Harry hopes rest on causing Real surprise
Spurs may be looking forward to their biggest game in years but there is also a feeling that they are only a couple of blows away from it all going horribly wrong.
A draw at Wigan, proceeded by draws with fellow strugglers Wolves and West Ham and a defeat at Blackpool, leaves Redknapp’s team playing catch-up with Manchester City.
The Spurs manager was able to joke that a Real Madrid scout would not have been too terrified by his team’s performance but he will hope to have a very different side out at the Bernabeu even though Alan Hutton will miss the tie and the remainder of the season as he requires surgery on his knee.
The key indicator is likely to be how Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale, who is expected to recover from a hamstring problem, fare against Real’s attacking full-backs Sergio Ramos and Marcelo.
It will certainly be a different set-up to the DW Stadium where Spurs suffered with a chronic lack of pace and width with Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric on the flanks, while Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko struggled in attack.
“I hope we can give them a big surprise. It is a great game for us and we look forward to it,” Redknapp said.
“But we will have to play at our best to get a result, that’s for sure. I won’t need to lift them. They will all want to play in that game, that’s for sure.”
In truth, they were fortunate to even come away from Wigan with a point after Heurelho Gomes pulled off a fine save from Tom Cleverley before Conor Sammon shot straight at the Brazilian goalkeeper in the closing stages.
It is easy for Spurs fans to have their heads turned with their brushes with Europe’s elite but defender Michael Dawson, who seems to be revelling in his responsibility, admits that Tottenham are in danger of wasting the chance to get back into the competition next season.
“We look forward to these great European nights but our main priority has to be the Premier League and we know we’ve slipped up in recent weeks,” Dawson said.
“We have to get back to winning ways in the league because that’s how we’re going to get back into the Champions League. We know that Real Madrid and these sort of nights at the Bernabeu are a reward for what we did last year in the league.
“So we need to start picking up three points in the league again if we want them again next season.”
A student of the game in his homeland, Spaniard Roberto Martinez feels there is a danger that Real Madrid could underestimate Redknapp’s team and Jose Mourinho has indeed written off Tottenham’s chances.
The Wigan manager believes Peter Crouch could be the key man in the Bernabeu and said: “On the continent, you just don’t have that kind of option that Crouch gives you.
“Technically he’s a very gifted player but with that height and that control he gives you in the aerial game, it gives you a different dimension that teams and centre-halves just aren’t used to on the continent so I think Peter Crouch is going to be a real problem for Real Madrid.’’
Crouch undoubtedly made a big difference at the weekend after replacing the fitful Defoe, while Lennon’s performance also suggested he could be ready to thrive in Spain.
For such a big man, Crouch has found himself belittled by the wily Ricardo Carvalho in the past and although the Portuguese is dismissive of the England forward, the striker is promising to make a big impression on the former Chelsea man.
“I’ve played against him a couple of times and he was at Chelsea for many years,” Crouch said. “He’s a tough defender, of course. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully I will get the better of him.’’
For Wigan, the picture looks bleak despite their youthful and promising front six. They once again showed plenty of invention, with Victor Moses, Cleverley, Charles N’Zogbia and new Ireland cap James McCarthy all impressing, but adrift at the bottom of the table, they now face three away matches, at Chelsea, Blackpool and Sunderland.
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