Published: 20 Septemer, 2012
OFF THE SHELF with DAN CARRIER

LEFT-BACK Benoit Assou-Ekotto is facing a month out after injuring his knee in training.

The injury will give deputy Kyle Naughton the chance to show his stuff. The right-back was asked to switch flanks against Reading on Sunday and afterwards he said: “I played at left-back a few times for Norwich last season and hopefully now I can carry on playing.

“Towards the end, I was tiring a little and they got in behind us but the more games I play, hopefully the stronger I’ll get.”

The atmosphere at the Lane has improved markedly with the impressive demolition of Reading, which saw two goals from Jermain Defoe and one from Gareth Bale secure a 3-1 victory. Under-pressure boss Andre Villas-Boas said Spurs’ performance – which featured a new look midfield trio of Sandro, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Mousa Dembele – was particularly impressive.

His views were echoed by winger Bale, who said: “We’re not playing the same formation as last year – it’s great. You get to attack more. Villas-Boas is here to build a team, and it’s a new way of playing for us. I think there has been an improvement in every game and you’ve seen that against Reading.”

Meanwhile it has emerged Spurs had a chance to sign Lazio forward Miroslav Klose in the summer. AVB reportedly said: “We were offered him by an agent but I felt we had great strikers.”