Spurs striker Berbatov hails relationship with partner Keane as 'almost telepathic' - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Spurs striker Berbatov hails relationship with partner Keane as 'almost telepathic'

Dimitar Berbatov wants to raise Tottenham's end-of-season spirits with his telepathic partnership with Robbie Keane.

Spurs' strike pair have 43 goals between them during their second campaign together, guiding the club towards their Carling Cup win and mid-table safety after a poor start.

With little to play for now, Spurs have struggled for consistency in the last month. They were thrashed by Newcastle last week and Berbatov is determined to bounce back.

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Double trouble: Robbie Keane hitches a ride on strike partner Dimitar Berbatov

"I think we must erase the memory of the Newcastle game, it was a disappointing loss for us," he said.

They will get the chance this weekend when they face Blackburn at Ewood Park in a match where Berbatov and Keane will again be Spurs' main threat.

"Last season was great as well and this season we have proved against we can work together and understand each other," Berbatov said.

"I'm very happy that our relationship is like that on the field. Obviously there are games when things are not working right but we know how to play with each other, when one is moving the other wants the ball. It's like a telepathic connection.

"That's what I like, he is a great technical player, he thinks with his head when he is playing and that's what I like most about him."

Berbatov is expecting a physical test against a Blackburn side who are seventh in the Barclays Premier League after another impressive campaign under Mark Hughes.

"They are more like a physical team, I know that because I've watched them often," Berbatov added.

"It's going to be difficult because we like to play technical football but you have games like that when you have to fight for the three points and that's what we will do.

"They have a very good team with big strong defenders and they like to tackle."

Berbatov's partnership with Keane has limited the impact of Darren Bent after arriving from Charlton for £16.5million in the summer, but chairman Daniel Levy has defended the signing.

"Sometimes in transfers you have to take opportunities when they present themselves. It was never a case, as some people are suggesting, of spending the money on a striker without being able to bring in anyone else," Levy pointed out.

"One of the reasons we decided to bring him (Bent) in was that we believed one of our other strikers (Jermain Defoe) may be going.

"Okay, it didn't happen at the time. But we took the view we wanted a target man - and there are not that many.

"We knew were paying a full price but we were competing with a lot of other clubs and took a long-term view."

In a rare interview, with FC Business magazine, Levy also discussed transfer policy and looked towards Arsenal as an example of shrewd investment.

"It's not about how much you spend on players - it's how you spend it," he added.

"Arsenal are the best example of being incredibly skilful in acquiring younger players or doing certain transfers that have not cost a lot of money.

"Over the years, they've spent considerably less money than us on a net basis - but look at the success they've had."

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