'Sunderland were better side' admits Spurs boss
HARRY Redknapp had sympathy for Sunderland in the wake of the red and whites' luckless defeat at White Hart Lane at the weekend.
But he wasn't going to accept the Black Cats were robbed by the referee not sending off Spurs' keeper Heurelho Gomes when the Brazilian brought Darren Bent down for a penalty.
The Tottenham manager had to choose his words carefully because the last thing he wanted to do was reignite another war of words with Bent in the wake of the infamous "My missus could have scored that" observation about his former striker.
But it was clear he thought the penalty award was a bit soft, and that the Wearsiders could have few complaints, having been handed a goalscoring opportunity from the spot.
"I can see how Sunderland might feel hard done - they played well on the day and we didn't," he shrugged. "But not in terms of the penalty.
"Gomes said it wasn't a penalty, said he didn't touch him, and he's not the person to say he didn't if he did.
"I honestly think - and it's not because it's happened in this particular game - but generally,I feel that sometimes a forward might just go into that situation where he gets a toe to the ball and can genuinely argue he made a play for the ball.
"In this case, he gets a toe to the ball but is it a sending off? I don't know.
"He got a toe to the ball but would he have scored on his left foot? I don't know. I wouldn't like to bet on it - you just don't know.
"If it had been my player, I would have been saying the same thing. I don't think it should be a sending off.
"I think the penalty is punishment enough, and then it is up to the lad to stick the penalty away."
Redknapp was quick to concede that his players just hadn't been able to get going against Sunderland.
"I started with the diamond formation but it didn't sparkle," he smiled, accepting the moans and groans of the Pressmen.
"I just tried to get my three top strikers in and get three top quality midfielders behind them -I thought it would suit us to be honest because it looked a nice-looking team but it didn't work out for us on the day.
"It wasn't easy though. Sunderland played 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 whichever way you want to box it up - they played with two wide men, one striker and three midfield and if you go up against that with a 4-4-2 you are going to get outnumbered in the centre of the park and Andy Reid is going to start to dominate, so it's not easy.
"We were outnumbered in midfield and Reid and Henderson, the young kid who I liked, looked useful, gave us problems."
Redknapp was happy to pay tribute to Sunderland but was quick to point out Spurs have endured the same agony in recent week.
"In our last game we battered Stoke City who had one shot at goal in the whole game and we got beat 1-0.
"This time our goalkeeper has had a fantastic game and we've been fortunate, but to be fair to us we've played well in the last couple of games and got nothing.
"I thought Sunderland passed it around very well. Very well. They were comfortable and their formation caused us problems.
"We just didn't get a hold of it and pass it in the way we normally do, there's usually a zip about us.
"But you have days like Stoke where you murder them and get beat, and then days like Sunderland where you win the game 2-0 and don't play too well.
"Results can be unpredictable, and as we've seen many times this season, the best team does not always win."
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Weather for South Shields
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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