How much does a Bentley cost?
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 10:26AM So apparently, Daniel Levy does not envisage the club being very active cometh the Jan transfer window, although he suggests that if opportunities arise we'll take note - but shouldn't expect any net spending. And to dizzy up the quotes further he's reassured Harry that there will be no disruption to the core team. To quote Mr Chairman:
"Having a settled squad gives us the best chance for consistency. We are striving for top-level displays, including the ability to take on and beat the so-called top four teams."
I'm thankful we have proven top 4 players like Robbie Keane in the squad. And Gerrardesque midfielders such as Jenas box to boxing their way up and down the pitch, when he's not sitting on the bench watching Huddlestone do the same thing. Well, not do the same thing pound-for-pound. Hudd has no need for speed. He lets the ball do all the running. Mobility is for people with no footballing brain. But midfield semantics aside, we're good to go. We've got a back four unit, robust and sturdy, a mixture of youth and experience. Mostly youth at the moment. And we have cover for our midfield enforcer. He's at Pompey, but should be back with us in no time. We've got no true cover for our little wing wizard, but that's fine, because he won't get injured. And as for our forward line-up (did I mention Robbie Keane?) we've got the master of scoring goals in bursts and breaking the offside trap (Defoe) and the perfect foil (Crouch) when our players forget tactics and resort to hoofing the ball. And let's not be forgetting the soon-to-be-back-in-Lilywhite, Luka Modric. Who I guess in essence will be akin to a brand spanking new signing. Maybe we could have a press conference and pretend we've just signed him to make up for the despondency that there will not be a £15M transfer splurge on new blood when 2010 tick tocks into our lives.
Consistency equates to beating the so-called top four teams. Who are so-called top four because they finish in the top four positions. I made that connection all on my own. And we've had consistency this season, be it with missing players (due to injuries) and an ever-changing back-four line-up and erratic forwards which has given us a consistent set of results. 3-1, 3-0, 3-0. Zero points. Against three of the top four. The other one doesn't count because everyone is beating them.
So enjoy your Christmas presents because we wont be unwrapping too much in the way of surprises when the window reopens. Other than Sandro. Because Harry mentioned we're interested and the chairman is working towards a deal. Oh, and we're going to need to add a little in the way of depth when replacing Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Bentley. They're not core players. We hardly ever play them. And they're not very good. And for the sake of avoiding egg on face (or perhaps managing to wipe away the egg currently on face) the club will need to recover something from their self-pitying stays in N17. And we all know Bentley is a certainty to go after his show-boating antics in a Spurs friendly game that infuriated Harry. You'll have seen it doing the rounds today. A few days after the story was posted and shared in various message boards. You know the one. The one where Harry tells David he's going to get rid of him. DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM-DA-DADUM.
Let's hope we get a good price for a cluttered Bentley with a dodgy engine and hanging fuzzy dice.
I can't keep this up anymore.
There is no story here. We've obviously not got bundles of cash to spunk wastefully on players. Mainly because we've already spunked it. On wasteful players. We're letting people know indirectly (directly) we have no intention of over-spending (breaking a habit of a life-time here).
The main backbone of the side is good enough to sustain some sort of challenge. As good a challenge that a club like Spurs (non-Champions League and non-Sheik owned) can prepare for. It's the meat around the bones that needs beefing up. And it's guaranteed that anybody who is deemed malignant will be removed with swift and necessary surgery.
The money will be there to spend once we streamline the squad, we just don't need to be mentalists about it. A defensive midfielder is needed (Sandro the obvious target). A centre-back (long-term solution to the Ledley King conundrum) should also be discussed in-house. Unless you think a back four of BAE - Bassong - Dawson - Corluka will work without a commanding, leading presence to guide them (Daws is 26 years old, but lacks sustained experience). Perhaps a goalkeeper too. For cover, nothing more. Other solutions will involve development rather than throwing money at it to make it work (i.e. Bale - is he a left-back or a left-midfielder and can he cover BAE's absence when he leaves for the African Nations Cup?).
The backbone of the side will suffer no major trauma (which means key players - yes, Robbie Keane is a key player) will stay put. So it's not exactly breaking news that selling to buy is going to be the tactic here. And that there is no need for massive massive signings.
If you think back to 2006, what we failed to do is bulk up in Jan (didn’t we sign Ghaly?) and had we, we might well have wrapped up 4th spot long before the saboteur broke into the hotel and coughed germs all over the players soon to be eaten dinner. Levy knows already (thanks to Harry's complaints a while back about the lack of midfield depth) that we need consolidation in that area. Ignoring Robbie Keane's shout-out about how strong our bench is, we all know the reality is rather different. We don’t have enough in reserve.
Expect a post-Christmas cracker. We'll sign what we need, nothing more, nothing less and then it's all down to the manager and the players to believe and work hard. Qualities that might prove to be priceless in the long run.
Reader Comments (30)
We'd be lucky to get £5M for Bentley.
Pav, Bentley and Hutton can all go now - i'm sure Danny boy can collect a £20m triple..........personally I wouldn't sell Jenas 'til the summer ...........still a long way to go and suspensions / injuries along with standard bedding in period for new recruits (Sandro) may be telling come the final push, we may need him to do a (bodge) job for us after xmas........
And as spooks said, we need at least one new player with commanding precense.........either centre half or centre midd........
Is the AGM still open to the public like the days of Alan Sugar?
Well written article again...this is the best spurs blog of all.
Enough brown nosing. I think you are right in terms of who we sign, but I think Levy has got the cash to buy without selling first, he is just being clever. I'm sure we'll sign at least three players in Jan....Levy knows we need CL football, and now is the best chance we have had.
Big game at the weekend-if we win this one it will show how far we have come...wink wink, nudge nudge! ;)
COYS
Have the papers mentioned Bentley throwing his shin-pads and playing without them in the second half of the game? They shouldn't be leaving out the details. Full story or no story.
Tend to agree with the chairman about January spending; I must be feverish! We're fourth, so we the team doesn't need major surgery. We've got cover all over the park ( except for Wilson) so why mess about trying to fit an expensive signing into a settled team and potentially disrupting it? I'm even a little sceptical about Harry bleating on about his lack of a defensive midfield players. If we're that short why let O'Hara go to Pompey? I would prefer to see Bostock or Livermore given a chance, otherwise their long term future at Spurs is iffy at best if we sign Sandro. I agree on the keeper, that's a no brainer, but would like to see a new left back to cover the ANC period and to push the gruesome twosome that we currently have. The thought of Hutton being played out of position, on the left, because Bale was injured/banned and BAE was in Africa, is bringing on the headaches and shivers again!
Good piece (I think I might have read it word for word somewhere else though).
We need more than just a DM/CB. We need a new left-back or one of our yoofs to be included in first team duties. Bale is NOT a left back. And BAE will be missed when gone. Bassong too. So I dont care for Levy and his subtle hints at lack of dosh. If he really wants us to push for it this season, we'll have to continue to repair the damage done during the DOF phase. And fix the long running issues (yes King and yes Woody).
I don't believe for a second Jamie O'Hara will be back with us. I think Harry can see the limitations as well as anyone. He's full of energy but there is no point in keeping him as an impact player when better players can be signed or promoted within. Get £5M for him and stick it in the kitty.
I wish someone would shave Bentleys head and give him one last game to see if that's what has made him shite. He was awesome with a skinhead.
Sick of Bentley. He's had how many chances now? I dont fucking buy this crap about him having personal problems. He has no such thing at Blackburn. He comes down here and suddenly turns to shit.?? The issue he has is he got found out believing too much in the hype. Wrong wrong player for us wrong move for him cant wait to see the back of him. He'll play well with his new club proving what a cock he is for wasting our time.
Good point about Jan 2006. We could have strengthened and didn't - lost 4th place. We will attempt same tactic - but with a tighter battle for 4th - last time it was just Arsenal, this time City, Liverpool, Villa (I expect Arsenal to get 3rd). I think the squad has juuuuuussssst about enough depth to last season (apart from left-back position when BAE goes to Africa) - and that includes O'Hara's ability to cover left midfield, centre midfield, left back. I don't want us to do any net spending anyway when we have players like Bentley, Bale, Jenas & Pav warming the bench and worth millions.
Could we shave Bales head too? And stick a wig on Huttons?
The 2006 January transfer window was a lost opportunity, but then who do you think Comolli would have signed instead had Jol asked for a major signing?
"I'm thankful we have proven top 4 players like Robbie Keane in the squad. And Gerrardesque midfielders such as Jenas box to boxing their way up and down the pitch, when he's not sitting on the bench watching Huddlestone do the same thing."
This is sarcasm yeah? We don't have a top 4 squad and the three players you mention are all reasons why.
We need to strengthen and we will.
It's sarcasm. Its ripping your head clean off your neck sarcasm.
Levy is blagging. We do not have the squad to challenge seriously for the CL. By virtue or Liverpool and a lesser extent Arsenal it makes it easier to keep in touch with the chasing pack, as seen in previous seasons. Levy should take a look at what happened to Villa in the latter stages of last season and make sure Harry can plug holes before the Jan window shuts. After its opened of course.
I see the NOTW are running a story about Sandro coming over for his medical.
"We don't have a top 4 squad" - well neither does Liverpool, Villa, or City - but one of us will get in top 4. Also - I am tired of people saying that O'Hara is limited, and not good enough. Well, anyone would be limited if you have only started 15 premier league games prior to being loaned out to Portsmouth. He needs experience (which he is now getting) and is VERSATILE. A very useful player to have around - until he is bored and wants to leave.
The Top 4 fallacy is crumbling. It's a top 2 at the moment with a 3rd club (Arsenal) who are good enough to finish in a CL place ahead of anyone else. One place up for grabs which might still go to Liverpool so at the end ofthe season it might still be the same teams sittign up there but its in no way the same dominant force from seasons past. The problem we have along with Villas is the lack of world class players that separates title challengers from pretenders. Only 2 title challengers this season. So if it's 3rd or 4th there isnt a need for huge changes in personnel. Consistency is the key. And the side we have is good enough to stay up there for a while yet.
Oops, City will power forwards and they have plenty in the way of first team choices and money to make sure they do. We can only hope for an implosion but its ominous, all the draws still mean no defeats (other than the one) and if they start to play with confidence they will be a big threat.
Also - Hara is likeable. But he is limited. I'd keep him if he's happy to play a role for the squad, as impact sub or makeshift fullback.
If we don't spend £15Mill on a player then HARRY OUT
Levy's not that clever, he employed Comolli. The prosecution rests for that aspect.
As for Harry, he's still a wheeler dealer, and like all decent salemen and ladies it's all about the starting position. so that's all he's doing positioning himself with a chance to build on the suqad or have a perfect excuse if we don't quite make a concerted charge for a top 6 slot come may.
Out with Bentley,Jenas,O'Hara,Hutton,Pavachenko and Keane in wth Sandro,Muntari ,Balotelli and Cole of the spammers +keeper or if we can't get Cole get Rudd to cut the cost down .This would give us cover in the midfield for Wilson and power up front with Balotelli(big talent very fast and direct) and Rudd (enough said there) if we could add a centre half great but if not well with Sandro in and Muntari in at worst the thudd could drop in there or Charlie give us cover for Defoe too if he gets one of his hot heads again or injuries.I fear if we do not add these players or sinilar we will drop out of the top six as the year goes on as we always seam to fade towards the latter part of it.
"If we don't spend £15Mill on a player then HARRY OUT" - someone is talking out of their rear area......
"we always seam to fade towards the latter part of it." - We didn't fade last year........
Last season was reversed. Actually you could argue we've yet to 'fade' under Harry. Every time there's a hitch we bounce back. Easy to compare to the usual blueprint we've become accustomed too.
Remove Pav & Hutton and put the money towards a brand new (experienced EPL central defender) to play alongside Dawson/Woody. All this talk of ditching O'hara is bollocks, he may not be the most skillful player but his effort is far greater than any of them players that got knocked out of the carling cup up at UTD, so i say NO, do not sell him & bring him back in January as we will no doubt need him.
Thank you CEJ - someone that agrees with me with O'Hara. If only Jenas gave half of O'Hara's effort and spirit, he would be a very good player. O'Hara is a 23 year-old with less than 30 starts in the premier league. Not only that but sometimes it's left-back, left midfield, centre midfield. How long did it take Ledley King or Stephen Carr to get to a high standard. One day we will sell him and he'll come back to haunt us. Also don't forget that Ireland are sniffing around him. If he becomes an international, his value goes up a few million - plus he would improve with experience. Selling him in January would be lunacy.
I've been yapping about O'Hara for a few weeks now and everyone treats me like I'm mad then you all finally decide that he's worth it? Bah. Anyway yes. Keep O'Hara, great character, good player. Future Spurs captain.
COYS
Jenas to Pompey.............Ohara back to the lane.