Van Der Vaart - Man City feeling the pressure and Tottenham's title chances

[tototoner]

good words again, the boy can speak and play well, hope its infectious at the club

http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...ME=soccer/12/01/13/manual_085651.html&BID=165

Tottenham star Rafael van der Vaart claims Premier League leaders Manchester City are starting to feel the pressure of the title race.

Spurs moved to within three points of Roberto Mancini's leaders with Wednesday's 2-0 win over Everton at White Hart Lane.

City have won just three of their last six Premier League games to enable Spurs to close the gap, and Van der Vaart is confident Harry Redknapp's men are ready to take advantage of the slip-ups when they meet at the Etihad Stadium on January 22.

"They are not so consistent any more," said Van der Vaart. "They have lost a few games recently, and maybe that's a little bit in their heads so we can take advantage.

"It's going to be a massive game and we're really looking forward to it. City have many good players. They have many individual players who can score goals and decide a game.

"But we are more like a team, so it's going to be an interesting game."
Van der Vaart insists Tottenham are a lot better now than the side which lost 5-1 to City at White Hart Lane in August and believes they are now serious title contenders

"We look back at our start to the season and think: 'What if?' But at that moment City were too good," he added.
"We are much better now and I am really looking forward to our game against them.

"After next weekend against City we will know where we stand. But everybody in the dressing room believes we can win the league.

"I think everybody knows Tottenham have a great team and if we can keep playing like this we will be one of title favourites."

 

[Riandor]

It's players like this that are the reason for us being at the top.... winners.

Yes VdV can have a poor game, of course he can, but his desire to win and his mentality are top notch.

Gallas is the same.

Oh and Tototoner I seem to be stalking you and your articles this morning! lol...

R.

Good words by VdV, but its Harry's job to ensure they are equally focussed on the Wolves game.

 

[tototoner]

It's players like this that are the reason for us being at the top.... winners.

Yes VdV can have a poor game, of course he can, but his desire to win and his mentality are top notch.

Gallas is the same.

Oh and Tototoner I seem to be stalking you and your articles this morning! lol...

R.

Good words by VdV, but its Harry's job to ensure they are equally focussed on the Wolves game.

no problem

here is another good article from Robbie Keane on Luka Modric

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/295367/

ROBBIE KEANE says Luka Modric was right not to go to Chelsea because Tottenham are now a bigger club.

Keane will make a return to the Premier League on loan with Aston Villa tomorrow and thinks Tottenham are capable of winning it.

Chairman Daniel Levy and manager Harry Redknapp dug their heels in when Chelsea bid £40million for Modric in the summer and the player wanted to go.

But not any more, says Keane, 31, who will have a two-month spell at Villa and will play against visitors Everton tomorrow.

He is expected to be involved in six games for the club while with them from LA Galaxy.

But he spent last week training with Spurs, where he got an insight into the confidence of a team now third in the table, level on points with Manchester United and three behind leaders Manchester City.

Keane said: “Look at Spurs’ squad strength – they have half-a-dozen players who would walk into Manchester United’s side.

“You have seen Chelsea wanting to get Luka Modric. It might be very difficult to try to convince Modric to go to Chelsea now.

“It is looking like Spurs have overtaken Chelsea. Spurs have top players and they have proved that more so this year.

“Harry Redknapp has had the players there for a couple of years and you can see them gelling together. Spurs are title contenders, there is no question of that.”

Keane scored 93 goals in 238 games for Tottenham in two spells and his family home is in London.

Villa is his 10th club in a 15-year career in which he has attracted some £75m in transfer fees.

Spurs’ north London neighbours, Arsenal, have erected a statue of Thierry Henry, their returning loan hero from American football, and Keane said: “If Spurs win the league title, they will have to put up a statue to Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane.”

 

[McFlash]

Dunno about City feeling the pressure but I know that I am!
Don't want to dare to believe just yet, but I beginning to whipped up by all the hype.
We can fucking do this!!

 

[steventhfc]

Rightly so if we win the title, the man deserves a statue.

 

[SubZero]

This is what we have been lacking for years, genuine belief in ourselves. It's easy to feed fake horse manure to the press, but I really think the players believe now.

We have had pretty good squads over the years, even through the dark late 90's and 00's, but we have seriously underachieved for many reasons. I also think the club has done a good job in getting rid of destructive elements, both in the squad and staff. Just think about how much damage people like Pleat has done to the club, undermining and backhanding, how many years those have cost us.

It's no coincidence that we are doing so well at the time, it's just a matter of having a cohesive unit with everybody pulling in the same direction. We haven't had that for decades. Now get a proper captain, cover for King and Adebachenko and I will never cry again.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Isn't Pleat back at the club? :lol:

 

[ajspurs]

"It's going to be a massive game and we're really looking forward to it. City have many good players. They have many individual players who can score goals and decide a game.

"But we are more like a team, so it's going to be an interesting game."

I like this analysis, so true.

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

MirrorDarren Darren Lewis



Nice quote from Redknapp: "I'd rather my players had a bit of confidence, a bit of front about them now than not." (Press conf this morning)

There really is a confident mood in the camp folks. We feel we can beat anyone and for once that confidence is well placed. So good to hear players like VDV talking is up.