Happy with Bassong?
Friday, August 7, 2009 at 10:07AM He's big, he's French, he's sitting on the bench, Seb Bassong, Seb Bassong...
Might have paid Newcastle a little too much for the lad, but it's a good solid signing, one that's a requirement to our steady progression. We signed Wilson Palacios last season (substance over style) and we've done the same in acquiring the signature of the French defender (or should that be Cameroonian?) to give us some much needed bite at the back. I've heard one or two Spurs fans bemoan the signing, suggesting Distin or Dunne as better alternatives - both of which are not exactly players with their careers in front of them. Bassong will no doubt grow in stature, thankfully (hopefully) for having better quality players around him rather than the utter dross he had to carry on his shoulder at St James Park and although he's cover for the moment, for the £8M we've spent, he has to be nurtured into a long term solution.
Ok, so we might lose him to the African Nations Cup early next year (Fulham, Birmingham and Villa are the games he might potentially miss) but Woodgate and Dawson should be there to aid King at the back. Corluka (not always convincing at CB) and possibly even Huddlestone (gulp, bit slow innit) can cover if we are really really (REALLY) desperate, but I don’t think it will come to that.
No doubting the masterplan is to have Woodgate and King as our first choice pairing and Dawson and Bassong to cover when we rest one or both of them. Daws (bless him) was possibly one of our most consistent performers last at the back, always doing his utmost to impress when called upon. Only concern is that he's yet to stand up alone in the big, bad scary world of the Prem, as he's confidence and belief is reliant on just how good the person standing next to him is. Which is why Dawson paired up with King tends to be so bloody good.
So, with all players fit, we have a strong and resilient selection of defenders to pick from. Considering this is Tottenham, it's nice to see as have such a strong spine to the side. Not quite perfect yet, but it's getting there.
Forgetting the over-priced transfer fee which is now a given with most Prem signings, this is a good move from Redknapp and Levy. Now all we need is a CM and we're fixed up for the season.
Reader Comments (43)
Wigan are on the verge of signing 2 CM's from Rayo Vallecano. A move which could signal Lee Cattermole becoming available for transfer. Personally I'd try and do a deal for Sissoko as the more I read and see about him the more I think he'd be a great partner for Wilson. However, we never know what Levy's been speaking to Real about so we could have a surprise coming our way.
Spooky, our CB options as you mentioned contain only 2 players with any pace; King and now Bassong. Dawson, Woody, Charlie and Hudd aren't blessed with any real speed and the signing of Bassong (an athletic, strong & quick CB) is a very welcome signing IMO.
Now for a CM and we're done for the summer
"Now all we need is a CM and we're fixed up for the season"... but what about the left wing? Are we sticking with Modders and O'Hara (or possibly Bale)?
I recognise the need for another tough CM, but isn't it about time we employed an out-and-out left-footed wide man who can run outside defenders and cross from the touchline? If we can get this too, then I'd be confident of challenging the top4.
still doesn't solve the problem we will have at start of season as he is suspended for first two games. Another great premiership start in progress and another midtable finish
Bent is right too many polotics at that club, why have we not got Huntleaar
surely we need a left winger more than a CM?
Don't believe the hype
I agree with the thrust of this. As a back up player he provides good cover in the event that there are long term injuries to Ledders, Woody or Daws. Even if he does not come off, he is still young enough to retain value and I am guessing that we did not have to flex the wages too much to get him (he was on 5k a week at Newcastle).
I predict one of two things happening. We get to xmas and both Ledders and Woody are crocked and Daws / Bassong become a solid feature in the line up. Or, he does not get much of a game, plays as back up for 2 seasons and we sell him for £3m to Hull / Wigan (or whoever is the low table fodder at the time). Either way is not too bad business.
If we had brought in Distin or Dunne, you would have been looking at 50k per week wages (probably double what Bassong will be on) and would not have a player who is young and hungry and trying to prove himself.
Well done Levy / Redshnapps - A solid signing that will do well !!!
Now for the midfield then.......
I agree with the post on Cattermole. He would be a great signing.
I am not concerned about left midfield. Its the only place in the side where we can realistically accomodate Modric and even with injuries, we have O'Hara and Bale as senior options and the young lad Rose. Even if we had major problems then Lennon can switch and even Keano could do a similar role to Modric.
So for me... we are one signing away from finishing our business for the Summer - A decent centre midfielder to replace Zakora. I really wish that Huddlestone would stamp his authority on that position. It really is his season to prove himself.
He's only gonna miss the Liverpool game. Corluka and King will do the job. Hope Naughton gets a go at right back too. I think we've got a good chance at making a decent start as things stand. Remember, bringing in lots of new players for the start of a new season doesn't always work. A bit of stability and a team who know eachother should see us carry on what we started the second half of last season. Remember our form would have seen us comfortably in 5th had the first eight games not existed.
Yidfan. Why would Huntleaar seriously sign for us. AC Milan on double, triple the wages of Spurs. Not a difficult decision. Be realistic.
@yidfan ,Spurs weren't really an option for Huntelaar , the lad wants CL and Top level football ...
mordic is just fine out there infact his class out there.we still have dos santos and bentley too.so i say go all out for a next level cm
"Corluka (not always convincing at CB) and possibly even Huddlestone (gulp, bit slow innit) can cover if we are really really (REALLY) desperate, but I don’t think it will come to that."
What about 2nd game against Hull. Leadley can't play 2 games in 4 days. Bassong still suspended. Woodgate and Dawson injured. It will have to be Corluka and Huddlestone! <gulp>
Do we know that Levy has actually spoken to madrid about anything, we've seen pictures of him in spain.. yes but those were from meeting with seviile (firstly to iron out the juande mess and then for Zok)
I might of missed something but I've never seen conclusive proof that he's had any dealings with Real Madrid
Yidfan - Bassong served the 1st of his 2 game ban at the end of last season. I was hoping we'd wait until after this weekend to sign him as his ban would then technically be fulfulled by being banned for Newcastle's first game of the season. But I doubt very much a new signing would play inour first game of the season in central defence after only a week with the squad.
I guess Harry is looking to partner Corluka and King for the Liverpool game so hope and pray King is fit so we don't have Huddlestone chasing Torres all over the park :D
Bassong is different to King but must be seen as his replacement. I am happy with our dealings this summer. Always knew Crouch would end up at Spurs again, and when you consider who Harry has brought in since Jan, it all looks quite solid.
"...why have we not got Huntleaar" - Yidfan
Ummm... I don't know... Because he would rather go to AC Milan, play in Europe, stay in coontention for the Dutch team and avoid taking a pay cut after leaving Real? Why would he do that?
Bassong is only missing the Liverpool game.
It's tricky a bit with these injuries and I'd hate for us to have a ready made excuse - 'All our CB's are out' - so we need to dig deep and give it that extra 10% ontop of the 100%. All fully fit, we'd be laughing.
Huntelaar, Huntelaar, Huntelaar. Now, that's said it three times can we shut up about him now. He was never going to come to us until we got CL football or an oligarchs money. He didn't sidestep Spurs because of internal politics (Bent really does need a slap for that one), we were never a serious option while the likes of Milan were in the wings.
While I have the loveliest pair of Spurs blinkers which I don every transfer window, I always laugh at this assumption that a call from N17 has the glitterati players of Europe punching the air with joy. Personally, given our league form for the past 20 years I'm amazed that the club manage to sign the players they do.
Good sensible signing (like Palacios, who is turning out to be a legend) and glad to see that common sense has broken out in our erratic transfer policy.
Huntelaar was NEVER coming to the lane so get over it fellas it was NEVER gonna happen mainly because of his wages- topay him for example 90k per month because of the govts 50% tax rate on anywone earning over 120k per YEAR (most prem footballers) and becasue of the strong euro that 90k would have cost us about 160k per week x 52 = 8.3m x 5 year contract = 42m not including bonuses sign on fee trabsfer fees etc etc etc That is why these big names will NOT be coming to the lane. Now stop moaning.
oops 90k per week
Oh yeah also we are not inCL or even uefa cup/league whatever...
Few points - £8m is not over priced for a 23 year old with prem experience and shown to have a lot of quality & potential. He'll have re-sale value at the end of 4 years so its a minimal risk.
He has pace which we lack other than King. Even though Woody & Daws is a solid partnership, they lack pace & athleticism, Bassong will provide that.
We now have options & good combinations at the back and at the front. Just need another CM and we're sorted. Cover for Modric is not essential, we have the likes of O'Hara, Bale, GDS, Bentley & Lennon who can all do a job there, or we can go 433/451 & have others joining from the left (keane). Long term injury toModric would be a problem though but not sure that warrants and expensive replacement/cover.
Please with how things are shaping up.
Livermore to Derby?
I think its worth reflecting on the depth of squad that Levy and Rednapp have assesmbled. We really do have strength in depth across all positions and indeed, we are probably still 4 or 5 players heavy.
GK - Gomes, Cudicini, Alnwick
LB - Ekouto, Bale
RB - Hutton, Naughton, Corluka, Chimbonda
CB - King, Woodgate, Bassong, Dawson
Mid - Jenas, Modric, Palacios, Lennon, Bentley, O'Hara, Dos Santos, Huddlestone
CF - Keane, Defoe, Crouch, Pavlechenko
And the youngsters, Livermore, Rose, Bostock, Boateng, Dervitte, Walker, Obika, Taarbt
That gives us a squad of 33 who could hold there own in the first team (call it 30 with a couple out on loan).
Its a strong squad and one that should be capable of at least a top 8 finish, pushing up to 4 if things go our way
Have Spurs not missed a trick with this. Surely if we had leftthe completion until mondaay then newcastles game tonight would have counted as one of his suspensions meaning he would only have to miss the liverpolol game for us.
yid Ad, that was the suggestion made. Don't know why we didn't just hold out and wait.
yes i agree witht hat about Milan why would he choose us over them but why didnt we just try and get it from the start before Milan showed intrest. Just get the bid in if they want him, even if it costs that bit more in wages to bring him to Spurs. What Levy needs to understand is that if you want the best to come to a team who are not in Champs leage then you may actually have to offer more than other clubs in terms of wages
Can't stand Levy, think he is bad for the club although i expect a lot of grief for saying that. All this politics is runing our chances of being as big as we should be. Please sell the club
Think the one flaw in your premise Spooky is "he has to be nurtured into a long term solution." We haven't actually done that since Ledley came through the ranks. We've had countless false dawns and false hope with 'potential' in players over the last decade (and some). Distin or Dunne would have been more the finger in the dam, short term solution.
Have we actually done all the registration stuff?
Also would Cartoon wait, City are looking at CB's so I'd rather have him and miss a game than try and be clever and lose out on him.
Cattermole, Diarra, Sissokho - one of those please & i'll be fairly happy (for now!)
I think we'll keep Modric drifting in from the left this season. He was far better there for us than he was in a deeper lying central position under Ramos, but we do need a superior quality CM to partner Wilson than our current options allow. If there really was an offer in for Jenas, we should've biten there hands off. Huddlestone is a perenial disappointment, Dos Santos looks to be an undisciplined off pitch problem and is apparently heading back out on loan to Ipswich and Bentley's become an occasional bit part playing wide man so unless we take a leap of faith and blood Bostock next to a defensive minded Palacios, we are in need of something bold, brash and intelligent in there.
But why not blood the boy Bostock? He may not be the finished article but with no reserve league to play in this season and no loan outing to learn from, we're wasting a potential talent on the bench. There's no European competition to give him a chance in, so surely we have to offer him some playing time iof we're to continue to buy young players with promise.
Asfor Bassong; I'm delighted to have a decent CB employed at last. I believe in Woodgate and King, but when one is injured we always look weaker. is £8m too much? I don't think it is on this occassion. Somebody promise me he's better thanYounnes Kaboull...?!
GDS for the left and free up Modric for the middle.
GDS to Beskitas is bad news!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1204999/Turkish-giants-Besiktas-target-Spurs-striker-Giovani-Dos-Santos.html?ITO=1490
YidAd - I'm getting bored of repeating this. His 1st of the 2 game ban was Newcastle's last game of the season against Aston Villa. So he is only banned for one for game - Liverpool at home for us. I don't believe he would have played that game even if available as he would only have had a week with teh squad.
He will be available to play against Hull if he is fit and has gelled with the team on the training ground.
Please let that be the end of it. It's all I've bloody heard at work today!
Yidfan - if you had it your way we'd bebankrupt by now. We showed interest and couldn't afford him - end of. You can't have player's wages costing over 50% of turnover if you want to stay in profit. Stop moaning like a schoolboy bitch and get over it. We will do just fine without another Berba-esque European primadonna using us as a stepping stone. I much prefer the honest talking Peter Crouch.
Levy has ballsed up a lot at Spurs (highlighted in HD quality by Spooky's brilliant blog!) but any sensible person knows he is doing a good job of looking after the club for now. When all the other big spenders come crashing down we will be left laughing at them as we remain one of the only clubs turning out a profit every year.
Muppets like you who think becuase you love the team, we can just go out there and buy like Man City and win everything need a reality check. It;s never been that easy at Spurs but most of us love the club all the more for ir!
By all means have ambition but don't confuse it with recklessness.
And why since Bent mentioned the word "politics" has every chump out there wanting to criticise the club been using it? It means nothing - every team has 'internal politics' as does every organisation, including whichever one you work for.
In Darren's case, he wasn't good for the team in terms of his limitations, so was not looked on favourably by redknapp or Ramos. He seems to think shinning the ball in a few times makes him a great player - it doesn't. It just makes him lucky. Crouch will do 10x more for team play than Bent ever did.
he's just acting like a spoilt brat with his petty comments. I wanted to wish him luck - now I just hope he fucksup at Sunderland and doesn't score.
Multiple rants over ;)
a little private maddy rant session for the rest of us to enjoy :-) Relax , It s friday m8 , thats a good thing :-)
But your are right , Levy is keeping us sane and this transfer period is not superb but not as chaotic and overspending as it has been in the past , No stars in but decent players. Decent signings but not very ambitious signings , i have the feeling that we are trying to consolidate rather then make the leap forward. But probably because that leap forward will drive us straight to bankruptcy , so we fight Villa , Everton and the suprise team of the season (who will that be this year) for places 5 tot 9 ...
Concerning Bent , well he probably felt bad at tottenham and feels the urge to get back at us (which will probably mean he'll score when visiting) , i can actually understand that. But the fact that he talks about not succeeding because of internal politics (loved your remark about everyone having internal politics btw, it is indeed just the definition of the term) is sad really , he was just not fit for our style of play and thats putting it lightly because i m in a good mood ...
Ha ha - nice one Belgian. I agree our signings this summer haven't been superstar but I think we are limited and currently have to sell before we buy. It's part of my theory that transfer money has dried due to a combination of not breaking top 4 and preparing for the stadium project.
Ironically, I think the surprise team you mentioned could be Sunderland. They have bought well and Steve Bruce always does well until his best players are sold from underneath him. Plus, we all know that if he builds the team round Bent, he will score even more. I'm not discounting Fulham either.
Teams to struggle - Portsmouth, Wolves & Wigan.
I'd love Burnley to do well as they play nice looking football but that didn't help WBA last year.
It's a travesty that teams like Stoke stayed up.
Bassong - he'll do nicely. Bloke's got 2 good knees for a start. He looks like a long term replacement for Ledders if it all works out with him.
Now where is my Wilson cloning machine?
what a shame about WBA , they loved to play the game nice and neatly. Stoke on the other hand play with mmm let s say heart (and long throws) and taking points in their little cottage ground ...
teams to struggle : stoke , wolves and portsmouth (if they do not get their hands on money by a devine intervention)
Surprise team mmm thats a hard one , sunderland might be a sound bet.
Really not sure about Bassong but then I wasn't sure about £15m for Palacios so he'll probably be amazing.
Would prefer to see him partnered alongside the steadying influence of either Woody or King. Daws, for all his admirable full blooded commitment to the cause, can be a little 'reckless'.
Another solid CM type would add a helpful layer of protection until we're back to full strength, especially against the bindippers and away from home.
nice site spook.........
bent is taking the piss........thfc payed his wedge......
big mouth bull.................not right .......shut mr bent
Spooky, if Bale goes out on loan, who is going to cover for BAE? Naughton? Hopefully not Chimbo!
I think we still need another CB. You can never have enough solid defenders... 3/4's of our defense are injury prone (Dawson maybe not as much) so we have to be ready to take action when need be.
I would add Sissoko if he truly is available to us. Never seen him play but from the scouting news I have read it seems that he has a big future. After all, we are building a team for the future, no?
i watched a newcastle game last season and remembering that one of newcastle's centre back had performed impressively. successful tackles after tackles. did not know the name. then decided to check out and found out it was bassong. well, that's the story. so i really think we got a gem, based on that performance. king woodgate bassong dawson. we have the best central defence in the premier league, no doubt. so if the defence is leaking, i have no idea why it is that way.
Elwehbi, Bassong is a lefty and can cover LB. Hope Baler doesn't go out on loan, the little monkey-face needs to get 'the monkey off his back' and win a league game with us.
Would love to see another solid tackling midfielder brought in. As many others have written, our guard dog Wilson is bound to face suspensions or may get injured the way he puts himself about.
Feel a lot better about this transfer window than last summer, and am cautiously optimistic about the new season. We seem more balanced, have decent cover in most positions and the only concerns I have are left mid and Ledley's fitnes. Bring on the Spanish waiter and his DJ bullying lowlifes. COYS
silver_spurfer:
would be great to give Bale a win this season. the jinx mantra needs to be erased once and for all!
this transfer window has been great honestly... not bringing in a bunch of players from outside the premier league screaming "top 4" at the top of our lungs is a blessing. i still believe we can use one more central defender, more so than anything else. when you are confident that your keeper, defense and CDM are capable of cleaning up shop, your midfield plays with a lot more confidence leading to a domino effect with the forwards. we do have some respectable midfielders as it is; wouldn't mind adding sissoko because of his potential.
COYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!