Helping Harry

With just over two months until the January transfer window opens it is inevitable that speculation is going to start mounting regarding players who could be changing club during the first month of 2016, particularly with the European Championships taking place in France next summer.

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Article by Chris Duncan

I myself am not a big fan of the January transfer window. In my opinion clubs that sign a lot of players during the thirty-one days of January messed up their summer recruitment. There are of course exceptions, such as injuries to key players, a top player being made available, or, like Tottenham Hotspur, you left yourself short of strikers.

I think we can all agree that our beloved Spurs have made a decent start to the season. We have lost only once in the Premier League, and that to an unfortunate own goal from Kyle Walker. We are very solid defensively and have bossed the majority of games we have played. The one area where we have been found wanting though, is in front of goal. As many supporters have alluded to, had we been able to convert a couple of our draws into victories, we would be in sitting in at least third place in the league table.

A lot has been made of Harry Kane's goal record this season. Indeed, prior to his hat-trick against AFC Bournemouth last weekend, Harry had only one goal to his name all season. Some people have already started writing him off as a one season wonder. Maybe my heart rules my head when it comes to Harry Kane, but I simply do not agree. I believe the problem to be our over reliance on Harry, and the lack of another out and out striker to shoulder the burden. If you look at the strongest teams in the league they all have at least three decent strikers. We only have the one - both Son Heung-min and Clinton N'Jie are wingers in my opinion - and this is an issue I strongly feel Mauricio Pochettino has to address during the January transfer window.

Below is a list of four players I believe would help Harry Kane by easing the burden of being our main goal scoring threat.

Charlie Austin - Queens Park Rangers

I have been a fan of Charlie Austin since his days at Swindon Town and have followed his career ever since. Austin had a fantastic scoring record in the lower leagues for Swindon Town, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers, but there were doubts regarding whether the striker would be as deadly at Premier League level. Austin answered those questions last season when he found the net eighteen times for Queens Park Rangers, who were eventually relegated.

In my opinion Charlie Austin is a penalty box striker. He is not the quickest but has a great footballing brain, along with a fantastic eye for goal. Austin is also good in the air and deceptively strong on the ball. Wth his contract expiring in the summer, Charlie is more likely to be a summer acquisition, if at all, but if were Pochetinno I would consider a cheeky January bid for the uncapped Englishman.

Saido Berahino - West Bromwich Albion

Probably the least surprising of the four players I have listed, following our attempts to sign the England Under 21 international during the summer. Berahino graduated trough West Bromwich Albion's youth system and enjoyed loan spells at Northampton Town, Brentford and Peterborough United before breaking in to the first team at The Hawthorns. Like Kane, Saido Berahino enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, finding the net fourteen times in the Premier League.

A pacey striker with a clinical finish, who has a knack of finding space in the box, Saido Berahino reminds me of ex Spur Jermain Defoe. I personally would love to see Berahino in a Spurs shirt and despite West Brom's summer stance, I think a deal could be done in January.

Jay Rodriguez - Southampton

Jay Rodriguez is a player Mauricio Pochettino rates having worked with him at Southampton - the England international was heavily linked to Spurs following Pochettino's move to White Hart Lane. Rodriguez started his career at home town club Burnley before moving to Southampton in the summer of 2012. Following a stuttering start to his time at St. Mary's, Rodriguez found his form during the 2013-14, scoring fifteen Premier League goals before rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester City in March. The injury ruled Rodriguez out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the entire 2014-2015 season.

It was really pleasing to see Jay Rodriguez back on a football pitch when he returned for Southampton against Vitesse Arnhem in The Europa League. Since making his return Rodriguez has rediscovered his goalscoring touch, finding the net in both The League Cup and Europa League. What I really like about Jay Rodriguez is his incredible, tireless work rate. Having recently signed a new four-year contract with Southampton however, I believe Jay Rodriguez is the least likely to leave his current club, mainly due to his recent return from a serious injury. If he were to become available however, I would want Spurs to snap him up in a heartbeat.

Jamie Vardy - Leicester City

Nobody will be surprised to see Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy on this list following his absolutely incredible start to the season, which sees him leading the Premier League scoring charts with ten goals at the time of writing this. Vardy's form has also been very impressive for England and he has recently been linked in the media with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Vardy is a hard working player with a great first touch. The England international also constantly causes defenders problems, and acts on instinct, which is a great trait for a Premier League striker. I think a move to Spurs would be a great benefit to Jamie Vardy and would certainly take his game to the next level. The one major stumbling block in this deal would be the very large transfer few that Leicester City would demand for their prized asset. I know not everyone will agree with the players I have suggested, but I have tried looking at realistic targets who I believe would fit in well with the way Mauricio Pochettino wants the team to play. All four players have a great work rate and are, in my opinion, team players who would strengthen our squad in the one position in which we lack depth. Written by Chris Duncan Feel free to follow me on Twitter - @coach_chris83




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