Former Tottenham defender Chris Perry has slammed the team's current rearguard.

The constant changing of the back four has certainly not helped the team's ability to form a better understanding and Perry said: "Darren Bent is a great striker and would get 30 goals if he played every week, but they spent £16.5m on a player to sit on the bench when the money should have gone on a central defender and a defensive midfielder.

"Everyone who looked at the squad knew that was where the weakness lay.

"I watched the West Ham game on Sunday and I thought at times the defending was shambolic. They don't look comfortable playing with each other and they don't look like a unit.

"Kaboul and Dawson doesn't look like a partnership that is working. The spine of the team is so important and they haven't got it right.

"Rocha is injured but when he played, he seemed to struggle with the pace and physicality of the English league. I know Gardner as well, but while he is better than Kaboul he seems to suffer with injuries a lot.

"It's a massive blow that Ledley has been out. He has become a big leader and Tottenham have missed that as much as his defensive skills.

"If Ledley is no closer to a return in January, they have to think about signing a defender in the transfer window otherwise they will not climb up the Premier league."