Redknapp wants strikers firing
With almost two thirds of the season gone, Tottenham have only scored 37 goals in 24 matches compared to the 49 they had amassed at the same stage last term. While Rafael van der Vaart has made an excellent start to his first season by scoring nine league goals, Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch have struck just seven times between them. Defoe, who scored 28 goals for club and country last season, has seen his form dip this year and is yet to find the net in the Barclays Premier League. After seeing a deadline-day bid for Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi fail, and sending Robbie Keane on loan to West Ham, Redknapp is keen for Defoe, Crouch and Pavlyuchenko to start delivering fast. "They are our strikeforce now," Redknapp said. "We are relying on those three to produce the goals. Van der Vaart is the only man who has got his ratio of goals. "We need the strikers to start scoring regularly as well." Defoe's failure to find the net is the most alarming for Redknapp, who has also been able to rely on the 28-year-old during his spells at West Ham and Portsmouth. Defoe's progress has not been helped by an ankle ligament injury he picked up on international duty in September that ruled him out of action for two months. His manager insists he is not too concerned about the striker's goal drought and is sure that he is capable of helping keep alive Spurs' dreams of making the Champions League for a second successive season. "We are waiting for him to suddenly have that burst of goals that could make the difference to us," Redknapp said. "If he can go on a run and score some goals he can take us where we want to go. We are relying on him. He is a fantastic finisher. "Goalscorers need confidence. The other night he had a couple of one on ones that he would normally score (but) once they do start going in for him he will start going on a run." Despite being linked with a host of big names, January ended up being a quiet month in the transfer window for Redknapp, with Steven Pienaar and Bongani Khumalo the only arrivals at White Hart Lane. Much talk at the start of the month had centred on a potential loan deal for the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham during the MLS off season. The former England skipper has been training with the north London club for the last month but negotiations over a two-month loan deal broke down, much to Redknapp's frustration. Beckham will be able to talk to clubs this summer about a potential move when his contract expires in November and Redknapp revealed that he has spoken to the 35-year-old about a permanent move back to the club where he trained as a youngster. "I have spoken to him. It's not an impossibility," Redknapp said. "We'll see what happens. Who knows what the future will bring. He can still play at the top level. There is no doubt about it in my mind. "David is due back on in LA on Wednesday. He'll be missed. He has been great - not only is he a fantastic footballer but having had him around the place, he's a great lad."