Dembele should have started, says Johnson

Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson thinks Andre Villas-Boas missed a huge opportunity on Saturday by starting Mousa Dembele on the Tottenham bench.

Villas-Boas is still waiting for his first win as Tottenham manager after the London club drew 1-1 with Norwich in a very poor display at White Hart Lane.

The Portuguese asked the club’s fans who booed them off at half-time, and at the final whistle, to be patient following the draw, which could well have been a defeat had it not been for an excellent performance from goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The Spurs boss cited Dembele as one of the reasons to be optimistic after the £15 million (€19 million) signing excelled when he came off the bench, scoring Tottenham’s opener after 68 minutes.

The Belgium international tore Norwich apart on the opening day of the season for Fulham in a 5-0 thrashing and Johnson admits the Canaries players were delighted to see the 25-year-old was not in Villas-Boas’ starting XI on Saturday.

“It was good to see him on the bench, it was a relief because he’s a world-class player, ” said Johnson. “He changed the game for them when he came on.”

The enthusiasm that greeted Villas-Boas’ arrival appeared to be slowly eroding at White Hart Lane on Saturday and it was easy to see why.

Tottenham endured a difficult start to the 2011-12 season, but unlike last term, this team on current form looks like having no chance of replicating the 13-match unbeaten run which propelled the north London club to near the top of the Barclays Premier League.

Tottenham club captain, Michael Dawson, dropped to fifth-choice centre-back following Villas-Boas’ arrival, had been told he could leave for QPR before the deal fell through on Friday.

Dawson was not on the Spurs bench on Saturday, but Villas-Boas has challenged the England centre-half to win back his place in the team following a serious knee injury to Younes Kaboul.

“We have chatted,” the Portuguese said.

“There is extreme competition for that central defence position. Younes’ operation will take him out for three to four months and it is up to Michael to compete.”