This is not the time to take risks

What an important week for Spurs. Three away games at Villa Park, Old Trafford ad Goodison Park. Well the Villa games gone, I think it was job done, so now to the United game. The dilemma here is who are we going to select. That will depend on who we are going to play against Everton next weekend. We really can't afford lose Defoe, Lennon, Palacios, Bassong, Corluka and Gomes to injury. I expect these players to be rested. My team for tomorrow then would be:

Walker; Hutton, Dawson, Dervitte, Bale; Bentley, Jenas, Huddlestone, Kranjcar; Pavyluchenko, Keane.

The problem with having so many players out on loan is we can't bring many in. This would have been a great opportunity for players such as O'hara, Taarabt, Bostock, Obika, Livermore and Townsend to come in.

I for one always want Spurs to win no matter what the competition. If this was the final I would say should pick our best side. But we are three games from Wembley and I don't think we should risk geting our best players injured which cold seriously affect our Champions League challenge. But having said that, the side I have suggested is more than capable of dong the job at Old Trafford.

So what to do with the fringe?

Well the January transfer window is fast approaching and there are many rumours flying around. Most are probably rubbish but the truth is bound to be out there.

I think the biggest decision that needs to be made by Harry is whether he should move on the firnge players and the perennial benchwarmers. Lets look at the list:

David Bentley.
Here is the problem. David Bentley's deadball ability is probably the best at Spurs, unfortunately his play has not lived up to his price tag. There must be a way for Bentley to make that breakthrough but unfortunately it would mean changing the way we play. For now Bentley has no chance of playing for England with Lennon, Walcott, Wright-Phillips and Beckham ahead of him, so only he knows what he needs to do to reignite his career.

Roman Pavyluchenko
I am really sick and tired of this guy moaning that he is not getting a game. If he was good enough, he would be in the side. He has ability, I have seen this on a few occasions, but he needs to play well consistently. I am sure that had he shown enough desire in training then he would be playing more regularly. I would say that if he thinks he is good enough then knuckle and wait for his chance, if he is not happy to work for his place, then I am sure he knows where the door is.

Gareth Bale
Well I can't really make up my mind with this kid. Last season he was very poor, I was sure he was going to be moved on in the summer. I was at the carling Cup game against Everton and I thought he was our best player. I think this kid has a big future in football, the question is whether Gareth Bale and Tottenham have the patience to make sure it is at White Hart Lane.

Giovani Dos Santos
I saw this guy playing at Barcelona and I was very excited with the prospect of him playing at Spurs. For one reason or another it just has not happened for him. The problem now is that he has Kranjcar and Modric in front of him. Maybe there is a chance of Giovani to play as a striker but with Redknapp's desire to keep playing Keane when he is providing little, well his future seems to lie away from Tottenham.

Adel Taarabt
The new Zidane has also failed to live up to his billing. He is a very gifted player but not good enough at the moment to play regular first team football. Taarabt needs to learn the team game, he still suffers at QPR from a lack of team ethic. I understand he was offered a contract extention but turned it down as he doesn't think he will get a run at Spurs. Yet another player who think that by right he should be picked. I don't think anyone is in that category. be nice to hang on to him for another couple of season to see if he will develop but not very likely.

Jamie O'Hara
I was really suprised when he went out on loan. I understand he needed regular football. I don't think there would be a single Spurs supporter who doubted his commitment. To me I thought he would develop into a defensive midfielder or left back. He has never let us down and I hope he will return to Spurs.

This is a very intersting time for Spurs. We don't have a very obvious weakness and the only players that need to be brought in are perhaps to strengthen the squad. There could be an arguement for another central midfielder and maybe another central defender to give the current players a rest, but not really a neccesity.

Any of the five could be sold but perhaps only Pavyluchenko and maybe Bentley to go in January to bring in one ore two others. There is a certain settled feel to this squad which is pretty unusual.

Good performance lads.

I was rather subdued coming into this match. I am usually quite uptight in such an important game. My long term prediction for this game was a draw and I was correct in that. On the game though I felt we didn't know what we were quite doing in the first half. But for all of Villa's energy and tight marking, other than the goal, which I am still convinced was an own goal, Villa didn't really create much. Their strength was from set pieces but we knew that coming into this game. I thought we defended them reasonably well.

Defoe was brought down to earth as I expected he would be, but he did manage to carve out several chances for himself but his accuracy was not to the standard as against Wigan.

The second half was a completely different story and given the strength of the opposition was probably the best 45 minutes I have seen from Spurs this season. We outbustled, out passed and outplayed Villa. The fact we only came away with one point was due to some very dogged Villa defending. Kranjcar I thought was outstanding and I am relishing Modric returning because I think these two will play off each other brilliantly. The attacking trio of Lennon, Kranjcar and Modric will give opposition teams a hell of a lot of trouble.

I for one don't want to get carried away at the moment, we are on target for 70+ points, but we must make sure we capatilize on these dominant displays. With no Chelsea, Arsenal and man utd until April we should not accept losing to anyone from now until then, but you know we will at some point.

More of these types of performances should see us get by Everton and Man City in the next few weeks, so lets hope it's this Spurs that will show up.

Ledley King should only be offered pay as you play contract

In the aftermath of a disappointing couple of weeks, it is clear that we are still shortof where we need to be. I went to the Carling cup game against Everton and i thought offensivley it was as good as we have been all season, but defensively we were very shaky. the fact is that spurs have not been able to put out the same back 4 from one week to the next. bassong is out for a month, I don't know what the state of Woodgate is but  doubt he is going to make an impact this season. Currently we have Michael Dawson available and Huddlestone and Corluka as back up. Ledley King plays when he is able, but this is not good enough if we are to qualify for the Champions League.

Harry Redknapp must now decide on a settled back four. Ledley King cannot be a part of that, if he cannot train, how can he have a good understanding with his fellow defenders. I understand his deal ends this season and now Daniel Levy must make the coice of whether to renew his contract as it is, offer something different or release him. The question here is how can you justify putting king on a three year £50k plus contract when he will only play 20 games a season. This is not fair with the rest of the squad.

Personally I would say to King to go on a pay as you play deal or be released. Now he would probably get a deal elsewhere, but if we are to compete with utd, Chelsea and Arsenal, we can't be seen to carry players. Ledley King has been a terrific servant toSpurs and is a quality player who if he didn't have these injury problems would probably be the best central defender in England, however as a football club we need to move on.