Headache for Harry as Defoe does his bit

JUDGING by his reaction, it will take more than a start against West Brom and a few nice words from Harry Redknapp to appease Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.

“I haven’t got any patience, it’s difficult if you are not playing but that’s it,” Defoe remarked when questioned about how he has coped with the switch from first-team regular to understudy this season.

“If your head goes, then you aren’t going to give your best. If you are playing and you are angry then you are not concentrating. It’s been frustrating.”

The Premier League has seen few better goalscorers than Defoe in its time, yet it has not been sufficient to earn the England international a starting berth, with Redknapp preferring the power of Emmanuel Adebayor and poise of Rafael van der Vaart.

Yet hours after manager Redknapp warned QPR to forget about prising Defoe out of White Hart Lane, the diminutive forward, given his chance in the absence of the injured Dutchman, demonstrated why he remains an indispensable member of this Spurs squad.

With the contest finely poised at 1-1 and Adebayor having failed to beat Ben Foster with three second-half efforts, it was left to the man who has delivered time and time again for the north London club.

Redknapp said: “It’s difficult, he’s not happy. You keep talking to him but it’s hard to convince him. He’s not silly, he wants to play. He’s a bit low at the moment not playing.

“It’s up to him now. He has got in, now I have a problem. When Rafa’s fit he’s got to get back into the team.

“We’re not in a position where we could let him go. If we’re looking to be up there or thereabouts you need strikers. Pav [Roman Pavlyuchenko] might want to go in the window so then you’ve got two strikers — Adebayor and Defoe, then Rafael who plays in the hole.”

Spurs continue to cement their Champions League credentials with each week and this fifth consecutive Premier League victory left them in third place, just two points adrift of Manchester United with a game in hand.

It is they, not Arsenal or Chelsea, who look like London’s principal rival to the might of the two Manchester clubs and there is no question Redknapp has the squad at his disposal to sustain a challenge.

Albion actually started the stronger, however, and they deservedly led after 10 minutes when Steven Reid’s first-time cross was glanced beyond Brad Friedel by Youssouf Mulumbu.

This was not in the script for Spurs, who were also a without Luka Modric because of an illness.

An injury to Zoltan Gera upset the home side’s rhythm, however, and soon Spurs were level.

A Nicky Shorey shirt tug on Aaron Lennon was punished with a penalty and, although Adebayor’s initial effort was saved, he bundled in the rebound.

Adebayor had chances to put Spurs ahead in the second half but the Baggies spurned a glorious opportunity of their own with 13 minutes remaining when James Morrison cut back to the unmarked Chris Brunt, who blazed over.

It was a key moment.

Just four minutes later Adebayor’s flick on the halfway line sent Defoe away and he lashed a stinging low shot inside the left post.

Then, with the game stretched, Younes Kaboul’s clearance found Gareth Bale, who set up Adebayor for a simple second.

Baggies midfielder Morrison, who along with Thomas saw a penalty claim waved away, said: “We’d just like to see a bit of consistency from the referee, maybe he didn’t get the major decisions right.

“Last season we had a sticky patch in December. We don’t want that again.”