I've been thinking about this for next season, and it goes without saying that JD will want to be starting regular games in the run up to the WC, it'll be his last so will want to do everything possible to not miss out. Spurs as we know are looking to revamp the forward line, but myself I really don't think our plans are going to revolve around JD as no.1 striker. I think he's been an outstanding pro with us, I don't think it was his decision to leave us for Pompey, and of course he was delighted to come back to us. During his time with us he's had to play 2nd fiddle to a number of strikers, taking his bench time without fuss, and grabbed his chances when given. So, do we think he'll be happy with that this coming season, or will he seek regular football elsewhere, or do we feel he is our no.1 striker, if so, its unlikely some of the names we're chasing will want to lay 2nd fiddle to him! Thoughts...
I was very impressed with Defoe up til xmas/new year. Did well as a lone front man when i really didn't think he had it in him. He was carrying the team at that point, not Bale. If that guy shows up for an entire season he could be our no1. After xmas/new year i wasn't very impressed, and neither was AVB apparently going by the number of games an abysmally out of form Adebayor was getting.
It would probably be better for us if he stayed another season, though whether thats good for his career is another question. If we were left with Ade and one or two new strikers, unproven in the Prem, then I wouldn't be too happy. He always seems to only have half a good season for us and we know he's very selfish but he's definitely a good guy to have around the squad because he will always be a goalscorer.
I'll need reminding, but I'm struggling to recall a complete season from him. What springs to mind is great spells at the start of seasons, an injury lasting some weeks suffered with us or England, but definitely an injury at some point, then the struggle to regain form. So the choice between a back from injury Defoe (offsides and miskicks aplenty) and an off form Ade isn't much of one really! If anything you would logically stick with whose fittest, so in that way I understand why Ade was picked ahead of him during the later stages of last season.
If he wants to stay, keep him. He did say he wanted to stay at Spurs for good after he signed his contract last summer, which I felt meant that he was accepting of his role as not an automatic first choice.
If he's happy to stay, definitely keep him, for me. The only concern I have about him is his injury record. Apart from that, he's a proven Premiership goalscorer. Yes, he blows hot & cold, but then so do the vast majority of strikers.
Defoe has nothing to worry about, as we don't sign strikers.... In all seriousness, I hope he stays, but I can't see him being a regular if we get a stronger strike force. Although, AVB says that he really rates Defoe, so who knows? His biggest problem is that he doesn't turn up for a full season. It's a diffucult one for him. I personally see him waiting on whether we sign some other names who are "the future" of the club. If we do, I think he could be a dead line day departure.
There aren't many better strikers out there that we are likely to easily get. It makes sense for us to buy a couple of fairly cheap, unproven in the premiership strikers and hope that one pays off like Benteke or Michu. I just can't see us splashing between 20 and 30 million on a world class striker and even if we were prepared to would they even come to us? So in answer to the original question i would keep both Defoe and Adebayor. If either play to the level we know they can there aren't many better strikers out there we could get.
He's a fantastic player and a great person (despite what the media would have people believe). I'd keep him because he can play in a variety of formations. Equally as good in a 4-4-2 as he is in a 4-3-3. Still one of the top strikers around with lots of experience in this league.
Whenever he plays he seems to do well for you and score goals. He's a game changer and somebody who can score from just about anywhere. I don't know why he doesn't start ahead of lazy Adebayor and Dempsey to be honest. It's a wonder he's stuck around for so long being a bit part player. He'd excel at a club like Swansea or West Brom.
Defoe's unable to play the lone role effectively and almost certainly wants a starring role for next season, so it might be best for both parties if he's allowed to move on. There's no doubt that he can be extremely dangerous when he's used in a 4-4-2 alongside a target man, but unless we're prepared to adjust our system to accommodate him, then I can't see him starting regularly.
Defoe is never going to be a starter for England anyways, so he would probably be happy on the bench as long as he was still getting game time. He can be both an effective super-sub from the bench for both us and England anyways, and doing that for us for a season could sway the role for the World Cup squad (should we manage to qualify!!!)
One goal Welbeck!...I'm staggered he's played at all, he honestly has a worse scoring record than Adebayor!, if you don't believe me, check it yourself... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/w/welbeck_377074.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/a/adebayor_237670.stm
Nothing changes. If you think England are bad now, you should have experienced the 70's. After getting spectacularly bombed out of the 1970 World Cup by the Germans ( after being 2-0 up) we then failed to even qualify again until 1982! We are not just ****e today, we have been ****e for 40+ years. I'll make an honourable exception for Bobby Robson's 1990 side.
