‘Arry.
And he let Defoe know it after it took some of the gloss off Spurs 2-1 away win over his and the player’s old club Pompey.
Jermain can be like that. At times he has to learn to curb it. I couldn’t have told him more. I sat him down at half-time and said to him: ‘Don’t do anything silly. We can’t afford to go down to 10 men here. Don’t let us down’.
But he let himself down, he let us down as well. He could have cost us the game. The way he reacted, it was disappointing. I gave him a rollicking in front of all the lads, to be fair. I said to them all before the game that there was a lot of hype around this match. Anyone who’s going to get carried away and start kicking and fighting people, that’s not what we’re here to do.‘Arry Redknapp
So a straight red means three missed games, Stoke in the league next weekend, Everton in the Carling Cup – may not have played anyway – and then worst case scenario the scum in the league following that.
You prize prannet JD, maybe we should have played the new striker that the 5Live reporter announced before the game, Dermain Jefoe, I’m sure he wouldn’t have bothered with that pretty pathetic “stamp”. A cheap shot yes but he didn’t exactly follow through with it and will it be the same penalty handed out to Robert Huth of Stoke for his blindsiding forearm smash round Upton’s head?
Anyway back to the game, like so many in ‘Arry’s year in charge a typical Spurs game bar one important feature the end result. Dominate the first part of the game, have plenty of chances but only take one, strangely manage another goal later on then be under the cosh at the end. But whereas before when conceding one would lead to an equaliser or even a winner Harry has instilled a certain amount of resilience that has seen the winning position hung onto until the final whistle.
Yes they rode their luck, Gomes doing his best to show why he got the Octopus nickname with some outstanding saves but then mixing the sublime with the ridiculous and having his David James’ moments. Though I know which I’d rather was wearing the no.1 jersey after the January transfer window. Yeah I know a change of heart over the big Brazilian since his early days, much like ‘Arry…
Gomes was absolutely fantastic. When he first joined the club, Tony Adams (then assistant to Redknapp at Portsmouth) told me that Spurs had signed one of the best keepers in the world. Tony knew him from his days in Holland.
When I took over at Tottenham it didn’t look that way, but he’s really looked the part since then. He came back from injury against Preston in the Carling Cup and he was even better that that and in training he’s looked great as well. It was a hard decision to leave Carlo out because he’s done well, but Gomes is fit again and he was terrific for us, a top, top goalkeeper.‘Arry Redknapp
Also helped by the inability of Pompey’s striker Dindane, though I’m sure when he missed that first half sitter – open goal couple of yards out, toe poke over the bar – he wasn’t helped by that crown there is to the pitch in the penalty area.
I can see why they would want to take Dos Santos again, after a failed summer bid, maybe a loan deal would work out for all concerned and then ‘Arry would be happy to bring him back like he did with Defoe, Keane, Shimbomba. And hopefully he’ll do it when O’Hara’s loan ends, he’s not someone we can let go of lightly especially when Palacios misses games because the junta orders him to stay in Honduras and celebrate. The Pompey goal had a certain rig to it, Kaboul to Brown to Boateng but funny how even they won’t go for Jenas.
I can’t see Dos Santos being given the role to fill in for Defoe in the games he’ll be missing from the England man will have to hope no one makes a compelling case to keep the spot it could have a detrimental effect on his summer trips being on the bench unless he’s one of those that fall out with Fabio’s criteria of being a first team regular.
An added bonus ex-Spurs Darren Bent’s assist for the only goal as Sunderland beat Liverpool…
Steve Bruce said only a “saddo” would know the rule in that situation, well we certainly wouldn’t expect an ex-player and current manager to know a rule would we. But maybe Steve could answer one question was Pugwash actually saying “Calm down, calm down” when Bruce took objection to his watch pointing and looked like he might thump the Spaniard.