seeing him get some time in the middle. With the right players around him, I think that's his best position.
Other than the oft-discussed CM situation, I think we need a LB to challenge A&E. Harry seems to have decided that Bale is not the man to do so, which is fairly damning because A&E is just not that good. Taye Taiwo is a name that's been out there in previous windows, and I believe he's spoken favorably about a move to England in the past. Would he consider Spurs, particularly if Marseille fail to go through to the CL knockout stages?
Other than CM and LB, I think we're in pretty good shape. What we really need is to recapture the energy we had back in September. Those Spurs pressed the ball like banshees. Those Spurs were confident in possession. Those Spurs friggin' MOVED and OFFERED for the ball after they passed it.
Lately we've been standing around like Medusa victims, frozen by the novelty of a completed pass. Ooh, look at that. Damn, son. Nice one! Meanwhile, two of the other lot close down and win the ball because there are no outlets for the guy in possession. Ball watching doesn't just happen on defense, and we've been doing entirely too much of it.
Longwell "Lately we've been standing around like Medusa victims, frozen by the novelty of a completed pass."
I suppose you can count Thudd out of that lot. He's recently been seen standing around, frozen by the thought of making a novelty pass
I agree on Jamie not being a star in the making, but I think his passion for the cause raises his value higher than his talent alone would indicate.
You're quite right that Jamie's sort of drive and effort should be norm rather than the exception, but I'll take a bit more steel even if means less skill in the squad. Skill we got in spades.
Reply to Longwell:
yep good stuff longwell,agree with all of that,
i also think that modric should eventually play through the middle with palacios,so if we had a battling left sider,like a muntari for example,modric could do the damage......
14 mill is doable
Jenas and Huddlestone have been playing well this season.Good idea get rid.
The idea that you can find a young foreign player who will slot in immediately to the team and the Premiership is a myth. Still lets give it ago Youtube isnt always wrong.
Might as well get rid of Harry too, he`s been with us over a year.
Didn't take long for the stability theme to evaporate. Lets climb back on the manager and player revolving door circuit, its worked so well in the past couple of decades.
Actually Palacios hasn´t been playing that well for several weeks. He might be due for the chop any time, at least on the fansites and forums.
Fickle, us? Shurly shome mishtake.