Is Van Der Vaart final piece in Spurs’ Jigsaw Puzzle?
The signing of talented Dutchman Rafael Van Der Vaart was one of the biggest pieces of transfer news on the deadline day of the transfer window. It was a slow day with not many transfers taking place as the English Premier League bore the brunt of England’s national team hangover from the World Cup. This is probably why the Van Der Vaart story got even more significant as Tottenham Hotspur looked to strengthen ahead of their campaigns both in the EPL and Champions League.
The Dutchman is without doubt a quality player and will surely bring calm and subtlety to the proceedings at White Hart Lane. The important question for Spurs’ fans, however, is whether Van Der Vaart will add anything different to the Tottenham side?
Despite his credentials and class, Tottenham have a very settled first eleven which Harry Redknapp prefers to play in a 4-4-2 formation. It’s an aggressive formation with two quick, brutal and lethal wingers- Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. Potency is provided up front usually in the shape of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe who play very well together and have shown consistent form at least in the league.
Assuming that Redknapp is considering playing Van Der Vaart as a midfielder (he can also play as an auxiliary striker but that would mean the manager will have to move to a formation like 4-4-1-1 which seems unlikely), his only place can be found in the middle of the park. Now, there are only two positions available there. The candidates for the places are Luka Modric, Tom Huddlestone, Wilson Palacios, Jermaine Jenas and now Van Der Vaart.
Jenas can be discounted as he has fallen a long way from a place in the first team. The usual first eleven pairing that Redknapp plays is Modric and Huddlestone. The former to bring guile, craft and subtlety to the team and Huddlestone to provide the anchor and to spray passes from the back whilst protecting the back four.
Within this framework, the only position that Van Der Vaart can find is in place of Modric. He cannot play the role of Huddlestone, especially in the face-paced, frenetic hurly burly of the EPL. Furthermore, Van Der Vaart will have to take time in order to adjust to the rigors of this new league. Modric has been an integral part of the team and is one of the few players who can be termed world class.
Unless Redknapp is considering replacing Modric with Van Der Vaart in the first team, there seems to be not much space for the Dutchman. Of course, Van Der Vaart can be considered a like for like substitute for the Croat but he will have moved to Spurs not to sit on the bench. He will want to fight for his place and expect some regular playing time. Both these players bring the craft and not as much as the graft and hence inducting both would be a massive gamble which would hit Tottenham defensively. In terms of his prospects in the first 4-4-2, Van Der Vaart might miss out.
If not in the league then maybe in the Champions League, the Dutchman probably could be used. Even though Redknapp used a 4-4-2 away against Swiss Young Boys, his team lost and that might have prompted a rethink in terms of playing away in the European competition. If Redknapp decides to play a 4-5-1 in Europe away from home or against tougher opposition, Van Der Vaart could be inducted in the midfield to provide balance. That, however, will raise the question as to who will lead the line in attack.
Harry Redknapp would have preferred to have brought in Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano in place of one of his existing strikers. Furthermore, the Brazilian could have comfortably played the lone role. That would have been an ideal signing. Even though the signing of Van Der Vaart for the reported 8 million pounds is a good deal, it merely serves to increase the depth in squad rather than improving the first team. Looking at the signing in that context, maybe it is not that much of a good news for Spurs’ fans after all.
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