Making the case for pace

Tottenham are really missing the combined pace of Bale and Lennon

Spurs face Blackburn tomorrow with potentially enough injuries in our first team to field an entire starting XI for “Sicknote FC”. Every team has injuries at some point in the season but we are currently going through an underwhelming patch with some fans unhappy at our inability to make White Hart lane a fortress. Instead, the Lane has become a place where teams set out their stall to frustrate and try and nick a goal on the counter attack. I feel that we survived to an extent when Aaron Lennon was still fit and in the team. He can run at players just as excellently as Bale and his crossing had improved vastly since last season. The great thing about having Lennon in the team with Bale is that they scare defences as defenders have to decide which wing to concentrate on, leaving space for the other flying winger to run into, much like Bale’s third goal at the San Siro, made by an excellent Lennon run. While Lennon has been injured, managers have had been able to tell players to double or triple up on Bale without consequence on the other wing. Krancjar was dire against Bolton and I felt that David Bentley didn’t do enough against Sunderland, Hutton didn’t seem to have a good rapport with him at all with Bentley seemingly trying to win the crowd over with tricks and skill single-handedly. He did not.

Our team’s greatest asset is its blistering pace on the counter attack and secondly, when Modric and co are playing well, our speed at passing through the pitch and running into the little holes to release Jermain Defoe to net for us. Unfortunately, he has also been injured and neither Pav or Crouch are know for their speed. Robbie Keane has also been in the physio’s room, denying him a real chance and showing fans he’s still the master at playing off the shoulder and at dinking into spaces in the box to score.

We need pace. Lots of it. Our performances of late have been too lethargic and I noted at the lane on Tuesday that Assou-Ekotto and Hutton didn’t get forward nearly enough and when they did, they had to wait for support. My suggestion to start with Jermaine Jenas split opinion but I really do feel that he’s been a different player this season and has control and pace to either bomb forward to support a counter attack or to run back to prevent the other team from doing the same. Until Defoe, Keane and Lennon return, we lack cutting edge up front and speed on both wings. I’d start with Jenas tomorrow who seemed to build up a good rapport with Huddlestone and Modric in the European games he played with them.  Crouch has fought his way back into the starting line up with another VDV assist and until Pav has a cracking game, he won’t get another start. A rumour today was that Harry Kane had trained with the first team. He’s an exceptionally exciting prospect, demolishing teams in reserve and academy matches and Harry Redknapp may throw a curveball by putting him on the bench if Pavulychencko fails a late fitness test. Here is my starting lineup:

Gomes

Hutton                        Kaboul                                    Bassong                        BAE

Modric                          Jenas                                    Huddlestone                   Bale

                                                     Van Der Vaart

                                                           Crouch

You never know with Spurs these days but I predict a first clean sheet since the opening day of the season with a 2-0 win. Modric to score and Van Der Vaart to keep up his amazing run of scoring in every appearance at White Hart Lane.