Redknapp relief as 'special' Modric given the all clear
West Bromwich Albion 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1
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Your support makes all the difference.Just when Tottenham Hotspur thought they might be calling on the Under-17s to supplement their dwindling squad for their Champions League campaign, they were given some reason for cheer on the injury front yesterday when a scan on Luka Modric's leg that he hurt against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday showed no damage.
"Luka Modric will travel with the squad for our opening Champions League group match at Werder Bremen [tomorrow] after x-rays of his left fibula came back clear," read a club statement. "He was forced off with the injury at West Brom and will continue to be monitored prior to being made available for selection on Tuesday."
His manager Harry Redknapp wil be delighted as after Saturday's game he had feared losing Modric for some time. "He's an amazing footballer, so I hope it isn't too bad," Redknapp said. "You always have special players and Modric is one who makes a difference. He could play in any team in the world. He is a top player. You can't replace him."
Redknapp must have been just have pleased with the impact made by his new signing Rafael van der Vaart, who played a part in the goal and, like the referee Howard Webb, made a favourable first impact here since the two were in close proximity amid the card-waving frenzy that was the World Cup final.
Van der Vaart played behind lone striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, featuring heavily in one sublime early move scuppered by Aaron Lennon's wastefulness and setting up a 49th-minute one-on-one chance from which Scott Carson denied Gareth Bale brilliantly.
"That position suits him, so I hope to see what a quality player he is," Redknapp added. "It will take a few weeks but I might try to get 60 minutes from him in Bremen. That in-between position makes him difficult to pick up."
Van der Vaart outshone William Gallas, who was skinned by Marc-Antoine Fortune in the build-up to West Brom's equaliser, the impressive Peter Odemwingie also figuring as Chris Brunt headed his 50th League goal.
Any first-half inferiority complex Albion had disappeared during an upturn that took them close to victory, Carlo Cudicini saving splendidly from Jonas Olsson and Odemwingie late on. Since opening with the drubbing at Chelsea, West Brom have conceded just two goals. Early though it may be to praise Roberto di Matteo for discovering the resilience that eluded his predecessor, a promising platform is being erected. "We have played against a top side and gone from 1-0 down to deserving to win the game," said goalkeeper Scott Carson.
Match facts
West Brom 4-1-4-1: Carson; Jara, Tamas, Olsson, Shorey;Mulumbu; Odemwingie, Scharner (Reid, 73), Brunt (Barnes, 78), Thomas; Fortune (Tchoyi, 86). Substitutes not used Myhill (gk), Ibanez, Bednar, Cox.
Tottenham 4-2-3-1: Cudicini; Corluka, Gallas, Kaboul, Bale; Palacios, Huddlestone; Lennon (Crouch, 77), Van Der Vaart, Modric (Kranjcar, 32); Pavlyuchenko (Keane, 63). Substitutes not used Pletikosa (gk), Jenas, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto.
Booked: West Brom Jara, Brunt Tottenham Gallas.
Man of the match Odemwingie.
Possession WBA 46% Spurs 54%.
Shots on target WBA 8, Spurs 9.
Referee H Web (S Yorkshire). Attendance: 23,642.
Match rating 8/10
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