Villas-Boas: Tottenham can cope without Jermain Defoe

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has insisted that his side can cope without a recognised striker after Jermain Defoe suffered an ankle injury.

The England star could be out for up to three weeks follow the knock which occurred in Spurs’ 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

And, after the Lilywhites failed in their bid to bring in Leandro Damiao in January, Villas-Boas is adamant his team can manage without an out-and-out forward until Emmanuel Adebayor’s return from the Africa Cup of Nations.

“This could be a two or three week injury, he said. “We just have to scan it to make sure but we have a lot of trust in our medical department and their ability to make this recover process even shorter.

“Anyway, the team has a lot of goals and we are able to adapt. [Not signing a striker in January] was a risk we were willing to take. We don’t have control over injuries. They happen when you least expect them to.

“Gareth Bale played a role in the middle from the start, so we have options. We have solutions. We don’t always have to be with a striker.”