The most pointless signing by Tottenham in years?
A transfer for Everton’s Steven Pienaar to Tottenham Hotspur seems to be a done deal, either going through this January transfer window for £2million or on a Bosman transfer in the summer for free. At first glance that looks a really good deal for Spurs. Pienaar is a good football player and one that I personally rate at more than £2million given the current market of player transfer fees.
Yet is it really a worthwhile purchase for Tottenham? In my mind not really as he is exactly the kind of player they have in abundance in White Hart Land; slight, deft, skilful are the characteristics I would use to describe Pienaar and the majority of Tottenham’s current midfield. At the moment as things stand I can’t see him getting into the Tottenham first team. He is too similar to, but not as good as, Luka Modric, Rafael Van der Vaart, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. Unlike the possible signing of David Beckham, he doesn’t really bring anything greatly different that the squad doesn’t already have either in terms of style or experience.
So far this season that Tottenham midfield quartet midfield has been decent to say the least as well as consistent. Pienaar on the other hand, although generally I am a fan of his, simply hasn’t been performing consistently as well. Although no-one really has at Everton, bar Tim Cahill and possibly Coleman, hence the position they currently find themselves in the league.
I still don’t think it would be the best deal for Tottenham even if they were to accept that Pienaar was not a first choice eleven player and use him as a squad player to play when he regains his form of the previous season and replace anyone of that midfield quartet, as he is rather versatile, when they’re injured or not playing too well. As I feel Niko Kranjcar is perfectly suited to do this role and is already at the club. To take a look back and see how few games he has played over the last few months I believe gives an indication of how little Pienaar would play were he to arrive, and why therefore he is a player that would be surplus to requirements.
It is mainly the presence of Kranjcar that leads me to believe Pienaar would be a pointless signing for Spurs. I believe Kranjcar should remain the first midfield creative to replace any of these four. I feel he has been hard done by this season, considering how much he contributed last time and this signing would only hasten his exit out of the White Hart Lane door and with Pienaar hardly flying at the moment it would not be much if any improvement. Ultimately I think Kranjcar carries more goal potential, with a fearsome strike and there is simply no room for both of them at the Lane along with all the other attack minded midfielders Tottenham have.
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Yes yes yes but we know Nikko wants out he aint happy he is going finito. Soo we need to replace him and Mr Pinears (or pinprick perhaps) is a cheap relacement to warm the bench. OK it does not get me salavating or my fanny fat flowing, but hey he is a bench warmer.
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MalSpurs Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Absolute slut. Have some respect. There are kids under 18 using this site as well.
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yidango Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Mal these under 18′s your talking about have seen a lot worse on the internet than HH’s comments.. lighten up man.
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carl Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 10:36 pm
spot on helen
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BigBrandonMcB@stard Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
I like the cut of your jib Helen. But in all honesty you should get back to the kitchen and get cracking with the manwiches.
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While I agree with a lot of what you’ve said about the player(s). You’ve chosen to ignore the business implications. We paid peanuts for Niko and with Pienaar’s contract situation, would stand to buy another useful squad player, again for well below the player’s “true” market value. In this instance, by selling Niko, the club may stand to make an extra several million quid by trading one squad player for another of similar stature (not a bad thing for the money men. Even if the incoming player’s making a slightly higher salary, it’s good for cashflow and this year’s bottom line). If I were Levy, that would probably appeal to me, not to mention my shareholders. I do also think Pienaar would be slightly more comfortable than Niko playing on the right of midfield in Lennon’s absence and with Bentley leaving, this is worth noting too.
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jerkinmahjurgen Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Also when you have a large squad and no league cup games, players get tired of waiting so it’s not worth keeping Bentley or Nico if they wanna go. Get others in with a fresh mindset and making money along the way is a bonus.
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walsh, Horny’s got a point. Even tho me like the Kranc to stay.
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THE GUYS AVERAGE WE GOT A LOT OF AVERAGE AT THE LANE IF WE WANT TO GO PLACES THEN ITS BETTER THAN AVERAGE WE WANT !
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If you get around the graphic detail of what Helen says I cannot see Pienaar being happy about being a bench warmer – unless he simply wants a big pay day (which he ain’t getting in blue Scouseland).
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Tottenham fans are so up their own arses! Everton and Tottenhams squads are pretty much 50/50 (if you had to chose 11 from each on top form) and Pienaar is one of our top players. He will be more than good enough to get in your team and snapping him up for either £1.5 or free is an absolute bargain.
What I guarantee is, that he will be at least as effective as Modric and get more assists than Bale, enough said.
Its just a shame he turned in to an ungrateful money grabber!
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MalSpurs Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
More assists than Bale? HAHAHAHA.
The only players that would get a sniff in our team are Baines and Neville. Maybe Cahill, but he’s hardly going to displace our Rafa is he?
Don’t kid yourself. There’s a reason you’re in the bottom half.
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Daz Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
And my point is proved!
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MalSpurs Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
proven, not “proved”
reno Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Sorry Daz but you are well wide of the mark, Spurs have (most the sky and motd pundits agree) one of the strongest squads in the league, Everton most certainly do not!
Though Moyes must be congratulated for what he does achieve with the players you do have.
Peinnar realises Everton are going nowhere and fancies a swansong.
Daz Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Sy Pundits also said Tottenham have a chance of winning the league and Champions league at the end of last season, which is laughable at best and even Spurs fans with their eyes open admit that. Squad for squad like I say we are 50/50, it just happens we have had a poor start….yet again. Pundits also say we have a midfield comparible with the top 3….but pundits see what they want to see and when one of your Sky pundits is Jamie Redknapp…..there you go!
Howard would be in Over Gomes
Phil Neville in over Hutton
Jagielka..take your pick
Baines in Over Assou Ekkoto (However you spell it)
The midfield is the toughest part…
On the right, Id certainly pick Coleman now, pace wise the same as Lennon, but finishes and crosses better after just 3 months playing in the prem!
Bale left
2 Midfielders, well thats between many players and interpretation
But this is my point…..a final squad would be 50/50, based on individual performances and facts. The shame is, people get too sucked into media bias towards Tottenham…you seem to forget that you have beaten us once in the league in something like 4 seasons and have finished above us just once in about the same period of time, with Millions at the helm.
reno Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Daz, I doubt they will but the fact is Spurs have a chance of winning the league, the champions league and the F.A. cup.
Chelsea looked nailed on to win the league, and they still could, but Spurs are above them, therefore……
TonyRich Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I am not one to pre-judge a guy, Pienaar’s record of 18 games started, 0 assists, 1 goal, does not indicate that what you say will come true. Should he join I would see him take over the “hub of the midfield” role and deputising for Lennon/Bale.
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yidango Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Daz that scouse sense of humour!Funny guy.
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Ste Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
Typical scousers talking absolute excrement, just like Liverpool fans!
Everton as good as Spurs??? None of your players would get on our bench let alone the first team.
As for Pienaar, seemingly a one season wonder, and in the technical menagerie that is our middle, a no-hoper!
Get some strikers harry please!
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yidango Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Daz we’re challenging at the top again,doing well in the CL your fighting relegation as usual..Stop being a silly boy..
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Chris Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 9:05 am
Fighting relegation as usual? Look at the past few seasons results mate. We’re having a bd season granted but to suggest we’re fighting a relegation battle every seen is actually just ignorance. Until last season we’ve had a better season and had the measure over you over both games so please… as you so eloquently say down there, ‘Have a word.’
Spurs are turning into the Kopites of the South. Blinkered idiots who beleive they have a god given right to win everything and sign every player they can. I personally cannot wait to see it all collapse. Redknapp will tkae the England job, and rightly so. Whoever you get in wont emulate his success and it’ll fall to bits. Also, this cash getting splashed about in every window and the huge wage bill you have simply screams to me that it’ll all fall down around you eventually. give it a few years. Portsmouth 2.0 and I for one wont be shedding a tear for you.
If Spurs want Pienaar they can have him. If it’s a pay day he wants then he’s no good at our club. When a player loses the passion for the club and the fans he may as well leave. That’s exactly whats happened with every player that’s left in the last 4 years and look whats happened to them. On this note, I take great pleasure in seeing Lescott and his unhappiness and lack of form at City, but thats for another day. my point is, the grass isn’t always greener. He will never have the partnership with Assou Ekotto as he does with Baines and its fool hardy to suggest you have a better left back than Everton to facilitate a partnership comparable to our left flank.
Bale is great but you’ve got a dodgy left back. That level of partnership isn’t there.
Your success this season really does not give you the right to adopt such a disrespect for other teams in the league. I actually like Spurs as a team, but their fans are quite frankly appearing more and more to me like idiots. I think the majority of the comments here prove that. I wouldn’t mind half of the comments here but I’d save them until you can go a season without taking just a point from us…
There is us and there is them.
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Goodspurs Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
I think you’re way off the mark Chris. Everton are not the worst team in the league by a distance and have been the ‘almost team’ to break the top 4 for a few of seasons, but have only done it once and never even made the group stages. Spurs not only cracked the top 4, made the group stages and then won the group, whether we progress any further is yet to be seen but we’re playing well and no one can say we’re not, thats not an arrogrant view, just the way it is. Everton, after making the top 4, have never done anything since. Ok a FA Cup final and a couple of finishing 5th seasons. Spurs deserved to be there last season and we’re sitting 4th again and have a good chance of doing it again.
I dont think Spurs fans are coming across as arrogant but suggesting Piennar wont make the starting line up, its simple facts.
I understand to have been one of the regular top 6/7 clubs in the 2000s it must be depressing to see your team failing this season, but this happens. Dont come across as bitter by suggesting Spurs fans have suddenly become arrogant
In regards to money Spurs are one of the best run clubs in the league financially. In Levy we have a shrewd business man who doesnt break the bank for anyone, which maybe stops Spurs from signing that superstar, but this is holding the club in good stead and to suggest we’ll become the next Portsmouth is ridiculous.
On another point I dont understand where some of these comments come from regarding not being able to beat you in seasons past and only getting a point. I think you’ll find that we beat you at home twice last season (league and cup) and were unlucky not to win in the 2-2 at Goodison.
spurs boy Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 10:54 am
i really think everton fans are ill check the table before you comment
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jerkinmahjurgen Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
lol yep we’re close to the leaders and you’re grabbing the occasional win to keep you out of the bottom 3.
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I will be sorry to see him go, but lets face it, he wanted out and thought the world cup was going to be his springboard and it failed miserably! He will get found out at Totenham as he wont have a left back as good as Baines behind him(just like South Africa???)
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reno Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Ekotto is a top left back, get a grip.
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yidango Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
It BAE played for Barca the press and TV pundits would be raving about him..
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yidango Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
*If
Daz Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
hahaha…Ekotto got shown up by our very own Coleman…who has played a few months of prem football!
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reno Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Ekotto has been outstanding since he tamed C.Ronaldo in the C.C. Final the other year with only one or two bad days thrown in to prove he’s human. Wait till Coleman comes down off the buzz of his first season.
SiBo Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
Daz – u r a deluded prick!! So Everton has remained unbeaten against us over 4 seasons – wow! get a medal. if u look at the stats over the past 23 matches they read as follows:-
Team Pld W D L
—- ————
Eve 23 5 8 10
Spurs 23 10 8 5
You honestly think that, strongest teams, you have a better team than us? Your team has always been about ‘good old fashioned british determination’, which is a good trait to have, only recently in the past 4-5 years have u added slight flair, but u can only get so far with that, with 1 creative talent.
All pundits, even ex-everton ones state the same thing about today’s football – squads! and Tottenham’s trounces yours. most clubs have injured players, suspensions and players away on internationals etc. Last season, we qualified for the top 4 WITHOUT ever having all our players fit. Despite Inter having a dodgy manager, we still went further than you guys in the competition and can still go further – u couldn’t even make it out of qualifying for gods sake!
Oh yeah, did u know that that Spurs have beaten you guys 10-4 twice in your history (both after the 60′s? yeah i am going back, but over the entire history of both clubs, Spurs have kicked ur a&ses more, so please stop with the ridiculous claims.
I actually like Everton, and i thinkk you are in a false position than u should be, but you can’t slate other teams and crow about your own when u r almost propping up the league! I await your reply!
SiBo Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
…I seemed to have gone off track regarding the point i was trying to make….todays football is about squads.. even if both our teams rated the same, most other managers would probably plump for tottenhams due to the larger squad and better quality.. i am not putting everton down, just stating that most of our squad players are of a better quality than yours…an opinion shared by many who are not spurs fans
wayne king Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
I’m a bg fan of Coleman’s and he put in a superb MOTM performance against us, but the pace of a fit Lennon? Not likely pal. Although he is the 1 player I’d most like from Everton’s rather average squad. Pienaar, Cahill and Arteta are all good players, but no better than anyone in the current 1st 11 at Spurs for me. And let’s be honest, were it not for Moyes Everton would likely be in the Championship by now. I hope you can hang on to him until Kenright or someone else pumps some money into the team. A very good manager imo.
Daz Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Whata risiculous statement! Baines Kept Ronaldo quiet in his last two games against Man u, Neville Kept golden boy Bale quiet in both games this season, Jagielka has kept Torres quiet in the past 3-4 Merseyside derbies….we can do that all day long. And what reason would Coleman lose his buzz? Bale was awful at the start of last season, came good at the end and has been good to date, does that mean his buzz is about to go?
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yidango Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
At WHL Bale had 3 players marking him and on one occasion 5 challenging him!!
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reno Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
you make it sound like Everton are in the top half of the table.
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Goodpurs Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Bale wasnt even playing at the start of last season. From the time he got into the team to now, pretty much a year, he’s been exceptional. Coleman has been as good as Bale tho, good point
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pienaar is making the biggest mistake of his career, he will play about 10 -12 games a season and will spend more time on the bench coming on as a sub, what a plonker just another greedy player who rates himself higher than he is.
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reno Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Or, surrounded by better players, will achieve his potential instead of keeping everton out of the relegation zone as his only reward. Just a thought.
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EFC 9 title wins to Spurs 2 Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
He’s not ‘keeping us out of the relegation zone’, we’re mid-table in a mediocre league, where everyone can beat everyone else, on any given day, and after the top 3 teams, every team is of a sameness. Don’t get cocky cockrels – we’re having a bad season and you’re having one of your best, and we still beat you and drew at the Lane! Pienaar won’t make a difference either way.
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as the others have said a cheap replacement for Niko, stat wise
Niko for spurs: age:26 28apps 6 goals
Pianaar for everton: 28 69apps 7 goals
lets hope its a free as it would be a waste of £2m that could be put towards a better young midfield replacement
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My god spurs fans have short memories, don’t thinks it’s everton that have been fighting relegation in the last few years!
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