Jamie Redknapp on Sunday's game.....
Harry Kane has lifted Tottenham to a different level - and they'll have too much for a Crystal Palace side missing their two best players, says Jamie Redknapp.
I wouldn’t have predicted Tottenham’s 5-3 win over Chelsea and I wouldn’t have predicted how they have done of late at the start of the season. I didn’t feel they were capable of beating anyone by scoring five, let alone a Chelsea side. But something’s clicked with them.
The manager, Mauricio Pochettino, is starting to implement what he wants but one person has changed the whole emphasis of a side – and that person is Harry Kane.
"When you have a forward like Harry Kane who leads from the front, chases lost causes and shows energy, it’s amazing how infectious that can be to the rest of the team."
Jamie Redknapp
That’s not to say Tottenham are a one-man team but he’s added so much energy and vitality to Spurs. People love the effort he shows but I’d be doing him a disservice to say he just runs around because there’s a lot more to Harry Kane than that. His five goals in his last five Premier League games show that.
But when you have a forward who leads from the front, who chases lost causes, runs beyond, comes short and shows energy, it’s amazing how infectious that can be to the rest of the team.
Chelsea have got it with Diego Costa. When he works hard it gives everybody a lift. If he goes and presses somebody, everybody else presses. He leads from the front. That’s what Kane gives Spurs: a shot in the arm.
People like Christian Eriksen have thrived playing alongside him. At the start of the year they had Roberto Soldado – who is just not good enough for Tottenham – and Emmanuel Adebayor. Kane is such a contrast and he’s injected energy into the team.
Since he became first-choice striker in their game against Stoke, Spurs have won six and drawn two of their 10 Premier League games. Yes, Spurs are playing a high line, have hit form and benefitted from late goals, but Kane is the catalyst. He’s made a real difference to the team.
Now Tottenham need to kick on. They’ve got a good manager there and if Tottenham want to progress they need to give him the opportunity to get some players in. If they do that, they might be on to something again.
Live on Sky Sports
Crystal PalacevsTottenham Hotspur
C Palace v Tottenham
January 10, 2015 4:45pm
Sky Sports 1 HD
Get a Sky Sports PassUpgrade to Sky Sports
And that’s what the Tottenham fans deserve. For too long they’ve been messed around and seen their best players sold. But you look at this guy and he knows what he’s doing, he has got the team organised and wants to play good football, which is what the Tottenham fans want to see. And I think he’s doing this with a squad that isn’t quite good enough for the top four.
He’s got them into the equation for the final Champions League qualifying spot behind Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project and Manchester United, now he needs some support from the board in January to capitalise on that.
Missing
Spurs come up against what I’d call a danger side on Saturday Night Football, in Crystal Palace – although they’re playing them at the perfect time.
That’s because Yannick Bolasie and Mile Jedinak, their two best players, are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup, respectively.
These mid-season tournaments drive managers mad – you’d think the organisers could find a better solution – and that pair will be a huge loss.
Skilful Bolasie can always make something happen, while I’m a big fan of Jedinak, who is irreplaceable at set-pieces, organises the team, is their leader on the field and could have been the one to get around Eriksen and stop him playing.
Their absence tips this fixture in Tottenham’s favour, for me. Yes, Wilfried Zaha has similar attributes to Bolasie, but the Spurs players will look at the Palace team-sheet and get a huge boost, knowing those two aren’t available.
Spurs are full of confidence anyway, on a roll and I expect them to take all three points from Selhurst Park.
Watch Crystal Palace v Tottenham live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Saturday Night Football from 4.45pm