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Harry Redknapp says Tottenham are a match for anyone

Ben Rumsby,Pa
Wednesday 08 December 2010 11:44 GMT
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Harry Redknapp reckons no one will want to draw Tottenham in the last 16 of the Champions League after watching them take the competition by storm in their debut season.

Spurs last night finished Group A as they started it, with a thrilling draw away from home to cap what has been an unforgettable campaign thus far.

No matter how Redknapp's men fare in the knockout stage, the manner in which they have gone about getting there is the stuff of Hollywood.

They will hope to continue the fairytale in February and Redknapp believes there is no reason why they cannot.

"People look at us, especially our home record," he said after Spurs' 3-3 draw at FC Twente.

"We're always dangerous at White Hart Lane and we've got players that can cause people problems.

"With people like Rafael van der Vaart getting fit and coming back in as well and one or two others coming back from injury hopefully in the near future, we've got a good squad of players.

"We can cause anybody problems; we'd give anybody a game, for sure.

"I'm not saying we're going to win the Champions League but I think that whoever we draw, it'll be an interesting game.

"We've got every chance."

Redknapp added: "It was important to win it because the teams that are going to finish top - the Barcelonas, the Real Madrids - they've won their groups."

The Spurs boss insists he will not rein his side in when the competition resumes after watching them produce another thriller to top Group A.

Last night was the latest European goal-fest for Tottenham, who have scored an average of three goals a game but have conceded a mean of almost two per match.

Redknapp defended his approach, saying: "You can't have it all ways. You either play that way or you play with one striker.

"We've gone for it, we have a go.

"We look to score and we look to attack teams at every opportunity. We're open.

"I feel we've got to play people who can score and people who can hurt teams and that's how we've approached the games.

"And, at the end of the day, we've finished top of the group.

"You can't say, 'Well they've conceded goals'; we've scored more goals than anybody.

"If you want us to shut up shop, we can do that and come away and be difficult to beat and stick five across midfield.

"But we don't; we come away and have a go."

Tottenham led last night through a calamitous Peter Wisgerhof own goal but were pegged back by a twice-taken Denny Landzaat penalty.

The same happened when Jermain Defoe netted twice, his strikes cancelled out first by Roberto Rosales and then a Nacer Chadli free-kick.

Redknapp lost Niko Kranjcar to a hamstring strain and Jermaine Jenas to a recurrence of his calf injury - and suspension after he was booked for time-wasting coming off the field.

Redknapp joked: "The sub wasn't ready to come on, so he fell over again."

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