Harry Redknapp says that Ledley King is a "certainty" to go to the World Cup. What Tottenham fans and Redknapp dont know, and wouldnt know until tomorrow, is either the centre-back will be fit for the clubs greatest diversion in 4 years: the Champions League showdown with Manchester City.
Redknapp, the Tottenham manager, has been in unchanging hit with Fabio Capello about Kings fitness this season. As everybody by right away is well aware, the dodgiest knee in the Premier League blows up "like a balloon" after each game. The England physical education instructor has been positive that with 6 days in in between his sides initial dual organisation games and five in in between the second and third, King could be a utilitarian piece of the patrol in South Africa. Redknapp, who is additionally watchful for a indicate on Heurelho Gomess groin, had 3 and a half days at most appropriate to get his captain ready to face Roberto Mancinis men.
The Spurs physical education instructor loves to regard the skills of Luka Modric, the intensity of Gareth Bale and the jaunty goalkeeping of Gomes, but the one player he wants in his group each diversion but cant have is King, interjection to that knee of his. And if he could have him for one sold diversion it would be for what is, effectively, a play-off to finish fourth and get in to the last subordinate turn of the Champions League.
Win it and interjection to the one-point value Spurs take in to the game, they will be piece of European bar footballs chosen foe for the initial time in 49 seasons. If they draw, afterwards their predestine is still in their hands for their last diversion of the deteriorate at Burnley. Lose, and they need West Ham to do them a foster opposite City on Sunday.
Redknapp was in an unenviable on all sides at the weekend. He knew he longed for King for dual of the last 3 games, but picking him opposite Bolton meant using the risk of losing him for the City game. If he had complacent King but unsuccessful to kick Bolton, afterwards carrying his man fit for Wednesday competence be irrelevant. So he chose King on Saturday and since Spurs unsuccessful to set up on Tom Huddlestones piledriver of a idea from twenty-five yards, he had to let King fool around the total diversion to safeguard victory, all the whilst meaningful his knee was suffering.
King essentially faced Owen Coyles realistic side notwithstanding pang from flu, but spoken himself fit. Redknapp said: "He was unequivocally ill on the sunrise of the diversion and the alloy was around his house. He pronounced he"d give it a go. That is how he is. He usually plays by it. Hes a illusory player and a good guy. I think he will go to the World Cup. I spoke to him [Capello] about 6 weeks ago. He asked "hows Ledley, hows Ledley, hows Ledley?""
"Imagine what he would have been similar to if he didnt have those injuries. Imagine. Its frightening."
Whether they have King or not on Wednesday, Tottenham have been in this on all sides before. On the last day of the deteriorate 4 years ago, a win opposite West Ham would have put them in the Champions League at the responsibility of Arsenal. What happened subsequent became well known as "lasagne-gate", as what was ostensible at the time to be food poisoning deprived Spurs of multiform first-team players at Upton Park. They lost, Arsenal won, and Spurs longed for out.
Huddlestone, who scored usually his second joining idea of the deteriorate opposite Bolton, was one of those struck down. Although he wasnt certain about preparations for their pre-match catering this time Redknapp betrothed bagels and duck soup Huddlestone knows his team-mates wish to banish the mental recall of that failure. "Theres still utterly a couple of players here right away who were here in 2006 so we know the hurt. Even though that was 4 years ago theres still a nucleus, so we"ve got to hopefully put it right this time. It was harmful really, to be that close. We know what we"ve got to do and hopefully we can do it." Having a King for a day or a night in this example will positively help.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Gomes; Kaboul, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; Bentley (Lennon, 74), Huddlestone, Modric, Bale; Defoe (Crouch, 72), Pavlyuchenko (Gudjohnsen, 87). Substitutes not used: Alnwick (gk), Jenas, Palacios, Bassong.
Bolton Wanderers (4-4-1-1): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Weiss (Chung, 61), Muamba (Gardner, 78), Wilshere, Taylor; Klasnic (Elmander, 61); K Davies. Substitutes not used Al Habsi (gk), Samuel, M Davies, Ricketts.
Referee C Foy (Merseyside)
Booked: Bolton Robinson, Taylor, Wilshere
Man of the match: Gomes
Attendance: 35,852
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