Source: Team_Talk
Harry's game needs tweaking
With Jermain Defoe joining Michael Dawson on the sidelines, TEAMtalk's Rob McCarthy thinks Tottenham will now have to rethink their tactics.[LNB] Defoe's ankle problem, which will rule him out for at least six weeks, comes just days after Dawson was also injured on England duty - suffering sprained ankle and knee ligaments in the win over Bulgaria that will sideline him for two months.[LNB]And with Tottenham embarking on one of their most important seasons in decades, Harry Redknapp will have important decisions to make at the heart of the defence and at the fulcrum of Spurs' normally potent attack.[LNB]Defoe was in fine goalscoring form for England, banging in a hat-trick against the Bulgarians and looking sharp again in the win over the Swiss and his absence will come as a massive blow, although it should, in my opinion, force Harry to change his tactics, particularly in the Champions League.[LNB]Redknapp's reluctance to call on Robbie Keane so far this season, and the recent addition of Dutch playmaker Rafael van der Vaart should point to the Spurs gaffer changing from his traditional 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 when Spurs go on the road in the testing weeks ahead.[LNB]Tottenham's only league win to date came when Peter Crouch led the line on his own at Stoke, but the lanky hitman has had his own injury troubles of late and that could see the normally hit-and-miss Roman Pavlyuchenko getting a prolonged run in the side.[LNB]The Russian has been somewhat of an enigma during his time at White Hart Lane but his greater mobility should see him get the nod against Werder Bremen next week, with van der Vaart tucked in behind.[LNB]However, the game in Switzerland against Young Boys, when the north Londoners were 3-0 down inside 28 minutes, will have shown Redknapp that playing his usual attacking 4-4-2 away from home could well end in embarrassment against some of Europe's bigger hitters. So I'm fully expecting the normally gung-ho Harry to be slightly more cautious as Spurs dive in at the deep end of European football for the first time in nearly 50 years.[LNB]I can't help but think that Tottenham also missed a trick by not signing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar during the transfer window - the Holland striker joining Schalke for a paltry £10.5million after being continually linked with a move to The Lane for more than a year. For me he would have been an ideal lone frontman and would have linked up well with Dutch colleague van der Vaart, but that horse has now bolted and Redknapp must make do with what he has.[LNB]In Dawson's absence at the back the experience of former Arsenal man (and yes it hurts to write that!) William Gallas should provide a solid base to work from, assuming Ledley King is fit to partner him - with Sebastien Bassong, Younes Kaboul and Vedran Corluka providing slightly less assured back up.[LNB]Champions League football will also do wonders for some of Tottenham's young talent, with Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone and Gareth Bale all sure to benefit from dining among the elite at Europe's top table. But the absence of Dawson and Defoe at such an important stage of the season is a massive shame for both players but hopefully not a critical one for the club.
