Giovani Dos Santos ?

[Son_Of]

I'd give him pre-season and see how he shapes up.

and more importantly the world cup where the games are competitive

 

[double0]

We'd be mugs to let him go. definitely a must for the squad saw he's effort on goal against Holland looks sharp.

 

[Paxtonite]

That he has quality is undoubted. That this quality hasn't been harnessed is concerning. However as much as we'd like to blame his "party boy" attitude (which by the way is based on rumour as far as i can tell), we also have to wonder why no manager has "managed" him better.

He always seems to play relatively well for the national team and i think he will do really well for them again in the group stages.

He obviously preferes playing as a striker which is perhaps why he hasn't found his niche in England. Non of our managers have fancied him "up front" and he isn't built for the type of midfield player we need in the EPL.

That said it doesn't mean that there isn't a role for him here. When Defoe went off the boil toward the end of the season who is to say that GDS couldn't have replaced him and had a similar purple patch to that of Pav? I'd certainly say he was worth a go ahead of Keane who is now back at the club.

There has to be something more than we can get from this player other than a transfer fee!

 

[gloryglory]

Two footed? He is one of the least two footed players I've ever seen.

 

[dontcallme]

I think it comes down to:

1. What is his attitude like?
2. Does his attributes fit what HR needs for us to work as a team?
3. Is he willing to be a part of the squad?

We know he has ability and he suits Mexico's style of play and looks good as a result.

 

[spurs_viola]

I've said this dozens of times before - hat trick for Barca, then they ship him out for quite a low fee - this is the bit that doesn't sit right with me.

We all know he's got potential, but is he disciplined to turn that potential into real talent? For all his cockney arm-round-shoulder barrow-boy charm, HR is quite ruthless on discipline - look at how Keane was shipped out for the Xmas party shenanigans, when the rest of the world thought Pav was on his way out?

He left Barca after Guardiola replaced Rijkaard. Guardiola (as most new managers) wanted to make changes at the club and did not have the patience or time to persevere with Gio in his plans for the team.
Gio did not want to spend a season mainly on the bench and decided to answer Ramos' call for a new challenge in EPL with Spurs.
Little doubt about his off-pitch issues in 2008, but with proper management a la Javier Aguirre in Mexican National team, he would have progressed faster.

Harry may be seen ruthless about Gio or Pav, but he does not seem to be so ruthless about Bentley to me. The guy had several well-documented incidents with discipline in his short time at Spurs, and yet had a 23 match run last season and is still a regular squad, first 18 team member. Something does not match up there.

I agree with those who are concerned that we look likely to go for an expensive replacement who will not be proven to work out at Spurs, instead of putting a bit more effort and patience with someone with undoubted, rare talent and versatility whom we already have at the club - his name is Gio. :wink:

 

[JoeT]

If I remember 'spurs_viola', Bentley's "well-documented incidents" were something like pranging his car and being punched in the face while out with his wife...but then I may have missed out on some other things.
Maybe you could update me here; was he late for training, or out partying or something? Thanks.

 

[spurs_viola]

If I remember 'spurs_viola', Bentley's "well-documented incidents" were something like pranging his car and being punched in the face while out with his wife...but then I may have missed out on some other things.
Maybe you could update me here; was he late for training, or out partying or something? Thanks.

Had a disgraceful attitute in the friendly v Leyton Orient last autumn when the game was arranged for several players coming back from injury or on the fringe of first team. Was arsing about so much that Harry had to take him off, and then Bentley threw his shinpads in Harry's direction.

The car crash while several times over the alcohol limit came just a couple of days before the start of the season. As he was a fairly experienced English Prem player, to me that was worse than Gio supposedly being late for training a few times while he was still trying to get around London traffic, being a 19-yr old guy who has lived in laid-back Mexico and Barcelona prior to London. Gio always puts effort whenever he plays, including Ipswich - and he did not go to "play golf" with the real partyers to Dublin.

 

[Stoof]

Where do we think his best position it?

I mean, is it in the VIP area, the main bar or perhaps outside in the smokers section? I mean I just can't decide.

[I have a feeling that I've made a similar joke before, and it got an equally bad reception then, but f**k it, I think I'm funny]

And more seriously, where is his best position and how would he fit in for us?

He's a number 10 isn't he? He roams behind a front man. He's not a winger although he has the skill to be. I'm just not sure how he fits in is all.

:wink:

 

[JimmyG2]

He seems to be a second striker most of the time, in the hole as it were. He has also played on either wing at International level.
He seems to be quite flexible about this and this would make him more of an asset if he ever comes back to us, which seems unlikely.

I think you're funny Stoof. But then I think I'm funny too but MrsJimmyG2 and my daughters assure me that I am not and they are always right so I can't be.