INT Tottenham Hotspur

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Harry unwilling to take Carroll 'gamble'

Harry Redknapp has admitted he was priced out of a move for Andy Carroll and was unwilling to take a £35 million "gamble" on the striker, while Giuseppe Rossi also proved out of his reach on transfer deadline day.

Spurs undertook a frantic late attempt to sign a new striker at the end of January, and were reported to have failed with a £25 million bid for Carroll before he eventually left Newcastle to join Liverpool on transfer deadline day.

Redknapp and his chairman Daniel Levy were unwilling to sanction that kind of spending and another offer for Villarreal and Italy forward Rossi fell through due to the Spanish club's demands.

"Carroll was too dear; he's a real prospect and could turn out to be a bargain," Redknapp told talkSPORT. "No one knows how he's going to do at Liverpool but he's certainly got the potential to be a top player.

"I've got Crouch though and he's done great for me, and it wasn't simply the case of throwing £35 million at one player, it would have been a big gamble. It could come off but it wasn't one that we were prepared to take.

"We tried and had some targets but when there are crazy, crazy sums of money being asked for players and then the wages are ridiculous and in the end we just couldn't pull anything off, it wasn't through lack of trying though.

"To be honest, I wasn't that desperate though, we've got good players here and if it was someone who was going to be better than what we had I was quite happy to sit tight. If we could have got that special player then we would have got him, we tried to get people like Giuseppe Rossi but the transfer fee and the wages were just too much."

Meanwhile, Redknapp has said that Gareth Bale is only a week away from first-team football, but Tottenham will not hurry Luka Modric back to action after surgery.

Bale has missed Spurs' last three matches after struggling with a back injury, but has returned to training and is expected to be fit in time for Tottenham's trip Sunderland next Saturday.

"Gareth is coming on okay," Redknapp said. "He's training today, running and he should be back for next weekend."

Redknapp is hopeful Modric will be back in two weeks' time, but admitted the Croatian, who had his appendix removed earlier in the week, could be out for longer.

"Luka shouldn't be too long, he should be back within two weeks, hopefully," Redknapp said. "We'd like him to be available [for AC Milan game], but if he's not, we won't rush him into it. We have to make sure he's right."

 

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Redknapp regrets Van Bommel snub

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has said that he regrets his decision to turn down the chance to sign Holland midfielder Mark van Bommel last month.

Van Bommel, 33, attracted interest from Liverpool as well but opted instead to join AC Milan after being allowed to leave Bayern on a free transfer. Now Redknapp claims he could have been a valuable addition.

''I could have took Van Bommel, it was probably a mistake - perhaps I should have taken him,'' Redknapp said. ''It was a difficult one and I dragged my heels with it. I took my time over it, too long and we didn't do it in the end.

''He would have been a good player for us. Tom [Huddlestone] has had a setback and Van Bommel was on a free, he has signed a five-month contract at AC Milan. He gives you experience, he's been there, played Champions League final, World Cup final. He is a proper player for sure but that's how it goes. We could go back for him.''

Redknapp admits he was surprised at the fees that changed hands last month, but insists that Tottenham can keep up with their big-spending competitors in the market.

''I had a look at [Edin] Dzeko last year and they were talking £50 million and that was too dear, then suddenly he looks cheap at £27 million,'' Redknapp said. ''Ronaldo doesn't look dear at £70 million when you look now. How much is [Lionel] Messi worth I wonder? He's got to be worth £1 billion.

''I think we can compete though. We have good players here - Gareth Bale is a £50 million player. If you can find them they are out there.''

 

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Tottenham 2 - 1 Bolton

Forgotten man Kranjcar the hero

Substitute Niko Kranjcar struck in injury time to give Tottenham three vital points on a compelling afternoon of action-packed football at White Hart Lane.

It was a spectacular 25-yard strike from the Croatian who has struggled this season to impress manager Harry Redknapp.

The victory keeps Tottenham in the chase for a Champions league place but it was harsh on Bolton, who deserved something after levelling through Daniel Sturridge 10 minutes into the second half following a first period which saw Tottenham handed two penalties within 60 seconds.

Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart netted the first but missed the second after being ordered to retake it by referee Mark Clattenburg, who had spotted players encroaching into the area.

But that hardly tells the story of a game which saw two teams intent on attacking at all cost.

The match could hardly have begun in more spectacular fashion with referee Clattenburg pointing to the spot after just five minutes.

It was a bizarre incident. Peter Crouch rose high to send a header goalwards, which Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen managed to scramble away but only to Vedran Corluka on the ground.

The Croatian tried to play the ball in but it struck Kevin Davies, who was also in a prone position, on the hand.

Van der Vaart stepped up to coolly plant the spot kick past Jaaskelainen.

Less than 60 seconds later the referee was pointing to the spot again after Sam Ricketts hacked down the speeding Aaron Lennon as he slalomed into the area.

Up stepped Van der Vaart once more and once again he planted the ball high to Jaaskelainen's right to send the net rippling. Unfortunately, this time Clattenburg had spotted Wilson Palacios, among others, encroaching into the area.

He ordered the kick to be retaken and this time Van der Vaart went for the same spot sent the ball the wrong side of the post.

In hindsight Van der Vaart should probably have allowed Jermain Defoe to take the 'third' kick but he is a confident man who probably believes he is going to score from the spot every time.

To say that the first half was lively was something of an understatement. The teams could easily have gone in 4-2 at the break after Bolton's Johan Elmander rapped the Tottenham crossbar with a powerful header.

Crouch, too, had several chances to extend Tottenham's lead and in injury time he was the focal point of another penalty decision.

This time it was Bolton's Mark Davies who was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area from a Crouch header and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot once more.

Fortunately for Bolton the assistant referee's flag was raised, having spotted Crouch in an offside position before the hand ball offence occurred.

Judging by penalty calls and chances alone it would be easy to think it was all Tottenham. It wasn't. There is more culture to Bolton these days under Owen Coyle.

They are much more than a long-ball team even if much of their attacking threat still goes through big striker Kevin Davies.

The arrival of Sturridge from Chelsea promises even more enterprise and the striker was a constant menace to Tottenham's defenders.

It was no surprise when he came up with the equaliser.

It was a neat, flowing move with Mark Davies carrying the ball deep into the Tottenham half before feeding Sturridge who opened up his body to send a left-foot shot swerving under goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who might have done better.

There were yet more appeals for a penalty when Gary Cahill went tumbling in the Tottenham area under a challenge from Pienaar. Bolton appealed for the penalty and there did appear to be contact but the referee instead booked Cahill for diving.

Jermaine Jenas hit the Bolton post with a stinging free-kick after 63 minutes and Tottenham would have retaken the lead but for a superb point-blank save by Jaaskelainen from new signing Steven Pienaar, who had come on at half-time.

It looked as if Tottenham would have to settle for a point, until Kranjcar stepped up to smash home a winner which might yet be worth millions to Tottenham.

 

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Coyle blasts Clattenberg

Bolton manager Owen Coyle pointed the finger at referee Mark Clattenburg after his side were beaten 2-1 by Tottenham at White Hart Lane by a spectacular injury-time winner from Niko Kranjcar.

He insisted his side should have had a spot kick when Gary Cahill was tripped by Steven Pienaar: "It was a stonewall penalty. The lad's left his leg out, Gary's tried to step over him to get his shot away.

''To compound that and to book Gary Cahill for simulating which, let's not beat about the bush, what he is saying is that Gary Cahill was cheating in trying to gain an advantage of a penalty, that's one thing that lad would never do.

"It was one each at the time. In the second half we were terrific and scored a good equaliser and at one each we were well placed to go on and win the game. But for that not to be given. There was also a challenge on Lee Chung-yong when he stepped on the park, we could be here all day.''

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp appeared to have some sympathy with Coyle. Redknapp said: "From where I was sat I thought the ref had given a penalty. It might well have been a penalty. If it was a penalty we've got away with it.''

Redknapp, however, was more interested in saluting Kranjcar after for his spectacular 25-yard winner. He revealed German club Werder Bremen had bid £8million for Kranjcar in the transfer window last month.

Redknapp said: "He didn't want to move and I didn't want to push him out. Last year he was one of the players of the season. He trains hard, he has a great attitude, he doesn't spit his dummy out when he is not in the side and you need good people.

"He trains every day of his life as if his life depends on it. It's hard for him. We've got Gareth Bale and Lennon and Luka Modric and it's difficult to guarantee him a regular place.''

Redknapp's one concern was a calf injury which saw Van der Vaart replaced at half-time by Pienaar. Van der Vaart will miss Holland's international in midweek but Redknapp is hopeful he will be fit for the Champions league match against AC Milan the week after next.

Redknapp believed Tottenham should have wrapped up the match in the first half after being give those two penalties. Redknapp said: "It was an amazing start. If we had converted the second penalty it would have made life easier. How many times do you see a penalty retaken? You would retake every penalty if you looked at that too carefully.

"But Bolton never gave up and both sides played a very open game. They could have finished us off. It took great ability from Niko to finish the game.''

Coyle added: "It's hard to take when you come to Tottenham and go toe to toe with them and show real quality and for those players to leave with nothing after the quality they've offered is disappointing.''

 

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King set for training return after surgery

Tottenham captain Ledley King is around two weeks away from a return to training after undergoing groin surgery in Germany this morning.

The England defender has not played for Tottenham since limping off during his side's 2-1 win at Fulham last October and was sent last week for the operation, which took place this morning.

A statement on Spurs' website read: "Our club captain will fly back home later today and is expected to return to training in two weeks.''

The 30-year-old's persistent knee problems have forced him to undertake a limited training programme in recent years, with manager Harry Redknapp voicing the opinion that his latest injury stems from that ongoing condition.

Younes Kaboul is another ongoing defensive absentee after knee surgery, but the return of Michael Dawson and William Gallas from suspension and injury respectively have eased any potential headache for Redknapp in that area.

Jonathan Woodgate is also approaching fitness after a long-term groin problem of his own and has been added to Spurs' 25-man squad for the second half of the season.

 

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Bale fails to travel to Milan

Gareth Bale has not travelled with his Tottenham Hotspur team-mates for Tuesday's Champions League second-round tie with Milan.

A back injury has prevented Bale from making the trip to Italy and he will be sorely missed for the first leg at San Siro - the venue at which he scored a brilliant hat-trick against Inter in the group stages of the competition.

Speaking on Sunday evening, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said Bale would, in all likelihood, be unavailable for Tottenham's first fixture in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

"I'd like to be able to scare Milan and say he's going to be available, but he's not," he told Sky Sports News. "He's struggling to get over this back injury.

"The specialists don't see too much of a problem there. There's nothing that should keep him out too long. They looked at Crouch's back and he has an epidural and Gareth had similar problems. Crouch's looked an awful lot worse.

"Gareth's has taken a little bit longer to heal. We've got to make sure he's right. He's a young lad and he's very important. He's got a great future in front of him. He doesn't feel he's ready to play.

''We leave it to him. At Sunderland he worked with the fitness coaches on Sunday morning and when they started to push him a bit he couldn't go on. We've got to take our time and make sure he's right when he comes back."

 

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Five Ways Tottenham Can Beat Milan

1. Niko can Bale out Spurs

If aliens landed on Earth in the days after Tottenham's victory over Inter in the group stages, they'd have thought that Gareth Bale was a stronger force than gravity itself, such was the hype.

Yes the Welshman was brilliant in the two games against the champions, but he is not the be and end all of this stylish Spurs side.

While obviously his loss is a huge blow, in Niko Kranjcar there lies a replacement firing on all cylinders at the moment. The Croat has scored the two winning goals in Tottenham's last two games and is playing like a man determined to make an impression after being put in the shop window in January.

Milan can not afford to think they have the edge just because Bale is out of this one.

2. Drop Defoe and play positively

Not because he's a bad striker, but because it simply doesn't make sense to play him from the off on his own.

At the San Siro, Redknapp surely has to go for a five-man midfield with Sandro and Wilson Palacios both holding down the fort in the middle and Rafael van der Vaart linking midfield and attack while helping himself to the knockdowns and flick-ons of either Roman Pavlyuchenko or Peter Crouch.

Defoe's pace can be well utilized from the bench, if needed, to test Alessandro Nesta, while encouraging Kranjcar and Aaron Lennon to tuck inside and get to the byline respectively should ensure that Milan's midfield triumvirate have to drop deep and lose territory.

3. Frustrate and stay close to Zlatan

The Swede has been stunning for the Serie A leaders, netting 18 goals (some of them typically brilliant) this season.

Technically outstanding and packed with power, the man on loan from Barcelona must surely be one of the most difficult players to mark when on form. But for all his footballing genius, Ibrahimovic can often allow the reckless side of the mind to overtake the more cerebral.

If he can be forced off his game through a combination of tight marking and a denial of service, he could end up strutting around like the cocky kid at school who knows he's great but just won't muck in when it gets a bit tough.

But even if he is off his game, William Gallas must get close and his partner in defense must be alert to any deft flicks that can slip through Pato or Robinho.

4. Exploit the absence of Pirlo and Van Bommel

Neutrals ought to rue the absence of the brilliant Andrea Pirlo as much as they should the underrated genius of Luka Modric.

A deep-lying playmaker who possesses a Xavi-like composure and a Xabi Alonso-like passing range, there is no direct replacement for Massimiliano Allegri to call upon.

Also missing will be winter recruit – and Tottenham target – Mark van Bommel, who is ineligible to play in Europe after playing for Bayern earlier in the campaign. The hard-hitting but often unheralded enforcer will have fancied his chances against a Modric-less midfield.

Van der Vaart's natural instinct to play between the lines of midfield and defense should, up against the waning powers of Gennaro Gattuso and Mathieu Flamini, open up chances for his team-mates and an away goal could swing this one totally in Tottenham's favor, with Modric expected to be fully fit for the return game.

5. Keep Robinho quiet

The Brazilian endured an indifferent stint in England with Manchester City, a club he clearly never wanted to sign for, but his innate ability has shone in Serie A, where a slower, less physical game has allowed him to flourish.

Some would say he's the weakest of Milan's brilliant front three, but his tendency to drift wide and find pockets of space should make him a menace throughout.

If Spurs can keep the Brazilian quiet, they may cut the supply lines to the sensational Ibrahimovic and Pato.

Sumber

 

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AC Milan 0-1 Tottenham

Tottenham took control of their Champions League tie with AC Milan thanks to Peter Crouch's late winner at the San Siro.

Crouch tapped home from 12 yards after a blistering burst of pace from Aaron Lennon unlocked the Milan defence to seal the win with a vital away goal.

 

[rafont]

tahniah...
sunyik jer umah ni

 

[TXT]

Tahniah spurs sbb berjaya menang kat san siro
kita jumpa lg kat WHL lak