Spurs News
Some thoughts on the Van der Vaart deal
Fan Articles, News | MF | September 2, 2010 at 2:41 pm
So it’s 6pm on Tuesday and the transfer window slams shut but the skeletal, spindly fingers of Daniel Levy combine with the force 10 gale that is Harry Redknapp’s mouth and somehow force a gap in the glazing wide enough for Rafael Van der Vaart to jump through.
All summer long, from the outside it’s looked like we’ve needed cover in the goalkeeping and central defending departments and a boost to the forward and creative midfield areas. With just Sandro (and how many Sandra Redknapp jokes are we going to hear in the next few months) and Gallas newly signed it looked like we were nowhere near covering all those areas but add keeper Stipe Pletikosa (household name in Split apparently) to the Dutchman with the snigger-inducing name and Redknapp could argue that everything’s sorted & job done.
If nothing else, the signing of Van der Vaart has made us forget the Wigan shambles and view the upcoming Moneybags league games with more optimism. More than that though, he seems like a good chap. He grew up in a caravan to become one half of the Dutch equivalent of Posh and Becks but he’s reported as a modest & humble individual, proud of his background and one who hasn’t let success go to his head. He seems to be as excited about the move as we are.
What a contrast to two years ago when we signed Fraizer Campbell on loan on deadline day. We’ve ended up with one of the best left feet in Europe on our books who if he puts in as much effort as Campbell did for us, is guaranteed to become a crowd favourite. As well as a player who can play anywhere in the front four or five and get goals, we’re actually going to have a player in the team who might trouble the keeper from free kicks around the box and what a change that’ll make.
So where’s he going to fit in the team? Unless Harry decides to move away from 4-4-2 then it’s got to be up front. In midfield we’ve got Lennon, Modric, Kranjcar, Huddlestone, Bale, Palacios, Sandro, Jenas, O’Hara and Bentley to name but ten all fighting for a place. In attack the pickings are much slimmer with Pav, Robbie and Gio doing little at the moment to suggest that they’re going to do much more than make up the numbers. Defoe and Crouch are our current first choice forwards but both are currently carrying knocks and neither will be picked for every game anyway. I’d expect Harry to try and start the new boy alongside or just behind one of those two at least at the beginning and until he gets the pace of the Premier League.
Wherever he plays he’s going to add class, touch and poise. Everyone’s agreed that this appears to be the signing of the summer and I for one can’t wait to see him in action.
By MF
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Oh and @ trespasos (liverfool fan) if Liverfool wanted Gio why didnt they step up and make an offer for him ? Probably because he wouldnt want to play for ya shite, so stop dreaming. LOL
Huddle
VDV
Bale
Modric
Defoe
4-4-1-1
corulka king dawson bale
huddlestone
lennon van der vaart modric
crouch defoe
……………..gomes
corluka king dawson ekotto
lennon ……sandro………bale
…………….modric vdv
………..defoe/pavlyuchenko
just as an example. we have enough cover now to rotate players like sandro, modric, vdv, defoe, king (our cover could easily be huddlestone, palacios, krankjaer, dos santos, gallas/kaboul/bassong, keane/crouch)
I saw today that the Metro are claiming VDV only came to spurs to manufacture a move to Man Utd. Well even if that's true, we'll enjoy him for a season, hopefully finish in the top 4 (thus able to attract more big name signings) and can then listen to bids for him. VDV's signed a 4 year contract, so i'd expect £20 mil upwards to let him go. A nice healthy profit on an £8mil outlay and money that can be used to secure the next big signing.
Saw another article (again jealousy rearing it's ugly head) saying we didn't need him and we'd wasted our money, as we had Modric, Kranjaer, Bale and Bentley… As much as I like Modric, I fully expect VDV to be a better player, he is a definite improvement on our midfield options and wouldn't be surprised if Jenas has only til January before he's packing his bags…(about time too!)
i can really imagine harry pushing bale back to LB, as although BAE has put in some good performances (i.e 2nd leg against young boys) he still looks really skakey at times (wigan). i,e the team looking as follows:
Gomes
Corluka King Dawson Bale
Lennon Hudd/Sandro VDV Modric
Crouchy Defoe
i dont see a problem with this as modric likes to drift inside which still allows bale to bomb down the left.
with this team i feel we can beat anyone!
FInally a proven, left footed, world class attacking midfielder. The equivalent of a Lampard or Gerrard.
He's only 27 – in his prime for the next 4 years.
The new formation should be: Modric, Van Der Vaart, Huddlestone, Lennon
With Bale dropping to left back. A potentially mouthwatering combination. Huddlestone will still need to play in the midfield to provide that defensive midfield cover.
Modric – Van Der Vaart – Huddlestone – Lennon
When on form that should be challenging for the leading premiership midfield.
Pav
Modric – VDV – Lennon
Huddleston – Palacios
Bale – King – Dawson – Corluka
Gomes
That leaves poor quality opposition and Carling cup with a fully rested 4-4-2 team of
Crouch – Defoe
Krancjar – Sandro – Jenas – Dos Santos(/Bentley)
Ekotto – Gallas – Kaboul – Naugton
Pletikosa
Is it just me or does the reserve team still look better than what we had two years ago!
this is how i see our first team panning out…………
gomes
corluka, dawson, king, bale
sandro
lennon, huddlestone, modric
VdV
defoe/pav/crouch