Saints’ sinners to feel Harry’s wrath
Manager Redknapp insists he never reads the riot act to his players even after they have embarrassed themselves like they did when they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with League One Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday.
But his patience would have been stretched to the limit on this occasion when Henri Camara’s pair of easy goals in the first 35 minutes were totally wasted against gallant opposition.
Now, after Brentford hit back to earn a replay with goals by Isaiah Rankin and Sam Sodje, Redknapp must also address his formation which, on Saturday, comprised three strikers - Camara, Kevin Phillips and Peter Crouch.
Yet again Saints failed to hold on to a lead and Redknapp said: “Sure, I picked an open team and it is a bit of a gamble but two up against a side from a lower division you are entitled to expect to win comfortably.
“A third goal would have killed it but unfortunately it went against us and suddenly we got very edgy. It happens to every side. Two-nil up and then back to 2-1. We’ve all been there.
“Camara is getting all our goals. He is a free spirit and plays everywhere but we’ve got to get our attitude right on Tuesday. Let’s hope we are 2-1 up then and worry about it then.”
Redknapp added: “It will be an edgy game, of course it will. I can make changes and expect I will.”
But he turned out practically his strongest side against Brentford, minus only son Jamie Redknapp, who is struggling to play two games in four days with suspect knees, and cup-tied £2.1 million signing Nigel Quashie.
Finland goalkeeper Antti Niemi is unlikely to return until next Saturday’s home game against Arsenal after his latest knee surgery which has kept him out of the last two games and Paul Smith looks set to continue.
Meanwhile, Craig Levein believes things are slowly starting to turn around at Leicester. The Coca-Cola Championship side booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals courtesy of a last-minute header from Dion Dublin to beat top-flight Charlton 2-1.
The last time Foxes fans had left The Valley it was in despair at the club’s relegation from the Premier League in May 2003 and the uncertainty, both on and off the pitch, which life outside the elite clubs of English football would bring.
Since taking over from Micky Adams in October, former Hearts boss Levein has began to implement his policy of “gradual” change at The Walkers Stadium, looking to build a squad combined with both experience and youth as they bid to mount a sustained assault on promotion back to the big time.
While that may have to wait until next season - the Foxes are in 16th place in the Coca Cola Championship and 11 points off the play-offs - Levein believes signs are positive for the future as the likes of 22-year-old former Rangers midfielder Stephen Hughes, Republic of Ireland full-back Alan Maybury and striker Mark de Vries settle into his squad.
“We are just trying to improve, and the improvement we need has to come about by introducing more energy into the team,” reflected Levein, whose two members of the old guard were on target against Charlton, Nikos Dabizas opening the scoring in the first half and then Dublin won the tie in dramatic fashion.
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