WHEN Michael Dawson watched Edin Dzeko curl in his fourth goal for Manchester City at White Hart Lane last August, it was the final, painful twist of a devastating and chaotic start to the season for Tottenham.
Michael Dawson is three games into his comeback for Spurs
He did not know then he would be forced by injury to be a spectator at the Spurs revival.
Five months on, as the return fixture looms tomorrow as one of the most critical battles of the season, Dawson says the Premier League now respects and fears his team.
Tottenham as title contenders? That was the buzzword a week ago and although the draw with Wolves last weekend calmed the hype a little, it does not alter the fact that two dropped home points did not wreck their challenge.
As they head to the Etihad Stadium, Dawson is three games into a comeback which has pitched him with fine timing into the raw, mid-season trench warfare of the title race.
“My experience at the start of the season was a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United and then that 5-1 loss at home to City,” said Dawson. “Then I got injured with England in September.
We are in with a great shout but we have to keep our feet on the ground
Michael Dawson
“Things could have gone so wrong for us from there. But we had played against the teams who are now first and second. Now we are up there, level with United, and that shows how far we have come.
“It was hard watching the lads come flying back. You want to be a part of a team who are playing so well, but I had to spend four months in the gym while they would be buzzing and talking about it.
“It was nice to get involved when I came back against Cheltenham in the FA Cup. But watching them, seeing their confidence and the way they move the ball has been brilliant.
“It’s a team I would pay money to watch, definitely. Look at the pace in the side, with people like Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, the full-backs bombing forward, Luka Modric doing his stuff and Rafael van der Vaart probing all the holes.
“The squad we have is so fantastic that I did wonder if I would get back in the team, although other injuries have allowed me in. It has been great to become a part of it again.”
Dawson, 28, looks back on that defeat by City with puzzlement. “We started well but they got a second goal just before half-time which was a big blow. Then they got three pretty late goals. To lose 5-1 was a massive disappointment and the biggest defeat I’ve had at Tottenham.”
Harry Redknapp is, of course, one of the most proactive managers in the game. The freewheeling, attacking spirit with which he wants his teams to play is mirrored by his energetic ability to sign the players he understands will give his squad balance and depth.
When the capture of Scott Parker from West Ham was completed, Spurs were ready to turn the corner.
Dawson said: “When Juande Ramos was here, we had two points from eight games at the start of the 2008-09 season and we were in an awful lot of trouble.
“Since the gaffer came in, the players go out there having earned respect. Teams come to us, get behind the ball and try to frustrate us. That’s respect.
“When he came in, he lifted everyone and we’ve never really looked back.
“You can’t just go all-out attack though. You have to be well organised. Ask any of our defenders and they will tell you that playing behind Scott Parker and Sandro makes our job easier.”
Such has been the impact that Spurs have made that, even if they falter in the title battle, qualification for the Champions League seems well within their grasp.
“Honestly, I haven’t really thought about the title,” said Dawson. “We are in with a great shout but we have to keep our feet on the ground.
“Everyone wants to be in the Champions League but you don’t break into it easily. When people looked at the group stage for us at the beginning of last season, they said we wouldn’t get out of that. But we ended up in the last eight.
“To get there, you have to earn the right. And you learn from the downsides. We missed out last season – so it can only make things better now.”
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Dawson is an Under Armour athlete and wears the Hydrastrike II boots. For more information go to www.Facebook.com/UnderArmourUK or www.UnderArmour.com