Who will be the casualty of Tottenham’s welcome dilemma?
Rafael van der Vaart” width=”280″ height=”287″ />
A gift from the chairman is how Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp described their deadline day acquisition of Rafael van der Vaart. Daniel Levy has emerged as the club’s real wheeler dealer, swooping for a World Cup finalist for a fee of £8 million. It was patently a deal too good to turn down for the ambitious club, playing in Europe’s top club competition for the first time since the 1961-62 season. But for Redknapp, who was already bestowed with reams of quality and creativity in midfield, where does the Dutchman fit in? He has adapted to life in London exceptionally well but in organising a balanced midfield, are there concerns over the regular inclusion of Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon?
An ankle injury put short shrift to Jermaine Defoe’s excellent early season form. His absence has allowed Spurs to experiment with one striker due to the abundance of creative talent in the centre. Making his Premier League debut at the Hawthorns, van der Vaart started on the wing as Bale went to left back and Modric adopted his preferred central playmaker role. The Dutchman and the Croat combined to put the Lilywhites ahead. The former Real Madrid player’s pass was driven low into the bottom corner by Modric. The Croatian international sustained an injury in that away draw but his manager believes the two talented attacking midfielders can play together. “I’m looking forward to seeing them play together. I love people who can play, and know how to play together, who can see a pass where others can’t.” Having played on the wing thus far the presumption would be that the former Ajax man will be given licence to exploit space across the forward line.
However Redknapp said, “In an ideal world (van der Vaart would play) behind the two strikers, playing in the hole. But it’s difficult (to accommodate that) in the way we shape up with Bale on the left, and Lennon on the right.” This selection dilemma befell Tottenham in their next league match at home to Wolves. Reverting back to a 4-4-2 system, the deadline day signing who scored from the penalty spot, started on the right edging out Lennon. Described as a ‘roadrunner’ by Mark Lawrenson, his substitute appearance together with the impressive Alan Hutton gave the team a necessary injection of pace.
Tom Huddlestone is another elegant player critical to Spurs’ midfield. The England international prospered when partnering Modric in central midfield last season. Having filled in at centre-back before, he is known as a versatile midfielder who can protect the defence and control the tempo of the game. Furthermore he has varied passing ability and can unleash a sweetly struck shot. Arguably all of the aforementioned midfielder could be accommodated in a 4-5-1 formation which has been utilised domestically and in Europe. Yet this formation cannot successfully operate without the destructive, combative play of Wilson Palacios. Defensive midfielder Sandro is yet to make his debut and the manager has noted the resurgent form of Jermaine Jenas.
Champions League football has come late in the career of Redknapp who will be expected to field a cautious five across midfield away from White Hart Lane. This is not a tantalising prospect for season ticket holders who would fear that against teams who swamp the midfield, a long ball game to Peter Crouch may become the default option. The centre of the park is undoubtedly the area where Spurs are strongest. Unlikely to stay fixed, the onus will be on maximum competition for places and tactical diversity. However van der Vaart’s fluidity and technique suggests he will eventually be the club’s resident midfield improviser. Last year’s cast offs at Real Madrid, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, were the toast of Europe, competing against each other in the Champions League final. Spurs fans may feel that Madrid’s profligacy will be to their lasting benefit.
Football News 24/7
Looking at recent performances, it has to be Lennon (if anyone) who misses out. Perhaps a team of:
Gomes
Hutton Gallas King BAE
Huddlestone Jenas
VDV Modric Bale
Crouch
Reply
So everybody loves Jenas again? My God, we’re fickle
Reply
Mal,
I agree people are getting on the train again with Jenas. Just because he hasn’t had a terrible game yet? Give me a break he still has not done a thing! If we lose to Bremen which we could have easily then Jenas is target. We got lucky to beat the Wolves too. Modric’s worst game has been better then Jenas best. They guy preforms 1 game in every 2 years! I have never seen so many back passes from any player in the history of football. He does nothing he avoids getting passed to. People love pace on headless chickens….If Spurs fans don’t can’t open their eyes then we are never going to get any better! If we were to lose Modric or VdV we couldn’t replace them because we couldn’t attract that class…Jenas we can pick up any day of the week.
Reply
It will be Modric that misses out. He is lightweight, injury prone, can’t shoot, rarely scores, rarely gets assists. Van de vaart is better in all departments. So as all of the other midfielders offer something different it’s obvious Modric will be the odd man out.
Reply
Excuse me John but i beleive your comments have no validity here. You clearly have no concept of hierachy in the Spurs midfield. My damn dirty cheating husband always told me(when he had no one else to lay on his lap whilst watching the game) Modric is one of the finest midfield players Spurs have ever nested. So John please do me a favour and think twice before you type such drivel
………………
cause if you dont il bake your hands in my next cake
Reply
Mrs Butterworth you clearly have no understanding of football. An attacking midfielder who has no defensive responsibility other than to go forward otherwise known as a free role needs to score lots of goals and get lots of assists. Modric does neither he is a passenger and as he doesn’t offer anything else it will be him that misses out more than any other. You heard it here 1st.
Reply
I went to the game last night, and midlfielders whjo shoud miss out at present are palcios and lenon and bentley, bentley simply cannot run or get past defenders, this make his crossing ability null and void, palacios may win the the ball but he looks yards off the pace at the minute, and gave the ball away more times than he won it, now with lennon i wud love to know whats goin on there, he kept coming infield and was rarely out wide like he was the begining of lat season, i dont think he once broke into a run against the gooners. we also have to add sandro into the mix, as he had a good game last night, plays very similar to palacios but can also pass the ball.
Reply
O well John , your account of Luka Modric’s contribution to the team will sadly be your last opinion typed. So John what icing flavour will honour your hands the most. My two girls love a bit carrot cake, although im a big fan of the default cake normal icing setup
Reply
john you clearly don’t know what your talking about… modric is our best midfeilder… he can shoot, he does score goals and he is one of the finest creative midfeild playmakers in the league and i think he and vdv will play awsome together.
are you sure you have been watching spurs or are you just a gooner?
Reply