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INT Tottenham Hotspur

Bale shares Redknapp's title dream

Gareth Bale has joined manager Harry Redknapp in claiming Tottenham should be considered as "serious contenders" in the race for this season's wide-open Premier League title.

Flying winger Bale has helped fifth-placed Tottenham to within five points of Premier League leaders Manchester United at the turn of the new year, his latest goal helping Spurs get past Newcastle this week.

Along with United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, Tottenham form part of a clear top five in a race no one has appeared to want to lead this season and following Redknapp's ambitious claims in recent weeks, Bale has agreed Tottenham would be doing themselves an injustice to right off their hopes of topping the pile come May considering the progress they have made on the pitch.

"You can see how confident we are," Bale said in the Guardian. "Even playing with 10 men, we just attack all the time. We are right in the mix in the table and there is no reason why we can't push now for the title. We are all close, we fight for each other on the pitch, we all get on and that shows on the pitch. That's why the results are coming in.

"Every game at the moment is massive, with all the top teams picking up points. We have to make sure we stay in the mix and we are there at the end of the season. There is no reason why we can't be serious contenders. We have a great squad and are putting in great performances."

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has agreed that Tottenham must be considered a title threat, saying the top teams' constant dropping of points in this strange season has opened up a genuine five-horse race.

"The title race is open for four or five teams to go and take it," he said in the Sun. "But we want to be that team."
 
Redknapp considering January options

Harry Redknapp has revealed Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has urged him to invest in a player who can "make the difference" in January.

After finally breaking into the Champions League last season, Spurs have been tipped as potential title contenders this time around with the likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric all in fine form.

Levy is apparently now eager to ensure they continue their forward momentum by bolstering the squad but, although agent Barry Silkman claimed on Friday that Redknapp was close to sealing a loan deal for a player in Spain, Redknapp has played down expectations over new arrivals.

"The owner would like me in all honesty to go and spend his money and buy somebody who could make the difference, but I don't know where that player is," he said.

"I know where they are but they're not for sale - we can't go and buy the people that you'd put your life on. Anybody who's got anybody who's real top class, they don't want to sell them at this stage of the season.

"We're not in the situation where we need to panic buy. Unless it's somebody who's going to make a difference to the team then we really wouldn't bother."

He added: "We've got good players. We've got players that are getting better, which is great. Bale, what a year he's had. Luka Modric, he's just been incredible. You've got Van der Vaart here now who's come in and, when he's been fit and playing, has just been fantastic.''

It remains to be seen, though, whether the current squad is capable of replicating last season's fourth-place finish.

"Not being disrespectful to the other teams but, the position we're in, it really is beginning to look like it could be the five teams pushing for the Champions League places," Redknapp said.

"Who are you going to knock out? You're not going to knock Man United out, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City ... it looks like we're going to finish fifth, having said all that!"

He added: "We want to be right up there challenging to get into the Champions League next year and even higher if we can."
 
tahi gila team ni... dah 10 game in row tak kalah. benci lak aku tengok. dah start nak klesemen ke hape ni...
 
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