Source: Daily_Mail
Aston Villa 1 Spurs 1: No substitute for a happy camp, says Redknapp
Harry Redknapp was beaming from ear to ear at the final whistle. The cause of the Tottenham boss's satisfaction wasn't the high-class performance he had just witnessed from his side, but events far closer to home. Inside the visiting dug-out, no less.[LNB]One glance at Redknapp's team sheet for this clash of the top-four wannabes showed £55million of talent sitting on his bench. As any manager will confirm, keeping that calibre of player happy when they aren't starting is half the battle.[LNB]'Jermaine Jenas went away to play for England against Brazil, comes back to us and suddenly he's not playing,' Redknapp said. 'He's in the England team, sees a bit of light with the World Cup coming up and suddenly I'm not picking him. [LNB]Benched: Keane was praised by his manager for the way he handled missing out on the starting line-up[LNB]'He has been fantastic around the place. It's not just him. When we scored Robbie Keane jumped four feet into the air. [LNB]'When I came here last year, the substitutes were sitting there and I don't know if they were even watching the game. There is a big difference in their attitude. [LNB]'Robbie was in the dressing room today, saying, 'Come on lads, let's start well'. We have built that. It comes from the boys.[LNB]'I maintained all along that if we are going to be successful, we need to be like that. I said the other week when Gary Neville was on the bench and Manchester United scored, he jumped up. He's won championship after championship. You need people like that.[LNB]'There is a big difference in our boys' attitude and I've said all along that if we are going to be a team, everyone must pull together.' [LNB]Not that there was much wrong with the starting XI. Just that Spurs committed the cardinal sin against Villa. They failed to clear a James Milner corner and Carlos Cuellar's header was eventually bundled in by Gabriel Agbonlahor.[LNB] Celebration: Dawson (centre) is mobbed by his team-mates[LNB]After that 10th-minute setback, Spurs gained a foothold, then a firmgrip, without finding the equaliser. The first-touch football would,dare we even say it, have left Arsene Wenger purring.[LNB]Michael Dawson eventually produced an equaliser, thumping the ball past Brad Friedel with 12 minutes to go. Martin O'Neill had clearly done his homework. Luke Young will be able to advise Aaron Lennon's family on what kind of aftershavehe wears ahead of Yuletide. [LNB]All smiles: Agbonlahor (left) is joined by Young after the former broke the deadlock[LNB]'We were driven back on our own territory for longer spells than we are used to, due to fine play by Tottenham,' the Villa boss said. 'Usually, we can re-focus and become dangerous, we couldn't get out.' [LNB]Friedel sneaked the man-of-the match award with yet another point-saving display in goal for Villa despite the onslaught, but Cuellar enjoyed one of those afternoons where nothing went wrong. He was involved in Villa's goal, cleared one Dawson side-foot off the line and even deputised as a right winger in the second half.[LNB]'That display will give him massive confidence,' added O'Neill. 'Mind you, the beard is a bit gruesome isn't it? He harbours an ambition to play for Spain. It's no bad thing if it keeps him going. [LNB]'I'm not sure whether the Premier League is aired in Spain. But I think that Carlos will be sending a DVD of his performance out there.'[LNB] FA CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW: Leeds in line for United, West Ham face ArsenalPortsmouth 1 Manchester United 4: Glorious Giggs is far from finishedManchester City 1 Hull City 1: Hughes is safe for now but this is no joke, CityALL THE ASTON VILLA FC
