Is Pochettino right to freeze out Aaron Lennon?

Published: 29 December, 2014
Spurs reporter DAN CARRIER's Christmas report card for the first half of the season

IT has been a strange year – a temporary manager getting the best average points to games ratio since Daniel Levy became chairman, then being given the heave-ho…a new broom with a tactical reputation playing the same system AVB got the sack for…a host of summer signings that haven't made first team spots their own – and the emergence of a clutch of players from the academy becoming first teamers. But while 2014 has been pretty tumultuous – with Spurs still in three cups and four points off fourth, Mauricio Pochettino can afford to raise a glass this Christmas…

BEST SIGNING:

Ben Davies looks like he has now made the left back spot his own after Danny Rose's rib injury. We've not seen enough of Benji Stambouli in the Premier League to be able to judge, but he certainly looks the part in Europa and Capital One Cup games.

BEST PLAYER:

While Christian Eriksen has put a quiet start to the season behind him to become the team's most watchable player, undoubtedly 2014 has been Harry Kane's year. With 14 goals so far and a super rapport with the fans, when expensive strikers have been misfiring, the boy from Walthamstow stepped up.

Harry Kane is the man of the moment

BEST TEAM PERFORMANCE:

While Arsenal away showed steel from the players and tactical nous from the new gaffer, but the 4-0 destruction of Newcastle in the Capital One Cup quarter final saw every player have a good day.

BIGGEST SURPRISE:

Spurs have had a plethora of centre midfielders with big reputations: Paulinho, Capoue, Stambouli, Eriksen and even Chadli are vying for places. But up steps last seasons Academy-promoted Nabil Bentaleb, and alongside him Ryan Mason, to make the berths their own.

BEST MOMENT:

Lamela's 'rabona' goal in the europa League versus Greek tiddlers Asteras Tripolis was a giggle, but it was also slightly frustrating: tricks are all well and good when you've done something else besides, but until his goal on Saturday, it was hard to understand why he was being played ahead of Aaron Lennon. The elation when Roberto Soldado finally scored in the win against Everton was also special, being his first Premier League goal since March – but the finest moment must be any of the late away goals this term. Eriksen's goals against Hull and Swansea, or Kanes 90th minute winner at Villa are only trumped by Eric Dier's 90th minute debut winner versus West Ham.

BAH, HUMBUG:
Not impressed with the freezing out of Aaron Lennon. A great servant who has played well when picked.

BYE BYE IN JANUARY?:

Hard to see Emmanuel Adebayor get back into contention after missing games through a virus and then returning to Ghana for personal reasons. Even when he was in the team, he wasn't scoring. Now he has to displace Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado, and potentially a new signing in January – rumoured to be West Brom forward Saido Berahino. If the price fits, Soldado, Capoue, Paulinho and Kaboul could also go.

HELLO IN JANUARY?:

Apart from a new striker, expect only United States international Deandre Yedlin to arrive, and some young unknowns as new scout Paul Mitchell flexes his muscles.

If Spurs were a Christmas film, they'd be… I'd like to say 'The Sound Of Music' – raised communal voices helped Spurs against Newcastle, and the terrace choir returned for the win against Burnley, too. At last the atmosphere is back at the Lane. But it felt more like '12 Monkeys' at the start of the season, though more recently, with the late comebacks away from home, it's got to be 'Die Hard'.