Spurs Sign A Player They Already Have

Fans of Tottenham Hotspur are probably relieved that this summer's transfer window is a lot quieter than in previous years -- the club made at least 18 signings of 1 million GBP or more in the last two years according to this website.

But -- aside from two kids -- their one big signing is a puzzling one: a lanky yet skillful international striker for the only club in the Premier League that already had a lanky yet skillful international striker.

While Peter Crouch is five inches taller, the fact is that the two are largely similar players, and arguably equally talented. But that seems to be the way Harry Redknapp works: he blows into a club, decides very quickly that there are some players he doesn't like and sets about bringing in his own guys. That's all good up to a point but the Crouch/Pavlyuchenko situation betrays some pig-headedness -- surely there are other areas of Spurs' squad that need strengthening. Couldn't that money have been spent on a genuine left-footed winger?

At the risk of being repeating what's already been said, it would be great if Spurs could have hired a manager who thought he could work with the squad he was taking over, and whose focus this summer would have been on plugging the obvious holes they have -- a marauding midfielder is desperately needed, too.

Instead, uncertainty reigns, with gossip linking Gareth Bale, David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas, Darren Bent Kevin-Prince Boateng and yes, Pavlyuchenko, with moves away from the club. (Note that except for Jenas those players were bought in the past 2 years.) And in the meantime, Harry's cooing in the direction of a player well past his best, while other teams make the smart moves.

--Smoods