Spurs to do it for Harry

Posted on November 2, 2011 by SoccerCapper

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp may not be travelling with his side to Russia but the north London outfit will be expected to get something out of their Europa League clash with Rubin Kazan on Thursday (Rubin Kazan 8/11, draw 11/4, Tottenham 7/2 in the match betting).

The Spurs manager has been forced to have an operation on a minor heart problem and has not been able to travel with the side for their European night.

However Redknapp should not have too many concerns about his side, who have been playing some exciting, attacking football in recent weeks.

The Lilywhites do come up against a Rubin Kazan side which has proved difficult to beat in Europe, with even Champions League title holders Barcelona learning to their cost.

Spurs sit top of their group and a point in the heart of Russia would be a decent result for the Premier League outfit.

Stoke City will have endured an exhausting week of football, as they get set for their second of three games this week against Maccabi Tel Aviv (Maccabi 15/8, draw 23/10, Stoke 7/5 in the match betting).

A long trip to Israel will be the last thing the Potters wanted after they were on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline at the Britannia Stadium on Monday, before they take on Bolton Wanderers this Sunday.

The Staffordshire outfit are yet to taste defeat in Europe this term and will come up against a Tel Aviv side who are yet to win in the competition this season.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis and his men should be able to seal all three points in Israel, but a lot will depend on how the team copes with the hectic schedule.

Fulham are in the midst of arguably the closest group in the Europa League this term, with just four points separating top and bottom in the table.

Martin Jol’s side looked strong in their 2-0 away victory over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium last weekend and a return to Craven Cottage will also be welcomed.

Fulham’s strikers are starting to prove their worth with the likes of Andy Johnson, Bobby Zamora and Moussa Dembele scoring goals in recent weeks.

With the London outfit coming up against bottom of the table Wisla Krakow, Jol’s men should seal all three points in this one (Fulham 4/11, draw 7/2, Wisla Krakow 17/2 in the match betting).

Birmingham City continue their journey in Europe from their base in the Championship with a home clash with Club Brugge (Match Prices – Birmingham 11/8, draw 12/5, Club Brugge 15/8).

The Belgian outfit go into this game on the back of a thrilling 4-5 defeat at the hands of Genk in their domestic league but still sit in fourth place in the table.

Birmingham were frustrated in their last outing in a 0-0 with Brighton on theweekend but will go into this game with confidence after a decent run of results.

The Blues sit top of their group in the Europa League but look set to struggle against a Brugge side who have plenty of experience in Europe and should come away from St Andrew’s with all three points.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

How Harry can earn his Spurs

Posted on January 11, 2011 by SoccerCapper

Tottenham have taken most of the tabloid headlines so far in the January transfer window with their move for David Beckham. But Harry Redknapp is never one to rest on his laurels and will bring in new faces during the month, but which ones could make a real different and help Spurs (28/1) take that next step and win the Premier League title?

The revolving door at White Hart Lane will be busy as it looks likely that Robbie Keane, David Bentley and possibly Niko Kranjcar could be on their way out, but the bigger question bothering Spurs fan must be: who will come in? And can they help them win the big prize? The signing of Beckham would undoubtedly increase shirt sales but might make little difference on the pitch, so who could really help make Spurs genuine title contenders?

Gary Cahill

One signing who could make a huge difference to help Spurs is Gary Cahill. The Bolton defender has been a revelation in recent seasons and it is no surprise to see his name linked with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal (10/3 to win Premier League title).

Cahill, 25, has been very impressive during his time at the Reebok Stadium and he looks a defender who could be a star at club and international level for years to come.

Harry has prided himself on having quality English talent among his Spurs squad and arguably he would have the best English centre-back pairing around if he had Cahill alongside Michael Dawson.

At this point in time there are a lot of defenders at White Hart Lane, but with constant question marks over Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate when it comes to fitness, William Gallas when it comes to age and temperament and the questionable quality of Younes Kaboul, then getting Cahill’s signature would benefit Spurs not just this season, but for years to come.

Andy Carroll

Up front Spurs’ strikers have not sparked as you would expect. Jermain Defoe can score goals but does little else, while Peter Crouch is good in the air but struggles to really score consistently. So Harry should sign someone who can do both and there is no better in the Premier League at the moment than Andy Carroll (8/1 to be top Premier League goalscorer).

While there may be questions about the Newcastle striker’s off-the-pitch antics, there is no doubting the new England man’s qualities when it comes to football. He has terrorised the best of defences in the Premier League so far this season and can offer more to Spurs than Crouch, Keane or Roman Pavlyuchenko.

A big-man, little-man combination of Carroll and Defoe – with Rafael van der Vaart in the hole behind and Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon like lightning on the wings and getting balls in the box – would make Spurs (11/8 for a top-four finish) a potent attacking force, giving Harry the best attack in the entire Premier League.

Leighton Baines

This may sound daft, but there is some good logic behind it. Benoit Assou-Ekotto is an able enough full-back, but if anything happens to him Harry will have to bring Bale back into defence. This would be hugely detrimental to Spurs’ attacking potential, so the best thing the gaffer could do would be to sign a quality left-back.

There are not many of these around at the moment and Baines at Everton certainly catches the eye, and he is also handy with a dead ball.

Harry has been linked with his Toffees colleague Phil Neville, but if he seriously wants a quality left-back then he should look no further than Baines. He could be the first choice at White Hart Lane, allowing Assou-Ekotto to provide cover.

Add these three top-notch English Premier League stars into the squad already assembled at Spurs (13/2 to win FA Cup) and they would have the quality and strength to win silverware this season.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Carlo and Harry rue missed chances

Posted on December 5, 2010 by SoccerCapper

Both Carlo Ancelotti and Harry Redknapp have bemoaned their sides for slipping up after they threw away one-goal leads in their respective games, leaving Chelsea (7/4 Premier League outright) two points behind league-leaders Arsenal and Tottenham (40/1) three points off fourth.

Chelsea could have gone back to the top of the league on Saturday with a win, with Manchester United having seen their game with Blackpool called off due to a frozen pitch at Bloomfield Road.

However, it was another lacklustre display by the Blues and, despite taking the lead through Didier Drogba, they couldn’t maintain their slender advantage as Everton’s Jermaine Beckford rescued a point for the Toffees.

It was the least Everton deserved after a battling display but Chelsea will be left to rue yet another poor display which means they have won one of their last six league encounters.

Under-pressure Ancelotti has admitted Chelsea need to get things sorted quickly but with games against Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal to come Chelsea need to rediscover their form quickly.

“It’s difficult to understand. We have had a lot of injuries but now we have some of them recovering and they played today, like John Terry and Michael Essien,” said the Italian.

“I think they did well. Now we have to work on getting (Frank) Lampard back and work harder than we have done recently.”

As Chelsea struggle for a win, Tottenham’s recent run of good form hit something of a stumbling block as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Birmingham, despite having taken the lead.

St Andrew’s isn’t quite the fortress it was last season and Spurs could have put the game to bed had they taken their chances. With Manchester City (4/11 top four finish) having beaten Bolton (40/1) 1-0 at Eastlands, Spurs (15/8) find themselves with a three-point gap to make up if they want to return to the Champions League next season.

Redknapp says he wasn’t happy settling for a point as he believes Tottenham can beat anyone this season and claims three points was there for the taking against Birmingham.

“I fancy us to play anybody. I really thought we’d come here and win,” said Redknapp. “I was disappointed in the end because I thought there was three points here for us.

“While two of London’s premier clubs were struggling Arsenal enjoyed a great day at the Emirates Stadium for once as they climbed to the top of the league with victory over Fulham.

The Gunners are now top for the first time this season and are priced at 10/3 to win the league, thanks to Samir Nasri’s double against the Cottages.With Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie having struggled with injuries Nasri has stepped up and been Arsenal’s star man thus far, scoring 11 goals in all competitions.

Manager Arsene Wenger was quick to praise the French midfielder after he saved his side yet again.

“It’s always difficult to compare,” Wenger said when asked whether he thought Nasri had been one of the Premier League’s star players this season. “But what is important when you are a manager is you want to get the best out of a player and I always was a strong believer in him.

“Many people questioned me when I took him here but he is showing that he is an exceptional talent and I think there is more to come from him. While life is going swimmingly for Arsenal, things at the bottom for Wolves got a lot gloomier on Saturday as they were hammered 3-0 by Blackburn.

That result moved Wolves (4/7 to be relegated) to the foot of the table, courtesy of their goal difference, and manager Mick McCarthy was his usual black and white self as he took aim at his side’s poor defensive performance.

“We started the game really well as everyone knows who watched it and then defended badly,” said McCarthy. “We just had a bad day defensively that’s for sure because we had chances.

“But that doesn’t matter when you’re three goals down.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

No fear, Harry tells Tottenham

Posted on October 31, 2010 by SoccerCapper

Harry Redknapp has told his Tottenham players to have no fear when they go to Manchester United on Saturday determined to prove they can mix it with the Premier League heavyweights (4/7 Man United 14/5 draw 5/1 Tottenham – 90 minutes betting).

Whisper it quietly to seasoned Tottenham followers, but you have to go back to 1989 to find the last time the north Londoners won at Old Trafford – just five months after Gareth Bale, who could be rested, was born.

It is an unwanted record Redknapp wants to shake off if Tottenham want to seal another place in the Premier League top four.

The White Hart Lane boss said: “Our league position is really the key because we need to finish in that top four if we want to be in the Champions League again.

“It’s important that we keep trying to pick up league points, even though we’re going to a great stadium with a special atmosphere and great tradition.”

Tottenham have failed to win any of their last 25 meetings with United in all competitions and Redknapp accepts it is a statistic which has to change.

He added: “It’s always a massive game and hopefully we will go up there and perform.”

Redknapp has admitted he is toying with the idea of wrapping Bale in cotton wool ahead of the visit of holders Internazionale FC in the Champions League on Tuesday (4/9 Tottenham – Uefa Champions League Group A – To Qualify).

He said: “Gareth Bale is fine but we’ve got two big games and I’ll look at it.

“He’s had a real hard spell of playing game after game and internationals. He had a few days off and went abroad – to Cardiff!

“He could have gone away but he wanted to spend a bit of time with his family.”

Tom Huddlestone will miss the trip north to take on Sir Alex Ferguson’s men because of an ankle injury, while Ledley King, Vedran Corluka, Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson, Jamie O’Hara and Jonathan Woodgate are all out.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Harry Happy with Euro start

Posted on September 15, 2010 by SoccerCapper

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was pleased with his side’s start to their first-ever Champions League campaign despite seeing a 2-0 lead slip away (Spurs 33/1 to win the Champions League).

The Londoners started brightly and were ahead after just 12 minutes when Werder Bremen’s Petri Pasanen scored an own goal under pressure from Peter Crouch.

The England international then doubled Spurs’ lead just six minutes later with a headed goal and Redknapp’s men dominated the opening exchanges.

However, Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida managed to reduce the deficit with two minutes of the first half remaining as he headed past Carlo Cudicini after the Spurs defence had switched off.

The German outfit were level moments after the restart when Marko Marin launched a fantastic effort past Cudicini from 20 yards as Spurs relinquished their lead.

Both sides had chances to win the game, with Werder Bremen perhaps enjoying the better opportunities, but neither could find the breakthrough to take all three points.

Redknapp was pleased with his side’s display, despite seeing a two-goal lead slip away, and praised the first-half performance.

“I think that first 42 minutes was as good as you could ever see us play, we were fantastic,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.

“We came out, passed the ball as I’d asked them to do. We kept the ball and opened them up time and time again.

“The second goal – what a great header,” Redknapp added. “It was great play and a fantastic finish by Crouchy, and overall I was delighted with how we played.

“We’d have taken a point before we came but being 2-0 up and in complete control, as we were, obviously it’s disappointing not to have won.”

Inter Milan and Dutch side FC Twente are the other two teams in Spurs’ Group A and the reigning champions could only manage a 2-2 draw with FC Twente in Holland.

FC Twente had managed to take a 2-1 lead over Rafael Benitez’s men – thanks to a 31st minute own goal from Inter’s Diego Milito – but Samuel Eto’o came to the Nerrazurri’s rescue with an equaliser just before half time.

Elsewhere, Spanish duo Barcelona and Valenica were both in fine form.

Barca secured a 3-1 win at the Nou Camp over Panathinaikos and Valenica ran riot with a 4-0 win over Bursaspor in Turkey, while Portuguese side Benfica secured a 2-0 victory over Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

Arsenal take on Portuguese outfit Braga at the Emirates tonight (Arsenal 1/4, draw 9/2, Braga 11/1), while Chelsea travel to Slovakia to face minnows MSK Zilina (Zilina 12/1, draw 5/1, Chelsea 2/9).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Harry hails Euro stars

Posted on August 26, 2010 by SoccerCapper

Harry Redknapp said he always believed Tottenham were capable of reaching the Champions League after seeing his side (40/1 – Champions League outright) overturn a 3-2 first-leg defeat to beat Young Boys 4-0 and reach the group stages of the competition.

The north London outfit now join rivals Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and SPL champions Rangers in the hat for Thursday’s draw.

Tottenham have been placed in pot three, along with Rangers, and are destined to be paired with either last year’s winners Inter Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan or Lyon.

They cannot face another English side yet and as such will be paired with one of the European super powers mentioned above.

However, Tottenham (5/2 – Premier League top-4 finish) won’t mind who they are paired with after finally returning to Europe’s top competition following a 49-year absence.

The group stages alone are worth £11million to each club involved, with last season’s champions Inter Milan eventually being given £40million for winning the competition.

Spurs’ qualification for the first round had been in doubt heading into Wednesday’s game, with Young Boys holding a 3-2 lead from the first leg of the tie.

However, Tottenham quickly drew themselves level on aggregate thanks to Peter Crouch’s header and from then on never looked back, dominating the Swiss side.

Crouch eventually completed his hat-trick while Jermain Defoe got the other as they won 4-0 on the night, 6-3 on aggregate.

Spurs’ entry into the Champions League completes a remarkable turnaround by Redknapp, who took over at White Hart Lane two years ago with the club languishing at the foot of the Premier League.

The former West Ham, Portsmouth and Southampton manager says he always believed he could get Tottenham into the Champions League and claims this is where the north London club belongs.

“I always felt it was possible. Tottenham were a club which had underachieved for a long time,” Redknapp said.

“The potential was here if we could get the players, and it is not as if I have bought a new team, it was just about instilling a bit of confidence, getting them playing and maybe changing their attitude in some cases. They responded and we have ended up where we have.”

Redknapp went on to give further joy to Tottenham fans by claiming that Defoe (22/1 – Premier League top scorer) might not need surgery on an injured groin muscle after all.

The England striker started the game on Wednesday having revealed earlier in the day that he would need surgery after the match to correct a long-standing injury.

However, Redknapp has played down those fears, claiming Defoe didn’t feel any pain during his time he was on the pitch.

“Now he is saying he might not need it,” he added.

“We are in the hands of the medical people, but he said he did not feel anything tonight.”