Time to go for Jermain Defoe?

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Article by e-Spurs Writer Michael Halepas

Jermain Defoe’s presence on a starting XI team sheet has been the source of conjecture among Spurs fans for a while now. Even during his first spell at the club, (when he was insistent that he start ahead of either Robbie Keane or Dimitar Berbatov – the pairing that won the League Cup in 2008) there was no unanimity of opinion as to how deserving of a starting berth he actually was.

Any doubter need only be at WHL for 90 minutes to hear how popular JD is among so many. Listen to the chants ringing round the ground and you are left in no doubt.

Of course JD’s agent will tell anyone willing to listen – that JD is an established England international, playing in his peak years with a proven goal scoring record at Premier League level, capable of scoring his team double-figures each season. The same agent would not be lying if he went on to describe JD as a quick little striker with a poacher’s instinct. What must be said however is that it is plain that were the national team not severely lacking in quality forwards, JD would hardly get a sniff at an England cap.

JD is certainly a player who appears to play on instinct. Happy to receive the ball in the attacking third of the pitch, should the ball find its way to his feet inside the penalty box, expect a shot at goal. He has after all made a very handsome living plying his trade as a striker in the English Premier League. That much cannot be argued with.

In this summer of reshaping at WHL a total review of striking options is a necessity. The ball is now rolling and with signings such as Chadli, Soldado and arguably Paulinho it could be said that the attack has been strengthened. All would appear to be thought out and fully evaluated signings.

There appears to be a clear convergence on views regarding JD’s Togolese strike partner. Surely only Arsenal fans will wish for Emmanuel Adebayor to be ‘playing’ his football at WHL come the close of the summer transfer window. This article does not consider his ‘contribution’ to the team as the verdict has already been reached. Adebayor has been found guilty of putting in so many severely below par performances that his sentence must be a transfer out of WHL.

Turning back to JD - admittedly, since he has enlisted the help of a fitness specialist in each of the last two summers the difference has shown on the pitch. However, one of the causes for concern with him is that when he’s not scoring goals there is not much else he is doing for the team.

In a game where a team’s first line of defence is its furthest forward player, JD’s hassling and tackling skills do not strike fear into opposition players. Yes, the scamp is about but no opposition defender spends too much time the night before a game trying to work out how he is to avoid being tackled by JD.

Tackling is not one of his strengths (although more recently he has been known to track back and pressure opponents on occasion) but strikers are not generally famed for their contribution to a side’s defensive work. Didier Drogba may disagree but then again, nobody is suggesting JD and Drogba are players of similar footballing ability.

 

Flying solo

Holding the ball up - this weakness in JD’s game is one of the more obvious and no reader will truly be surprised to see mention made of it in this piece. Nevertheless it is a flaw in his game and an area that he should be better at given how many years he’s held down a job that involves him playing football all week.

A lack of height/size might be a hindrance when jumping to meet an aerial ball but is the lazy man’s excuse for losing possession cheaply. Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Luis Suarez, Kevin Mirallas are examples of strikers the wrong side of 6’ who hold the ball up more effectively than JD.

Whomsoever wishes to start in a Spurs team next season when the formation involves a lone striker MUST be competent (‘competent’ will suffice) at holding up the ball when played in to his feet. Sure, having the knowhow to pull off a ‘Bergkamp vs Dabizas’ would be most welcomed but let’s not run before we can walk.

In those games where the team spends more time than usual entrenched on the edge of their own penalty area there must be a release. An outlet to relieve the pressure for as long as possible so that the defenders can catch their breath and move nearer to the half way line than their goalkeeper.

In a system where the lone striker is going to be man-marked and find himself 20 – 30 yards away from the nearest teammate and further still from the goal, JD’s showings just won’t do.

Time and time again, when that lone striker is JD, possession is not retained for too long and the opposing team resume applying pressure. The other unwanted consequence is that opposing sides do not have so much fear for the lone striker and are more willing to commit players forward. That has its own, obvious outcome. Those who are unsure about this observation need only watch any future games against the ‘Big 6’ in the PL to watch the pattern emerge.

 

Stats

In the 2011-12 season JD was the envy of most strikers. The reason? He shared a team sheet with players such as Van der Vaart, Modric and Bale. These players create goal scoring opportunities for strikers.

In that season JD scored 11 league goals for the club albeit in only 25 appearances. It is arguable that the continent is a flutter with strikers capable of getting to 11 goals were they playing in that same team.

In the 2012-13 season THFC created more attacking chances than 18 other PL clubs. Only Liverpool finished above THFC in that league. In other words, Spurs created more chances on goal than any of the teams that finished above them last season.

Whatever that stat proves it is not a stat to be ignored. This time round he made 34 appearances in the league. 27 of those appearances involved him in the starting XI. How many goals league goals did JD score for all of those chances created? 11.

That same football agent would inevitably jump from his seat at this point and remonstrate that JD has suffered injuries that have limited playing time. Robin Van Persie’s agent might then have something to say in return. The reality is that second time around JD has had enough playing time and enough opportunities to show his worth.

What would I say to JD’s agent? Probably something along the lines that in the 5 full seasons JD has had at WHL in his second spell at the club he has averaged 9.4 league goals a season. Of the 3 of those seasons in which he has hit the double figures mark, twice that number has been 11 goals.

JD has never, whether playing at Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth or Spurs (either time round) reached the 20 goal mark. Not once.

Last season, the ‘established’ England international lagged behind others in the goal scoring charts. No surprises that he had scored fewer goals than players like Robin Van Persie but a closer look and a number of names stand out.

Both Rickie Lambert (16 - Southampton) and Adam Le Fondre (12 - Reading) scored more league goals that JD last season. More upsettingly perhaps, two players once offered to Spurs, well outscored JD. Christian Benteke (19 – Aston Villa) and Michu (18 – Swansea) eclipsed JD’s 11 goals for the season. Neither of the 4 strikers abovementioned played in a team challenging for Champions League qualification.

The picture gets more gloomy when looking at what else JD brings to the team. As a forward lying player, JD is in an excellent position to be able to help to create chances for his team mates who work tirelessly doing precisely that for him. Sadly the assist stats make for sorrier reading than the goal stats.

Last season (2012-13) JD mustered 3 assists for his team. The season before that? Just 1. The season before that one? Only 2 for the entire season.

JD is a greedy player. Others would call him selfish. Neither are derogatory remarks for a striker. Strikers are expected to score goals and that is what they are paid for. The problem? When not enough goals are being converted by the greedy player there has to be some other worthwhile contribution to the cause. Not only is JD an ineffective tackler and holder of the ball but he does not create assists for his team mates.

At a club where 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1 will often be the starting formation and a club for which anything less than Champions League qualification is deemed failure – JD is not the individual to be leading the attack. JD has shown he is not the player to strike fear into top centre back pairings in the PL. Any doubt? Ask Vidic and Ferdinand or Terry, Ivanovic and Luiz.

While JD is not the man to be starting these games he is still an experienced PL forward. He’s now 30 years old and knows more about the game today than he did 10 years ago. As an impact sub, entering the field of play when the opposing team are fatigued, JD is probably your man. Maybe it is not time for Defoe to go just yet but if he is to remain at the club a realisation is required by both parties: JD is not a guaranteed starter but 3^rd or 4^th choice striker will do.

COYS!

 

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