Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa preview - Dunne targets successful spell for Villa
Posted Monday, November 21, 2011 by PA
Richard Dunne is determined the success he has enjoyed with the Republic of Ireland will continue for Aston Villa during a testing period - starting with Monday's clash at Tottenham.
Defender Dunne is on cloud nine after helping his country reach the Euro 2012 finals via their play-off success against Estonia.
But the former Manchester City player wants to transform that success to club level.
Alex McLeish's side have enjoyed a reasonable start to the campaign but now have to face Spurs, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea before the new year.
Dunne said: "I think it's a great achievement what Ireland have managed and we're delighted about what we've done during the week - but that can't be the end of it.
"There are some big games coming up for Villa and it's going to be important for us to be on top form so we can pick up points in December.
"The Tottenham game starts a run of games that are formidable on paper."
Dunne can see encouraging signs under McLeish since he replaced Gerard Houllier during the summer.
He said: "We would like to have won a few more home games and, with our performances, we've deserved to achieve that.
"But we've made a very decent start and I think, with the manager coming in, the main aim was just to make us more solid.
"I think we've got that now, where we're a very solid side and we're difficult to beat.
"If you can do that then the rest, I'm sure, will come and I'm sure there's a lot of games we'll do well in."
Dunne, however, recognises that Tottenham will be difficult opposition especially in front of their own fans.
He said: "Over the past several seasons they have been really pushing on the door to the top four, as we have been.
"They're a team that, at home, will be very powerful, providing a challenge that you then have to rise to.
"But it's always good to go and test yourself against the best players."
Villa will return to action after a 17-day break which has enabled skipper Stiliyan Petrov to recover from a hamstring setback.
Manager McLeish is also hoping striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has recovered from a similar injury which saw him withdraw from the England squad last week.
McLeish said: "This break has been pretty long as we are not playing until Monday evening and it seems like we have been in a mini close season.
"But it also gave a chance for one or two players to get much needed rest and off the training field in terms of one or two little niggles they had."
Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart could recover from his hamstring injury in time for the clash.
Van der Vaart is rated 75% fit after sustaining the damage while on international duty for Holland against Switzerland.
Vedran Corluka is expected to overcome his ankle problem but Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) remain out.
Spurs have surged up the Premier League table after amassing seven victories and a draw in eight games.
Only goal difference between themselves and fourth-placed Chelsea is keeping them out of the Champions League places, while they currently have two games in hand on all of their rivals.
Monday night's home clash with Villa - the first of those - gives them a chance to climb into the top four and the club have been lifted by the news that Harry Redknapp should be back in charge.
Redknapp underwent a procedure two weeks ago to insert two stents to unblock coronary arteries and has been recovering since, but is on the brink of a return.
Bond insists it is inevitable Redknapp will feel the tension during games, but insists the 64-year-old needs football to function properly.
"I expect Harry to be back on Monday night," said Bond.
"I don't know if you can keep the pressure off him. When he comes back to work the pressure of the game will be there.
"He won't be able to avoid it in tight matches. By and large he copes with it well.
"Hopefully he'll come back in better health than he went away.
"You can have your bad moments in football and think 'do I need this?', but with Harry that wouldn't last very long.
"There is pressure but he's been doing it for a long time and has learnt to live with that pressure.
"He loves it and would be lost without it."
end
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