Rejoice, rejoice...the bullet has been dodged
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 11:51AM Downing is joining Villa for £12M. You can't see me but I'm currently tap-dancing on my desk and typing this by way of a wireless keyboard. I'm getting a funny look from Watkins in accounts, but I don't care.
£12M is a lot of money for a player who is far from exciting and hardly overly exceptional at one particular thing. And we've over-spent far too many times in the past to have our fingers burnt again. Yes, he is a committed professional who offers a bit of width, more than decent passing ability and has a wealth of Premier League experience. I guess he's a consistent performer lacking the sexy gene. He'll do the job you ask of him, which is the reason why Martin O'Neill has parted with the money he has.
So am I right to dance on the table and wave my elephant at straight-laced Watkins?
David Bentley was a quintessential big money hyped signing, one that we complete very often and with relative ease. Player of the moment becomes a player at Spurs. Downing has been the perpetual solution to our left-side problem for an absolute age. We've gone in there several times with bids, even been accused of tapping up the player. We've shown interest time and time again, if you believe what you read - and in this case, it's believable. Now Downing might not be box office but he's much hyped, which polarises opinions as some can't see what it is he has that warrants all the interest.
Simple fact of the matter, when it came down to it we didn't place a bid. Boro, relegated. Boro, willing to listen to offers. Boro, giving the green light to Spurs. And we chose to turn our heads, possibly looking towards Aston Villa for the brand new solution. Which ironically is where Downing will end up.
As much maligned as he is, he will do a good honest job for MoN - and he might have done a reasonable job for us.
I'm sat back down now. Apparently I have a surprise HR meeting momentarily, so let me wrap this up as quickly as possible. Downing would have given us something we haven't had since Ginola. A left-winger, be it not one of the swashbuckling ilk that we do love down at the Lane. But still. An out-and-out left sided crosser of the ball.
We didn't go for him, which means one of the following:
1) We have another left-wing target. Whether its Young and whether Villa are going to let Ashley go considering that Downing is out injured until October (I think, feel free to correct me) is possibly unlikely. Also, the assumption is being made that just because they now have two left-wingers its one too many. Remind yourself of Villa's collapse last term. With two strong wingers for the left-hand side and Milner covering the right - O'Neill has depth in squad. The counter-argument is that having two England internationals fighting for one place in the lead up to a World Cup isn't great for either player.
If it's not Young we want, I have no idea what the other left-sided option is. Which might mean...
2) Luka Modric will remain on the left-hand side, drifting in and orchestrating play to his liking as he dinks into centre-mid just behind the forwards. I know there is a call to play him in the middle alongside General Wilson. I'll like him there too. But this particular conundrum will remain unknown until we make a signing that relates to the left-side or central midfield. Until a significant signing is made, we will be left in the dark. Ooh pun.
3) There's always Gareth Bale for the left-wing. Jinx and confidence/injury issues aside - once he has recovered from his operation, he has to be re-introduced into first team duties with gentle handling. The kid has talent and bags of potential. That's no sound-bite. He has the qualities to do well for us and deserves our support in way of development. The reason we almost ruined him is thanks largely to throwing him into a crap side with zero self-respect, leading to the infamous 2 points 8 games debacle. Fact that Bale is also out for a while does have me questioning this option, because it would mean that Moddle remains on the left-hand side.
It's all a bit confusing now. For this to happen that has to go there and this has to move here and he has to do that and blah blah blah.
I guess, in conclusion (my boss just had words with security who are now walking towards me with menace) we haven't gone ahead and done something that everyone would have expected us to do. Which to me is bucking the trend. No need to rush in. We are aiming to sign a player we want and want 100% and not a % less.
It's all about what style and tactic Harry has in mind, and the club should aim to have the right players for the start of the season based on his strategic ethos.
Harry does have one, right?
I'll take a punt and say: Spurs bid for Young - will be a headline in the next 5 days.
One last comment. Watkins is a jobsworth.
Reader Comments (25)
I love you Spooky.
Hooray!
We paid a lot for Bentley,only to see him drop down behind Lennon in the pecking order. As you've pointed out,we've got loads of potential in Bale and the possibility to use Modric in the left. There's no need to take a risk with SD.
I'd rather spend the money on a good CM!
You are kidding???
I mean we've only needed a left winger since Ginola left in 1862.
Could not agree more, lets not count chickens he hasnt signed yet. Would also agree with Bale comments, he is clearly a talent and showed signs intially of being the solution on the left we should give him support and encouragement to get him back to his best, thought Maxi Rodrigos was being mentioned for the left
True, but I'd still give a chance to Bale (or use Luka in the left) before paying £12m for a player who is recovering from a serious injury.
I'm not saying we shouldn't get a left-winger, I'm saying we have other options.
Personally, I sympatise with Watkins.
Still time for us to come in with a late bid, no?
Am i the only one that things that downing can provide an extra dimension to the team and his passing ability would fit in nicely with the way we play. i'd be disappointed if he went to villa, great coup for them.
He's a good player, consistent, can pass. We should have been in there. But if we can poach a faster more dynamic pacey player like Young I'll be far more content.
I'm not sure how I feel about this to be honest... I've never been a fan of him, but because we've been linked with the useless tosser for so long, I've got the jealous ex girlfriend mood on. I don't want him, but I sure as hell don't want anyone else to have him either...
Villa getting stronger.
Im in 2 minds about the left side, im not sure we need anyoine, modric is doing a great job out there, with Dos Santos as cover, then there is rose coming through, I dont think we need to do much work to this squad at all, just sell BAE (I know he had a good season but was it a one off), get heinze in. Get in a good your center forward and an experianced cm.
Harry will only sign 3 players max this summer, and not many more will go.
Has Gilberto actually gone yet, i know he had permission to leave if he found a club, then it went quiet.
Villa getting stronger? losing Barry & Laursen and bringing in Downing? Not sure about that at all, bearing in mind the only two leaders Villa had are no longer there. Downing's hardly going to replace those qualities now is he!
I read earlier that the Robben deal was not dead. Him or Young or Rodrigez. I believe (at the moment, still!)!
I hope we didnt contest downing because we have a master plan - not bastos, nice if it was young but unlikely, ditto joe cole, robben, rodriguez. It seems our targets are slipping away one by one - unless they were never targets anyway and we really have someone else lined up (or we have an agreement in place for someone which depends on the sale of bent. It would be a shame to go into a new season relying on Modders on the left with no backup other than the unproven gio and adel, both of whom are prob disillusioned with the club and linked with clubs elsewhere. In the meantime we are linked with two young Sheffield 'players for the future' neither of whom is a ready made first team addition (or absolutely essential), which seems to contradict Harry's previous statement. Its all a bit confusing/demoralising - hopefully all will be revealed soon. I have to say that without some squad improvement we would struggle to improve on last season's 8th - aside from Citeh and the usual CL suspects, we will be competing for 2 Europa places with Everton, Villa, Fulham (who seem willing to spend money) and probably Sunderland. I dont think a 2nd season out of Europe would help us.
this is good business for villa. Bentley and Downing for the price they hope to recoup on Young, Downing may not be prolific, but he does a great job and is a tryhard, and Bentley just needs a rocket up his ass and he will be a great prospect, with a move to another top club at least likely to shove a sparkler up there. With fortune, we may see Ashley young heading to the lane as part of the Bentley deal, but Im not one to indulge myself with fantasy until it is probable, which at the now is not.
COYS
Poke
not too sad about not getting downing (unless there´s the last-minute-panic-15 million offer to grab him).
what actually amazes me is that spurs have never been linked to this pedersen guy from blackburn... i´d actually consider him for the left if the masterplan is to play modric in the middle...
Put it away, tiger.
I'm still not entirely sure why everyone seems to have forgotten about our left-footed starlet Gio. This kid is pure class. He is unselfish on the ball and has great pace. Harry needs to throw him into the left and let him settle. I think him and Modric could make some magic in the midfield and let Lennon run havoc on the wing.
And nothing against Bale. You know, except that whole jinx thing...
You'ambling Spooks. You lay out an excellent case for Downing (are you his agent in disguise) and then reject him because he lacks the 'sexy gene'.
Weve been seduced by this factor before (Bentley) and might well be advised to settle for honest, reliable and effective. If we hadn't had our fingers burnt with Bentley we would probably have bought him.
i really hope we do have a trump or 2 up our sleeve but fear if we are putting all of our proverbial eggs in one basket by going for the likes of Huntelaar , Robben , Young ETC ...... we may get stung and end up with fuck all
downing was never my preferred option ...... but it was at least realistic .
i do however have faith in Harry .... and was one of the few fans who was overjoyed when it was announced he was coming in .
i just hope he gives Gio another year and can get the best out of Defoe ........ as pottentilay (although he only ever does it at home ) Defoe is the best striker England has at the moment (barring Rooney who i calss as a forward player not a striker)
maybe try a cheeky under 10 mil offer for Pederson of blackburn or see if we could tempt Babel away from Liverpool .
whatever we do though i would rather have players who wan't to be at the club .....than those who feel they have been cast aside by one of the european giants Aka Real madrid .
COYS .... + if we can get one or 2 more signings of the ilk of Palacios we will become a force to be reckoned with !
We never once bid for Downing
If you think that every single Spurs manager over the last 10 years was interested in him as the media would have us believe, then you are a fool.
Cheers for clearing that up.
Contradicts what Steve Gibson said in the back of a black cab.
Ooh.
hmmm,
anyone forgotten O'Hara? he's been more than decent on the left for the Exeter friendly.
From my 2 cents worth of deduction, the fact that Harry puts Danny Rose in central midfield with O'Hara on the left instead of modric in central and Rose on the left says that Harry still has Modric in mind running down the left flank. Think Bale will most prolly be stuck on the left back position, competing with BAE.
Anyway, I would really love to see Huntelaar in for spurs and maybe we might need to sell 1-2 strikers and I think the squad is set for the new season.
mmm bad news , lots of french media are claiming that the Viera thing is a done deal
For those who understand french : www.footmercato.net ...