Pompey bank on Baros as Defoe sits out FA Cup semi-final

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Harry Redknapp insists Milan Baros has the quality to make up for the absence of Jermain Defoe in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final showdown against West Bromwich Albion.

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Cup-tied Defoe has been in scintillating form since his £9million move from Tottenham, helping himself to eight goals in just seven games, while Baros has yet to get off the mark since signing on loan from French champions Lyon.

But Redknapp is confident the Czech Republic's big match experience will ensure he copes with the Wembley atmosphere on Saturday.

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Hailing the former Liverpool and Aston Villa hit-man, Redknapp said: 'He's ready to score goals, his movement in training is excellent, he's clever, bends his runs in, played at the top level in World Cup and European Championships.

'We'll miss Defoe, he's got eight goals in seven for us but we've worked without him before and been in the top seven or eight all season.

'We were doing okay before he arrived, although he's done fantastic for us.

'I'm sure Milan is ready to come in and do the job for us. His confidence is high; he's played at the top.

'We've still got the option on him at the end of the season. He was a good loan signing for us, very good.

'A lot of people of people perhaps didn't think they would loan him out because they were still involved in Champions League at the time.'

Redknapp is mulling over a switch to 4-4-2 if John Utaka fails to recover from a hamstring strain in time, with Baros set to partner Kanu in attack.

But Redknapp also has problems at the back with Hermann Hreidarsson a major doubt with an Achilles problem.

'Hermann's ankle's swollen up quite badly so we will have to see how he is.

'Utaka is struggling a bit. Hamstrings are dangerous injuries and if you play and it goes it could be six or eight weeks out so we have to be careful really.

'We will have to wait and see. It's difficult to say who else will play there, it depends what system we use, and we will have to have a shuffle around.'

 

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