Well Done English FA: Livermore Deserves Compassion

It's easy to criticize England's Football Association (FA) for its high profile flops and failures, but this article isn't about one of those unfortunate incidents. This is a compliment to the English FA for showing compassion to a man in his time of need.

Jake Livermore faced a possible two year suspension after testing positive for cocaine use in May of this year. Normally I am happy for the FA and any Club to drop the hammer on a player who tests positive for a banned substance. Only in this case there was an extremely large extenuating circumstance. Livermore had just suffered the death of his newborn child before the failed test.

Yesterday, BBC Sport broke the story that after the FA's disciplinary hearing the provisional suspension against Livermore had been lifted. This means that he is now eligible from the FA's perspective to play immediately. The 25 year old midfielder has not been reinstated by Hull City as of yet but I expect that's just a formality.

In today's world where everyone seems to be against showing compassion to any human being I was relieved to see Livermore receive just that from the FA. As our social media timelines are filled with our fellow citizens arguing about whether or not to extend aid to immigrants it was refreshing to see this small kindness paid to a man in need. 

As a father I can't imagine what I would do if I were to lose a child. Using an illicit substance would probably not be my therapy of choice but I can't really know since I'm never been in that position. Maybe I would go that route. Perhaps my vice would be something legal, but it might be even more morally reprehensible. The point is that thankfully, few among us can know how we'd react. He underwent a terrible tragedy at a young age and made a substantial mistake. His punishment was a several month suspension and having his name dragged through the mud in the press. That seems a sufficient price to pay for a moment of weakness after a tragedy.

So well done to the English FA for making the right, compassionate call on the Livermore case. Your stock just went up a tick in my book.

Kane Reign? How long will Harry Kane and others stay at Spurs?

If you have been a Tottenham supporter for any length of time you've had to deal with the pain of player loss. Whether it was Gareth Bale's move to Real Madrid or Michael Dawson's sentencing to Hull you have seen a beloved Spur leave your Club of choice. With that in mind, what's the career expectancy of our current first team? Who's here for the long haul and who might be gone sooner rather than later? Enjoy our Blog's predictions on every current first team player!

Goalkeepers

-Hugo Lloris- Much speculation has centered around the French captain's future in Lillywhite, but I am more optimistic than most about him staying for the long haul. I believe we are a Club headed towards Champions League qualification and if that's true, Hugo will be hard pressed to find a better situation. A seismic move to PSG, Real Madrid or the like would pry him away from us, but I think there's a fair chance that he remains our starting keeper for five plus additional years.

-Michel Vorm- Vorm gets too much stick from our fans for not being Lloris, but he's a solid keeper in his own right. I can't see him being satisfied to be a second choice keeper for very long and I think he was brought here to protect against a Hugo departure. As soon as one of our young keepers is ready to ascend to the second spot, I think Vorm is a goner. Put his life expectancy at two years.

Defenders

-Kyle Walker- I get that Kyle Walker isn't exactly a cerebral defender, but most are way too hard on the guy. He's a freak athlete at right back who provides real width and can put in a good challenge in defense. He'll always be prone to switching off, but honestly, if he was 100% in focus all the time he'd be playing with Bale in Madrid. He will last at Tottenham five more years until at the age of 30, his elite athleticism begins to wane.
-Jan Vertonghen- Another sometimes enigmatic defender, I believe Vertonghen's status has been settled quite well after the addition of his Belgian teammate, Toby Alderweireld, to play along side him. There's always the chance he could run off to a bigger club, but I think he's safe for one more contract at Spurs so let's put his expectancy at four years.
-Danny Rose- He was a revelation for Spurs last season after he was given a contract extension that was universally maligned by fans. I think his status is safe through the remainder of that five year contract, but perhaps surprisingly, I think he's done after that. His diminutive stature coupled with his lack of skill on the ball makes him particularly dependent on his speed. Once that starts to go, he will go downhill quickly and be sold off. Call him safe for four years provided his health holds up.
-Eric Dier- I think the 21 year old is set to be a Tottenham cornerstone. I feel his future is definitely as a starter at center back as opposed to the midfield role he is currently immersed in. I've surprised myself even with this prediction, but I feel as if his expectancy is about eight years. He's one of the guys I'd feel most comfortable letter your kids become attached to.
-Ben Davies- He had high expectations coming in from Swansea, but he's been underwhelming at best. I think he's got one more year until we find a younger, cheaper deputy for Danny Rose. I think he's better than he's shown thus far, but he's a short timer.
-Federico Fazio- Not as bad as he's looked for us, but he's a ridiculously bad fit for Pochettino's high line. I realize the West Brom deal has apparently broken down, but I can't see him here past January and he certainly could leave in the next week. I'll call his expectancy six months.
-DeAndre Yedlin- I am not one of the people who believe the American was purchased just to sell shirts. I think the US fan base is more sophisticated than that now in terms of who they will support. They can see the games easier than most Brits given the available TV platforms. I think he's a three year Spur though. He will likely spend at least this season out on loan and then I think he's got a chance to serve as a back up right back until a youth team player knocks him off. Give him three years in our shirt and then back to MLS or a lower Premier League club.
-Kieran Trippier- This will surprise some people. I think his expectancy is capped at two years. His lack of athleticism keeps him behind Kyle Walker and ultimately, DeAndre Yedlin. He's a really skilled player and will be sold for a nice profit, but if Walker and Yedlin progress as we expect, they will pass the youngster by.
-Kevin Wimmer- Despite our recent ineptitude at signing center backs I think Wimmer has a chance to stick around. I don't think he's an every week starter, but I believe his expectancy is at three seasons until a Bundesliga Club overpays for him. He'll be good business and a solid backup, no more, no less.
-Toby Alderweireld- I'm afraid I don't see Toby at Spurs long term. He's shown a willingness to move around (three clubs in the last three years) and his skill on the ball will be attractive worldwide. Expect him to join the litany of players sold for a large profit after two years starring for Spurs.

Midfielders

-Erik Lamela- I want to like Lamela sooo badly, but I'm almost entirely out of hope. He will go to a softer league and light it up and people will argue for the next decade about whether or not we should've held on to him, but it's not working at Tottenham. I believe he has this year to build up some value and will show more flashes, but still be sold at a loss next off season. If you like the young Argentine, enjoy him this year, he's gone after one more season.
-Andros Townsend- While I still have a sliver of hope left for Lamela, I'm over Townsend entirely. His problems are 100% related to his selfishness. For a while I gave him the benefit of the doubt in calling it confidence, but his desire to shoot at all times has annoyed me, and more importantly Pochettino, to the point where I think a departure in January is likely. His expectancy will be six months of cup games.
-Mousa Dembele- We all keep waiting for Mousa to kick on, but we've waited too long. He's a serviceable squad player, but he will want more of a role than that. After this season we'll oblige him and someone else will overpay for his flashes of quality. His expectancy is one more year of never dribbling into the final third.
-Nacer Chadli- The Dolphin causes fans to cheer and curse almost at the same time. He can go through games entirely anonymous then pop off for a meaningful goal. I don't think that's enough given his time and location on the pitch and I suspect Poch doesn't fancy him all that much either. Put his expectancy at two years and then he'll be sold for a nice profit. He's more Clint Dempsey than Jay Rodriguez and that means he'll be out in 24 months.
-Christian Eriksen- Good news for all those who criticize the Dane for not being physical enough. You won't have to watch him past the next three years because he'll be playing for a bigger club after being sold for 40M. Enjoy our midfield standout while he's here, but I don't think he will finish his contract.
-Ryan Mason- This is one of the tougher predictions. At times, he looks physically over matched for top flight football but his determination and craft make him a standout at times. His longevity at Spurs, perhaps more than anyone else's, depends on what we're able to do in the transfer market. If we spend heavily in the defensive midfield and crowd him out, someone will make an offer too good to be true. Otherwise, he could be a regular starter for the next eight years. I'm going to land in the middle at four years with the thought that he'll be good when healthy, but injuries will make him surplus to requirements. Someone will overpay for the English midfielder to be an every week starter and Levy will make a deal to benefit all parties.
-Nabil Bentaleb- The Algerian star had a great run of form last season, but I'm not entirely convinced it was more class than form. I think he is a quality player, but I wonder if his opinion of his own abilities are higher than that of Pochettino's. I'm betting that's the case, and he will play a significant role until he is sold for a hefty profit in two years. Might be wrong here, but he just doesn't seem settled despite the new contract.
-Tom Carroll- He won't be at Tottenham long and despite Tim Sherwood's prediction, it won't be because of a sale to Barcelona. I think Carroll is a Premier League squad player whose tiny stature makes it almost impossible for him to compete in the midfield every week. Still, he's got some use, and my bet is that in January or next summer, he'll end up playing a prominent role for a newly promoted Premier League side. Set the expectancy at one year.
-Dele Alli- The first of hopefully many Mitchell signings at the Club, he has the look of a world class midfielder. I will put his expectancy at seven years and that might not be enough. If I had to bet on who our best midfielder will be when we open our new stadium I'd be sorely tempted to bet on Alli over any of his current competitors. I'll put the mark at seven years and hope it's even longer.
-Aaron Lennon- He's been a great servant to Tottenham, but his time has passed. I'm not a great fan of his unceremonious exit (ie not being given a squad number) but there may be more to Pochettino's disdain for Lennon than we know. At any rate, his expectancy stands at about two weeks.
-Alex Pritchard- His projection is a little like Ryan Mason's. It's difficult to project because of his youth and the possibility of others being bought at his position. Pritchard, just today, signed a four year extension and I think he'll be able to see that out at the Club. After that, he'll likely be replaced by a better and/or cheaper option. Set the expectancy at the four years his contract allows.
-Clinton N'jie- Speaking of difficult projections, it's really hard to make a call on this one. He ticks all the boxes of a Mitchell quality signing, but we've seen very little of the Cameroon native to know whether or not he'll stick. He signed a five year contract and I'll set the expectancy there as a testament to my confidence in Mitchell and his black box.

Strikers

-Emmanuel Adebayor- Barring a massive Juju reveral he's on his way out the door. He's been banished with the youth and I am not even sure that's far enough away from the first team. The sooner he's gone the better but of course, his wage demands make any move complicated. Our best hope is that a high dollar club loses a striker to injury and panic loans Adebayor for cover. Think this may happen in January though I hope I'm wrong. Set the expectancy at six months.
-Harry Kane- Many of you will disagree with this. I think Kane has the largest expectancy of any of our current first teamers. I'm going to put his expectancy at a whopping twelve years. I suspect that many of you think he'll be snapped up well before then, but I disagree. First off, I don't think he's going to hit 31 goals in a season again any time soon. Even when he scores say, 20, this season it will be viewed as sub par and will cool his stock. He will never be a hotter commodity than he was this summer and we seem poised to hold on to him through that. Secondly, I buy into the belief that Harry truly is one of our own and will be happy to be a one club player. Perhaps I'm falling in love with a narrative, but he seems a much simpler man than Gareth Bale or Luka Modric. He isn't worldly and that's part of his charm. I don't think Real Madrid or Barcelona is his dream like they are for so many of his peers. That leaves large English clubs ie Manchester United as the only real competition and I think Levy sees so much value in Kane that he'll refuse to sell. I believe that deep down Levy regrets selling Bale even at the massive price for which he was sold. He can understand the value that a superstar like Kane brings to the Club and as a result, he'll want to hold on to that as we move into the new stadium. That should buy enough time for the rest of the squad to catch up talent wise and compete for Champions League on a regular basis. Once that's done, United's position won't be superior enough to unsettle our Harry Kane. Book him for twelve years.

Anybody wanna Lallana? Should the Spurs make a stealth bid?

Spurs fans have been focused on adding attacking options for the majority of the transfer window, but the majority of that attention has been paid to the striker position. To be sure, cover for our boy Harry Kane is required, but are we really that much more settled in the three attackers behind our star striker? I would say that we have lots of room for improvement in the attacking midfield as well. After all, are any of you entirely satisfied that Lamela, Dembele, N'Jie, or Alex Pritchard should play big minutes this year? I thought not, here's my crazy idea: submit a stealth bid for former Pochettino star Adam Lallana.

Let me disclose that the chances of this actually happening are approximately 1,000,000 to 1. This is an exercise in the "what if" not the "what will." So suspend your disbelief a moment and let's look at the pros and cons. 

The Pros: There are quite a few obvious reasons why Lallana would be attractive to Tottenham. The first, is that he is a former Pochettino player who blossomed under our current manager who clearly knows how to utilize his strengths. Secondly, he is young and English. If you don't think that matters to Spurs then you clearly have not been paying attention over the past 18 months. Thirdly, let's not forget the lad is very talented. He was a borderline star for Southampton only two years ago and his performance catapulted him into the senior English squad. What's more, is that he would fit very well into our current collection of attacking midfielders. Imagine the possibilities of Eriksen and Lallana attacking the opponent in unison. Their interchanges would be as deadly as their strikes towards goal.

The Cons: The largest argument against this is that Lallana isn't really as good as he was two years ago for Southampton. His time in Liverpool has been lackluster so maybe he simply isn't as good as we once thought. He would also command a very high transfer fee given Liverpool's lack of desire to sell to Spurs coupled with the investment they made in the young starlet. Some would even argue that Lallana is too similar to Eriksen and would leave Tottenham too vulnerable on the defensive side of the pitch. The pitch against Lallana would center around his price tag and him not being "exactly" what the side needs (aka a striker).

Conclusion: While the price tag for young English players has been ridiculous of late, I think getting Lallana for around 20M would be a coup. There is some truth to the argument that he and Eriksen playing together would leave us light on the defensive end, but I think the addition of a stronger defensive midfielder would rectify this issue. We would have a squad weighted towards the offensive end of the pitch, but we're Tottenham..to dare is to do, remember?

Tottenham's Leverage Problem: Why Spurs may pony up 25m for Berahino

Saido Berahino is not worth a 25m transfer fee in a vacuum. A reasonable fee for him would likely be somewhere between 15 and 18m. For much of the transfer season I've been convinced that Tottenham would be able to purchase the young West Brom forward for a fee within that range. After this weekend's events on the pitch and today's news from Jeremy Peace I think we may be forced to meet their price.

That's right folks, I'm telling you that I believe Daniel Levy will be defeated by Jeremy Peace in these negotiations. The fact of the matter is that West Brom are armed with almost all of the leverage in this transfer tussle. Let's examine the undisputable facts. Working in West Brom's favor are quite a few key factors. They are in possession of the prized commodity (Berahino) and are under very little pressure to sell him. This could change if the player were to turn in a transfer request but as of yet that has not occurred. They also are not under pressure to move quickly since they have already signed Rondon as his replacement. In this game of chicken, West Brom has no need to blink first. They can comfortably wait until deadline to finish a deal prior to Deadline Day. Peace's statement today was also a master stroke by the West Brim chairman to make sure fan opinion doesn't turn against him and mitigate his advantages. He has solidified his base of fan support by publicly rejecting the Spurs' opening bid. This ensures his ability to continue negotiations without being criticized by fans as rolling over to Tottenham.

 On the other hand, Daniel Levy is entirely under the gun. Tottenham's need for strikers was obvious when the Window opened and the need has only grown since then. Emmanuel Adebayor has been banished, Roberto Soldado has been sold and now Harry Kane has been declared unfit by manager Mauricio Pochettino. Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela are the squad's current backups at striker and both are entirely unqualified. Perhaps Clinton N'Jie can exceed immediate expectations, but surely the youngster can't be counted on for such a prominent role so quickly after his arrival. Every Spurs fan can agree that more strikers must be added to threaten the top 4.

While Jeremy Peace quelled fan pressure in advance, Daniel Levy's inaction has done the opposite. I suspect he was betting on West Brom's valuation for Berahino to drop as the window's close neared while the opposite has occurred. I'm not saying it wasn't a smart bet on Levy's part, but it hasn't paid off. Fan pressure has justifiably increased on the notoriously slow acting Spurs chairman which further compromises his negotiating position. 

The only card Levy can hope to play to turn things back in Tottenham's favor is the potential sale of defender Federico Fazio. Media reports have speculated the Baggies are hot after Fazio at a fee of around 5m. I'd expect Levy to hold up Fazio's sale to push Peace to negotiate more liberally for Berahino. I can't imagine this tactic being a huge success, but I can't see Levy giving an inch that could possibly help him.

So what should we expect to happen with Berahino in the next two weeks? My guess is that you will see reports of heightened Spurs interest in QPR forward Charlie Austin and likely some new striker targets as soon as tomorrow. No time can be wasted in scaring West Brom into thinking there is competition. As a reaction, count on more sabre rattling by West Brom too. Expect renewed Berahino to Man City rumors to increase and we may even see more public rhetoric from Peace about holding on to his starlet.

But what does it all mean??? Tottenham will end up paying very close to 25m for Berahino contrary to Daniel Levy's wishes. Fans will criticize the fee but will take some satisfaction at the addition of a young English talent with experience in the Premier League. Enjoy the next two weeks, it's going to be a wild ride.