Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp blames injuries for his side's erratic early form
Tottenham Hotspur currently sit tied for sixth in the English Premier League, but manager Harry Redknapp reckons they could be quite a bit higher up the table were it not for a few injuries.
"It takes a toll in terms of picking up the injuries," Redknapp told reporters. "When you lose three or four players, it very difficult; it's hard to be as good as you are when everybody's fit."
Several key players such as Ledley King, Michael Dawson, and Jermain Dafoe, have already missed numerous games due to injury, and now Dutch midfielder, Rafael van der Vaart is expected to miss their midweek
game with Sunderland as well.
Redknapp compared his team's situation with that of other big teams in the English Premier such as Chelsea and Liverpool by adding, "Every team is the same, and we've had our share recently. One or two
vital players, when they come back, you get stronger again; that's how it works."
Tottenham, who finished fourth last season earning them a spot in the Champions League, know just how difficult it will be to repeat the feat. After a horrendous start to the season, Liverpool have got
themselves back in the hunt recently with a pair of successive wins, and Redknapp also notes how several teams have improved since last year.
"If we're all realistic, a top-four finish is what you're looking for and, if you're doing that, you want Liverpool out the way," Redknapp said making reference to Liverpool's upset of the leaders. Chelsea
over the weekend. "I'd be a liar if I sat here and said I thought it was a great result for the rest of us."
"It's going to be even harder this year to get a top-four place," he continued. "Man City are definitely stronger than last year; they've improved, bought some big players. People wrote Liverpool off a
few weeks ago; I thought that was nonsense because they were always going to come good. To keep them out of the top four is going to be difficult again this year."
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