Our so-called striker ‘problem’ has been well documented on numerous blogs and on Twitter. Every time we enter a transfer window, an air of desperation for that elusive world-class striker sweeps across us. We aren’t helped by misleading NewsNow headlines or the ITK generation, but honestly do we need this mystical striker? This seasons disappointment […]
What striker problem?
Our so-called striker ‘problem’ has been well documented on numerous blogs and on Twitter. Every time we enter a transfer window, an air of desperation for that elusive world-class striker sweeps across us. We aren’t helped by misleading NewsNow headlines or the ITK generation, but honestly do we need this mystical striker?
This seasons disappointment of finishing 5th has finally been put into perspective. For a season of transition and the start of a long-term project, we made good headway. Yes things started slowly, but once we started to play our new way, I became more relaxed and accepted the new order.
Therefore, now with the PL still an agonising 6 weeks or so away, is it time to start panic all over again?
Emmanuel Adebayor spent much of last season at the brunt of a lot of criticism. Personally I do not buy the argument that he became a bad player once he had his contract. I think it was a mixture of no pre-season training due to the drawn out transfer saga, several injuries, a suspension after the infamous red card and an Africa Cup of Nations campaign. Yet for the final few matches at the end of the season, we began to see the Ade who terrorised defences in 2011/12.
I want him to stay. With a full pre-season under his belt, no distracting of transfer talk and a bit of confidence, we can have him firing on all cylinders again. On his day he is deadly and if he can capture that again, we’ll look back at last season and laugh at how we mocked him.
Our other senior striker needs no introduction. Jermain Defoe is Spurs through and through. The England man started the season brightly, even in a lone role, but injuries took their toll and he never got going again. Yet he still scored 15 goals, some of which were pivotal in keeping us in the top four hunt. As a great man once put it, form is temporary; class is permanent.
We will no doubt read about how Defoe supposedly wants to play regular football in the run-up to the World Cup, but don’t all footballers, especially strikers? He may have to settle a bit more on being an impact sub, but what a firecracker to be able to bring on and turn a game on its head.
[linequote]On his day Adebayor is deadly and if he can capture that again, we’ll look back at last season and laugh at how we mocked him.[/linequote]
I do believe we need another striker in our team. The real question is who?
The drawn out Leandro Damião saga has been well documented over what feels like the past decade. On paper he is a fantastic player and watching him at the Olympics last year only added to his growing reputation. But would he work for us?
I get the feeling that we could capture him this summer if we pay a big enough fee but I’m not convinced he’s the missing link.
Gary Hooper on the other hand would be available for a lot less. With only a year left on his contract, our former youth player would be less of a financial risk. People will argue that the SPL is an inferior standard to the EPL. Maybe, but it’s a safer risk than the Brazilian league in my opinion.
I would love to see Hooper back in a Spurs shirt and allow him to transfer his skills to the Premier League. He offers us a different set of skills and physicality to both Defoe and Adebayor. All 3 could offer AVB different attacking options in a 4-3-3 system depending on the opposition and how the match is going.
We are now also being repeatedly linked with Christian Benteke of Aston Villa, who has enjoyed a dream of a debut season. However, at £20 million, with the possible “Second Season Syndrome” around the corner and having to use Defoe as a makeweight? No thanks.
If the price was more reasonable then I would rather spend good money on Benteke rather than Damião, but at the moment its not. I do not want us to spend money for the sake of it.
David Villa is the other player being mooted as a possibility. A player who has won everything there is to win in the game, but age and injuries have taken their toll on him. I have a fear his best days are behind him, although I’d love to be proven wrong. Personally the issue with David Villa would be having to address this same problem once again in a year or so.
This brings us to the other option of promoting a youth team striker. Do we have a player of high enough quality in our development teams? Perhaps Harry Kane or Jon Obika? Realistically of the two Kane would be more likely, but he is in desperate need of a successful loan, after his spell at Norwich was ended by injury. His performances at the Under 20-World Cup this summer, will be a signal as to to his development.
I honestly don’t think we have a fundamental problem in our striking department, just a slight cosmetic one. We need a slice of luck, a burst of form and the right player to add to our two strikers. If we are going to push for silverware and a top three/four finish, we need a little healthy competition. Rotation will be key this season and it will allow for plenty of game time for all 3/4 strikers and help us find the elusive goal when we have the possession.
Yes we need a striker, but its not that desperate as some make out. With Franco Baldini in place, I have faith in Daniel Levy that something will happen, sooner rather than later.
[author name=”Joel Fayers” avatar=”https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/378800000016698194/6c0f816ff58d658f27199a70e780aec8.jpeg” twitter=”JoelFayers” tag=”JoelFayers[/linequote]
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8 Comments
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27/06/2013 @ 8:24 am
what a load of shite……. a 2 year old retard could figute out we need a striker.
27/06/2013 @ 9:18 am
At least make sure if you’re going to attempt to put someone down you don’t make yourself look a retard in the process with the spelling of a 2 year old retard. “figute”!? 10 points to you clever sir!
As for your comment…obnoxious short sighted ignorance. This article not only makes sense but is factually based. Once Ade got back from the (joke) ACON and had a run in the side, he found his feet and started looking the player we all wanted and needed. Yes we’d have all wanted him to have played like he did for the last few weeks all season, but that’s football.
All this crap about us needing a new strikeforce is utter rubbish, what we have is already good, we just need to add 1 more body up top and give a youth prospect a chance and we’re in good shape.
Leaves more funds for a midfielder with a bit of creativity and an eye for a killer pass and defensive cover.
Too many football fans treat football like a FIFA game where costs and balancing the books don’t ever get considered. We’re a club on the up doing things the right way, but most fans can’t appreciate that and always want way more than is realistically acheivable.
Patience is a virtue!!!
27/06/2013 @ 10:37 am
In fairness he corrected the spelling mistake, so to pull him up on that easily made typo is nothing short of pathetic Kurt.
In regards to the article, I think I must be in the very small minority that is very happy with Ade staying but think it would be better to see Defoe go. Ade can lead a line and has an excellent all-round game even if inconsistency can plague his game if he has external issues going on. However correct man-management from AVB could minimise this.
Defoe on the other hand, as brilliant a servant as he has been doesn’t fill me with confidence when he starts. Some will say he doesn’t need to start but then Adebayor has no competition, and an injury would bring Defoe forward anyway. His place in the new formations being employed by AVB is hard to find as he doesn’t naturally fit any roles other than coming off the bench against tired defences when formations become stretched late on.
We’ve seen it in his past spell at the club that Defoe doesn’t want to sit on the bench, so what would be the point in keeping an unhappy player? One of his greatest assets, pace, is diminishing with age and simply put, his value will decrease each season from now on unless he’s moved on.
I’m glad you did acknowledge the need to buy at least one striker but considering my thoughts on Defoe, I’d suggest two. Villa is supposedly close and his game is not reliant on physicality so I’d be more than happy with that. A player with Villa’s natural instincts and ability could go on for another three or so years. If he can’t why do we get so worked up about not always getting long term in? You take the best available to you at the time.
With the other striker I’m open to however AVB plays it. If he wants Damiao I’d back that. I’d say the SPL is a much inferior league to the Brazilian league, and I can only really think of Larsson and Jelavic (partly) who have made the successful transition of the top of my head.
There is a major issue with our strikeforce even if you won’t acknowledge it, but I’ll agree that it doesn’t need a complete overhaul
27/06/2013 @ 8:25 am
figure.
29/06/2013 @ 1:34 am
DIRTY CUNTS. 1-1 @ NEWCASTLE
01/07/2013 @ 5:52 pm
I definitely don’t think the article is ‘a load of shite’ like a previous poster suggested, but I don’t understand the point being made. You start by questioning the need for a striker then conclude that we need a striker.
I haven’t heard anyone say that we should get rid of Adebayor or Defoe, just that we need an extra goalscorer to add a bit of dynamism to our attack. You are falling for the trap of adding extra weight to the argument that we need an overhaul. So as I read it I get angry that you are claiming me as the reader has an opinion which I just don’t.
In terms of which striker I don’t think it will be Damio; he is unproven and pricey. There was someone on talksport who claimed Villa was a dead cert. I tend to think that we might get Villa, not because of talksport though, just because of his experience. However, I have no inside knowledge about Tottenham, so it is just a gut instinct.
20/01/2014 @ 12:59 am
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20/03/2014 @ 10:18 am
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