Redknapp: Nuno must fix Tottenham's set piece woes for Arsenal derby

Harry Redknapp claims Nuno Espirito Santo has the ‘dream’ job managing Tottenham but urges Spurs coach to fix their set piece woes ahead of Sunday’s crunch derby with Arsenal

  • Tottenham travel to Arsenal for Sunday afternoon’s crunch north London derby 
  • Harry Redknapp believes Nuno Espirito Santo has the ‘dream’ job at Spurs 
  • The ex-Tottenham boss has urged Nuno to sort out his defensive set piece woes
  • Redknapp also claims Tottenham’s squad is much better than Arsenal’s this week

Harry Redknapp has described the Tottenham manager’s role as a ‘dream’ job in football but has urged Nuno Espirito Santo to sort out Spurs’ set piece woes ahead of Sunday’s north London derby with Arsenal. 

Tottenham head into this weekend’s Emirates Stadium showpiece event with the Gunners in questionable form, suffering back-to-back 3-0 defeats to Crystal Palace and Chelsea to dampen their early form.

Redknapp, who managed Tottenham to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2010 right in the middle of his four year stint at White Hart Lane, has played down any talks of a Spurs crisis at present and claims Nuno is a ‘great’ and ‘attacking’ manager.

Harry Redknapp (above) claims Nuno Espirito Santo has the ‘dream’ job managing Tottenham

Nuno (middle) is preparing his Spurs squad for Sunday’s north London derby at Arsenal

‘The Tottenham job is a fantastic job – oh my god I am dreaming of it,’ Redknapp told The Sun. ‘A megabucks new stadium, a fantastic training ground and superstars in the squad, wow being manager of that club is a really great job.

‘Nuno is a good man and a great manager offering exciting, free-flowing, attacking football, but when your side gets beat it’s natural for a few cracks to show.’

Along with recent injuries to the likes of Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura, Nuno’s Spurs have also shown a weakness from set pieces, with two goals in the crushing derby defeat to Chelsea coming from Blues defenders Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger from corners.

Spurs have suffered back-to-back league defeats and have shown a weakness in set pieces

Tottenham made it three goals conceded from corners in the space of a week in their Carabao Cup victory over Wolves on Wednesday, with Leander Dendoncker stealing a march on the Spurs defenders for his side’s first goal of the evening.

Redknapp believes Tottenham’s squad is stronger than Arsenal’s ahead of Sunday’s derby but is baffled by Nuno’s defensive set piece tactics of late.  

‘Of course they’re going to be conceding at set pieces when they’ve got Dele Alli marking the likes of Thiago Silva,’ Redknapp added. ‘I thought it was very strange for Nuno and his backroom staff to sit in the dressing room before the Blues clash and make that call.

‘He’s identified set pieces as a weakness in his team, but then he’s putting Alli up against Silva, who wants to come and head the ball for his life. 

Redknapp was baffled with Spurs’ set piece play in their 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea last week

Redknapp claims Tottenham’s squad is much stronger than Arsenal’s ahead of Sunday’s derby

‘In my mind the North London Derby is an opportunity for Tottenham to show why they should be challenging for the top four. Nuno mentioned injury problems, but having [Harry] Kane, Son [Heung-min] and Alli in your forward line, you should be cementing your place in those Champions League spots.

‘The Arsenal back line will be looking at them ahead of (Sunday’s) game and wondering how they’ll cope, because it’s been hard work for them at times this season. 

‘A lot of it will come down to whether the Gunners can raise their game, because there’s no doubt Tottenham have a much better squad.’




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