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Cheerio Carlo, Hello New Tottenham

3 min read
by The Fighting Cock
Carlo Cudicini became the first player to leave White Hart Lane as the January 2013 transfer window opened. The Italian arrived at White Hart Lane when Tottenham’s Premier League existence was in question and departs with us settled nicely in third place. The change in fortune at Tottenham can not be pinned on his signature, […]

Carlo Cudicini became the first player to leave White Hart Lane as the January 2013 transfer window opened. The Italian arrived at White Hart Lane when Tottenham’s Premier League existence was in question and departs with us settled nicely in third place. The change in fortune at Tottenham can not be pinned on his signature, but his departure is a clear example of where Andre Villas-Boas wants to take us.

The former Porto manager is building, although slightly slower than he would have liked, a youthful and flexible squad, two categories due to his age and motor bike crashes, Cudicini doesn’t fit into.

Andre Villas-Boas has a plan but before he can or be allowed to implement it, a few others must part company with Tottenham.

Last summer saw a mass exodus at Spurs. The White Hart Lane club finally severed ties with some of Juande Ramos and Harry Redknapp’s least successful purchases. This winter will hopefully see the rest cut adrift with the loan deals of David Bentley and Jermaine Jenas’s made permanent and home a finally found for Heurelho Gomes.

One player who was meant to leave in August but survived the early season cull is Tom Huddlestone. It is unlikely he will be as successful this time after failing spectacularly to take advantage of the early season midfield void at White Hart Lane.

The Hudd’s inability to use the prolonged absence of Scott Parker, the hip injury to Mousa Dembele and Jake Livermore’s inadequacies, will ultimately cost him his status of being a Tottenham Hotspur player.

The former Derby County and England capped midfielder has failed to come close to the form that helped propel Spurs into their one and only Champions League campaign. Gifted with technique, physical presence and the Hoddlesque ability to pick a pass from whatever distance Huddlestone has become a giant shell of what he once was.

I have always been a supporter of his, but this season his arrival on to the pitch has generally seen a down turn in Spurs’ fortune. The Norwich game and Everton game are two prime examples. In both, Spurs had battled to find themselves in the lead. It wasn’t the swashbuckling dynamic performance that we love to see, but a hard fought battle to take the lead, in both games Hudd was introduced. In both games three points were squandered.

Tottenham’s failure to claim in a win both games can not be pinned entirely on his giant frame alone, but his low intensity game, isn’t what AVB is looking for.

Carlo Cudicini

Compare Hudd’s cameos to those of Scott Parker? Does anything else need to be said? The time of Huddlestone is over; if he is ever to reclaim the 2009/2010 swagger it will have to be elsewhere.

Regarding incoming transfers we are enjoying relative peace and New Year serenity. The transfers of Daniel Sturridge, Demba Ba and Joe Cole have passed by without us even getting a mention. Spurs are a club quietly going about its business. We have avoided being linked to players who have been flops at a Big Club or sporting a ticking time bomb of a knee injury.

The man Daniel Levy entrusted to take us to the next level in football terms, has added a touch a class to Tottenham on and off the field.

There have been murmurings of Willian and Leandro Damaio, but these are stories that have been doing the rounds for 12-18 months, the truth is that there is no gossip and the ITK’s are little more than hormone ravaged teens taking a break from sitting on their left then right hand.

What we need is clear, but should AVB continue to improve his squad by squeezing that extra percent out of Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Kyle Naughton, perhaps we can postpone our marquee signing until the summer?

Spurs haven’t torn the Premier League to shreds with attacking brilliance, nor have they grinded their way to third place. We haven’t seen spectacular 7-3, 5-3 or 5-2 victories and then combined them with results that cause supporters to demand changes at all levels of the club/company/business.

It’s a measure of new Tottenham’s approach to football, both on and off the pitch that we sit in third place above Chelsea and apparently a breath-taking Everton, without even having broken sweat.

There is more to come from Spurs and obviously players to come in, but for now I would be happy with shifting another keeper and a midfielder or two, progression in the FA Cup and an away win at QPR.

A happy and prosperous New Year to you all.

All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.

10 Comments

  1. David Graniewitz
    03/01/2013 @ 7:11 pm

    Well-written and well-analysed. It’s a breath of fresh air to be able to optimistic about Spurs’s chances.

  2. Big Mal
    03/01/2013 @ 7:23 pm

    Great article except mentioning Huddlestone in the same breath as Glenn. Tom can do a Hoddle pass once a season, Glenn did it in his sleep.

  3. koko61
    03/01/2013 @ 7:27 pm

    I have to admit that I did not want AVB at the club. The first few games under him made my mind up back then. Now, I am sure in what I’ve seen so far, that we will succeed with him as our manager.
    Also can’t wait to see, as you say, a team that is moulded to his way of coaching.
    COY MIGHTY SPURS

  4. Chris gray
    03/01/2013 @ 8:04 pm

    Agree things seem pretty good on the field at the moment, with younger players establishing themselves. Makes it more important than ever that new stadium can be funded with the minimum debt, otherwise why have it if it will be a millstone ?

  5. chris boyd waters
    03/01/2013 @ 8:22 pm

    Very sad about Hudd. I believed in him and thought he would become something like Hoddle, and there WERE signs of that up to 2010/11 ..but he definitely has not taken his chance this season after missing out totally in 2011/12. He never DID look that interested when playing a few seasons back, but many of us thought he belonged and that once he combined attitude and workrate with talent, he would become a Spurs superstar! But nothing doing, so we await that Modric replacement to link up with Sandro (or Parker) and Dembele (or Dempsey). Once we get another top striker also, that’s it. So TWO ‘good’ signings please Mr Levy, and our squad will be as strong as any. I agree about Jenas going quickly. He’s been with us 10 years and never has a Spurs player flattered to deceive for so long a time. I feel for Bentley (doesn’t anyone remember the great game he had against Citeh when we qualified for the Champions League? Maybe Harry never forgave him for the dunking, because he hardly got a look-in after that) and yet he too must go. He could have been our ‘Beckham’ but, unlike Jenas, he never got the chance to shine. Incidentally, what was the Pienar thing all about. I raved about Pienar and thought he’d make a great Spurs player, long before Spurs bought him. I was thrilled when he came, but what chance did Harry give him? None! And now he’s back giving Everton an even better left side (generally) than Spurs have. I’m glad Siggy’s improving, because there’s a player who HAS been given far more chances than poor Pienar and even Kranks got (and yet Sig’s been more lightweight than those two talented ex-players, up to now). Defense wise, we’re fine though. With the ‘bull’ and Beni back, a sweeper goalie (plus 2 great reserves ..yes, keep Gomes too), a ‘Danny Blanchflower’ in Vertonghen, a rejuvenated Daws, an experienced Gallas, an improving Caulker and Naughton, and a ‘get back to form quickly please’ Walker, we’re in good shape (and Danny Rose progressing nicely too). So just the two signings please Mr Levy, and a moving on of Jenas and Bentley.

  6. spurian
    03/01/2013 @ 8:59 pm

    rose and livermore aint good enough

  7. JohnnyB
    03/01/2013 @ 9:05 pm

    As articles go, that had lots of words but said very little.

    A few speculative transfer thoughts that might be better put in a short post on a forum somewhere, other than that…mostly words.

    • Adam B
      03/01/2013 @ 9:46 pm

      Geek

  8. Keiran
    03/01/2013 @ 10:21 pm

    Was optimistically cautious with Villas-Boas to begin with, but he is certainly proving that Daniel Levy was right to take the gamble. Glad it’s paying off, now we must take advantage of the position that we currently find ourselves in. Next stage of the Europa League, a welcoming FA Cup fixture against a League One side at the Lane, plus for now at least, third in the Premier League. Even with Ezekiel Fryers signing, we’ve still made a modest profit since Villas-Boas has been at the helm. Chairman needs to make a little more from moving Jermaine Jenas, David Bentley, Heurelho Gomes and Tom Huddlestone, then back Villas-Boas further by releasing enough funds to land a couple of big players. Preferably, before the dying seconds of the transfer window. COYS.

  9. ColinSC
    04/01/2013 @ 7:31 am

    What I am loving here is that the the depth of the team has improved and rotation has been happening too ( as in Vert last week) . We have players coming back from injury and are likely to be bolstering up previously thin areas. We look to be going into the second half of the season with a more rounded and rested team that has cover for all positions when that inevitable injury occurs. If this continues we will be in fantastic position to play in all competitions next year and gain ground from last year. I liked the appointment of AVB from the beginning and this all vindicates that, I find it unlikely we will collapse like last year under Harry’s regime. This due too the fact if a player is physically stressed we can replace them with a younger version, not an older injury prone one. If this is AVB’s first year it augers well for when his team is settled, all understand his tactics and the team comprises of his own choices for their positions. Next year we might be challenging for the top. COYS

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