So, apart from a striker...

The inability to replace Adebayor during Saturday`s game, because there wasn`t a striker on the bench, it is again obvious that if we only make one signing in January, it needs to be a striker. That is old news, in reality, and with only Adebayor, Defoe and the half asleep Roman Pavlyuchenko as natural No9s, it is clear that we need to replace the Russian at the very least, as soon as possible, but my main question is, where else are we in need of adding quality to the squad?

It might be easy to look at positions like the centre of defence, but with Ledley King, Michael Dawson, William Gallas, Younes Kaboul and Sebastien Bassong, we really shouldn`t be desperately scratching around for players, especially when we have a potentially outstanding prospect in Steven Caulker, who could well be an ideal player to slip into the squad next season, either as a replacement for the perhaps departing Bassong or for the injury plagued King or Gallas. Now I like Gary Cahill, but for me, unless we are to lose two of the current CBs at the club, we are guilty of excess. Even if we consider the fitness worries of two of the main players.

Similarly, we could look at the right back position, which seems to now be taken by Kyle Walker, with the very different style of Vedran Corluka as his back-up. Now for me, Corluka, is going to be a very decent CB for someone, but perhaps not Spurs, but if we are intent on bringing in another central player, does this also make Corluka redundant as a versatile squad option? I believe that if we are seriously looking at Walker as the best Right back, then we have to look at a player of similar strengths to him, and again we probably have the solution already at the club, in Kyle Naughton, who seems to be doing well at Norwich, much in the way Caulker, was doing at Swansea before his injury. Could we be in a situation where we could sell off Bassong/Gallas and Corluka and spend nothing on their replacements?

Central midfield looks good, with Parker and Jake Livermore adding real quality, whilst in other emerging talents, such as Tom Carroll, Dean Parrett and maybe even John Bostock, we have real quality coming through, but it is more the wide positions that I feel need addressing. Andros Townsend is a player of huge potential, and I almost feel he would be a better replacement for the injured Lennon, than either Kranjcar or Gio, particularly late in games, where VdV inevitably makes his exit from proceedings. Though a natural left footer, his still looks good on the right and his pace will work well late in matches, as the game stretches out, but I would still like to see a right footed provider come in and don`t see an obvious youngster at the club who is ready to step up just yet. Again, could this be a case of our selling Gio and perhaps Niko to bring in that one player to add like for like quality and competition down the right and ultimately not costing the club a penny? What I would add to the idea of bring in this type of player, we only need it if we are to retain the two winger system, but it we are looking to play anything else, we are perhaps fine as we are.

Aside of that one other striker, to cover/compete with Adebayor, I only see Luka Modric as the only other player that we can`t directly replace, but has Harry seen enough in a player like Carroll to feel that he will emerge as a similar skilful and busy player to take a gamble on bringing him through, whilst we can`t forget about Tom Huddlestone`s different, but outstanding creative ability, which might well work effectively with the work-rate of Sandro and/or Parker alongside him.

For me, we desperately need a striker and perhaps that right midfielder to come in as soon as possible, but other than that do we already have players at the club who can fill in over the long or short term if required, or at least deserve a shot at proving their worth. I have always liked Jake Livermore, but felt that his time had gone with Spurs, but perhaps he has already proved me and others wrong. Could the likes of Caulker, Naughton, Townsend, Carroll or a few others prove us wrong again???

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