Published: 22 March 2012
by DAN CARRIER

WHEN we buy that centre forward in the summer, we will be looking for someone who can the main man. He won't be bought with the main aim of complimenting the quicksilver feet and machinegun boots of Jermain Defoe.

Tonight the striker, who has hit nine in 10 games, was once again left on the bench. This can't realistically go on for another season: he needs to be in the team more regularly or head off somewhere else.

The lack of confidence in Defoe is emblemic of an issue that looks likely to mean our season is about to come truly unstuck.

The centre forward issue has been a problem for this side over the past couple of years – ever since Dimitar Berbatov left.

We've not signed the player to replace him. While Adebayor has been great this term, he doesn't have an instant natural fit alongside him in the side, and he is a stop gap measure as we know his wages are way out of our piggy bank's reach.

And tonight, as the game wore on through a first half where there was plenty of possession but not that finish the crowd were desperate for, Defoe's name began to ring out. The problem is, we have been there and done that already.

And the dearth of a centre forward pairing has been a real problem for some time now. Berbatov and Keane occasionally looked handy together, but that was some time ago now – and the pairing before that which last really worked was Sheringham and Klinnsman.

Frankly, it has been ages since we had two forwards who really worked properly as a duet.

This was very much in evidence tonight: Saha and van der Vaart have never started a game together, and it showed at times.

While we have a wealth of midfielders who like a burst forward and a lung busting zip into the danger areas, it's still worrying to have two forwards who play quite far apart and don't look like they have that intrinsic and instinctive link between them.

I can't recall one pass or knock down between Saha and VDV in the opening 45.

Spurs were perhaps understandably subdued at first but with a good vocal crowd behind them and van der Vaart in no mood to muck about, things began to cook after 15.

Both van der Vaart and Modric went close while at the other end a couple of pot shots were the product of some good Stoke hustling.

On the half hour mark, Kaboul sent a header against the bar and it gee'd his team mates up: a spell of pressure followed.

Yet there was still a marked failure of the front men to link and get clean efforts away and it was no surprise they enjoyed their half time cuppas with the score sheet blank.

Harry had obviously had enough by the half time mark, too: he sent on Defoe for Kranjcar – giving Saha another partner to meet and greet.

It didn't take long for them to offer something different.

Defoe's first touch of the ball nearly played Saha in, and then seconds later Defoe capitalised on some poor keeping by Begovic and perhaps could have turned the ball home.

It set the tone: Spurs pushed forward, hustled well. But it was more a big stick approach than a lightening quick sabre thrust.

The closest they came was through Bale, who cracked a looper from some distance against the bar.

However, seconds later, in a surreal incident, Stoke scored from close range when there really seemed to be little danger.

With just 16 minutes left, it seemed we were destined for the worst possible outcome.

There were a few sniffs but it did feel a little like the players just simply were not up for it like they have been before.

Then came that moment of magic that the game had been crying out for.

Bale's teasing cross over was met by the diving figure of Van Der Vaart and a crucial equaliser had been scored, 94 minutes on the clock.  

We've built a team with a midfield and defence we can be proud of: we have had 83 registered shots on goal in the past four games, yet scored just two goals.

It seems no matter how could the side is, without the forward partnership the likes of Modric and Bale deserve, I suspect we'll not see the true potential of this crop.
 
 
Friedel, 7: Nothing to do foer long spells, and can't be faulted for the goal.
Bale, 8: A few runs were simply world class but he needed to get his head up more at times. Had two super strikes that were whiskers away and his cross for the goal was awesome.
Kaboul, 7: Fought hard.
King, 6: Had a fight on his hands physically, didn't have time to be cultured.
Assou-Ekotto, 7: No joy from the opponents flankmen as Benny got stuck in.
Parker, 6: Not the usual powerhouse.
Modric, 9: Of all our players, you knew Modric would not be off form. He made some great runs, fought like a lion for everything, and got those around him moving.
Walker, 6: Subdued.
Saha, 6: Did what he could but it felt very much like scraps. Sub: Dos Santos
van der Vaart, 6: Flashes but was off the boil for much of the game, then pops up with an absolutely glorious goal at the very end.
Kranjcar, 6: Had some nice touches as usual but didn't stretch his opponents enough Sub: Defoe