Source: Daily_Mail
Tottenham 3 Blackburn 1: Capello, you must wish Bale was English
[LNB]England managers have wondered what might have been had Ryan Giggs not been born Welsh. If Gareth Bale continues in such sparkling form, Fabio Capello could well start thinking the same about the Tottenham youngster. [LNB]With first-choice left back Ashley Cole injured and Steven Gerrard not a natural on the left wing, Bale's ability to do an effective job in either position would be of great benefit to Capello. [LNB] Double act: Spurs consolidated fourth thanks to Defoe and Pavlyuchenko[LNB]Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp said: 'If he was English, he'd be inthe England team, for sure, because he could solve two problems. He'son a march now. He's a lot tougher and he had that stigma of God knowshow many games without being on the winning side at Tottenham.'[LNB] Setting that record of 24 matches without a victory could not havedone much for the confidence and neither did nasty ankle, foot and kneeinjuries. [LNB] [LNB] Master marksman: Jermain Defoe hit his 23rd of the season to put Spurs 1-0 up[LNB]Then there was his £5million price tag and the expectation itcreated following his move as a 17-year-old from Southampton threeyears ago. Now Bale is starting to fulfil his promise. [LNB] 'He's only a boy still and you expect so much from them,' saidRedknapp 'There was a spell when he used to get a little knock and he'dlie on the floor in training every day. [LNB] Red-hot: Roman Pavlyuchenko scores his first goal[LNB]'Now he's different. He looks hard, he looks stronger, he's bigger,he's filled out, he's lightning quick, he's 6ft 2in and he heads it. Hetakes people on and he's a great crosser of the ball. It's all there.' [LNB]Another glowing reference came from Michel Salgado, the veteran Blackburn right back, who was given a torrid time by Bale. [LNB][LNB] Fizzing wide: Spurs' Gareth Bale goes close[LNB]You do not spend a decade at Real Madrid without knowing a goodplayer and Salgado said: 'Bale has good pace, the quality to cross and,for me, he is a complete player.' [LNB]MATCH STATS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-4-2): Gomes 6; Corluka 6, Dawson 8, Bassong 6, Assou-Ekotto 7; Kranjcar 7, Palacios 7, Modric 6 (Gudjohnsen 89min), Bale 8; Pavlyuchenko 8, Defoe 6 (Crouch 82).BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-1-4-1): Robinson 6 (Brown 25, 6); Salgado 5, Samba 6, Givet 5 (Di Santo 74, 5), Chimbonda 5; Nzonzi 6; Emerton 5 (Andrews 62, 5), Dunn 6, Pedersen 6, Olsson 5; Kalinic 7.[LNB]Man of the match: Gareth Bale.Referee: Howard Webb. [LNB]Salgado was not so impressed by what he felt were two dives by Balein the box. 'There was contact but he was diving,' said the defender. [LNB]Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce was equally unimpressed with refereeHoward Webb, who should have given Rovers a penalty when David Dunn wasfouled by Vedran Corluka. [LNB]Allardyce was also fuming at his defence after they left JermainDefoe unmarked to grab Tottenham's opener. Goalkeeper Jason Brown, onfor calf injury victim Paul Robinson, then let a drive from RomanPavlyuchenko squirm under him. [LNB]Blackburn pulled one back via a Christopher Samba header, butPavlyuchenko took his tally to eight goals in the last six games byturning in Bale's driven cross.[LNB] When Nikola Kalinic saw his volleyed strike incorrectly disallowedfor handball, any hopes of Blackburn avoiding a 11th away defeat weredashed.[LNB] 'I didn't see our one away win because I was in hospital,' saidAllardyce. 'I'm sure the staff and players are going to say: "Gaffer,why don't you just stay away and see how we get on?".'[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] England worry as Redknapp admits winger Lennon is 'way off' being fitSpurs dash Celtic's hopes of signing loan star Keane on permanent dealTottenham 3 Blackburn 1: Defoe and Pavlyuchenko boost push for fourthTOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC
