Harry Redknapp and Tottenham fans’ worst fears could soon be thrust upon them after it was reported Rafael Van der Vaart could face a month on the sidelines as a result of the hamstring problem that forced him off the field after just 12 minutes against Liverpool on Sunday. The Dutchman has been a revelation this season for Spurs, scoring 6 goals and making 5 assists in a series of outstanding Premier League displays that have seen him regarded as a close-to-essential acquisition amongst many Fantasy Football Managers.
The length of the injury has yet to be confirmed by Tottenham though Harry Redknapp is understandably frustrated with the loss of one of his key players…
“Rafa felt it tear, so that doesn’t look too good. It’s so disappointing for Rafa. He keeps picking up little injuries. It’s probably because he’s missed a pre-season or was away at the World Cup and not played many games. When your fitness is a bit low it’s hard to get up to speed. He keeps getting little nicks.”
Considering Van der Vaart didn’t make his Fantasy Premier League (FPL) debut till gameweek 4, his rise in price has been mightily impressive, jumping £1m in value (from his starting price of £7.5m to his current £8.5m) in the subsequent 11 gameweeks, with 29.4% of Fantasy Managers currently owning him. Food for thought, then, for those who snapped the ex-Real Madrid man up before that dramatic price-hike. Long-term VDV owners certainly have the biggest dilemma: will they keep him benched or make the move that, for some, could wipe as much as £0.5m off the value of their squads?
Sir Paulos is currently working on a substantial article delving into the merits of midfield alternatives, but two immediate stand-out ready-made replacements are Morten Gamst Pederson and Tim Cahill. Pederson has been declared 100% fit after missing Blackburn’s 7-1 slaughtering at Old Trafford and our recent Watchlist article details why the in-form man has the potential to be a cracking acquisition over the next few weeks.
Tim Cahill at times seems to be single-handedly keeping the Toffees season on course by relentlessly popping up with vital goals. He should be thought of as nothing more than a stop-gap replacement until Van der Vaart is back in action though, as the Australian takes leave of absence from the Premier League shortly to participate in the Asia Cup, and consequently may be out of domestic action for as much as six weeks.
David Moyes recently spoke on the matter, admitting:
They are due to take Tim in mid to late December and depending how far they go in the tournament will determine how long he is away. I’m trying to delay him going until January and will do the best I can.
Tottenham’s last week has quite possibly been their greatest under Harry Redknapp; they beat their old rivals in the North London derby, produced a memorable comeback against Liverpool and qualified for the knock-out stages of the Champions League. With this momentum behind them you wouldn’t rule them out winning the vast majority of their next six league games (bir, CHE, blp, avl, NEW, FUL). The loss of Van der Vaart is unquestionably damaging, but the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and Luka Modric have all shown in recent weeks that they’re more than capable of keeping the White Hart Lane midfield in shape.
