Tottenham defender Michael Dawson is desperate to get to Wembley and make up for his agony last season when he missed the Carling Cup final through injury.

The 25-year-old pulled up with a hamstring problem a fortnight before Spurs defeated Chelsea to end their nine-year trophy drought.

Harry Redknapp's men will have back-to-back finals in their sights when they face Burnley in the last four of the competition, with the first leg of the tie at White Hart Lane tomorrow.

"There have been lots of ups and lots of downs over the last 12 months, but certainly missing the Carling Cup final was the biggest downer for me," Dawson said.

"It still stays with me, and I think it always will do. I've been part of the team for lots of games now - so to miss one as big as that was heartbreaking, it really was.

"I hope this year we can reach a final again, in the Carling Cup or FA Cup, and I'll be part of it."

Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate remain Redknapp's first-choice centre-back pair.
But King's chronic knee problems mean Dawson is still considered a regular starter.

Redknapp rates the former Nottingham Forest player as a whole-hearted stopper - and rewarded the defender with the captain's armband in the recent UEFA Cup clash against Spartak Moscow.

"Of course it is a great honour to captain any team, never mind one as big as Spurs - there's no hiding that," Dawson added.

"Obviously I realise that if Ledley, Woody or JJ [Jermaine Jenas] had played then they would be captain. But when I'm called upon it's a privilege and makes me very proud."

Against Burnley, striker Roman Pavlyuchenko is aiming to maintain his record of scoring in every round of the competition - after netting against Newcastle, Liverpool and Watford.

After his two goals against Wigan in the FA Cup last Friday, the Russia international has scored in every knockout game he has played in this season.

"After his first goal against Wigan, he looked like the striker we saw at the Euro 2008," said Spurs coach Les Ferdinand.
Pavlyuchenko has been told to keep it simple by Redknapp.

He told Russian newspaper Sport Express: "The manager keeps telling me that I should get the ball and find a team-mate. I'm not a dribbler. I'm not Maradona. My job is to get the ball and either pass or score. That's all."