It wasn't an either/or. Just a thought that Defoe doesn't fit his playing style, is pretty one dimensional and you could get someone to overpay for him for a negligible effect on your team
I'm sure with hindsight Liverpool fans would say they paid too much. I don't see how that helps Dempsey's case. Dempsey and Sigurdsson haven't been the buys Spurs were hoping for and that is evident with pretty much everyone in England. Yes Bale and Lennon have poor games and Defoe is hardly that good (although he can actually create and score goals all by himself) but they are players who have proven themselves at Spurs. From speaking to Spurs fans they are praying that once Dembele comes back, that Bale and Lennon hit some decent form (as they actually create stuff) and get Ade the chances he needs. Dempsey and Sigurdsson will get another half a dozen appearances each. They haven't shown themselves to be players which turn games, nor have they shown themselves to be solid forwards. AVB will use January to strengthen the defence and attack, leaving potentially little room for both of them.
Defoe is a decent, just below a superstar, striker. 'arry often featured Ade+ vdV with Defoe and Pavlyuchenko as backups. Neither Rafael nor Roman has been replaced, to say nothing of Luca Modric (and Parker, among others, is still hurt). Their first move should be to see how the team with the healthy roster. The second step is to find a replacement for vdV. As to AVS, vs. the Russian teams on their run to the Europa League, his Porto teams looked exceptionally well drilled ... but he also had Hulk and Falcao. Those two covered up a lot of coaching mistakes.
They sure should. They should start by buying some capable defenders to replace the orange traffic cone and turnstile that are currently startling in the backline.
I agree with the first point for sure. It's hard to damn any of the guys on the field without an actual midfield backing them up. Second step might be trickier.
The defenders aren't rubbish, they are experienced with good seasons behind them. Just bringing someone into defence pales in comparison to hard work on the training ground. However, a holding midfielder may be on the cards. But yeh I agree that Parker and Dembele coming back might show something different. edit: except for Caulker maybe.
I think Spurs lucked out to some extent that Moutinho turned them down but they do need someone like Willian, who also turned them down (he wants a Chelsea move). But Spurs have a lot of money and soon will have a ton more (new TV deal). Plus, the French economy/tax rates are going to make a lot of players available. PS. If I were Levy, I'd be going to Dzagoyev myself.
William Gallas is completely past it. They need a holding mid, and they need their currently injured mids to get well. That will make everyone-Dempsey, Defoe, Lennon, Bale, Ade-better.