Anthony Lozano

Morning.

Quick post, couple of things. Firstly, Kenwyne Jones. £8M to Stoke City. Absolutely no dis-respect meant to the Potters but lolololol at this. Sunderland's Drogba on the cheap. You have to really look back and facepalm when we allegedly bid for him and they wanted £20M+. Players of the moment are just that. In the moment, form of their life, until they level out and settle at their true playing standard. In this case, decent at times but mostly inconsistent. £15M burnt on Bentley stops me from going any further with this.

Second thing is this:

Anthony Lozano. Honduran. 17 years old. On a 10 day trial in N17. The Promise of new Honduran soccer, apparently. Obviously our recent track record with kids hasn't exactly been great. What with dos Santos and his attitude, Adel and his delusions etc. Let's say he impresses and we sign him. Any ideas if he's 'one for the future' thus, we wont see him in the first team for untold years if ever? Or does he play a part early on? Bostock is out on loan to Hull. So this kid has to be special special special for it to mean anything for the immediate future.

We live in hope.

Understanding the £20M Spurs bid for Kenwyne Jones

Two men having a conversation:

"Hello guv, I was just walking past and noticed that hedge-trimmer on your lawn and was wondering if I could buy it off you. I'll pay you £20,000"

"Sorry, you'll do what?"

"£20,000 for the hedge-trimmer right there"

"You live across the road don't you? You've already got a hedge-trimmer and a grass-cutter and a couple of lawn mowers. Why would you possibly want this one. It's no better than what you have already?"

"The ones I have belonged to the previous owner. He left them behind. I prefer your hedge-trimmer. Reckon it will do a better job. Looks reboust, a little akward perhaps, but reckon it can do the job far more effectively"

"Better than what you've got already?"

"I think so"

"For £20,000? It's only worth £50"

"Ok. I understand"

"Great. Now you'll leave me alone?"

"No. I'll pay you £40,000 for the trimmer"

"Look mate, I don't need the money, ok? Leave us, me, alone"

"Sorry, what?"

"I'd like to keep my hedge-trimmer thank you very much. I don't need the extra cash, ok?"

"Let me get this straight. I just offered you £40,000 for a hedge-trimmer and you're turning it down?"

"Yes. The trimmer is happy where it is thank you very much. It's happy, I'm happy, my garden is happy"

"That's a bid of £40,000 for a hedge-trimmer that on reflection is probably not value for money compared to what I own already and if I walk down the High Road and shop around I'll probably find a better model and yet you don't want to take the money?"

"Nope. I have a rich American uncle"

"But it's like me offering you £10,000 for that flowerpot over there. It's only worth 60p. How can you possibly reject my bid? It's ludicrous!"

"How can you possibly make such a ludicrous bid in the first place?"

A moments silence follows.

"I'm mental I am"

"So am I"


The end.

Monday Transfer Round-Up

Carlo Cudicini.

Free transfer. Unlikely he's moved from Chelseas's sub bench to sit on ours. Which means expect to see him play as our number one, whilst Gomes recovers from his slight injury concern, which means it will be up to the Brazilian to reclaim his place in the team. Competition for the keepers jersey. When was the last time that happened?

Chimbonda.

Ideal signing for the predicament we find ourselves in. Can hit the ground running, cover 3 different positions (yes, I know he ain't too hot at left-back) and ease defensive selection problems.

Personally, hate the fact that we've had to go back for him as I dislike the man and his lack of principles. But beggars can't be choosers. We are in a mess, so much so, that we've had to re-sign a player we sold 6 months ago, proving the point that he shouldn't have been sold in the first place. Even if he was a bit of a mercenary, we got rid of far too many players (in fact, three of them all to the North East). Hail the DoF system and our pre-season planning.

Jones.

If you listen to the Sunderland boss you'll notice he isn't dismissing Tottenham's approach for Jones. Well, he is, but not in the direct fashion we've heard in recent weeks. In a SSN interview he acknowledges a bid has been made, mentions how the club and the player are under pressure, and how Jones is just getting on with it. He mentions that Jones wants to stay. Sunderland have said the player isn't going nowhere, but it still appears ominous. Redknapp has also commented on this by saying that there has been dialogue between both chairmen, so it's more than obvious that if the price is right, Sunderland will be happy to accept. Probably.

Still don't believe he is worth a penny more than £8M (and even that's too much but it's the average in today's modern day market).

Robbie Keane.

I kid you not. Harry is telling everyone how much he rates the player. It's common knowledge that Liverpool have only paid as around £6M or so thus far for his summer transfer to Anfield. Someone should point out that Keane and Defoe never made a decent partnership.

Berbatov.

Worth a cheeky bid?

Kenwyne Jones: Is he a Cole or a Drogba?

Palacios has completed his medical, all down to personal terms being agreed now. Would be nice that some day Spurs will have a scouting network that allows them to pick up these players BEFORE they become flavour of the month with other clubs who got there first. An obvious change in mentality is needed. Just because we are a rich club that can attract players to London life doesn’t mean we need to be lazy with our approach and wait for other clubs to pluck players from obscurity, and then wait for us to come in with an over-inflated bid. Well done to Wigan for purchasing a reserve player for less than a million and selling him for fourteen. Now that's sell-on value that Levy would appreciate.

Still no confirmation on Appiah, but the forum and message board 'In The Know' peeps are suggesting it's still going to happen. We shall see.

We have also apparently signed Chelsea keeper Cudicini for a million. Great if he is at the club to give Gomes competition and play as number 2. Not so great if ‘arry has decided to sell Gomes. My money is on Carlo being a replacement for Sanchez. If this is confirmed later on, then good work on getting experienced Premiership cover for this position.

Our interest in Kenwyne Jones seems to have gone quiet due to Sunderland’s insistence that he will not be sold under any circumstances. Two schools of thought about this player, so if you are either Spurs or Sunderland I wouldn’t mind hearing your opinions on him. To be honest, I’ve not seen enough of the guy in action. And Match of the Day highlights when he does play well is not a good basis for making a true educated opinion on his value.

School of Thought #1 ‘He’s a Carlton Cole’

Not that Cole is a bad player to have at the minute (evident by his recent form for the Hammers). Cole’s got rid of the dj’ing and other distractions (and his knees seems to be ok nowadays) and also has the comfort of no competition at West Ham which has actually worked positively in his favour. So is Jones just a clone of Carlton? Jones is not prolific. He is not a natural goal-scorer and arguably has a poor touch and finishing ability compared to other Prem forwards (let alone players actually worth '£15M'). He’s also a bit lazy and apart from being a bit of a lump the only quality he does have is he’s good in the air.

School of Thought #2 ‘He’s a young Drogba’

I’m sure this has stuck from the time Roy Keane said he was the best forward in the country and he wouldn’t sell him for £20M. It was Keane who compared him to Drogba, and others also believe he will develop into the same type of player and that currently he is simply a young version of the Chelsea striker (without the diving). Simply needs to mature as a player before the class shines through. Can you see it? I can’t. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough.

The only question that should be asked (if this deal was to get back on track)? Is he what we need? I’d say what we need at the moment is a foil for Defoe. I don’t have faith in Bent and I think Pav would also probably benefit from a foilesque type of player.

Both JD and Pav are potentially 15-20 goals per season players, if partnered up well (whether that’s together is something Harry needs to work out). So, Jones – or whoever we look at as an alternative – is going to be our 3rd option. And that would have to be a bit of a lump with a touch of pace. Would also be a bonus if he had a good touch and finishing abilities.

Jones is big and can put himself about. And he has pace. And he also fits the Redknapp seal of approval. He’s the type of player he goes for. Obviously, considering we have enquired/bid for him. We also need someone who is strong in the air, and there’s no doubting this particular trait of Jones.

So is he the right forward to help complete the required trinity for survival and progression? Goals have dried up at the Lane since Berba and Keano moved on.

Regardless of whether he is closer to Cole than he is to Drogba (I still don't see it) or somewhere in the middle of the two.

Would you swap him for Bent? Would Sunderland be silly enough to take Bent?

With us being far from safe in our Prem League standing, does Jones fit the bill with the task at hand? If he doesn’t, who does?