Transfer deadline headache
Monday, August 31, 2009 at 2:10PM The clock is ticking and 5pm Tuesday (transfer deadline) is a breath away. Prior to Luka Modric’s injury, top of our list was a central midfielder to cover any potential loss (suspension or injury) to Wilson Palacios. Jamie O’Hara is out on loan and God forbid we lost our Honduran panther because we’d be left with a powder-puff centre, softer than a Will Young chorus. Jenas and Huddlestone can share (battle for) the spot beside Palacios. Gio can cover the left and Bentley the right. But there’s no one else.
You’d think this would have been a priority at the start of the transfer window. And with a day and a bit left to go before it shuts, we don’t have Wilson protection insurance. So what are the chances we have someone lined up? Only hope is that Levy has been busy working away on targets for a while now, and just waiting on the green light.
Sissoko? Sandro? Muntari?
Sissoko has been outpriced by his club.
Sandro would need to adapt to England. But is big, physical and can play a bit. And we’re now best buddies with his club, so a deal is not impossible to fathom.
Muntari might work, and is no stranger to Harry. But is he simply a more accomplished version of Zokora?
Adding to the transfer conundrum is what we do about covering Luka’s absence. Fracture to his fibula, no surgery just an aircast protective boot to fix him up. This equates to 4-6 weeks out, although we might need to add on another couple of weeks on top for match fitness (unless the magic of the aircast is accounted for within the 6 week prediction). So worst case scenario he’ll miss the Man Utd, Chelsea, Preston, Burnley and Bolton. Five games. Six if you add Stoke. Maybe that’s drunk optimism, but it doesn’t look that bad now, does it? Sure, not having him fit to unlock the Utd and Chelsea defence is a massive blow. But if we – the ones with Top 6 aspirations – cannot turn it on without one key player missing then let’s just settle for 8th spot and make do without the wonderfully nervous anticipation that comes with competing.
Yesterday, I posed questions about how to compensate for the loss of Luka. The tabloids and message boards are crying out for Petrov and the insane for van der Vaart. Problem with signing someone, anyone, is that when Moddle is back, we’ll have quite a few players in the mix of it and even more unrest with those sitting on the bench. Harry knows if Gio can do a job on the left or whether playing Lennon there and Bentley on the right will genuinely prove to be productive. If Spurs signed a player of van der Vaart’s quality (unlikely this close to the end of the transfer window) then when Luka is back, the whole balance of the midfield would have to evolve to accommodate the two of them. Does that sound like a logical solution in reply to a six week layoff?
Would signing Petrov (cheap, experienced and probably won’t mind a bit of squad rotation) or Kranjcar as additions to the squad rather than a stop-gap break up squad harmony or work well in the long run, making sure cover and depth is always available? But then cover is there already.
Players like Bentley, Gio and the soon to return Jenas have to be given the chance to step up and aid the team. So if we want to cover the left, then we should do so with what we’ve got. Otherwise, it’s a waste of resource and money.
Between now and Tuesday 5pm, the priority should simply be another central midfielder.
As for the Luka conundrum, Harry knows best. He might not fancy Gio fullstop, regardless of our calls to give him a chance. Bentley is still subject to transfer whorage that he’ll be on his way. If that’s the case, then a cheap option of Petrov (for example) would be ok (if he avoids injury). Someone has to leave IMO for someone to come in. Maybe the work has been done already and all that’s needed is for Levy to get the go-ahead from Harry to push ahead with whatever it is they’ve agreed with in principle.
Has to be decisive and has to work when everyone’s fully fit.
Brace yourselves either way.
Reader Comments (27)
I reckon we could see Petrov & Krancjar come in.
Krancjar offers us options across the midfield and his cultured style could plug the void left by Luka.
Petrov offers us pace and a direct threat. Like a Lennon for the left. I'd love to see those two on the flanks. Pace in abundance, Lennon's found his shooting boots and Petrov's no stranger to goals.
For the CM position I reckon Anin could come in and Osman Chavez has been touted to come in for CB cover after both impressed in trials.
I don't thik we'd have let JOH go on loan if we didn't have a replacement lined up.
I reckon we'll see more than one arrival and possibly 3 before 5pm tomorrow.
It wouldn't be Spurs without the transfer window scramble would it?
When was the last time we had a fully fit squad? With Ledders, Woody and Bale on the books, this is never likely to be the case.
The loss of modric can't be erase by what we have in the squad. Not in post to post IMO. But as u said, with the quality we have i think harry should find a news balance for the weeks to come. sandro in but for who ? jenas is needed until bostok is ready to push hudd back on the bench. Bentley covering lennon or go ? Rose is there and can do the job for the matches after the big two ... Good Luck Harry !! we trust in u !
"Harry knows best. He might not fancy Gio fullstop"
Oh but he would fancy Ghaly, Boateng and of course Pointy Shouty Bloke regardless of form. So does he really know best? Of course not. He is just like any of us.
Gio isn't strong enough for the premiership, and Bentley is second-rate. We need a left-footed, left-winger. Petrov or Kranjcar will do fine.
As for central midfield, I'd like to see us get Muntari but we already tried and he said he wasn't interested, so we shouldn't bother trying again. Sissoko sounds well over-priced, and I know nothing about Sandro. This is the position that concerns me most because, even if Palacios doesn't get injured, he's going to miss games through suspension and then we only have Jenas and Thudd to cover which scare the sh*t out of me.
I think a left sided player and another CM were needed before Modric's injury. Bringing in a left sided player will give Redknapp a massive headache as to where he plays Keane and Modric (when fit again). Keane has been playing in a free role deep off the striker since his return. That's exactly where I'd play Modric; I'd bench Keane, but would Redknapp? If he's not prepared to drop Keane in the future than I really don't see any point in throwing too much dough at the left side. CM is entirely different matter. I'd spend heavily there, and it wouldn't just be for cover.
So, with regards to the CM position, are we all giving up on Huddlestone and Jenas?
With respect, Paul, I've seen nothing yet to suggest Gio isn't strong enough for the Premiership. His only run in the team was a shortlived affair during the Ramos debacle, where nobody, Lennon aside, impressed. I think he might just surprise ya, given a few games. :)
However, i couldn't agree more with your second point; backup/a quality partner for Sarge Wilson is essential. THudd still seems hit n miss to me, and his defensive game is still lacking. Take Sarge out of the equation and we lose all of our newfound steel. I'm sure the gaffer has been pondering this one for months.
Like Jamie, I'm convinced Harry has at least one card up his sleeve, and we'll see a central midfielder come in.
COYS!
'So, with regards to the CM position, are we all giving up on Huddlestone and Jenas?'
I gave up on the pair of them a while back. They can't be trusted to put in consistently good performances. Others that believe we should buy a CM just as cover for Palacios obviously beg to differ.
Kevin Anin
Failed medical at Souchaux after clubs agreed 2.5m euro fee.
A narrow escape for us then?
Cover for Wilson who can play in his position but also alongside him.
That should be the priority.
We are playing the two best teams in the premiership so far next and people are saying play Jenas or the thudd at CH give me a break we will get murdered.Get Muntari and Kranjar and try for Van der vart to add strenght to the team add james and chavez on loan sell jenas,bentley and hutton to fund it.
Guys, Petrov is not really that cheap, he's on something like 70k per week at Man City (as you would imagine). He will cost at least 3-5 mil I reckon.
I hope Harry can pull off Muntari, he's really a very good player, similar to and dare I say better than Palacios. I won't mind swapping Jenas with him. Problem of course is I don't think Inter will let him go.
My prediction is we won't bring any big name players in. May be someone we have never heard of.
Petrov in on loan with the option to buy.
Sorted :D
Muntari better than Palacios??
No, never, stop messing about!
Muntari's probably more athletic but other than that Wilson's twice the player.
its a question of balance and also dealing with our next game...........Man U at home
the link play and movement of modric can be covered......without a purchase......
if we had no choice we would get on with it regardless.......
watching Man U requires a job description for whoever it is........
for me De santos is the main consideration........because of his ability to apply his skill
in movement with the ball........
he just has to work his socks off...........and get in the mix of it ..with his honduran counterpart
palacios!..........
what will ferguson do to upset our play?........
well he may adopt a birmingham approach to frustrate us.......
with counter atacking..........
if berbatov plays he has to be given no space etc
wenger made the point of the way arsenal were kicked about a bit
if so then expect the same........
i think redknapp may purchase but is Man U wise for a debut?
Is it out of the question that we could attempt to take VDV on loan for the season with the option to buy. This way, we will have amazing cover for Luka and will be able to see if we can keep a happy squad when Luka returns
Anyone who still doubts 'Arry's' competence should go and shit their pants!. Leave the decisions to the boss.. pointless meandering around with names and positions, guessing games!!!. Just wait and see, the guy's at the top know what they are doing.
I really don't think replacing Modric should be the main concern. Great player but we reschuffled and were actually more effective when he went off (don't get me wrong, he was the best player on the park, it just so happened to be that lobbing balls at Crouch was the way to break down a deep lying defense). We are by no mneans better off without him but we can function.
In contrast losing King (which we have to accept will happen regardless of how serious the current injury is) was pivitol. Bringing on a burly forward is hardly a tactical masterstorke but without Ledley we had none of the strenght, flexibibilty or composure to deal with it. The patient distribution from the back disappeared and the midfield and forwards were left fighting for hastily hacked fifty fifty balls.
Modrics injury grabbed the headlines but without King and Woodgate its only a matter of time before we get found out.
Kranjcar is done and dusted.
Looks it. For £2M, can't complain. In Harry we trust, I guess. He knows the player he knows what to get out of him and he knows he can cover the left and the centre.
Must mean Bentley is on his way out.
unless we are talking chicken feed then it should be a loan deal.... play our players. Gio is a star in the making... anyone talking about strength and premiership is a muppet. He is fast as f*ck and pretty stocky. skills galore. legs obviously strong. Modric and lennon are way smaller than him. He needs to work hard enough and he will be a top boy.
dave the big scrote
I might just wait until 5pm before casting a judgement. Krankjer is OK, not bad, but not exceptional IMO. And for a couple of mil then is worth it.
But let's not forget we have an international break now. Even if moders is out for 8 weeks that will still only be 6 league games, and with two of those being the chavs and united (where realistically we are not expected to be picking up points anyway) that's four games that he will be missing for where we need the points. Buying a player for four games and cover, 2 mil for krankjer? I would take that. Plus means that Mod can also deputise for Lennon in case he gets injured.
WIll see about the rest at 5.
on the bbc live transfer feed somebody is reporting that we sold pav to moscow and we're getting rvn from madrid...you would know better than me if that stuff is halfway credible but i just thought i'd share...
No panic buys for once, Niko is a good addition to the squad as he adds cover to several positions. Glad it is all over..
The revolving door at WHL must be stuck.
Best of all we haven't sold off our best players to the big boys. No last minute mega-bid from Utd for Jenas.
I suspect the 'big boys' are running out of cash as a book balancing season comes into effect. There are some very pissed off united, goon and 'pool fans out there as they have sold big names without replacing.
The only ones who are happy are the chavs, but then they did their spending some time ago for the majority of the current squad.
As for us, pleased no elenvth hour 'rasiak' type panic and no last minute swap deals. Krancjar is a solid performer who adds a versatility to the squad.
So now all we need is for woody and daws to get back to fitness ready fro united (well woody maybe, as daws is behind him in the return stakes).
Shame we couldn't offload mr. Marmite, but I guess he provides cover in case Hudd picks up an injury. All in all a leaner squad, who will play together with increased regularity and can actually start to gel.