Hudd to StokeWEEP! Weep – and while you’re at it wail and gnash your teeth – for Hudd is a lilywhite no more! Admittedly the veracity of the above does depend on a technicality, as the blighter has departed only on loan for now, but apparently AVB deems him too slow for this post-Corluka era.
Whether or not he returns seems fairly questionable, for while the loaning of younglings is generally geared towards ripening them for First XI action, loans for more established 20-somethings are typically more akin to a commercial on the tellybox – designed in no uncertain terms to entice viewers to part with tuppence ha’penny.
So weep then, for possibly the silkiest stroker of a leather sphere witnessed on N17 turf since Hoddle has now seemingly munched on his last doughnut from the White Hart Lane canteen. Admittedly Moutinho may still be on the radar, but otherwise it seems jolly uncanny that AVB cannot find room for Hudd within a 3-man central midfield, particularly with Modric still persona non grata, Scott Parker injured and Jermaine blinking Jenas hovering in the background with evil grin on visage and custom-made sideways-and-backwards-passing boots slung over shoulder. Thus, however, does our esteemed leader roll. AVB likes his troops to scuttle around the ankles of opponents like a troupe of particularly sprightly monkeys caught up in the excitement of the mating season, and alas, such a description will never, ever befit Master Huddlestone.
To add to the pain of it all, the marriage of a technician extraordinaire such as Hudd, with an elbows and long-ball outfit like Stoke, seems the very paradigm of incongruity. Should he be travelling to the Britannia in the capacity of Champagne Football Evangelist one can only hope he fares better than our distant cousins who first attempted that preaching lark. Would be a dashed shame if he were mauled to death by lions.
Daws to QPR
Big and brave and inspiring though he regularly is, our heroes are not peddling a production of Henry V so there is a limited need for Dawson’s qualities. In particular, his penchant for roaring at the Paxton end and sticking his head where boots swing fails to mask the fact that in the act of Paxton-roaring and head-sticking he has wandered out of position, about-turned with the nimbleness of an embarrassed elephant and flicked his switch to Clumsy-Last-Ditch-Challenge mode – and at 28 the problem was hardly about to remedy itself. In Kaboul, Gallas and (admittedly the little I have seen of) Vertonghen we have three centre-backs who are better, or at least his equal, while Caulker is developing well and is young enough to improve.
A fine servant to the cause, and the goal vs Chelski circa 2006 remains one of my favourite lilywhite memories of recent years, but on this one AANP concurs with AVB, and a mooted sum of £9.5 million would be fairly health business.
Adebayor to the Lane
Glory be. It had got to the stage where Steven Fletcher was being mentioned in dispatches, so to have dotted t’s and crossed i’s on this is a blessed relief.
For added chortle-value it appears that in order to rid themselves of him, Man City have hit upon the novel idea of paying him the sizeable lump of wage that we poor and needy White Hart Laners could not afford. While it may furrow the brow of one J. Defoe Esquire, at £5 million this is a reason to doff the cap in the general direction of Master Levy.
7 replies on “Hudd, Dawson & Adebayor – AANP Weeps, Shrugs & Rejoices”
Have to say I agree with all the above, hope that with THudd he is only on loan with a view to recalling him in January if he is match fit and lighter.
Daws has had his best days and although a great servant to the club over the years the time is right to move him on, if the quoted £9m+ is correct then this is extremely good business and I must doff my hat to Levy.
Ade deal was always going to happen and just glad it’s finally done, shame we did not have him vs Newcastle but never mind.
With all these players going out, 13 now? We must due some more decent incoming players.
Willian
oh please. Huddlestone is an average player. People tell me he is this brilliant passer, sure, He can pull of long sweeping passes to the opposite flank, fine, but when has he ever slipped someone into the clear with that quick, clever, short ball through? He may have hit a few stunning long strikes in his time, but these are uncommon. He has qualities, but he just does not have enough all round qualities. No pace, no tackling ability. AVB, it seems, is trying to instil a pressing game into Spurs and Huddlestone can in no way do this. And comparing him to Hoddle is ludacrous! I think he is still a decent enough squad option but he’s not Top 4 quality. We need to be looking for far better
What will the Stoke fans make of a player who plays the game on the deck ? ‘Hoof it up to Crouchie, Hudd !!’.
Huddlestone has got to be the most overrated player I can think of! He’s lazy, arrogant and believes his own hype i.e. best passer since Hoddle etc which I do not agree with. He rarely impacts a game and isnt half the player Modric is. Happy for him to move on if not in AVB’s plans although very sad to see Dawson go as his leadership qualities and commitment will be missed. A very loyal servant and thoroughly nice bloke but can see the good business behind the decision.
@lilywhitemike
Wrong mate, he’s got it all in his locker. Even the defensive side of his game came on leaps and bounds following palacios then sandro. Which just went to highlight he has to learn his trade from pussy tackling jenas.
He takes an age to get his game on following injury though. I just hope he has been told go to stoke and show us what we’re missing.
Having him out and jenas on the bench is absolutely frightening.
Hope our boys know what they are doing because it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. They must have some signings up their sleeves and a route out for Jonah jenas.
Thoroughly bloody good read, thank you for sharing.
Great write up. Love those guys. Hope the best for Daws, and hope the Huddlefro can lose his gut and get back to pinging the ball off Crouchy’s head from 60 yards.