A lot has been made about our failings. Seems to be on a fortnightly basis that I am pulling my hair out about what a rabble we have become. And it brings me to this question, why do players get ruined when they join us?
Those in bold below are the ones I think are under performing:
Lloris, Walker, Rose, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chiriches, Lennon, Paulinho, Soldado, Adebayor, Lamela, Vorm, Dier, Naughton, Townsend, Kane, Dembele, Fazio, Chadli, Eriksen, Friedel, Stambouli, Capoue, Davies, Mason, Bentaleb
Exactly 1/2 of the 26 under performing. You'll notice perenial whipping boys Rose, Lennon & Naughton aren't considered under performing but that's due to the low expectations I have for them. Lennon is now 27 and lost a yard of pace and is no longer a starter. The other 2 never had high expectations and are also decent squad players to have.
What has happened to them?
Kaboul: injuries. All he had going for him in his prime was his pace and that has left him he is now an averaged pace, weak, dumb defender
Chiriches: joined us with about 20 national caps to his name and was also captain of his country. Linked to AC and Chelsea when we signed him but looks more likely to end up at Foggia or Fulham! MOTM performance in our win at Old Trafford on New Years day but injured to close out the season and now looks a shell of that guy.
Paulinho: 30 caps for Brazil. Confeds cup star. Were we ripped off by the fact that he was one of the stars of the worst Brazil side in a very long time? Is he too mentally and physically fatigued after back-to-back seasons and international tournaments. The next Frank Lampard is looking more like the next Jermaine Jenas.
Soldado: 20 goal a season striker in Spain 4 years running. Only behind Messi & Ronaldo in that time. No supply early days from the likes of Townsend and co who had a shoot on sight policy and became devoid of confidence. Looking more like a Chelsea Torres than the fox in the box from Valencia.
Adebayor: one of lifes great mysteries is why he is so hot & cold.
Lamela: 22 year old with his first proper season in England. Give him time. Has 1 thing a lot of our players don't have, an imagination to create something.
Townsend: if he wasn't English he'd cop even more flak. Glaring that his only league goal for us was a mishit cross. Dumbest footballer I've seen at Spurs. But still only 23, next 18 months massive for him to turn it around.
Dembele: was massive in AVB's first season playing in that midfield need Sandro. Still as tough to get off the ball but no longer has someone of Bale's quality he could give the easy pass to. Seems to play a too defensive role for his ability.
Fazio: Europa League winner and Sevilla captain. Not a complete write off yet but faces an uphill battle to make it in England. Looks as slow as Gallas did in his final season at Perth Glory in Australia let alone with us!
Eriksen: second season blues for our shining light from 2013/14. His lack of fight or willingness to take a tackle becoming more apparent and frustrating for fans and Poch alike.
Stambouli: probably the most unlucky to be on this list. Can't establish himself in a side that is 13th and crying out for a tough in your face midfielder.
Capoue: started the season on fire and looked like the player who deserved 7 international caps for France. Now looks like a slow Tom Huddlestone without the passing ability.
Davies: £10m on a backup LB who can't get in front of one that is no more than average. Still early days for the 21 year old but he looks like he has gone backwards from his Swansea days.
All 13 at one point or another have looked good but seem like they are cooked right now. Are all 13 bad footballers? Not at all. But something at Hotspur Way is making footballers regress. Case in point Gylfi Siggurddson. No doubt would have made a list like this if still with us, goes somewhere else and is scoring and assisting for fun! It's been happening for years. Huddlestone, Dos Santos, Livermore & Price-Boateng all look a lot better once they get out of the lilywhite shirt.
Those in bold below are the ones I think are under performing:
Lloris, Walker, Rose, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chiriches, Lennon, Paulinho, Soldado, Adebayor, Lamela, Vorm, Dier, Naughton, Townsend, Kane, Dembele, Fazio, Chadli, Eriksen, Friedel, Stambouli, Capoue, Davies, Mason, Bentaleb
Exactly 1/2 of the 26 under performing. You'll notice perenial whipping boys Rose, Lennon & Naughton aren't considered under performing but that's due to the low expectations I have for them. Lennon is now 27 and lost a yard of pace and is no longer a starter. The other 2 never had high expectations and are also decent squad players to have.
What has happened to them?
Kaboul: injuries. All he had going for him in his prime was his pace and that has left him he is now an averaged pace, weak, dumb defender
Chiriches: joined us with about 20 national caps to his name and was also captain of his country. Linked to AC and Chelsea when we signed him but looks more likely to end up at Foggia or Fulham! MOTM performance in our win at Old Trafford on New Years day but injured to close out the season and now looks a shell of that guy.
Paulinho: 30 caps for Brazil. Confeds cup star. Were we ripped off by the fact that he was one of the stars of the worst Brazil side in a very long time? Is he too mentally and physically fatigued after back-to-back seasons and international tournaments. The next Frank Lampard is looking more like the next Jermaine Jenas.
Soldado: 20 goal a season striker in Spain 4 years running. Only behind Messi & Ronaldo in that time. No supply early days from the likes of Townsend and co who had a shoot on sight policy and became devoid of confidence. Looking more like a Chelsea Torres than the fox in the box from Valencia.
Adebayor: one of lifes great mysteries is why he is so hot & cold.
Lamela: 22 year old with his first proper season in England. Give him time. Has 1 thing a lot of our players don't have, an imagination to create something.
Townsend: if he wasn't English he'd cop even more flak. Glaring that his only league goal for us was a mishit cross. Dumbest footballer I've seen at Spurs. But still only 23, next 18 months massive for him to turn it around.
Dembele: was massive in AVB's first season playing in that midfield need Sandro. Still as tough to get off the ball but no longer has someone of Bale's quality he could give the easy pass to. Seems to play a too defensive role for his ability.
Fazio: Europa League winner and Sevilla captain. Not a complete write off yet but faces an uphill battle to make it in England. Looks as slow as Gallas did in his final season at Perth Glory in Australia let alone with us!
Eriksen: second season blues for our shining light from 2013/14. His lack of fight or willingness to take a tackle becoming more apparent and frustrating for fans and Poch alike.
Stambouli: probably the most unlucky to be on this list. Can't establish himself in a side that is 13th and crying out for a tough in your face midfielder.
Capoue: started the season on fire and looked like the player who deserved 7 international caps for France. Now looks like a slow Tom Huddlestone without the passing ability.
Davies: £10m on a backup LB who can't get in front of one that is no more than average. Still early days for the 21 year old but he looks like he has gone backwards from his Swansea days.
All 13 at one point or another have looked good but seem like they are cooked right now. Are all 13 bad footballers? Not at all. But something at Hotspur Way is making footballers regress. Case in point Gylfi Siggurddson. No doubt would have made a list like this if still with us, goes somewhere else and is scoring and assisting for fun! It's been happening for years. Huddlestone, Dos Santos, Livermore & Price-Boateng all look a lot better once they get out of the lilywhite shirt.