Redknapp hails Cudicini

Jamie Redknapp hailed Carlo Cudicini after the Italian keeper thwarted Tottenham’s bid for a rare victory over Chelsea at White Hart Lane.

Cudicini helped preserve Chelsea’s record of never having lost to Spurs in the Premiership with a string of fine saves to deny Glenn Hoddle’s team.

The pick of the bunch came after 25 minutes when he tipped Redknapp’s volley over the bar, and again just before the hour when he got a hand to Teddy Sheringham’s bullet shot following a short corner.

“I thought I had done him, but he got across well,” Redknapp told Sky Sports Premiership Plus.

“They have been saying what a good keeper he was, but I did not believe them.”

Redknapp’s 25-yard effort came from a well worked free-kick, the England midfielder flicking the ball up before firing in a superb volley over the wall.

He added: “I have been working on that one, getting the technique right. It is so hard for the keeper and I was celebrating, but he made a great save.

“It was a pretty even game. They started the first half well, but we got going in the second and had some chances.

“It was a good game and exciting end-to-end stuff, but we want to break that hoodoo [of not beating Chelsea]. It is not something we are proud of.”

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, Redknapp’s cousin, also felt it had been an exciting encounter which could have gone either way.

He said: “The atmosphere was brilliant and it was a fiercely competitive match and a pretty fair result.

“You need to take chances and one goal would have won it.”

Lampard also had praise for his keeper, adding: “His save from Jamie in the first half was brilliant.

“He did it all last season and is the best in the league.”