Tottenham Hotspur V QPR - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.Pochettino urges Spurs to impressBoss Mauricio Pochettino is ready to give Tottenham a licence to thrill as he threw down the gauntlet to his Spurs sideThe former Argentina international penned a five-year deal from Southampton in the summer and takes charge of his first competitive game at White Hart Lane against QPR on Sunday
After an impressive 18-month stay at St Mary's Pochettino has won his first two games in charge at West Ham and AEL Limassol
And he wants Spurs to impress the home crowd as he urged them to improve following back-to-back wins in the first week
"I am looking forward to it," Pochettino said
"We are looking forward to it, my first official game at White Hart Lane in front of our supporters."We hope that would be a good game and always to win
It is important to win and play well and develop our style and improve, which is important in each game
Try to improve."We watch a lot of games from them and the last game they played well but in football not always when you play well, you win."But, yes, it is a derby, we expect a very, very tough games."Pochettino is without the suspended Kyle Naughton after his red card at West Ham last week but Emmanuel Adebayor, Christian Eriksen, Younes Kaboul, Aaron Lennon and Etienne Capoue are available having been rested for the 2-1 Europa League play-off win over AEL
Roberto Soldado scored the leveller after his struggles last season where he netted just six league goals following a B#26m move from Valencia but Pochettino played down the magnitude of the strike."Always goals are important for Harry (Kane) and for Roberto," he said
"The strikers always need to score and it is important he scored and Harry scored."In the team, when the strikers score all the people are happy."Pochettino takes on Harry Redknapp in his first return to Tottenham since being sacked in 2012 with the ex-Spurs chief hoping his transfer dealings can lead QPR to a famous win.Redknapp has signed Rio Ferdinand, Steve Caulker, Jordon Mutch and Leroy Fer, as well as bringing in Chile international pair Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas on loan
Fer, who arrived from Norwich for B#8m and Napoli loanee Vargas, could make their Rangers debuts and Redknapp believes his squad can secure their aim of survival
"They are two good signings for us, I'm really pleased," he said."The club have been great, I have been pleased with the players we have brought in, it has made a big difference."We came back in pre-season and we were really, really short of numbers and we have brought some quality players in
It is up to us now to get on and do the job, if there is another one to come in then great - if not then we will see."Redknapp is now likely to turn to the loan market with Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha linked to Loftus Road with the club unwilling to spend big after relegation in 2012-13."We were the loan Rangers in the Championship last season," Redknapp joked."We've still got two loans that we can use from the Premier League if we want to
If they were to loan him (Zaha), if he did become available I'm sure he would be a player a lot of clubs would be interested in
If we thought he was available he would certainly be of interest."Loic Remy started for the Hoops last weekend as they lost 1-0 at home to Hull, with the France international looking increasingly likely to stay after an aborted move to Liverpool in the summer.Having looked certain to leave following a loan spell at Newcastle last season Redknapp feels he will have the 27-year-old available, despite Spurs' interest
"I'm confident he'll be here," he said."I've spoken with Loic, he's been excellent in training and his attitude has been world class
Unless a top six club comes in, I think he'll be happy to stay here
He's seen we've brought some good players in."There's been no Tottenham enquiry - there's been talk of the chairman talking to Daniel (Levy), but certainly I've not been involved."
Source : PA
Source: PA