Bale double award shows PFA need a rethink

Gareth Bale won the PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year award on Sunday night. Congratulations to the young Welshman who has continued his progress from wing wonder to all out star. No doubt fans of Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez et al will be up in arms that Bale has won, but it is the candidates on the Young Player short-list who should be angered.

It is such a waste to have Bale win both categories. If he is player of the year, he is de facto young player of the year, de facto Welsh player of the year, de facto left footed, side parting and silly celebration player of the year (although Daniel Sturridge pushes him awfully close in the latter category).

You would think the PFA would rather have separate winners as well – Bale wins two more awards isn’t as interesting as Bale is Player of the Year and, let’s say, Benteke is young player of the year. Twice the players, twice the clubs, twice the coverage. The actual number of votes are never revealed anyone so it is not like anyone will care if Bale was technically the Young player winner as well, he’s picked up the big prize and it actually seems bizarre that the Player of the Year winner wouldn’t also win the Young Player award too if eligible – if Benteke was a better candidate for the Young Player award, he would be a better candidate for the full award too, no? It would hardly go against the law of man if the PFA said if you win the full award, you cannot win the junior category as well.

The current set-up is weird. You can argue that these awards are largely meaningless anyway, but if we are to indulge the PFA then they might as well give us the maximum payback.

Tottenham should drop Parker to finish in Top 4

England international does not fit into current Spurs side

After the comeback win over Manchester City reignited Tottenham’s Top Four challenge, there was the inevitable stumble as Spurs were held 2-2 at the DW stadium against Wigan. Despite taking an early, fortuitous lead, Andre Villas-Boas and his men needed a late own goal to seal a share of the points. Fluidity is still lacking in Tottenham’s play, and the lilywhites continue to concede goals.

While the spotlight searches across the side for the cause of Tottenham’s problems, one thing has become clear – this Tottenham side look better when Scott Parker is not on the field. That’s not to pour blame onto the former Player of the Year’s shoulders, for he has done little wrong, but he simply is not suited to how Spurs want to set up at the moment.

Dropping yet more points against teams well down the table could cost Spurs once more, and with games at Stoke and at home to Southampton and Sunderland to come, there is a worry that Tottenham will lose out to London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal for the Champions League places. Spurs had a lot of shots on Saturday, but they still lacked enough goals and it is now nine games since they kept a clean sheet. Stretching back further, Spurs have just two clean sheets in the Premier League in 2013.

It is no surprise this lack of clean sheets coincides with the injury to Brazilian Sandro in early January. Scott Parker has started twenty games this season in all competitions this season in Sandro’s absence, yet has been subbed nine times (45%), and in seven of those nine Tottenham were on the verge of defeat (including on away goals to Lyon in the Europa League). Still to score for Spurs, and hardly high up the assist table, if Parker is not offering defensive solidity then his worth to the team begins to be questioned.

Parker was integral to Spurs under Harry Redknapp, becoming an England starter as well, so what has changed? The loss of Luka Modric and to a lesser extent Rafa van der Vaart has put a greater emphasis on Parker’s playmaking ability, which is not his strong point. Moussa Dembele has impressed since his move from Fulham but is not a classic passer like Modric, and it is to Tottenham fans’ frustrations that Parker is often found bursting forward while his more talented midfield partner covers.

This brings us to Parker’s diminishing defensive value to Spurs. Villas-Boas likes his teams to press high up the pitch, which should play to Parker’s strengths, but the Achilles injury that put him out for the first six months of the season has taken a little energy from his play, while the ex-West Ham and Chelsea player will turn 33 in October and his age is starting to show.

Also, with Gareth Bale’s deployment in the centre and Aaron Lennon’s recent absence, Spurs have continued the evolution away from the 4-4-1-1 system that Redknapp preferred to a 4-3-3 shape. That allows AVB to play a designated holding midfielder but Parker’s positional discipline is terrible and he often vacates his central berth at the drop of a hat, leaving the defence woefully exposed.

Villas-Boas looked to address that on Saturday by playing Tom Huddlestone as the deep playmaker, but given Parker's lack of attacking skill one wonders why Lewis Holtby, who is equally energetic but a far more effective attacking threat, did not start as well.

Tottenham have evolved, and Scott Parker is getting left behind. Sandro has usurped him as Tottenham’s leading defensive midfielder, and the Brazilian’s style and tactical play is far more suited to playing alongside Dembele, who needs to pick up his position off his midfield partner when Spurs defend.

Parker is not offering one thing nor another, and although there are no direct rivals currently available there are better alternatives available. Tottenham are struggling to keep clean sheets, so they might as well focus on trying to outscore the opposition.

 

Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea’s future

Belgian youngster has shown enough on loan spell to get Stamford Bridge rol

The loaning of players between Premiership teams is a source of much contention, but there is no doubt that Romelu Lukaku’s loan spell at West Bromwich Albion has helped him, Chelsea and West Brom. There was talk of spending another season at the Hawthorns but Lukaku has shown he is ready to play for Chelsea in the Premiership right now.

In hindsight, perhaps the management at Stamford Bridge should have recalled their £20million signing in January, given the continuing problems Fernando Torres is suffering upfront and Demba Ba’s facial injury. However, sporadic game time would have hindered Lukaku more than it would have helped Chelsea, and the Belgian has established a reputation in England that will drive him up the pecking order for the Blues and also offer him all important time in the eyes of the fans and the media to make an impression in a Chelsea shirt.

So, assuming Lukaku continues to impress for Steve Clarke’s side, what should be the next step for Romelu and Chelsea? The answer is linked to the aforementioned Torres who has struggled even under the guiding hand of his old Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez. Torres looks a shadow of the player who terrorised Premier League defences while at Anfield, and it is now time for Abramovich to finally cut his losses. Whoever takes over from the interim manager in the summer (for the chances of Benitez staying in charge beyond the summer look remote at best) will no doubt tow the party line that Torres is a quality player and that a new manager can get the best out of him, but in reality it would be best for all parties if Torres was allowed to leave the Stamford Bridge spotlight.

That leaves Ba and Lukaku as Chelsea’s only true striking options. Plenty of their ‘number 10s’ can play in a forward role, like Juan Mata, Eden Hazard or Oscar, but none of them can lead the line like Ba or Lukaku. An additional striker may be needed to give the option of playing two upfront, but any new man should look to complement Lukaku, not supersede him.

Lukaku’s brace against Sunderland took him to twelve goals in 25 appearances, an impressive return, and his speed, strength and work rate, allied to a good touch and sharp striking instinct make him a threat in the Premiership. He has played over 150 games in his career and will not turn 20 until May. He may be young but he does not look it, and most importantly he does not play like it.

Chelsea have some big decisions to make in the summer, not least what to do with the £50million Torres. Getting rid of the Spaniard would be hugely embarrassing but Lukaku’s form and goals this season for WBA would soften the blow. Replacing a world cup winner with a teenager may at first look a risk, but it could be the safest bet Chelsea can make.

Spurs can wave goodbye as Adebayor heads to the African Cup of Nations

Tottenham are finding their feet under Andre Villas-Boas. Saturday’s goalless stalemate against ex-Spurs manager Harry Redknapp’s Queens Park Rangers was the first time the lilywhites had failed to score in an away game in the league, and the clean sheet was Hugo Lloris’ fourth in six games.

However, failure to break down organised and determined opponents is becoming a recurrent theme for AVB and his men, and the absence of one of their two front line strikers would exacerbate the problem, you might think. Emmanuel Adebayor, after much to-ing and fro-ing, will join the Togo team in South Africa for the African Cup of Nations, but his departure may actually improve Tottenham’s chances of scoring.

Over the festive and New Year period Spurs picked up 11 points from 15 on offer, however delve deeper and you’ll find a Tottenham team dominating possession but struggling to create clear cut chances, and when they do create a chance their conversion rate is not good.

A goalless draw at home to a defensive and resolute Stoke team was remarkable only for the lack of entertainment on offer and was rightfully the last game on that day’s Match of the Day. The 4-0 win at Aston Villa was 0-0 at half time (this against a side who had conceded eight at Chelsea four days prior) and if Villa had not come out in the second half and attacked the game may have stayed goalless.

Two goals in four minutes saw of Sunderland 2-1 but the game could and should have been far more comfortable, Reading were on top when Clint Dempsey scored to make it 3-1 and put the game to bed, and apart from a couple of chances QPR were barely tested. One of the few clear openings in that game fell to Adebayor but he fluffed his chance.

Two goals in13 league games (3 in 17 in all competitions) is a poor return for a striker, let alone one of Adebayor’s quality. He missed two clear chances against Sunderland, smacking the bar from four yards and missing a one on one with the goalkeeper. When Spurs need a focal point in attack, someone who can offer a physical threat and hold up the ball for others to play off, the ex-Manchester City and Arsenal forward has wilted. His lack of desire and fight is noticeable and as Dempsey returns from injury there has been a good case for Adebayor to be dropped, irrespective of his ACN involvement.

The problem with Adebayor has always been his attitude. When he so desires, he can trouble any defence in the world. Tall, strong, but athletic, agile and with a fine technique, he can offer everything, but when he decides he cannot be bothered his team look like they are playing with ten men.

Adebayor’s departure to South Africa must have been assumed, although the manner in which the will-he-won’t-he saga unfolded will have frustrated the Tottenham hierarchy. Spurs were a striker light when the summer transfer window shut, and with Adebayor’s poor form and his ACN absence confirmed, Spurs are walking a fine line. An injury or suspension to Jermain Defoe will leave them with no recognised striker, which will make it exceedingly difficult to break down teams happy to settle for a point.

Maybe some time away will suit both parties. Adebayor can enjoy being the main man for Togo, find some form, and come back to England firing. Perhaps he will realise what he has at Spurs and show greater desire upon his return. Or could AVB find that his side operates better without a moody front man breaking down attacking moves?

Spurs fans would love to see the club sign another striker regardless, with Leandro Damiao eternally linked to White Hart Lane, but after his recent displays it has to be said Emmanuel Adebayor will not be missed when he sets off on his Cup of Nations journey.