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Tottenham Can Balance Playing In The Champions League & Premier League - Ledley King
Tottenham defender Ledley King insists Spurs can balance playing in the domestic and Champions League...
| Bet: | Returns: | Tottenham £14.50 | Draw £42.00 | Newcastle United £68.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Tottenham £15.30 | Draw £38.00 | Newcastle United £70.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Tottenham £15.00 | Draw £42.00 | Newcastle United £65.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Tottenham £14.40 | Draw £43.30 | Newcastle United £75.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Tottenham £14.50 | Draw £37.50 | Newcastle United £63.60 |
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Sep 9, 2010 1:00:00 AM
By Adithya Ananth
Tottenham Hotspur skipper Ledley King believes that his side can successfully do the balancing act to ensure that playing in the Champions League does not hurt their Premier League campaign.
Spurs finished fourth in the league last season to achieve a qualification spot in this season's Champions League. And having beaten Swiss side Young Boys en route to the group stage, it makes for a historic campaign since it is almost 50 years since the club competed in Europe's biggest club competition.
However, the Champions League also takes a toll on players, as several mid-week games mean that the north London club could be troubled as they were against Wigan Athletic - a game that they lost 1-0 at White Hart Lane - only days after seeing off Young Boys.
King concedes that the team still needs to improve their ability to pull off results in games that arrive in quick succession, but insists that prior experience in the Europa League will ensure that the effect will be minimised.
"We've been in Europe before and we realise how difficult it is when you have the midweek games," King said, according to The Mirror.
"We've got enough international players at the club and we know that, coming off a midweek game at the highest level it can be difficult.
"Too many times people expect Tottenham to slip up and get the kind of result we got against Wigan.
"But to be fair to us in the last couple of years we've come away from that. We've picked up results.
"Because we are such a good side teams will come to White Hart Lane and make it difficult but its up to us to break them down."
He added: "Against Wigan we got caught in between two stools. We were pushing to get the win and we got caught at the same time ourselves.
"But its a balancing act and its something we have to improve on.
"Games like Wigan happen. We didn't really open them up enough, which is something we have to look at and we'll have to look back at the tape to see how we can improve in that aspect.
"But its important that we don't get too carried away either way. Its one of those results and I'm sure a lot of teams will come to Tottenham and try to play the same way so we'll have to find our rhythm."
In the meantime, Spurs have been drawn in a tough group on the European stage, as they have been drawn with defending champions Inter, Bundesliga heavyweights Werder Bremen, and Eredivisie winners Twente.
But the 29-year-old defender insists that Tottenham will not be overwhelmed by their opponents.
He said: "Inter are a top side with top quality internationals. But we played against this sort of side in pre-season. We played against Barcelona in pre-season. We've had a taste of what they are about.
"And we've got international players in our own squad so we won't be going anywhere with anything to fear. We respect our opponents obviously but we've got to show them what we've got as well."
Spurs finished fourth in the league last season to achieve a qualification spot in this season's Champions League. And having beaten Swiss side Young Boys en route to the group stage, it makes for a historic campaign since it is almost 50 years since the club competed in Europe's biggest club competition.
However, the Champions League also takes a toll on players, as several mid-week games mean that the north London club could be troubled as they were against Wigan Athletic - a game that they lost 1-0 at White Hart Lane - only days after seeing off Young Boys.
King concedes that the team still needs to improve their ability to pull off results in games that arrive in quick succession, but insists that prior experience in the Europa League will ensure that the effect will be minimised.
"We've been in Europe before and we realise how difficult it is when you have the midweek games," King said, according to The Mirror.
"We've got enough international players at the club and we know that, coming off a midweek game at the highest level it can be difficult.
"Too many times people expect Tottenham to slip up and get the kind of result we got against Wigan.
"But to be fair to us in the last couple of years we've come away from that. We've picked up results.
"Because we are such a good side teams will come to White Hart Lane and make it difficult but its up to us to break them down."
He added: "Against Wigan we got caught in between two stools. We were pushing to get the win and we got caught at the same time ourselves.
"But its a balancing act and its something we have to improve on.
"Games like Wigan happen. We didn't really open them up enough, which is something we have to look at and we'll have to look back at the tape to see how we can improve in that aspect.
"But its important that we don't get too carried away either way. Its one of those results and I'm sure a lot of teams will come to Tottenham and try to play the same way so we'll have to find our rhythm."
In the meantime, Spurs have been drawn in a tough group on the European stage, as they have been drawn with defending champions Inter, Bundesliga heavyweights Werder Bremen, and Eredivisie winners Twente.
But the 29-year-old defender insists that Tottenham will not be overwhelmed by their opponents.
He said: "Inter are a top side with top quality internationals. But we played against this sort of side in pre-season. We played against Barcelona in pre-season. We've had a taste of what they are about.
"And we've got international players in our own squad so we won't be going anywhere with anything to fear. We respect our opponents obviously but we've got to show them what we've got as well."
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