{"id":406617,"date":"2011-04-29T07:45:00","date_gmt":"2011-04-29T07:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/29\/rafael-van-der-vaart-back-to-his-best-now-he-must-carry-tottenham-over-the-line-and-into-europe\/"},"modified":"2011-04-29T07:45:00","modified_gmt":"2011-04-29T07:45:00","slug":"rafael-van-der-vaart-back-to-his-best-now-he-must-carry-tottenham-over-the-line-and-into-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/rafael-van-der-vaart-back-to-his-best-now-he-must-carry-tottenham-over-the-line-and-into-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Rafael van der Vaart back to his best – now he must carry Tottenham over the line and into Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

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29 Apr 2011 08:45:00<\/h4>\n<\/p>\n
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\"EPL,Rafael<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

EPL,Rafael van der Vaart,Tottenham Hotspur vs Bolton Wanderers(Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Related Links<\/h4>\n

Teams<\/h4>\n

Players<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

COMMENT<\/strong>
By Richard Parry<\/a><\/p>\n

Chelsea<\/a>, Manchester City<\/a>, Liverpool<\/a> \u2013 all away from White Hart Lane. If Tottenham<\/a>\u2019s end-of-season heroics which saw them claim fourth spot last year was impressive, then achieving it again would be miraculous.<\/p>\n

With Roman Pavlyuchenko the only Spurs striker pushing double figures in terms of Premier League goals \u2013 with eight to his name thus far \u2013 Rafael van der Vaart is pivotal to Tottenham\u2019s sprint to the finish line, as Harry Redknapp\u2019s side go in search of the last seat at the Champions League dinner table.<\/p>\n

More than just a bargain buy, the Dutchman has been the talisman of Spurs\u2019 attacking line. With 12 league goals to his name, Spurs\u2019 No.11 has hit the back of the net more times than Wayne Rooney and Fernando Torres, while sitting level pegging with Didier Drogba and Javier Hernandez. Not a bad return for a midfielder.<\/p>\n

But before his brace against Arsenal in the riveting north London derby last week, the former Real Madrid man had gone seven games without a goal, having been on a run of five goals from his first eight games for the club.<\/p>\n

Away from White Hart Lane the majestic Dutchman has been hit-and-miss all season, finding the net on just three occasions. That said, when Van der Vaart shines on the road Spurs usually triumph, and more importantly the Dutchman is the man who shows two-fingers towards adversity.<\/p>\n

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Finding themselves two-goals down to Arsenal at the Emirates in November, Van der Vaart supplied the pass for Gareth Bale to pull Spurs back into the game minutes after the restart, then fired a penalty past Lukasz Fabianski to level the game, before his 84th-minute free kick found the head of Younes Kaboul to seal a memorable win.<\/p>\n

His two other away-day strikes came at Villa Park. After Jermain Defoe was harshly dismissed in the 27th minute, Van der Vaart was forced to lead the line on his own, bridging midfield and attack with an exhilarating display of stamina in a man of the match display which saw Redknapp\u2019s side claim all three points.<\/p>\n

Of course, the Dutchman has been assisted by the likes of Bale, Luka Modric, and Aaron Lennon in terms of fuelling his side\u2019s attacking thrust \u2013 but the Croatian and diminutive winger have only contributed five goals between them (Lennon three, Modric two).<\/p>\n

It has been the Welshman\u2019s seven league goals which have complimented an understandably infrequent goal return from the Dutch midfielder, but injuries are set to reduce the former Southampton man\u2019s influence in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

A casualty from the 2-2 slip-up to West Brom last weekend \u2013 other than Spurs\u2019 fading top-four hopes \u2013 was the loss of left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto, with the Cameroon full-back expected to miss the forthcoming clashes with Chelsea and Blackpool with a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n

His loss was not only felt by the back four \u2013 having made more interceptions this season than any other player in the league \u2013 but from Redknapp\u2019s attacking charges.<\/p>\n

Bale, who started his career as a flying full-back, was forced to return to his former defensive role, and albeit that against Roy Hodgson\u2019s side the Welshman could still attack the flanks, he\u2019ll struggle to do so at Stamford Bridge, should he indeed start in the role.<\/p>\n

This puts further pressure on Van der Vaart to conjure the magic Spurs needs to finish the season on a glorious high \u2013 or at least be in the running come May\u2019s curtain call \u2013 but following his blistering display against the Gunners last week, it appears that the Dutchman is ready to fight till the death. And how Tottenham will need him to.

Follow Richard Parry on \"\"<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Read the original:
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DOUBLE DUTCH
<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u00a0GGOOD VAN | Nov 20: 3-2 v Arsenal (a)
<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n
7.5<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n“<\/span><\/strong><\/span>You can see why they love him down the Lane“<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n
\u00a0GOOD VAN | Dec 26: 2-1 v Aston Villa (a)
<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n
8.5<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n“<\/strong><\/span>He was always calm in possession and looked a class above anyone else on the pitch“<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0BAD VAN | Mar 19: 0-0 v West Ham (h)
<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n
6.5<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n“<\/strong><\/span>The Dutchman had plenty of sights of goal but he could not beat Robert Green“<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0GGOOD VAN | Apr 23:\u00a0 3-3 v Arsenal (h)
<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n
8.5<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n“<\/strong><\/span>Looked like the Van der Vaart Tottenham signed in the summer, showing wonderful skill“<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n