Defoe revelling under AVB

Jermain Defoe has revealed he is revelling in life under Andre Villas-Boas and hopes his goals can fire Tottenham to success this season.

Last Updated: 20/12/12 at 10:50 Post Comment    Bet with SkyBet  Premier League Top Goalscorer 12/13: Jermain Defoe 200/1

Jermain Defoe: Thriving under Andre Villas-Boas

Jermain Defoe: Thriving under Andre Villas-Boas

The 30-year-old England striker has started all but one Spurs' 17 Premier League games this campaign, scoring nine times and 13 in all competitions.

His good form has been reflected by the team, who have won four of their last five matches and sit fourth in the table.

Defoe is now hoping the good performances can translate into silverware and Champions League qualification.

"The new manager has come in and he has shown great faith in me," he said.

"He said to me from the beginning, 'I want you to stay at the club, I know you will score goals'.

"It has been fantastic. I have got my chances, I have scored goals.

"I just want to keep it going, keep scoring more goals and help the team achieve something this year."

Defoe's fine form has forced fellow forward Emmanuel Adebayor into a bit-part role at White Hart Lane this year.

But with the Togo international considering travelling to next month's Africa Cup of Nations, Villas-Boas's dependency on his first-choice forward could soon become even greater.

That is good news for Defoe personally, but for the sake of the team, he hopes Adebayor opts to remain with his club.

He said: "Obviously, for us, we want him to stay here and help us to win games.

"At the end of the day, I can't stand here and say he shouldn't go because it is special when you play for your country.

"It is a decision that Ade has to make himself."

Despite being the spearhead of Tottenham's attack this season, Defoe admits that he needs to improve his defensive play after Villas-Boas held a meeting with his squad in a bid to address their susceptibility to conceding late goals.

Spurs have shipped 10 goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this season, a joint-league high along with bottom side Reading.

That inability to keep things tight late on has cost them dearly, so much so that if matches had ended after 80 minutes, Tottenham would be top of the league.

Defoe added: "There is no point standing here telling you what was said in the meeting because I would be standing for a long time.

"But it is not just the defenders - it's the whole team. It's that famous saying: defend from the front.

"It is something that has happened and is something that we don't want to continue to happen."

Bet with SkyBet  Premier League Top Goalscorer 12/13: Jermain Defoe 200/1

Football365 Facebook Fan Page

The Football365 fan page is a great place to meet like minded people, have football related discussions and make new friends.

Related News

Sky Bet

    • Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds

Most Commented

Readers' Comments

I

m curious as to what image Real Madrid are trying to re-establish as I always thought their pre-Jose image was one of a bunch of a classless bullies tapping up whoever they wanted while living it large on borrowed money they're never going to pay back.

john matrix
Perez Will Spend Big To Forget Jose...

A

t the start of the season, after the RVP transfer, I confidently claimed that Arsenal would finish above United. I now regret it immensely.

Fuzzy_Dunlop
Reflecting On The F365 Pre-Season Predictions

D

aniel Storey generally did very well, going against the City won it last year so they're bound to win it this time grain. As for John Nicholson, I wouldn't trust him to predict correctly what day of the week it will be tomorrow.

Griff
Reflecting On The F365 Pre-Season Predictions

Footer 365

LB: Toffees won't come unstuck

Leighton Baines insists the upheaval of losing manager David Moyes to Manchester United after 11 years in charge will not derail Everton.

Whelan hopeful over Monday meet

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is increasingly confident Roberto Martinez will stick with them to lead their bid to return to the Premier League.

Diego Maradona would relish a role at Napoli, claims Argentine legend's lawyer

Diego Maradona's lawyer says his client would like to be involved with Napoli, who are currently without a manager.

Mail Box

More Scared Of Losing AVB Than Bale...

We thought we would have to resort to another mailbox about maths but we've had some grand opinions about Man United, Newcastle, Tottenham and more. Oh and maths...

An Ode To Rafa And Loads More Mails...

We have one Chelsea fan who recognises the job done by Rafa Benitez while there's maths from Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester. And Shawcross to Arsenal? Nah...

© 2013 British Sky Broadcasting Ltd. All Rights Reserved