Dutch master centre stage as strikers again fail to spark

SOCCER:AND SO the curiosity continues. On a night of high-octane drama, when Tottenham Hotspur diced with death and glory, they had every reason to be grateful to Rafael Van der Vaart. His two goals helped to secure a point, the merit of which remains to be seen as the club fight for a fourth place but they were sorely needed as Harry Redknapp's strikers continued to misfire.

It is a small wonder Tottenham have remained in contention for another dose of Champions League football as their recognised strikers have contributed a total of 13 Premier League goals this season. The record reads: Roman Pavlyuchenko seven; Peter Crouch four; Jermain Defoe two and Robbie Keane, in the first-half of the season, zero.

But, if Redknapp has his eye on upgrades in the summer, he can at least revel in the contributions from elsewhere. Gareth Bale, subdued here and eventually knocked out of the action, has been a force but it was Van der Vaart who took centre stage. He was started on the right, as Redknapp accommodated Crouch and Pavlyuchenko, in an attempt to exploit aerial weaknesses in the Arsenal defence.

Van der Vaart is nobody’s idea of an orthodox right midfielder and he did not play like one, drifting inside to seek out the action. Redknapp has had to make concessions with Van der Vaart but it can seem worthwhile when he shows flashes of his mercurial talent. His touch from Vedran Corluka’s pass in the sixth minute was bettered only by the finish, a curling, eye-of-the-needle effort that hit the only spot Wojciech Szczesny did not have covered.

The goalkeeper would be beaten by an even better strike in the first half, from Tom Huddlestone, and Van der Vaart worked him in the second half before he converted the equaliser from the penalty spot. In and around everything were sumptuous backheels and feints. When he is on his game like this, he offers the impression he is still a little kid in the playground.

In the summer, some of Spurs’ targets will be the same, including Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi. The Italian fits the profile chairman Daniel Levy likes in recruits – young, gifted and liable to increase in re-sale value and that the club’s interest in him appears to represent bad news for Defoe.

Defoe has had a frustrating season, with a serious injury on England duty being followed by travails to dislodge Van der Vaart and to score. His only league goals came at Wolves at the beginning of last month. It was a kick in the teeth for him when Redknapp started Pavlyuchenko ahead of him in the Champions League against Real Madrid at home and he suffered more disappointment here. It feels inevitable he will be touted for a move.

Tottenham already loaned out their fourth striker, Keane, to West Ham United, and they hope the east London club can avoid relegation so the deal can be made permanent in the summer.

Crouch and Pavlyuchenko at times last night resembled centre-forwards playing as individuals. How long can they sustain their challenge without more from their strikers?

GuardianService