By Tottenham Hotspur
It has been a refreshing, attacking brand of football at Spurs this season, especially in Europe, how enjoyable is the current system to play in?
It is really enjoyable to play in Europe and I think it is one of the best things that you can hope to achieve in your career. We attack, we score goals. I am hoping it will make for a great season for us.
What kind of a difference has William Gallas made to the team since he’s been here?
I think William has got great experience, he has been at the top level for a while and he has been bringing that experience to the team which can only be good for us. On the pitch, he is always talking and communication is one of the most important things. You feel comfortable playing alongside him. He has a will to win, that is one of his strengths and he is a leader.
Ambitions appear to be high at White Hart Lane, is a title push in the minds of the players?
If we really believe then we can achieve a lot of good things with this squad. We have to stay focussed, keep working hard and, with a bit of luck, we could do something good here.
Have wins against the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool this season strengthened the team’s belief?
Before we didn’t win those games, but now we’ve started to win them and that means a lot to us. If we want to do better then we have to beat the Arsenals, Chelseas, whoever, really. If we can do that then we will be ready to do something really good.
Will you have a psychological edge over Chelsea having won this fixture last year?
Last season is in the past, it is over now. We have started the season, both teams are different to last season. Chelsea have been struggling of late but they have great pride and they will be wanting to get back to their best and return to the top of the league so it will be a tough game.
How have you found balancing form in the league and Europe so far?
It was hard when we started because we had to deal with both competitions but I think our results have shown we are doing quite well. We have got a big squad which is an advantage as it means the manager has a lot of quality players at his disposal to handle the demands of the league and the Champions League.
Is there any team you fancy facing the next round of the Champions League?
If I had a choice then I would obviously rather face a French team. I don’t think it would be any easier than the other teams but it would just be nice to go back and play a team from the French league. I had good memories from my time playing in France but besides that I don’t mind who we play. It will be who it will be. Winning our group means the second leg will be at home, which I think will make a massive difference.
How crucial do you think the Christmas period will be, and do you feel you have the squad in depth now to cope with the demands?
I’ve looked at the fixtures and it will be really busy but we have to cope with it, we don’t have a choice. We have to be fit because we will be playing every two or three days and it will be really hard for two or three weeks. If we stay focussed and really believe in what we are doing here then I think we will be alright.
During that period we will obviously face your former club Newcastle United. What have you made of recent events at St James’ Park?
Like everyone else I have seen that they have sacked Chris Hughton. I know him well and so I am a bit sad for Chris because it is tough but it is not really my place to get involved with this.
Chelsea have been struggling for results of late, what do you think it is down to?
I am not worried for them. They could come back at any time and we have to make sure it is not against us. They are still the reigning champions. We have to be careful because you never know when they might click again so we have to be ready. They are serious title contenders.
Blackpool play with a similar attacking philosophy to Spurs, it should make for a game that guarantees goals.
Being a defender, I just hope we are not conceding some goals but we know it will be an attacking game. We are an attacking team but we will have to ensure we don’t concede any goals either. Blackpool haven’t just defended in this league, they try to attack to make an open game so I am sure it will be good to
