A summer of discontent would be enough to convince any player to leave a club. However, when that summer has seen a new head coach come in, offer him a place as the club’s leading striker and convince him to sign a new deal, it is highly unlikely that Jermain Defoe will be departing Tottenham Hotspur any time soon.
The England international has all but rewarded the faith shown in him by Andre Villas-Boas, netting five goals in the Premiership for the North London side this season, who currently sit joint fourth in the Premiership.
However, Spurs’ recent 1-0 defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic showcased one important facet of Defoe’s game – he can’t play as the lone striker. Granted, the goals have been flowing, but his inability to lead the front-line on his own was painstakingly evident on Saturday.
Defoe touched the ball a total of 11 times and failed to muster a shot of any kind. Regardless, fans opted to boo the decision to bring him off for Emmanuel Adebayor, despite his complete lack of input over the encounter.
The Togo international is yet to start for Spurs following his permanent switch to White Hart Lane, due to a series of injuries. Yet, having appeared from the bench on Saturday, it was no shock to see him involved in the action almost instantaneously, delivering a substantially larger threat than Defoe.
Playing 4-2-3-1, it is vital that Villas-Boas plays a striker that can lead the front-line on his own and, as evidenced last season, Adebayor is a player who can do just that. Injuries may’ve played a part, that’s a given, but if the Spurs coach is wanting to secure a top four finish in his first season at White Hart Lane, he must persist with the former Manchester City ace, regardless of the form of Defoe.
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