Top class Shearer too hot for Spurs

Adrian Curtis13 April 2012
Tottenham 1 Newcastle 3

Tottenham skipper Teddy Sheringham reckons his former international partner Alan Shearer could still do a striking job for England.

Shearer bagged his 15th goal of the season as Premiership contenders Newcastle brought Spurs down to earth with a thump following their 5-1 Worthington Cup semi-final win over Chelsea.

Shearer retired from international football to concentrate on helping Bobby Robson's side take a shot at the title and he led the line magnificently as Newcastle overturned a half-time deficit to leave Glenn Hoddle's shell-shocked team eight points adrift of the top six - or only seven points above the relegation zone.

The 31-year-old Geordie striker has scoffed at suggestions that he does an England U-turn but Sheringham, who formed such a potent partnership with Shearer, is convinced that his old pal is still good enough to merit a call from Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Sheringham said today: "Alan's had his injuries but he always seems to bounce back. He's back among the goals again and no doubt he'll be up there in the 20s by the end of the season.

"He looks as strong as ever. That's his way of playing. He is a strong character, a competitive player and a strong runner who can score goals from all angles. I still think he could play for England. It was definitely a partner-ship I enjoyed. We had a lot of fun in Euro '96."

Of more immediate concern for Eriksson, however, is the news that Newcastle midfielder Keiron Dyer is likely to be out of action for at least six weeks with a stress fracture of the foot.

The 23-year-old will miss England's friendlies against Holland and Italy in the next two months and this latest setback could cost him his World Cup place.

Newcastle manager Bobby Robson said: "It is a big blow for us. It is also cruel luck for him. The good thing is we have diagnosed it early.

"If he can play in six weeks and doesn't break down again, he'll be in with a chance. There's no gloom about him yet and I would hang on for him if I was Sven."

Dyer has only recently returned from a period of 10 months out because of a stress fracture of his left shin.

Steffen Iversen gave Spurs a 16th-minute lead and they should have added to that before the break, with Dean Richard guilty of the worst miss. But their failure to make the most of their possession, an all too familiar trait in recent weeks, allowed Newcastle to mount a ferocious comeback.

In 12 devastating minutes, goals from Clarence Acuna, Shearer and Craig Bellamy put an end to any Spurs euphoria left over from the destruction of Chelsea.

Spurs were undone by the artistry of half-time substitute Laurent Robert, whose skills, allied to Shearer's power and Bellamy's pace, proved unstoppable.

Spurs manager Hoddle said: "I thought we should have been more than one goal to the good but it shows you that if you switch off in this league, you will get punished.

"I didn't feel the attitude and work rate was there and the squad looks a little stretched at the moment. You can't give play-ers like Shearer and Bellamy the opportunities we did and hope to win. I didn't like the way we played in the second half. There was no desire to win the ball back and we were stretched.

"We were our own worst enemy and we took our foot off the pedal. That can't happen again this season. I'm disappointed because we were in control of the game. We let it slip by too easily.

"It proves we have not achieved anything yet and we must have more consistency."

Hoddle has no chance of getting any of his long-term injury victims back in the next few weeks. German international Christian Ziege is struggling to fit for next month's Worthington Cup Final and Anthony Gardner also has a knee problem.

Les Ferdinand is slowly recovering from his neck injury but Hoddle added: "The injury list is too big for my liking."

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