Striker hunt.

The first half yesterday illustrated the confidence of our side who played some very good football and made Birmingham look the away side. Our fans played their part too. Birmingham had hit a good run of form at home overcoming Chelsea and Villa not to long ago and so we knew our boys would have to earn their money's worth (if that's possible) to grab us three points.

The game also showed the danger of squandering chances. I'm not Crouchy's biggest fan but I thought he played well yesterday although threw away two or three opportunities that could've ended the game at half time. Jermain, although just returning, also failed to reminisce his clinical ability in front of goal from last season missing two good opportunities.

Just as we did to Liverpool, Birmingham punished us. The game should've been finished at half time. With Robbie expected to leave in January and with our strikers not scoring enough goals, we need to bring in a forward that will really invite a strong level of competitiveness up front. Someone that is more deadly in the box than a hitman and someone that can knock in a penalty?

Well we can all dream can't we.

Regards.

Harry WILL make move for Benzema

I'm sure I'm not the only one that jumped onto talkSPORT today to read 'Arry trying his best to tarnish all the rumours about Spurs making a move for Madrid's bench warmer Benzema.

There’s nothing in that," said Redknapp, speaking to Drive Time. "He’s a good player, I like him, he looks a real talent. But certainly we haven’t made any enquires at all for him. There’s definitely nothing going on there at the moment."
And Redknapp admits he will have to sell some of his fringe players if he wants to add to his squad in the transfer window.
“Before we can bring anyone in, I’ve spoke with the chairman, we need to shift one or two,” he added. “It’s going to be a case of the only way we can do any business would be to let one or two go and whatever we get in we can go and invest.”

Now all Harry has stated here is that we haven't made a move at 'the moment'. Of course not, it's November. He also suggested that he'd need to shift a few; could we let Robbie go and bring in the Frenchman then? And let's be honest, how many times has Redknapp rubbished a rumour then snapped him up 5 minutes later.

You can't second guess old 'Arry, but I'd bet my next pair of tickets on us trying to bring the boy in at some point whether in January or the summer.

Regards.

Redknapp hints at transfers

So we beat Arsenal and suddenly talk of winning the league resurface; that wasn't the case after the Wigan or West Ham game this season I'm sure of that. Maybe one day, but not just yet. I guess there's no shame in aiming high but if fourth place was offered right not we'd bite your 'ands off for it.

I do struggle to find any real areas of our team that are in desperate need of strengthening. I assume that is why 'Arry only wants to 'tweak' the squad; no Benzema then?
"I am looking to bring people in this January," said Redknapp. "We need to tweak it to finish it off.
"There's one or two other bits we could do, without spending a fortune, that could make a difference to the team.
"We've a new training ground coming, the club's in good shape and we can go forward.
"Tottenham have got a title in them in the next few years. I genuinely feel that - why shouldn't I?
"It's there for someone to pull off a surprise and our win at Arsenal gives us great confidence."

It'll be interesting to see what Redknapp does this New Year. No area screams out at needing strengthening, but I guess it's useless trying to second guess 'Arry anyway.

Where would you 'tweak' the squad this January?

Regards.

What would you do with Roman?

Roman Pavlyuchenko, a deadline day transfer at the end of summer 2008. The striker that would kick us up the league faster than West Ham fell down it, and at close to £14m we certainly were expecting it.

Ok, so he hasn't banged in the 20 goals we'd hoped but then again he hasn't played the number of games that he himself or even we were expecting and, soon enough, found himself banished to the bench with a worrying look I'm sure as he sat between David Bentley and Giovani Dos Santos every week.

Yet, still, he is a favourite among us. At times what we may have called 'quality' due to some important goals he has banged in for us. Liverpool at home jumps to mind almost as quick as the Burnley game at Turf Moor in last season's Carling Cup, but let's not go back there. Despite his openness and willing to depart Tottenham Hotspur he remains a favourite, where others would be booed and abused he is applauded as his name is chanted by ourselves.

This season has been difficult for him. Everyone wants to play especially during World cup year but of course competition on our front line is strong as it always is. So what to do with our Russian front man? The transfer window in Russia remains open and therefore a switch back to his native homeland is yet still a possibility before the summer is upon us.

Would it be wise to cash in due to the fact his playing time has become very limited and his form is likely to fall at time passes by? It seems Harry is keen to keep hold of him, but then again you can't second guess that bloke.

Vote in the poll on right.

Regards.

A moment for the Spurs board

Well hats off to Levy and Redknapp for pulling off a real coup. A top signing. How Levy has acknowledged his mistakes and let's hope we've moved on from the hierarchy that involves a sporting director. At least some good has come out from a few troubled seasons and we can only look up.

In Niko Kranjcar we have a player that was brought in for a good price, provides exceptional cover for Luka and, in Harry's words, a 'good Tottenham player.' I needn't go raving about the lads ability, even though I could write pages of how good our latest acquisition is.

The late signing of Niko really does sum up the improvement in our transfer policy. Take a look back at deadline day last year, we panicked and signed Pav for a staggering £14m. We brought in Campbell on loan and Corluka. Charlie has been the only real success and this is showed in his flourishing performances in the first team every week.

Now, I do rate Pav but, in truth, it was a panic buy in which saw us shed out more money then we may have done, should we have signed him a fortnight before. In Kranjcar we have brought in a very good player that provides excellent cover, proven in the Premier League and at a 'cheap as chips' price of 2 million smackers. Well done boys.

I think we should take a moment to thank Levy for doing what we've wanted for so many years. Faith in the manager. Faith in the players he wants and leaving the transfers largely down to Harry.

We can only build on this, I hear Redknapp is being lined up for a contract extension, if so, brilliant. We have waved away any unnecessary pressures on players with big transfer fees by adding modest signings and value for money. For that, thanks Harry.

Well done Levy, things are looking brighter. Maybe, just maybe, it is our time to shine.

Regards.

Lennon set to leave

So the it seems as though the papers have given up on Huntelaar and, for the last few days, it has been Beckham they've linked us to. It seems as though the papers have re-writ en the same story but stuck the name 'Beckham' in instead of 'Veira', I wish the journalists would open their eyes, one day.

So should this report, some how, actually be true it clearly shows a lack of identifying our main problems from last season. It illustrates the fact that Redknapp would quite happily stick Lennon on the bench but, surprisingly, still doesn't help our problem that exists- and has done for years- on that left side of midfield. Shocking I know.

It wouldn't surprise me Redknapp is trying to lower the quality of our squad and take away the excitement of having Lennon attack his opponent one-on-one in front of Park Lane. I mean he's trying to sign two Sheffield United full backs and Peter Crouch; Harry must be expecting us to have a bad season so didn't want to get the supporters to optimistic by signing decent players.

Beckham's a good player but not one that we need. Although I can't see this move happening so don't feel concerned one bit. This is a player I actually want Man. City to sign, just so we can't.

Regards,
Ben

The inevitable has happened

I thought I'd wait a while to see how many reports are saying that we have made a bid for Ashley Young, the player we could have signed 3 seasons ago for around £8m- painful I know. As expected, I couldn't count the number of reports on two hands, but Harry's seemingly dismal transfer window doesn't leave me to optimistic. He's either being really shrewd or it just hasn't been his day, everyday.

O'Neill is a clever man. I have the uppermost respect for the former Celtic boss and do not believe that he would replace Ashley Young, arguably one of England's brightest young assets, with Stewart Downing, a player that-in my opinion- would be lucky to make the starting eleven for Darlington. This is why I don't believe Ashley will be leaving this year unless he desperately wants to.

Still though, O'Neill has invited these transfer rumours upon Aston Villa and why they have splashed out on Downing seems a mystery to most; maybe Martin felt a lack of depth last season in the Villa side. But these rumours will continue to come and I can't believe Levy would be willing to spend a reported £30m straight off plus with the expectation of fairly large wages. Besides, we don't really have much of a transfer budget this year- do we?

Still though as Spurs fans we can hope; seems like we end up doing that for most of the season anyway. But, at the moment, it seems as though we are more likely to win the league before signing Ashley Young. Shame really.

Regards,
Ben

Harry's biggest mistake of the season

It's now getting beyond that of mid-July and the only activity that we've been involved in is the expected sale of Didier zokora to Sevilla, interesting stuff I know. Now, I'm happy with our current squad and could live with the 'old' faces of the first team should we go onto play Liverpool without any new acquisitions.

What I'm a bit concerned about is the players Harry has tried to sign; it seems as though he still thinks he's managing Championship football. Instead of the big money Madrid players we all thought we were going for, we entered the race for two Sheffield United defenders. Sorry, OK we need cover at the back, but surely we are not going to spend a huge amount on two players that really aren't worth the value stuck on them. Harry wants to sign another right back but the fact we have Corluka, Chimbonda and Hutton as cover really does surprise me- explanations please.

I also question the chase for Peter Crouch. The player has got to be one of the most overrated strikers I've ever come across; if he was foreign he'd be be shipped out quicker than Helda Postiga was back in the day. Yeah OK the guy would add height to the team but seriously lacks in pace and power. He didn't score to many last season and wouldn't be an improvement on any of our current strikers, so again why sign him?

I do trust Harry, but seriously, he needs to play the transfer market a bit- what's the word- BETTER.

Regards,
Ben

3 Reasons why Veira won't sign for us

Gawd, I was going to keep quiet about this but it never seems die, so I couldn't help myself. Just when i find little dignity for the Mail they pop up with THE most ridiculous rumour of the summer. They seem to adopt the whole 'let's make up a story and blow it up all over the back page' approach; this is because the more of the paper the story covers the more likely it is to be true, of course.

Patrick Veira to Spurs. 4 years ago we would've been in laughing fits over this sort of rumour- I still am. Everyone needs to have a reality check. We won't sign this player:

1. We signed Wilson Palacios for £15m in January. He plays in the same position and had a successful 6 months with us, he's not getting replaced and Modric just isn't in the equation

2. His wages will halt any deal, we won't pay him top wages to 'play' on the bench.

3. He's scum. He was a success at Arsenal and therefore will not join us.

Everyone needs to calm down over this story. This move is about as likely to happen as Redknapp is to come in to work wearing an Arsenal shirt.

But as always, this is football, anything can happen- but we all know that!

Regards,
Ben

Premiership manager has saved our season, so far!

Tottenham's optimistic transfer list that looked to have had half of Madrid printed on it now has a new name printed under that of Arjen Robben, K-J Huntelaar and so on- or so we thought. Stoke manager Tony Pulis has overshadowed a potential big money and media frenzy move for Ryan Shawcross stating that no contact has taken place between Stoke and ourselves respectively. Sorry, who?

"No one has rung me up. I get on well with Harry and I would be very surprised if it is in the papers and he hasn't rung me first." Although he continued to state that there were 'no closed doors' regarding departures of some of the Stoke first team squad. Let's hope Redknapp didn't hear him say that.

Ryan Shawcross? Surely this rumour cannot be fact, although, what nails doubt into my mind is that he is a young English centre back with Premier League experience. Therefore I hold my hands up as this could quite possibly be true- however much I don't want it to be. I also applaud the Daily Mail for thinking more logically when sticking a transfer rumour on their back page about us. I'm sure in the next week or so we'll end up with a whole team of centre backs, well, according to the papers- but they never lie.

It's Ryan Shawcross, need I say more? Even for a back-up this isn't a good move.

Regards,
Ben

Tottenham's shock of the season

The inevitable has occurred. Speculation involving Tottenham has made the back pages after days in which the number of rumours in circulation could be counted on one hand; am I complaining? No. Today sees our leading striker Mr. Bent, yet again, linked with a move to the North East; a striker who's goals starved off our threat of relegation and whom we signed just two seasons ago.

I remember blogging about Darren earlier on, fighting for the lost cause that is himself staying in N17. I reminisce to the fact that I believed Bent's work ethic and goals/starts ratio was worth top dollar and felt thoroughly convinced that we should keep the former Charlton man. Now, I am not as convinced, although I am not oblivious to his scoring record which saw him top our goals chart at the end of the season. I do still believe that he can do a job at Tottenham- I mean, he wouldn't be a bad bench player would he?

The thing that pains me the most is, as far as Tottenhams' luck goes, I could see Darren turning out to be a real goal machine for the likes of Sunderland and letting an asset such as that leave and succeed would be a painful sight to us all. He'd be looking to revitalise his career and would be at his thorough best as he bids for a place in Fabio's World Cup squad; although, his playing time at Spurs would reincarnate that of Micheal Owens at Newcastle. Yeah, he wouldn't play much, and this is why Darren should leave to ensure his career doesn't tumble down a hill and plummet off a cliff.

So, I'd be not happy but satisfied if Darren left as we'd get a decent fee for the lad and it could mean more playing time for our other three present strikers; if they don't decide to leave as well.

As long as the deal does not involve Kenwyne Jones, I'm happy. The striker would prove more of a liability than Postiga was, back in the day. They were bad times.

Regards,
Ben

And its all gone quiet over here

So what happened to all these players we were set to sign? Last week, we were close to agreeing deals for Ruud, Rodriguez, Huntelaar, and Pavlyuchenko was set to leave; these reports must be true, they were written by the English press, they don't lie. I could list a whole new team of players we were set to acquire, then, nothing.

The last week has been a quiet one, how often have we said that about Tottenham? From being linked to almost a player or two a day to the point where the most activity was involving the reserves, there haven't even been the desperate rumours throwing links with our club all over the world to one-season wanderers; well, they are the more realistic ones aren't they?

Although, as a blogger, this news is inevitable devastation. I mean come on, look what I've resorted to write about- I'm sure you can understand my frustration.

But, as a Spurs fan I'm happy. No stupid rumours linking our top players with moves away, so in that sense, I'm pleased to have nothing to write about. Although, it is only a matter of time. Obviously.

The writer of the Mirror must be taking an early holiday, let's hope he loses his passport and never returns.

Regards,
Ben

First Ruud, then Klass, now Luca Toni

Tottenham have today been linked with yet another front-man. This time, in the form of Bayern Munich's Italian superstar Luca Toni. The former Fiorentina ace moved to Germany not to long ago but has since found chances in the first team difficult to come by after the arrival of Mario Gomez.

Toni, at 32, is definitely more of a realistic target than that of Klass-Jan Huntelaar as he would prove a cheaper option and definitely more of the 'experienced' player Harry was said to be looking for. Although at the moment, rumours such of these can only be taken with a pinch of salt as they seem to be popping up everyday- nothing new there then.

So who's up next to be linked with Spurs? We have 4 quality strikers but yet we're linked with more players than a player-less club. Shall we 'do a Madrid' and put our money where our mouths are? Yes please.

Regards,

Ben

Spurs not in the Hunt for Klass

Real Madrid have this morning dashed any Tottenham hopes of an optimistic move for Dutch forward Jan-Klass Huntelaar. For the time being anyway.

Huntelaar's agent released a statement staying:
"I have not met Florentino Perez and Jorge Valdano yet, but he is under contract for four years and is part of Real Madrid’s plans,” he told Calcio Mercato.
“We haven’t been told anything by the directors and no meeting has been planned with them.”
He added: “I haven’t been contacted by Roma. No team have asked for Huntelaar and all the rumours come from the press, including in England.”

Now, whether this is a 'come-and-make-us-an-offer' plea, or a genuine 'hands off' warning is not yet known. Although, for the time being the fact is, is that Spurs have not yet made a hopeful bid for Huntelaar and it looks as though that these rumours are as good as false.

Which Madrid player is next up?

Regards,
Ben

Why Spurs won't get Ruud

Morning tittle tattle reports are today suggesting that Spurs are looking to snap up former Manchester United star Rudd Van Nistelrooy. The experienced dutch player missed the majority of last season through injury and a cheeky bid from Harry, I'm sure, won't help things to much. We all know how good RVN was in a United shirt and an asset like this could fetch up to 20 goals a season, he's a good player and I'm sure most Spurs fans would be happy with such an acquisition.

So what's the problem, you ask. Well, the player himself will not leave Real and here is why. I hear Real Madrid are one of the best teams in the world at the moment- Tottenham only knew they'd still be in the Premiership in March. I really cannot see why RVN would leave big wages, title challenges and Champions League success to join a club that hopes to make the Europa league next year. Furthermore, RVN made a name for himself with United and I'm sure playing again for Tottenham against them wouldn't suit either parties(himself or United). He wants to keep the 'legendary' status he achieved at United.

RVN is nearly 33, I'm sure a move back to England and the grit of the Premiership wouldn't take his fancy. I'd prefer to retire in the sun at Madrid than having to rediscover the work rate and effort that his reputation takes him for in England, helping a smaller club achieve smaller success with a lower wage.

RVN would be a good signing for Tottenham, he has proved in the past that he can score goals at Premiership level; in my opinion though, this is a move that I can really not see happening. RVN has to have retirement in the back of his mind and the ageing Dutchman moving back into the intensity of the Premiership would not appeal to him.
He's achieved what he wanted to achieve in England and he won't be coming back.

Although, this is football and boy would it be a good signing!
You never know.

Regards,
Ben