This blog has never really been interested in discussing relegation-threatened teams -- or pretty much anyone outside the top 5 for that matter -- but in Spurs' case its willing to make an exception. There are three deadline-day deals that catch my eye, and many that I could not care less about. One of those eye catching deals involves the aforementioned Tottenham Hotspurs, with the other two involving Arsenal and Chelsea.
Much has been written about Robbie Keane in recent months. I jumped on the bandwagon back in December, saying that he should never have moved to Liverpool in the first place. Rafa Benitez just does not play the kind of football that suits the unpredictable Keane. The ever-present Dirk Kuyt is proof of this.
That's not to say that Robbie was merely the innocent victim of 'round peg in a square hole' syndrome. Yes he was that, but he was also a terribly inept round peg during his at times comical stint in Merseyside. There were one too many games where you wouldn't actually know that Robbie Keane was on the football pitch until you saw him either mis-kicking the ball or being hauled off after 68 minutes with a surprisingly puzzled look on his face. I'm sure all those times he brushed shoulders with Dirk Kuyt as he made his way to the bench did little to help his rapidly decreasing confidence, and it showed in his performances.
Did he try too hard? Is he just not good enough for a big 4 club? Did he need more time? Who knows? All we do know is that he had his shot and he blew it. He dubs the whole fiasco a "mistake", and I think he's right. For me, going to Liverpool under Benitez will always be a mistake. I'm willing to go on record and say that Chelsea will still be United's biggest threat, even though they themselves are looking a bit rubbish. I'd even give Arsenal and Villa a decent chance of finishing ahead of Liverpool, so little confidence do I have in the Reds' title challenge.
But that's beside the point. Keane is back at his old club, which I think was the only place for him to go, even though I still don't think he'll do very well. He needs a target man alongside him, and Defoe is quite clearly not that man. I know he's out injured, but he won't be gone forever, and so ultimately Harry has just added more confusion to an already confused squad. And what's more, Keane is not a like for like replacement for Defoe. If anything Keane is more Modric than Defoe, so it will be interesting to see the dynamic of the Spurs team this Sunday in the North London Derby. They'll probably have to play another striker alongside Keane, so there could be goals aplenty in White Heart Lane, with another 4-4 a definitely possibility if Arsenal can sort out their creative problems.
One man who may or may not sort those out is Andrei Arshavin, but I'll leave that discussion for another post.
In other news, Queresma has signed for Chelsea in a 6 month loan deal. Dunphy would call him "Ronaldo Lite", and I'd have to agree. He is something along the lines of what Chelsea need, but to be honest I don't really rate him at all. Can't be any worse than Malouda I suppose though. Against all reason I do have some sneaky feeling that he might do OK, at least in the short-term. He has some of the attributes that make a player effective, but he also has a large amount that make a player an idiot. Which of these attributes will win out is anyones guess, but I'm prediciting a success story. Just don't ask me why.
Much has been written about Robbie Keane in recent months. I jumped on the bandwagon back in December, saying that he should never have moved to Liverpool in the first place. Rafa Benitez just does not play the kind of football that suits the unpredictable Keane. The ever-present Dirk Kuyt is proof of this.
That's not to say that Robbie was merely the innocent victim of 'round peg in a square hole' syndrome. Yes he was that, but he was also a terribly inept round peg during his at times comical stint in Merseyside. There were one too many games where you wouldn't actually know that Robbie Keane was on the football pitch until you saw him either mis-kicking the ball or being hauled off after 68 minutes with a surprisingly puzzled look on his face. I'm sure all those times he brushed shoulders with Dirk Kuyt as he made his way to the bench did little to help his rapidly decreasing confidence, and it showed in his performances.
Did he try too hard? Is he just not good enough for a big 4 club? Did he need more time? Who knows? All we do know is that he had his shot and he blew it. He dubs the whole fiasco a "mistake", and I think he's right. For me, going to Liverpool under Benitez will always be a mistake. I'm willing to go on record and say that Chelsea will still be United's biggest threat, even though they themselves are looking a bit rubbish. I'd even give Arsenal and Villa a decent chance of finishing ahead of Liverpool, so little confidence do I have in the Reds' title challenge.
But that's beside the point. Keane is back at his old club, which I think was the only place for him to go, even though I still don't think he'll do very well. He needs a target man alongside him, and Defoe is quite clearly not that man. I know he's out injured, but he won't be gone forever, and so ultimately Harry has just added more confusion to an already confused squad. And what's more, Keane is not a like for like replacement for Defoe. If anything Keane is more Modric than Defoe, so it will be interesting to see the dynamic of the Spurs team this Sunday in the North London Derby. They'll probably have to play another striker alongside Keane, so there could be goals aplenty in White Heart Lane, with another 4-4 a definitely possibility if Arsenal can sort out their creative problems.
One man who may or may not sort those out is Andrei Arshavin, but I'll leave that discussion for another post.
In other news, Queresma has signed for Chelsea in a 6 month loan deal. Dunphy would call him "Ronaldo Lite", and I'd have to agree. He is something along the lines of what Chelsea need, but to be honest I don't really rate him at all. Can't be any worse than Malouda I suppose though. Against all reason I do have some sneaky feeling that he might do OK, at least in the short-term. He has some of the attributes that make a player effective, but he also has a large amount that make a player an idiot. Which of these attributes will win out is anyones guess, but I'm prediciting a success story. Just don't ask me why.
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