Spurs loanee update 29/12/09
Currently we have the following players out on loan:
Andros Townsend (18) – Leyton Orient (until 31st December 2009)
Troy Archibald-Henville (21) – Exeter City (until ?? December 2009)
Adam Smith (18) – Torquay United (until January 2010)
David Button (20) – Shrewsbury Town (until January 2010)
Jamie O’Hara (23) – Portsmouth (until January 2010)
John Bostock (17) – Brentford (until 13th January 2010)
Calum Butcher (18) – Barnet (until 26th January 2010)
Tomas Pekhart (20) – Slavia Prague (until 2nd Feb 2010)
Adel Taarabt – QPR (until the end of the season)
Kyle Walker (19) – Sheffield United (until the end of the season)
Jon Obika (19) – Yeovil Town (until the end of the season)
Ryan Mason (18) – Yeovil Town (until the end of the season)
Steven Caulker (18 today – Happy Birthday!) – Yeovil Town (until the end of the season)
Mirko Ranieri (17) – Ipswich Town (until the end of the season)
Now returned from loan:
Adam Smith – Wycombe Wanderers
Ben Alnwick – Norwich City
Lee Butcher – Grays Athletic
Dean Parrett – Aldershot Town
David Button – Crewe Alexandra
Sam Cox – Cheltenham Town
Danny Rose – Peterborough
Lee Butcher – Leyton Orient
Oscar Jansson – Exeter City
Sam Cox – Histon
Jake Livermore – Derby County
On Boxing Day, Calum Butcher played 90 minutes at centre back for Barnet, who lost 4-0 to Aldershot (Aldershot Town 4-0 Barnet highlights). According to the Barnet Official Site, Calum has had his loan period extended “while the injury problems at the back continue”, but he didn’t feature in yesterday’s match.
Andros Townsend played 90 minutes in both matches for Leyton Orient. Leyton Orient Official Site report of Boxing Day’s game, and BBC highlights, and report of yesterday’s match. Andros is now a permanent fixture in the Orient side; I expect them to want to extend his loan for the rest of the season.
Troy Archibald-Henville was sent off on Boxing Day, although the BBC highlights didn’t quite catch the incident. Exeter City Official Site report:
Exeter’s Spurs loanee then seemed to have dashed any hope of a Grecian comeback when he picked up a straight red card, a worrying seventh of the season for the club, after he seemed to raise his hands following an aggressive foul on Morgan Schneiderlin.
It certainly won’t do his chances of an extended loan much good, although he does seem to want to stay there – Archibald-Henville wants to play:
“I have come on loan to play games and I’m not playing,” Archibald-Henville told the Express & Echo. “At the moment in my career this is a vital time to be playing.
I need to prove myself in the football community and I need to prove myself back at Tottenham so I have to be playing somewhere, definitely.
If I had to pick somewhere to play I would want to stay here. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
John Bostock was an unused sub for Brentford away at Gillingham on Boxing Day, but was back in the starting 11 yesterday, and played 64 minutes. Brentford Official Site report:
The Bees started brightly with John Bostock, back on the right of midfield, at the heart of most of their attacking play.
Rhys Murphy, making his first Brentford start, also had an early sight of goal when Bostock played him through in the left channel but his lofted attempt was saved easily by Rob Elliott.
Sam intercepted a weak Bostock pass and slipped it forward to Dickson, Price came out to narrow the angle and the lofted effort drifted just wide of the far post.
Ryan Dickson did well to win a corner on the left and when Bostock floated it to the edge of the box Bean and Legge tried to create room for a shot – the midfield man did get an effort in and although it bobbled weakly into the middle Cort was lurking to fire it home.
Adam Smith played 90 minutes for Torquay United on Boxing Day, as they won 1-0. Torquay United Official Site report:
The match was an even contest even after the goal and Godsmark was looking dangerous down the visitor’s right flank up against Adam Smith who was booked in the 11th minute for a late tackle and was then given a final warning after fouling the Hereford winger again five minutes later. To Smith’s credit he kept his head for the remainder of the game and Godsmark was eventually substituted in the second half as the Spur’s loanee once again proved himself up to the challenge.As the match ticked toward its conclusion United had a sustained period of pressure with the best chance falling to Adam Smith but Bartlett made a smart save with his feet to deny the Gulls’ left back. Hereford were trying to push forward and chase an equalizer but, if anything, it was United who looked far more likely to score.
He got another 90 under his belt yesterday – Torquay United Official Site report:
The first chance of the match came United’s way when Smith did well to win the ball on the left of Bournemouth’s penalty area and his pull-back was hit goalward by Chris Zebroski but Jalal made a good save with his feet to deny the Gulls’ striker.
Feeney on the Bournemouth right was looking dangerous but Adam Smith was relishing the challenge in what looked to be one of the important match-ups around the pitch.
Adam Smith became the ninth player booked but in fairness to the referee he didn’t have much choice with most of the decisions.
David Button conceded twice for Shrewsbury Town on Boxing Day, despite saving a penalty (which can be seen here: Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Macclesfield Town highlights).
It sounds like he had a good game yesterday too. Shrewsbury Town Official Site report:
David Button had been having a commanding game against the Bradford attacks but he was also alert when they chanced their luck.Button had to be alert though when the ball came to Whaley some 30 yards out, he hit a vicious low drive over the freezing pitch but Button was equal to it and pulled off a great diving save.
Jake Livermore will be heading back to Spurs after his loan at Derby County came to an end. He was an unused sub on Boxing Day, and came on in the last minute yesterday. In total, he started eleven times, came off the bench five times, and scored once, but hasn’t seemed to have impressed a great deal. I imagine he’ll probably now head back out on loan for the remainder of the season, possibly to a League One club this time.
Jamie O’Hara played 90 minutes for Portsmouth in a more advanced role against West Ham on Boxing Day. From The Guardian:
The fan’s player ratings Begovic 7; Finnan 5, Kaboul 6, Ben Haim 5, Hreidarsson 6; Mullins 5, Brown 5 (Utaka 79 4); Dindane 4 (Kanu 55 6), O’Hara 6, Belhadj 5 (Boateng ht 5); Piquionne 6
He should play against Arsenal tomorrow, but that could well be his last appearance for Portsmouth. He has become very popular and they will be keen for him to stay, perhaps even permanently. I personally would be glad to see him come back to Spurs.
Adel Taarabt was an unused sub for QPR on Boxing Day, but did get an outing yesterday, playing 78 minutes in a 3-0 defeat at Ipswich. QPR Official Site report:
Taarabt and Jay Simpson headed the QPR attack.
Moments later, Taarabt received the ball on midway and drove at the Ipswich defence, before firing just wide of Arran Lee-Barrett’s right-hand post.
Play then switched to the other end, where QPR had their best opportunity to date to score. Good play down the right from Ramage saw his delivery find the free Taarabt, but he could only head wide.
Rangers won a free-kick down the right moments later, and when Watson’s cross found the free-again Taarabt, he missed the target once more – blasting well over the crossbar from six yards.
As the half drew to a close, Leigertwood played the ball to Taarabt just past midway before he blasted at goal from well outside the area, but his attempt was caught by Lee-Barrett in the Town goal.
Rangers had the first chance as the second period got underway. Taarabt fed Simpson in the area at a tight angle, but he could only shoot wide of the goal when under pressure on the right.
Play then turned to the other end, where Taarabt received the ball down the left before shooting over.
He has been in and out of the side in recent weeks.
Kyle Walker played 49 minutes for Sheffield United on Boxing Day before coming off injured. He has been in good form for them, though, and will hopefully not be out for too long. Rumour has it that Kyle Naughton may well be joining him there on loan too.
Jon Obika came off the bench on 67 minutes, and scored a goal in Yeovil Town’s 4-0 Boxing Day win. Ryan Mason played 81 minutes and Steven Caulker played 90. Yeovil Town Official Site report:
Within four minutes, the hosts had taken the lead. Ryan Mason swung in Yeovil’s first corner of the afternoon, the ball was cleared out to Murtagh whose low, fizzing shot was diverted into the top of the net by a despairing Shearer.Mason nearly added a second when his curler from thirty yards flew wide and Smith got in on the act but saw his cross drop tantalisingly wide of the far post.
Manager Terry Skiverton replaced Bowditch for Obika and it turned out to be somewhat of an inspired substitution.
The importance of the saves was proved just two minutes further on. Williams took a quick throw-in to Mason. He released Obika down the left and his low, scudding cross found Kalala to finish off at the far post.
Three minutes on and the creator turned scorer. This time, Kalala was involved as his through ball was slipped past Shearer by Obika for his seventh goal of the season.
Yeovil 4-0 Wycome highlights – nice goal and assist for Jon.
From Taff’s Gloversblog:
5. Steven Caulker: 7/10 – The usual solid display we’ve come to expect. Amazing to think he’s only just 18 – he plays with the maturity of someone twice his age.
13. Ryan Mason: 6/10 – started on the right of the diamond but seemed to be interchanging with Gavin Tomlin as the furthest forward attacking midfielder throughout the game. Not a bad performance from Ryan by any means but maybe not quite up to the very high standards he’s set himself lately.
26. Jonathan Obika (67 mins for Dean Bowditch): 8/10 – The Wycombe defence simply couldn’t live with his pace and he took full advantage to notch his 3rd goal this month. Unlucky not to start, but when you have 2 strikers in the form that Bowditch and Williams are in then someone has to miss out.
And from the forum:
“Special mention to Caulker who was immense yet again along side Mccarthys’ saves.”“Also, who would have you’re vote for player of the season? For me its between: Forbes, Caulker, Mason and Welsh.”
Yesterday wasn’t quite such a good day for Yeovil. All three of our boys played 90 minutes in a 3-1 defeat. Yeovil Town Official Site report:
Ryan Mason tried an acrobatic bicycle kick from Smith’s low cross but it landed harmlessly wide. The Spurs loanee saw a free kick held comfortably by keeper David Lucas.
The game slipped into a pattern of alternate missed chances with Austin and Ward’s shot blocked for the home side while Murtagh and Obika both saw half chances fail to trouble the keeper.
Terrell Forbes came on for Stefan Stam and found himself in bother with the referee almost immediately when he went through the back of Simon Ferry and the Swindon midfielder was pulled down by Mason, the youngster also seeing yellow.
Murray and Mason also had efforts in the last few minutes but it really didn’t seem like Yeovil looked likely to score.
They have all impressed in recent weeks, with Obika starting to find his scoring boots again. Mason and Caulker are, in my opinion, destined to be Premier League players – I can’t wait to see them in and around our first team squad next season.
Mirko Ranieri won’t be in action for Ipswich Town U18s until the 9th Jan.
Slavia Prague are on their mid-season break, and Tomas Pekhart‘s due to return before the next half of their season kicks off in February, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens with him.
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