Aaron Lennon Following the Gareth Bale Path to Resurgence at Tottenham Hotspur
Just as his former wing partner Gareth Bale did a few years back, Aaron Lennon could be about to enjoy a resurgence at Tottenham Hotspur.
After an opening few months in which his rare appearances did little to justify getting more match time, the right-sided midfielder played a key role in Premier League wins over Hull City and Everton in November. Lennon could not replicate the same level of influence in the recent loss to Chelsea, though, and he was dropped for Saturday's game with Crystal Palace.
Chants for Lennon soon emerged from the White Hart Lane crowd during a second half in which Tottenham were struggling to break down the Eagles. They grew louder as the home side ended up battling to hold on themselves. His eventual 83rd-minute introduction proved too little to late in the 0-0 draw, but it hinted at the width and incisive running that might have made a difference had he arrived earlier.
It is now up to Lennon to convince head coach Mauricio Pochettino he is deserving of a more prominent role once again. Should he do so, it will be a revival different in circumstances to Bale's (notably coming much later in his Spurs career) but just as worthy of praise.
Indeed, Lennon would do well to replicate the perseverance and ingenuity his former team-mate showed in proving himself. What follows is the story of Bale's resurgence, as well as that of four other Spurs players who, in their own ways, also turned around their fortunes in recent years.
Gareth Bale
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An unfortunate 25-match, two-year Premier League losing streak defines the first phase of Gareth Bale's Tottenham career in the eyes of many. When recalled, the lengthy injury layoffs that denied him a part in the team's eventual resurgence following the ugly starts to 2007-08 and 2008-09 are often conveniently omitted.
Bale was one of Spurs' better performers during the dark final days of Martin Jol's reign, which greeted the teenager's arrival from Southampton. Though primarily playing left-back, performances in the 3-3 draw with Fulham and the 3-1 loss to Arsenal (in which he scored a free-kick) foreshadowed the attacking contributions that would ultimately define his playing style.
He also scored in the 2-0 League Cup third-round win over Middlesbrough, which set Spurs on the way to Wembley success.
The start to the following campaign under Juande Ramos had less cheer for Bale, and he again found himself injured as the Spaniard was removed. A year later—with Harry Redknapp now in charge—the 20-year-old was on the outside looking in.
Spurs were in a good position for a crack at the top four midway through 2009-10, but their form was stuttering in January.
With Benoit Assou-Ekotto absent, Bale got his chance at left-back. He performed his defensive duties adequately enough. However, it was his increasingly thrilling forays down the left that served to remind everyone what he was capable of.
Assou-Ekotto returned at full-back, but Bale's displays earned him the chance to impress in midfield. That he would, scoring in the crucial 2-1 wins over Chelsea and Arsenal, which helped Spurs earn Champions League football.
Bale caught the eye of the wider footballing world with his scintillating performances in the tournament against then-holders Inter Milan the following season. His importance to Tottenham continued to grow, prompting Real Madrid to pay a world-record transfer fee for his services in summer 2013.
Robbie Keane
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On Sunday, Robbie Keane scored Los Angeles Galaxy's winner in the MLS Cup final. A decade ago, he was on the verge of the toughest spell of his first spell at Tottenham.
Keane had been Spurs' star player during an average couple of seasons for the club following his August 2002 transfer from Leeds United. His 29 goals ensured there was something to cheer about as they went from mid-table mediocrity into a relegation battle.
Jermain Defoe's arrival in January 2004 added to Spurs' firepower but left Keane battling for playing time by the end of the year.
Jol—appointed manager that November—preferred to pair one of these smaller strikers with a bigger partner. First Fredi Kanoute, later Mido.
Previously first choice, Keane was now in and out of the team. Jol's decision to bring Mido off the bench instead of the Irishman during a 1-1 away draw at Birmingham City prompted a public show of petulance and resulted in a fine.
Jol played it down at the time and quashed talk of a summer transfer. "It is not about him accepting my decision to put him on the bench," the Dutchman said, via The Independent's Alex Lowe. "He was a bit emotional but he never causes me a problem."
Despite the inconsistency of his appearances, Keane still finished 2004-05 with a highly commendable 18 goals (Defoe scored 22). Nonetheless, a similar pattern looked like emerging at the start of the following season, with Defoe his manager's preferred "little" in the little-and-large front combo.
The Englishman's form soon dipped, however. Keane came off the bench to score an equaliser away at Aston Villa in September, his first goal of the season, and one that prompted an emotional response (pictured above).
The moment seemed to galvanise Keane. It took a little while, but by the start of 2006, he was Jol's first choice up front, leading the way as Spurs finished a Premier League-best 5th place—only just missing out on Champions League football.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto
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Out in the cold right now, Benoit Assou-Ekotto's Spurs stay looks like it will end in a sorry state. Neither the player nor the club appear interested in him appearing at White Hart Lane again.
At the end of the last decade, Assou-Ekotto was able to engineer one act of resurgence.
A summer 2006 signing from Lens, the Cameroonian quickly moved ahead of Lee Young-Pyo in the left-back pecking order. He settled reasonably well but any hopes of cementing the spot were dashed by injury.
Save for a couple of appearances, Assou-Ekotto was out from February 2007 to August 2008.
The left-back spot passed between Lee, Bale, Pascal Chimbonda and Gilberto during that period. For reasons of form, fitness and suitability (in the right-sided Chimbonda's case) not one of them fully claimed it, but Assou-Ekotto still had a lot to prove after such a long absence.
Ramos looked to him from the off in 2008-09. Like the whole of the squad, Assou-Ekotto struggled during a desperate period for Spurs, during which they recorded just two points from eight league games.
The then-24-year-old full-back did well to keep his place under Redknapp, though. From that confident point, Assou-Ekotto went from strength to strength.
He was quietly one of Spurs' better performers that season and continued to improve. For the remainder of Redknapp's time in charge—encompassing top-four battles and Champions League football—Assou-Ekotto was his first-choice left back.
Roman Pavlyuchenko
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Roman Pavlyuchenko never found the same favour under Redknapp that Assou-Ekotto did.
The striker left Tottenham in January 2012, having scored a respectable 41 goals in four seasons. Nonetheless, the feeling of what might have been pervaded as he headed back to Russia.
Not up for debate is the part Pavlyuchenko did play in one of the most memorable 12-month periods in the recent history of the north London club.
Midway through 2009-10, the Russian was on the outs with Redknapp. The manager had reasonably opted to go with the in-form pair of Peter Crouch and Defoe, but the partnership lost some of its momentum and Spurs were in need of a boost.
Much of the White Hart Lane crowd were certain what—or rather who—that boost could be. It came to a head in an FA Cup fourth-round match with Leeds United.
Spurs were drawing 1-1 with the League One club and showing little sign of taking the lead. The home faithful vociferously began calling for the introduction of Pavlyuchenko. His appearance in the previous round had been his only one since late-October, so there was no guarantee Redknapp would heed the calls.
He did, however, bringing Pavlyuchenko on for for Crouch on the 71st minute. Within four minutes of his arrival, the forward had scored a superb goal to give Spurs the lead and send the Lane into raptures.
Jermaine Beckford's second equaliser denied Pavlyuchenko the headlines, but he had proved his worth. He scored a further three to help Spurs to the semi-final of the FA Cup (a game they lost to Portsmouth), netting another five goals to inject some life into the team's successful push for a Champions League place.
Pavlyuchenko shone in the early stages of the competition. He scored a vital goal at Young Boys in the qualifying round, a brace at home to Twente and the third in the famous 3-1 win over Inter Milan.
Heading into 2011, Redknapp reverted to calling on Pavlyuchenko sporadically.
Jermain Defoe
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Defoe's role in the aforementioned, great 2009-10 campaign for Tottenham should not be forgotten. It petered out a little toward the end, but his 24 goals helped fire the team into fourth place and a good run in the Cup.
The next season turned out to be the complete opposite. Injury robbed him of a few months early on, but he was back in contention by Christmas.
Accounting for the time needed to get back into rhythm, there was little to excuse the poorness of his performances heading into the new year. His effort was lacklustre at best, unsurprisingly resulting in a poor goal return by his standards—nine, coming at often lengthy intervals.
Even with the goals of Rafael van der Vaart and increasing production of Bale, the Spurs attack undoubtedly needed revitalising heading into 2011-12. Crouch left and Emmanuel Adebayor came in. Defoe was restricted to infrequent appearances deputising for Van der Vaart and playing in cup games, but the need to prove himself again woke him up.
The England international scored nine times before the turn of the year, his all-round work greatly improved. His movement was sharper and more purposeful, and his efforts extended to closing down opposition defences more when he did not have the ball.
Spurs were in full flight, a title-push was not out of the realms of possibility.
A January loss to eventual champions Manchester City severely damaged that hope—with Defoe narrowly missing the chance to give his team the lead, though he had earlier scored to help get them back in the game. Even with that, the game time Redknapp subsequently handed to loan arrival Louis Saha instead of Defoe was baffling.
The Frenchman was talented, but he was too lazy during games in which Spurs needed more of a presence in attack. It was one of a number of factors that led to the team missing out on Champions League qualification when it had once seemed certain.
For Defoe, he at least would go on to enjoy a good 2012 professionally. He scored a further eight times that season and led the way as Spurs had a positive start to the following campaign.
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