Fragile midget midfielders

Any day now Joe Cole will cash in on being a free agent. Expect we'll see Redknapp whoring Spurs across Sky Sports News, Talkshite and his column in the Sun every five minutes. Paddy Power have Spurs as 13/8 to snap him up, followed by us at 9/4, with Liverpool 7/2.

While I can see why AW might fancy a slice of a free agent the quality of Joe Cole, we do already have about 28 fragile midget midfielders who look good going forward one game in three but go missing regularly, do little in the way of tracking back and get injured 14 times in a game.

What's more, I'd much rather we brought in a genuinely defensive midfielder - to replace the ones signed on the basis that they look a bit like Patrick Vieira but play like Patrick Swayze (a la Abu Diaby).

More than that, though, I just hope any negotiations with Cole are done the George Graham way.

Having been offered a deal by The Arsenal, Andy Sinton wanted to hear what Sheffield Wednesday could also offer him. He returned to say Weds had made a better offer - and asked if The Arsenal would match it. George told him the offer no longer stood on the basis that you sign for Arsenal because you want to play for Arsenal - and that's it.

Sinton's punishment: three years at Sheffield Wednesday followed by three long years at Spurs. Take note, Joe Cole.