Looking Rosey for Spurs - From Topspurs

yiddo

I know some think he's a grumpy old leftie but Duggan is never too far from the mark where Spurs are concerned.

18th July 2007 – Looking Rosey for Spurs

Contrary to what is being reported – there still seems to be a good deal of negotiating to do on SWP and its not looking as likely as it once was (circa late Tuesday, who knows by Weds) but better news if you like your Spurs players young and unproven, Danny Rose (someone from the Dirty Lids apparently) is having or has had his medical and all being well will sign for Spurs. The wonderful Wikipedia has his birth date as 2nd July 1990 which if you want to make yourself feel old, was 2 days before Gazza’s tears in England’s world cup semi final exit in WC90



With the clock running down to the start of the season – and given the activity elsewhere in the bloated EPL, the question remains, have Spurs improved the squad or spent £30m to stand still, or in a grumpy mood, regress. Before you answer, Spurs points spread is around 60-62 – are you a buyer or seller if it was yer own money? I’ve addressed some of the following before but for me it is the key issue of the summer, even if they announce something about the ground or indeed a takeover.

I think Spurs have forgotten or are not brave enough to buy a proper big name anymore, despite the wonderful success of Berbatov showing the way last season. Spurs are in Europe, very wealthy and just as importantly in the EPL which is fast becoming just as important as the CL as a showcase for the worlds top players. It’s not going to be easy as Chelsea, Utd, Liverpool and maybe even Arsenal remain more attractive destinations but there are top class players who’d jump for the chance to earn £40k a week or as they put it “always wanted to test themselves in the Premiership”.

Spurs need good international quality players ready for 2007/8. They need someone who has proved themselves in either the Spanish league or the very upper echelons of the Italian or poss. German league and with a few years group stage plus champions league experience. This is no guarantee for success as the gaffe prone Rocha has proved but it would show a determination for now. For this season. Many of Spurs recent signings seem for an unspecified date in the future, but Spurs need someone at the club to take responsibility and to buy players for next season, to turn 5th into 4th or poss. 3rd and 60 into 70+ points. Personally, I don’t want to read the following next may “Despite a disappointing season for the first team, its good news for Spurs future is that they’ve won the football combination for the second time in three years”

Spurs started this pre-season needing a new first choice left back, as usual a left midfielder and target man striker and depending upon you view on Ramon Rocha and/or Ledley’s “injury” another centre back. Available good players elsewhere always welcome but not essential.

To give the club its credit, it has gone after the positions required – but has the money been well spent? So far Spurs have signed two very promising youngsters for the left back and centre back positions. Both could be superstars to come but for the reported £15-£18m+ paid, you wonder whether the finished article may have been available. Gallas recently itchy feet at Scumbury cost the Goons only £5m when he moved last season and while the power in North London may not have shifted sufficiently for him to move north, his is the sort of quality Spurs should be after. Perhaps Kaboul will be better than Gallas or nearly on a par with Ledley… but perhaps he won’t. Even in today’s mad world, surely £8m buys more than promise with Jol knowing rather than hoping he is going to do the job when he first picks him?

Last season, Spurs spent £11m on Berbatov where class was never in doubt after being leading Bundesliga scorer, a great international record and having played regularly in the CL inc a final. This year, more money was spent on Bent who has the profile of a Chris Armstrong or Kevin Phillips and when Keane and Berbatov are both fit is going to have to get some tips from Defoe in how to score 18 goals from scraps on the sidelines.

If this is the best starting X1 07/08:

Robinson – Chimbonda, King, Dawson, Bale – Jenas, Zokora, Lennon, Tainio – Berbatov, Keane

Is it really £30M+ (and 10 EPL points) better than the best starting X1 06/07?

Robinson – Chimbonda, King, Dawson, YP Lee – Jenas, Zokora, Lennon, Tainio – Berbatov, Keane

Its going to need to be

Perhaps Bent won’t be the most expensive sub in the league and vice captain Keane be dropped and perhaps Dawson two seasons of 100% will see him benched immediately with the arrival of Kaboul. I’ve an open mind on the Kaboul over Dawson issue if he is quicker but there is no way Bent will feature ahead of Berbatov or Keane, assuming both stay. While there may be a few less Jenas free kicks greeted by groans as they go high and wide, what will Bale be like with Premiership wingers running at him, esp. if Spurs have a makeshift left midfielder who is always going central leaving him exposed – a trait which makes all Spurs left backs look ordinary and usually means Spurs start each new season with a new left back.

All new signings represent risks, but there is usually a direct relationship between the level of proven quality and money paid but Spurs seem to have increased the money without obviously increasing the quality. Sure Spurs need a squad but even without the summer signings in May 2007 they could field: Robinson – Chimbonda, King, Dawson, YP Lee – Jenas, Zokora, Lennon, Tainio – Berbatov, Keane… and Cerny – Stalteri, Gardner, Rocha, Assou-Ekotto – Huddlestone, Malbranque, Routledge, Ghaly – Mido, Defoe

The first side is much stronger, but the second could hold its own in the lower reaches of the league alongside the West Ham’s and Wigan’s.

Despite being less than awestruck with the new signings, Spurs have a great squad and a decent(ish) manager and have a good chance of being in the top half of what is going to be a much more competitive league. Although progressive summers for Blackburn, Newcastle, Everton, Villa, Wham, Pompey and poss Man Citeh will mean Spurs need to improve again and not be easy if there are more good cup runs. There are still very few players you’d trade from the Spurs first team for all but their equivalents in the top three and the 4th/5th best squad should yet again finish in that sort of position. But with raised expectations (and of course raised prices), I don’t feel another 5th with 55-60 points is going to feel like the victory it should do, and any drop below the level of last season is going to make this summers spending look sub-optimal and a chance wasted to pick off Arsenal who for the last two seasons have qualified for the CL in 4th with 67 and 68 points.

I am conscious that I am lucky to be a customer of a franchise which has enjoyed 30 years of top flight football and with money to spend. I am also very grateful for the great strides the club has made since the shambles of the Pleat dynasty which came to an end just three short years ago. Customers of very few clubs are in such a fortunate position however, if Spurs do have this sort of money, I want to see the best players week in week out and not just when United, Chelsea or Liverpool show up. If Spurs are to stand side by side the CL clubs in terms of spending, I don’t want Spurs to w@nk it away again buying “Armstrong’s” while others buy “Bergkamp’s” or turn Spurs into an England B team in both spirit and personnel.
Nothing will be sorted one way or the other by one game in the context of the season – but the moment of truth for this summer and perhaps the future direction of the two North London clubs is the mid September clash at WHL against Arsenal

Arsenal are a team seemingly in decline having lost their big game bottling best player/biggest ponce and appear to be in some disarray off the pitch while Spurs are on the up or so everyone says. Spurs went to new Scumbury last season after they’d lost two on the spin and Henry’s dummy had fallen out and where whacked. The opportunity for revenge came around quickly in the League Cup semi but was similarly spunked. There have to be no excuses this time – at home, with a good squad having spent heavily over the summer against rivals on the slide.

Spurs have not beaten Arsenal for eight long years including two semi finals. If not this time… when or how? And just in case any smart arse wants to point it out – I am aware that Armstrong and Bergkamp’s first NLD ended in a Spurs win, feat Spurs have repeated only once more since that game in 26 matches since that day in Nov 1995, when our soon to be latest signing was just five years old

Spurs are in the ascendancy and must show no mercy and a driven ambition to see the advantage home. Have Spurs go the leaders to capitalize on the promising situation built up under Jol and realize these dreams? Men of courage and vision to lead the way … not “this time next year” excuses from stuffed shirts. Spurs like life, is not a dress rehearsal.

from http://www.topspurs.com/jmdview.htm