Defoe anyone?

[Guest Knightrider]

Apparently he's not wanted at Spurs, although this could be to force him to sign a new deal as the player has indicated he doesn't want to leave.

 

A few years back I'd have said no and while I don't rate him too highly myself, he could fit into the manager's way of playing and could actually help us out in other areas never mind goalscoring, areas which I feel are the root cause of our final third problems beyond creativity in the middle. I'm talking about the channels. I've been watching our play closely this season and we rarely have anyone working the channels. N'Zogbia and Milner come infield a lot when they are on the wing and aren't instinctive enough to work the channels effectively while Owen, Viduka, Smith and Martins don't work them either so we rarely stretch teams and seem to play far too centrally, in front of defences. For 4-3-3 to work, you need someone working those channels, at Bolton later on Big Sam had Anelka and Diouf doing that and they become far more fluid and diverse in the final third as a result.

 

Defoe's pace, running and attacking instincts to drive into space and at defences could be a valuable tool to us if we are to go 4-3-3 which is more than likely if the manager is to stay. Furthermore, you can use him centrally too because he has the pace and gravity to play off the shoulder, to spin, to penetrate centrally.

 

I don't know how much he'd cost but even at £8m I think he'd prove a very useful addition to the team.

 

Thoughts?

 

I'd prefer Keane like as he works the channels too and while he doesn't have Defoe's pace, he's technically much better and has a better footballing brain too, he can actually drop deep and dictate play in a playmaker sense. We'd have no chance though and I doubt he'd want to leave anyway, plus he'd cost big money I feel and there would be stiff competition for his services.

 

Anyway...

 

 

[madras]

is he going to win much in the air ?

[MW]

Would love him here but no chance unfortunately.

[Guest Andrew Flintoff]

No thanks, overrated little shite who, just like the x many strikers we have needs some sort of service. Would be a waste of dosh.

[NG32]

Wont be able to play Sams way.

[Mr. Snrub]

No thanks.

 

We need a striker who will get you 20+ a season.  Not someone who's not good enough for Spurs' starting line up.

[matta]

think he is better than martins :S

 

(because what ive seen of martins so far is that he is completely out of form, and seems to be underachieving)

 

 

agree on the Robbie Keane also. Would love him here, but can't see tottenham selling their, by far, best player. included berbatov.

[Willow]

He can create goals himself and can always outpace most defenders if given the chance..........so yeah, I'd definately have him here.

 

Match him with a creative midfielder and we'd be much better off I'd imagine, lessening the pressure on the defence. Unfortunately I can't see it happening.

[hallihg]

Wow, we really are desperate.

 

Wondering if we should buy Defoe?

 

What fuck ? I wouldnt want him to Nufc even if we got him for free, hes utter shit.

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

A better footballer and quicker than Owen, that would be able to fit into 4-3-3

 

Owen, however, is a better goalscorer

 

Personally i would swap, as i think Defoe would have a massive bee in his bonnett about not being first choice.

[Yorkie]

Free in the summer.

 

Said that on SSN anyway.

[Guest gggg]

He seems happy enough sitting on his arse at Spurs counting his money. Albert Luque-esque

 

 

[Guest Knightrider]

is he going to win much in the air ?

 

No, but he would pick up a lot from loose balls, flick-ons...

 

Anyway, I think we'll change our methods with a Defoe in the side, as Big Sam did at Bolton when he signed Anelka, the ball went through the channels on the deck more than it was aimed up towards Davies and their midfield become more involved as a result of the pace, movement and dynamism up top.

 

This is actually how Nolan went from star man to is he good enough at the Reebok among some of their fans (in ways anyway) because more was asked of him in a footballing sense and he didn't exactly reply or adapt from the direct play to the more diverse play that Big Sam switched to. A bit like Parker for us, great under Souness when the game demanded his tackling, work ethic and all that, but under Roeder when more was asked of him to create and score, to get involved in play, he couldn't come up with an answer.

 

Where Nolan is concerned though, I think his poor form and de-progression is down to having adjustment problems rather than being found out. If you've been asking your central midfielder to get from box to box and scrap for loose balls etc. for many years, then things suddenly change where you're being asked to actually start creating, passing and working the ball more, it's not easy to switch on.

[Guest kingdawson]

Free in the summer.

 

Said that on SSN anyway.

 

As usual their  wrong with the info. His contract expires next summer.

 

 

[Mr. Snrub]

He seems happy enough sitting on his arse at Spurs counting his money. Albert Luque-esque

 

 

 

 

Luque regularly complained about not playing, as does Defoe.

 

Too bad we already have a stronger, faster version of Defoe who is also better in the air.  Granted, Defoe might be a bit more clincal infront of goal, but I'd have Martins over him every day of the week.

 

Signing the top 4's rejects is bad enough, but one of Spurs'?  No chance.  He is not a player who will improve our squad and make us challenge for Europe.

[Guest kingdawson]

think he is better than martins :S

 

(because what ive seen of martins so far is that he is completely out of form, and seems to be underachieving)

 

 

agree on the Robbie Keane also. Would love him here, but can't see tottenham selling their, by far, best player. included berbatov.

 

In your dreams mate. Not only is Berbatov better then Keane but so is Steed and Ledley and i would also like to See Bent start ahead of him sometimes.

[Colocho]

Sell Owen, Buy Defoe.

[Guest Knightrider]

No thanks.

 

We need a striker who will get you 20+ a season. 

 

No we don't. You'll find no-one team in the Premiership has such a player, the league has changed vastly where strikers don't get to score so many goals, this has meant today strikers have to be much more than mere goalscorers because they'll struggle otherwise. Just look at Martins and us with Martins.

 

We need to stop thinking about the individual hero, the main man and start thinking about the team more and what a player can give to it as a whole and not just in terms of numbers like goals.

 

What we badly need in the team (IMO anyway) is available at the right price which is like a window of opportunity. From where I sit there aren't many windows out there to bring in such suitable players and Defoe is just that in many ways. Vastly experienced, good age, good record regarding injuries and perhaps a player with something to prove. Oh and available?

 

He's not the greatest player or goalscorer but then we are not the greatest of sides so touche.

 

Worth showing an interest at least.

[Guest gggg]

He seems happy enough sitting on his arse at Spurs counting his money. Albert Luque-esque

 

 

 

 

Luque regularly complained about not playing, as does Defoe.

 

If he wants to play, why does he always say he wants to stay when they tell him to piss off?

[Guest Edd]

No thanks.

 

We need a striker who will get you 20+ a season.  Not someone who's not good enough for Spurs' starting line up.

No we don't need a 20+ goalscorer but you're wrong anyway.  He's scored 4 in their last 6 league games and has only played for more than 30 minutes in one of those games.  And 8 goals in all competitions from only 6 starts.  Play him and he will score plenty.

[Guest Knightrider]

Oh and you could say we have a 20+ man in Owen, just a shame he's such a limited player and of no use to us unless he's scoring but to do that he needs to fucking run and work defences more because scrappy goals are becoming less ofa feature in our league, unless the opposition is Newcastle United!!

[Kitman]

is he going to win much in the air ?

 

No, but he would pick up a lot from loose balls, flick-ons...

 

Anyway, I think we'll change our methods with a Defoe in the side, as Big Sam did at Bolton when he signed Anelka, the ball went through the channels on the deck more than it was aimed up towards Davies and their midfield become more involved as a result of the pace, movement and dynamism up top.

 

This is actually how Nolan went from star man to is he good enough at the Reebok among some of their fans (in ways anyway) because more was asked of him in a footballing sense and he didn't exactly reply or adapt from the direct play to the more diverse play that Big Sam switched to. A bit like Parker for us, great under Souness when the game demanded his tackling, work ethic and all that, but under Roeder when more was asked of him to create and score, to get involved in play, he couldn't come up with an answer.

 

Where Nolan is concerned though, I think his poor form and de-progression is down to having adjustment problems rather than being found out. If you've been asking your central midfielder to get from box to box and scrap for loose balls etc. for many years, then things suddenly change where you're being asked to actually start creating, passing and working the ball more, it's not easy to switch on.

 

We've had a pacey striker upfront for most of the season, that hasn't stopped us launching long balls from the back as a substitute for playing football.  I see what you're saying but I feel until we have midfielders who can create and break with pace then Defoe would spend most of match chasing lost causes or being outjumped by defenders who are a foot taller than him.  With the likes of Butt and Smith in midfield it seems inevitable the balls goes sideways along midfield and then back to the defence, to be lumped forward to the little guy to chase.  That's if we haven't given it away already.

 

I also think we'd struggle to attract Defoe unless we sold Owen and possibly Martins. Why would Defoe move out of London if he's not guaranteed first team football somewhere?

[Guest Knightrider]

is he going to win much in the air ?

 

No, but he would pick up a lot from loose balls, flick-ons...

 

Anyway, I think we'll change our methods with a Defoe in the side, as Big Sam did at Bolton when he signed Anelka, the ball went through the channels on the deck more than it was aimed up towards Davies and their midfield become more involved as a result of the pace, movement and dynamism up top.

 

This is actually how Nolan went from star man to is he good enough at the Reebok among some of their fans (in ways anyway) because more was asked of him in a footballing sense and he didn't exactly reply or adapt from the direct play to the more diverse play that Big Sam switched to. A bit like Parker for us, great under Souness when the game demanded his tackling, work ethic and all that, but under Roeder when more was asked of him to create and score, to get involved in play, he couldn't come up with an answer.

 

Where Nolan is concerned though, I think his poor form and de-progression is down to having adjustment problems rather than being found out. If you've been asking your central midfielder to get from box to box and scrap for loose balls etc. for many years, then things suddenly change where you're being asked to actually start creating, passing and working the ball more, it's not easy to switch on.

 

We've had a pacey striker upfront for most of the season, that hasn't stopped us launching long balls from the back as a substitute for playing football.  I see what you're saying but I feel until we have midfielders who can create and break with pace then Defoe would spend most of match chasing lost causes or being outjumped by defenders who are a foot taller than him.  With the likes of Butt and Smith in midfield it seems inevitable the balls goes sideways along midfield and then back to the defence, to be lumped forward to the little guy to chase.  That's if we haven't given it away already.

 

I also think we'd struggle to attract Defoe unless we sold Owen and possibly Martins. Why would Defoe move out of London if he's not guaranteed first team football somewhere?

 

It's catch 22, we badly need creativity in midfield don't get me wrong, but the statues (Owen, Smith, Viduka and Ameobi) and lack of brains (Martins) is as much to blame in my opinion in regards to our attacking problems.

 

The long ball or direct ball is a pisser but from the manager's perspective he's wanting such balls to be the right ball which if they were, no-one would complain about. It's not working like that though because you don't have the type of striker in Martins to utilise such balls when they do break to you or get flicked on. We also lack forwards who are good in the air and by good I don't mean Sir Les good, I mean players who know how to use the ball in the air. Smith is perhps good enough in that sense, but he gets played in midfield for some reason more than he does up front and even then, we lack pace and I include Martins in that as all his pace is no good to him as he doesn't have a clue how to use it.

 

We really are a limited team and while the manager hasn't covered himself in glory with some of his decisions or tactics, his hands are somewhat tied.

 

No-one can tell me he wants us to pump long ball after long ball up towards top that keep coming back, or that he can't see it's not working because his fucking stats will show him it ain't never mind the trained eye.

 

This window will be very telling on two fronts, whether Big Sam is to stay and just what direction we're heading in regarding style, tactics etc. Signing someone like Defoe to us would be like Anelka signing for Bolton, it will open us up as it opened Bolton up.

 

Although I agree, we need creativity too otherwise Defoe will be wasted on us too.

 

 

[toontownman]

No thanks. why do we need another pacey striker who  isnt even better than what we have. yes we need some pace and creativity but not upfront. how about we just properly coach the players we already have and play in a formation that actually suits and gets the best out of what we have.

[jarralad]

He`s just a less injury prone dyer.