Players Need Time To Adapt.

While I?m loath to criticise any Tottenham player, it seems to me that Grzegorz just isn?t in the right frame of mind to replace Mido. Perhaps the signs have been there to see? I was as happy as anyone to get the big man in minutes before the August deadline – especially as I?d wanted a certain Mr Kanoute to stay – and when he came on against Liverpool at the Lane I was delighted with his first touch and subsequently disallowed goal. What went wrong?

Although we, as fans, are within our rights to admonish players who don?t appear to want the ball or who don?t appear to have any sense of urgency, were we too harsh on our Rasiak? After all players respond to criticism in different ways. Jenas is an example: he arrived for big money, with a big reputation and to big cheers. Though we weren?t fooled for long. When he first pulled on our beloved shirt he was lazy, his passing wayward and his concentration seemed to disappear for long periods. And for that we gave him merry hell. Since then he has been one of our strongest performers and scored a fizzing free kick at Old Trafford that makes me smile just thinking about it.

However, this same treatment appears to have destroyed the confidence of our number 9. Stepping up a division is a big gamble ? one that we perhaps expect players to manage far too quickly? Evidence of this: Andy Reid. A fantastically talented individual, but one who certain quarters see fit to harangue with abuse at every opportunity, during matches, on phone ins and internet forums. Has it done him any good? Or could it cause him to lose faith in his abilities? Cause him to hurry a pass rather than take his time see a gap and run with it?

I guess I?m trying to say it takes time to adapt. The players that come in and do well from the off (Dawson, amongst others, has been fantastic) are exceptions and we love them for it, but in this day of demanding results now are we in danger of depriving ourselves of creative players of the future?

When a Spurs player miss times or miss kicks, loses the ball or reacts slowly I get as mad as everyone else and I?m all for gentle encouragement?

But I?d hate to see any one of them leave because they had enough of being booed by their own fans and set the league alight in a different shirt. I hope I?m not the only one.