Published: 4 April, 2013
by DAN CARRIER

SPURS play three massive games in two weeks starting today (Thursday) with the Europa League quarter-final tie at White Hart Lane against Swiss Champions Basel – and they’ll have to do it with only Emmanuel Adebayor available as an out-and-out striker.

Jermain Defoe was ruled out of the double-header against the Swiss team and will also miss the crunch league game against Everton on Sunday.

But, with his current form garnering only one goal in 15 appearances, his loss may not be the disaster it first seems – and Spurs boss Andres Villas Boas said his team was confident of showing good form for the last nine league games and a potential cup run all the way to the Europa League final in Amsterdam on May 16.

He said: “We wanted to get back to winning ways after the two defeats and to do it in Swansea is a massive achievement for everyone.

“We started very strongly, showed our ambition and belief and then tried hard to score the third goal to put us completely safe; but we couldn’t and then we had to fight hard in the last 10 minutes.

“The result proves the winning mentality this team has. It’s never easy to hold on against a team that plays so well, knows how to hold the ball, and creates so many attacking options.”