Pavlychenko needs a good long rest

So Spurs are still in the hunt for Europe. I am not sure what the new cup is called but it is like something you’d find on a Swiss stamp…Europa ChampionishkampLeagengrouppenzatz or something. Whatever it is called, it is somewhat inevitable that you’ll end up playing some very obscure Slovenian premier league team from a town you’d never heard of. I imagine right now there is a Slovenian blogger saying the same thing about Middlesbrough or trying to find Everton on a map. Although why would you want to?

So if Spurs keep up their recent good run, they will have qualified for European football after being bottom for the first eight games of the season. Somewhat impressive. In a “how to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” kind of way.

I was apoplectic after the ManU game wherein, inevitably the ref tossed the wankers a penalty, missed an offside and it was situation as normal. ManU, who prior to said penalty sucked and were going nowhere, ended up with the win and probably the championship. But I have ranted enough about that lot. Been there done that. They cheat, the refs can’t handle it and it all seems so bush league. It makes you want to go outside and have a beer on the deck.

So, it was a nice to return to a tidy win on Saturday against a frankly poor West Brom. It was the sort of second gear canter that Arsenal is famous for.

When the weather turns and thoughts turn to summer, it’s hard to work up the requisite passion for football.

Summer also leads to the nauseating debate about trades, sales and getting rid of most of the team. Given that the team has, over the last third of the season been one of the best it would be stupid to radically change the team. But that has never stopped Tottenham has it?

So who will go? I think it inevitable that Bentley will be shown the door. After spending 15 mil on him, Spurs will be lucky to recoup a bag of balls and a year’s supply of hair gel. I think Bent will head out too. With Keane, Defoe and Pavlyuchenko Bent is down the pecking order. He never looks like he is happy. He should move on and Spurs should give one of the youngsters the fourth spot. I think Pavlyuchenko will be much better next year after a year under his belt and a rest. He’s been playing since the end of the siege of Stalingrad or something and is knackered. Bale and Assou Ekotto are likely to leave too, the later has improved the last half of the season but wants to move back to France and Bale just hasn’t cut it. And now there is a rumour Jenas will be off to Milan after all. A good player, but replaceable. Despite bringing him back, Chimbonda is probably off too and allegedly Zokora is off to Wigan. I imagine it is a long flight from the Cote Ivorie to Wigan. But a nice change of scenery nes ce pas?

So who to bring in? The perennial left sided problem remains. Downing is not the answer. Apparently France’s player of the year is coming to Spurs and he is a solid left winger. Another versatile defender and perhaps a young solid midfielder. So it it were up to me the squad would be Gomes, Cuducini, Hutton, Corluka, King, Woodgate, Dawson, Huddlestone, O’Hara, Palacios, Modric, Lennon, Defoe, Keane, Pavlyuchenko plus two left sided players, a left back and another creative mid to right sided midfielder.