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Spurs boost as King is told he’ll recover in two weeks
James Olley19 Jan 2009
Ledley King could be back in action less than two weeks after learning his hamstring injury is not as serious as first feared.
Harry Redknapp claimed King would be absent “long term” after he limped off just before half-time of yesterday's 1-1 draw, but the Tottenham captain could be back for the Premier League game at Bolton on 31 January. An examination by the club's medical staff today revealed that King had suffered only a minor hamstring strain.
There was more good news for Spurs with Roman Pavlyuchenko being cleared to face Burnley in the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday despite taking a knock to his ankle against Portsmouth.
Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who has a groin injury, is also expected to be okay for the trip to Turf Moor. However, the Brazilian could soon face competition for his place as Redknapp has bid £2million for Newcastle reserve goalkeeper Steve Harper.
As it stands, Redknapp has only veteran Spaniard Cesar Sanchez and youngster Ben Alnwick to provide back-up for his No1.
Harper, 33, is out of contract at the end of the season, but Newcastle may be reluctant to sell given the uncertainty over the future of their No1 keeper Shay Given. The Irish international is desperate to leave St James' Park and could be sold to Manchester City before the end of the transfer window.
Given's arrival would put pressure on Gomes but the Brazilian is sure that the current squad are good enough to avoid relegation.
The draw extended Tottenham's winless run in the Premier League to six matches and only goal difference is keeping them off the bottom of the table.
“My message is: believe in us because we have good players here and we know in many games we don't play very well,” said Gomes.
“Everyone has confidence in the dressing room. Who knows who can climb up the League, but we all have confidence in getting up the table.”
Gomes and his team-mates, for all their inadequacies, did show a lot more fight than in last week's meek 1-0 defeat at Wigan.
Redknapp can have few complaints with their show of character.
David Nugent had given the visitors a second-half lead when a fine run from Armand Traore ended as the ball broke on the edge of Spurs' penalty area to the former Preston striker and his shot deflected off Gareth Bale, who has now equalled Giles Barnes's record of playing 21 games for Derby without winning in the League.
Rather than implode, Spurs roared back and it was Jermain Defoe who got the equaliser against the club he left in a £16m deal just under a fortnight ago. Defoe had been guilty of missing a host of earlier chances but smashed the ball past the hitherto defiant David James to level the match with 20 minutes remaining.
Spurs' late dominance can also, in a large part, be explained by the tactical switch Redknapp made with 21 minutes remaining.
Nugent had operated on the right of Portsmouth's five-man midfield and pushed on to support lone striker Peter Crouch when his side had the ball.
This meant when play broke down, Nugent was caught upfield and there was often space down Tottenham's left but Jamie O'Hara was unable to take advantage.
Although a hugely promising player, the England Under-21 international is a central midfielder by trade and it was only when recognised winger David Bentley replaced Bale to play on the left as O'Hara switched to full-back that Spurs began to take advantage.
The tiring Nugent was replaced by John Utaka but it was the lively Bentley who won that battle.
Redknapp said: “I spoke to him [Bentley] last week and told him what I expect from him and what makes him a player,” he said. “He went out and did that. I think the penny has dropped and we'll see a different David Bentley from now on.”
With 10 minutes to go Darren Bent wasted a glorious chance to win the match — Redknapp even claimed his wife Sandra could have scored.
Bent's days at the club are probably numbered but things are much more settled for fellow striker Defoe, who is determined to get the goals to get Spurs out of trouble.
“We're fighting at the minute and it is tough down there but hopefully I can get a few more to push us up the table,” said Defoe.
Reader views (5)
I'm just glad we missed out on Bellamy, now that would have been a massive mistake. Not sure why we would pay $14 million for an import from South America, especially as last week HR was saying he needed more men in the team? I really don't think HR knows what he's doing, he has a large kitty of money to use and still we hear HR is looking at rubbish to buy. Someone needs to sit HR down and let him know he doesn't have to panic buy, and search out some realistic replacements to mould the team into what he wants. Not just pick up the left-overs from teams who sit at the bootom of the premier league, year after year. I am still saddened by the loss of Martin Jol, a great coach who was harshly treated by our beloved DL.
- Carlos, Brisbane Australia, 20/01/2009 03:38
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Harry is right, there is someone trying to scuttle the ship at white hart lane. As a 50 year loyal Spurs fan I have seen the many ups and downs. Today I am reading the excuses that seem to flow off a top ten list, in case of draw say this. I am starting to get sick of it all when to the many who pay a small fortune for tickets can tell you in one word, or one sentence what it’s all about. Consistency, quit messing with the squad. Get Harry who he wants NOW, get it over with and let’s leave well alone. We want to be entertained, we want to win trophies but for pity’s sake lets be done with all this messing about. Do what you’re paid to do, play, play as hard as you can to the best of your ability every time you dress. We are a shambles in our own half, set piece defending is still a mess and until we get that sorted we just won’t win games. Up front our shots on goal have dropped off again, we don’t run the angles and when we do schemers fail to see the run. Short crosses when our strikers are deep, so we get a second chance and the strikers have come closer and we send the cross long. It’s going to take a long time to get this right and I’m not sure they like to watch themselves in video replays but they should be made to watch in slow motion and see how they like it, they might get the hint.
- Coloney John, Vancouver Canada, 19/01/2009 20:52
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£15 million for Defoe, £14 million for Palacios, offerring £15 million for Downing. No back up keeper, no decent left back, no decent left sided midfield player, only one top class striker. Its desperate, I cant believe Daniel Levy sacked Martin Jol in order to end up like this. At this stage I can only work out a points total of 38 for the season, will that be sufficient to stay up? I doubt it.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 19/01/2009 16:28
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How much more money are Spurs going to spend only to underperform time after time in the league.
- Paul From Enfield, Enfield, 19/01/2009 14:24
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You have one job to do, there is no multi-tasking. You get paid to play football.
Harry get your head right and coach you are with a big team now, act like it.
Stop whinning about other teams motives and money, striaghten out the Fagan board. Go with your gut and stop watching Levy's back pocket. You will not fill a new stadium in the 2nd tier of football.
- Really Fed Up Colin, Late of London, 19/01/2009 13:00
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