The top ten of the players who have been in decline this season...

4) David Bentley, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham should have been the making of Bentley. Instead, moving to the Lane has exposed his inadequacies and limitations.

Extremely effective because of his crossing ability in a Blackburn side that generally included two traditional centre-forwards, Bentley has failed - so far - to fit in to a Spurs side that tends to operate with just one out-and-out forward. The ability to cross doesn't count as much, therefore - which also explains why Aaron Lennon, arguably a worse crosser of a ball than any other first-choice winger in the league, has taken his place on the right.

All of which culminated this week in Harry Redknapp hauling him off at half-time against Burnley - "He was ill," declared Redknapp before a ghastly pause and the ultimate put-down: "Apparently" - and the Daily Mail dismissing him as 'the poor man's David Beckham'. And that's being kind. Even Tottenham fans are beginning to notice that Bentley is even slower than Beckham.

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Posted By: Ralf Scrampton, Jan 11, 11:01:57