Cup exit certainly not a blessing for Spurs, says AVB

LONDON: Andre Villas-Boas has hit back at claims that Tottenham’s shock exit on Sunday from the FA Cup is a good thing.

The Spurs boss desperately wants Champions League football for next season.

And with the FA Cup out of the way after the 2-1 defeat at Leeds, it will allow the North Londoners to concentrate on the Premier League.

But AVB said: “We want a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League at the end of the season.

“But it is not a blessing in disguise for us to have been knocked out of the FA Cup.”

AVB made five changes from the team that drew with Manchester United in the Premier League last time out.

Spurs were without hitmen Jermain Defoe, who got up a knock in training ahead of the game, and Emmanuel Adebayor, who is away on African Nations Cup duty with Togo.

AVB added: “There is nothing we could do about either situation with those two players, but I was still happy with the options we had up front.

“And I don’t think that it was a lack of clear-cut chances that has cost us this time.”

But privately, Tottenham’s boss was fuming at the kamikaze defending which cost his side a place in the last 16.

Defensive duo Kyle Naughton and Steven Caulker were badly at fault for Luke Varney’s 16th-minute opener for Leeds.

Then the woeful Caulker was turned inside out by Ross McCormack before the Scotland international striker notched the Championship side’s second five minutes after the break.

When questioned about his side’s defending for the two goals, AVB snapped: “That is a reflection that I want to keep within the group.

“I have my thoughts on it, but they are between me and the players. I don’t want to make it public.”

Villas-Boas also brushed off claims that Tottenham’s lack of a cutting edge up front contributed to their demise at Elland Road.

He added: “It was always going to be difficult for us to get back into this game after we went 2-0 down.”— The Sun, London