Defoe sets trophy target

JERMAIN DEFOE is full of confidence following a run in the starting XI and wants score the goals to end Tottenham’s search for a trophy.

The 24-year-old has scored 11 in his last 10 starts and feels he is getting a rhythm to his game now after Spurs manager Martin Jol rotated his strikers earlier in the season.

Robbie Keane is out for at least another two weeks with his knee injury and Mido is having trouble with a groin complaint, so Defoe is set to continue his blossoming partnership with Dimitar Berbatov against Liverpool at the weekend.

The England striker admits his frustration whenever he is on the bench but has underlined his commitment to Spurs by revealing his determination to bring the first trophy to White Hart Lane since 1999.

“My football is important to me,” he said. “I want to do well and win games, I want to win something here. It would be good for the fans and everyone.

“At the end of the day, everyone wants to play football. If you’re not playing it’s difficult. You want to play and show everybody what you can do. You want to be a part of it, particularly when the club are going places. You want to contribute and I feel I’m doing that now.

“When it’s stop-start and you’re in and out the team it’s difficult to get a rhythm. But now I’ve got a rhythm and I’m timing the runs well and getting the chances to score.”

Defoe’s rhythm has also helped him walk the fine line of staying onside on the shoulder of the last defender, a part of his game previously highlighted for improvement.

“It’s like Thierry Henry when you look at his statistics of being offside,” Defoe added.

“I look at players like that, all the great forwards in the league, I watch a lot of football and it’s important to time your runs.

“Berba’s scoring goals at the minute too, and every game you go into you believe you can score and you’re just waiting for your chance. When it comes along you’ve got to take it.”

Berbatov set up both of Defoe’s goals in the 2-1 win over Aston Villa, a result which extended Spurs’ run of home wins to 12. Jol’s men are seventh in the Premiership, in the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup and in the last four of the Carling Cup after Defoe fired them to victory against Southend in the previous round.

“There were a lot new faces that came in the summer who were getting used to each other,” explained Defoe.

“We had a slow start to the season but we’re really picking up now and we’re looking forward to the next game, against Liverpool.”

Spurs lost at Anfield in September but have only been defeated three times since, with their recent form reviving hopes of possibly challenging for one of the Champions League places they missed out on last season.

“The team have had a good month,” said Defoe, who has enjoyed a good month himself after scoring his 50th goal for Spurs.