Hearts salvage pride as Tottenham progress to Europa League group stage

Europa League 2011-12 qualifiers
Tottenham Hotspur 0
Hearts 0

Paul Doyle at White Hart Lane

Tottenham Hotspur's 5-0 victory in the first leg had already rendered this match virtually meaningless, though that did not discourage a near-capacity crowd from turning up to enjoy an entertaining game, but a hectic day of transfer activity made the game even more of a side issue for Harry Redknapp. Just before kick-of Spurs confirmed that Redknapp had brought a successful end to his long hunt for a new striker by completing the season-long loan signing of Emmanuel Adebayor from Manchester City.

Redknapp also secured the signature of the Spanish midfielder Iago Falqué from Juventus, also on loan, and closed in on other targets, including Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra and Liverpool's Joe Cole. What is more, Redknapp claimed that Luka Modric, perhaps the club's most influential current player, has finally agreed to stay at White Hart Lane despite vigorous interest from Chelsea.

Adebayor's arrival is a particular boon for the manager, for whom signing a top-class striker was a priority. Bluntness in front of goal was a recurring problem for Spurs last season, with Roman Pavlyuchenko the only one of their strikers to reach double-figures in the Premier League. Redknapp has never been especially convinced by the Russian, however, and his performance against Heart of Midlothian last night, when he ballooned shots over the bar from promising positions was hardly the way to persuade Redknapp that Adebayor is not needed.

Redknapp also believes that Cole would be a valuable addition. He claimed he has not made an offer for the player but said he "could get him going again" if Cole did not decide to end his unhappy spell at Liverpool and return to his native London. Kenny Dalglish claimed he is not desperate to sell, though having started him only once since replacing Roy Hodgson as the manager in January it is likely that he would not put up too much resistance to a chance to relieve the club of his estimated £80,000 to 90,000 a week.

"If Joe is here [after the transfer window closes], he will be made very much part of it," said the Liverpool manager, Dalglish. "He will not be discarded in any way. I have too much respect for Joe Cole for that."

The deal to sign Falqué is complete. The 21-year-old underwent a medical at Tottenham yesterday ahead of a season-long loan with a view to a permanent transfer. "Iago loves big challenges and this with Spurs is very important," said the player's agent and father Iago Falqué Sr.

With Modric omitted from the line-up against Hearts and several other first-teamers rested, Tottenham fielded an unfamiliar side on Thursday but still enjoyed the better of the game. The visitors did, however, come closest to scoring, when Gordon Smith crashed a fine shot off the crossbar from 16 yards in the ninth minute.

Harry Kane, an 18-year-old striker making his senior debut, had a chance to put Tottenham in front after he rounded the keeper, Jamie Macdonald, and was fouled. The referee decided against showing a red card and Kane would regret that when Macdonald saved his penalty superbly.

The exuberance of the crowd perhaps inspired the players to play at a pace that belied the fact that the contest was over. In particular, Tottenham's Ryan Fredericks dashed delightfully down the right wing and supplied a regular stream of crosses until departing after an hour. Jake Livermore again performed well in central midfield. The 19-year-old Scott Robinson did a similar job for Hearts.

Good defending meant that for all the enterprising intent of the teams, there was scant goal-scoring chances. Hearts' clearest of the second half came in the 67th minute, when Smith found space but headed weakly wide from 15 yards after a neat build-up.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer