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Jermain Defoe wants more first team football. Jermain Defoe doesn't want to leave Tottenham Hotspur though. Jermain Defoe is not a good enough lone striker for Tottenham to be first team. Conflict.
Jermain Defoe has taken to the press and aired his grievances over a lack of first team football, reported in many publications including The Guardian. "It is a difficult one. I have never said I want to leave the club, all I have just said is I want to play," Defoe told TalkSport. "As a forward you just want to get some sort of rhythm and a run in the team. That wasn't the case towards the end of the season." Defoe is currently called up to Roy Hodgson's England squad for Euro 2012, and says he is focusing on that.
Of course, the problem with this whole equation is that Jermain Defoe can't play alone up front for Tottenham, and that right now is Tottenham's preferred formation with a lone striker. Even besides that, Defoe is 29 now, and hasn't come close to matching his career season two years ago. The fact of the matter is that Defoe is not a good enough striker to anchor the first team, lacking the aerial capability and hold up play to be a lone striker for a top six club. Defoe says he wants to remain with Tottenham right now, but if our wishes come true and we finally get our striker in during the window to be our leader up front, it will be interesting to see if Defoe's tune changes, or if he'll accept a role as a Europa and Cup starter while being an impact sub in the league.