Poyet makes striking admission

Bent and Pavlyuchenko too similar, according to Gus

Last updated: 30th September 2008

tottenham roman pavlyuchenko

Pavlyuchenko: Tough start

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Tottenham assistant boss Gus Poyet has made a surprise admission in claiming Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko cannot play together - as they are too similar.

The capital club are currently languishing at the foot of the Premier League table and a section of their supporters turned on manager Juande Ramos following Sunday's poor performance and defeat at Portsmouth.

Part of their ire was directed at Ramos' decision to employ Pavlyuchenko as a lone front man, with Bent left kicking his heels on the bench.

Poyet has now defended the decision by claiming the pair have struggled to form any kind of understanding, which could be a real concern given they are the club's only senior strikers.

"Unfortunately this season, when Pavlyuchenko and Bent played together it didn't work for us," Poyet is quoted in The Sun.

"They're the same type of player and it is difficult for them to play together.

"So we made the decision to play with one striker."

Striking concern

Pavlyuchenko has struggled to replicate his Euro 2008 form since arriving at White Hart Lane in the summer and he admits to being frustrated at the number of times he has been taken off in matches.

"I talked to our coach about it and I even visited him at his house," said the Russian in the Daily Mirror.

"I asked him what I had done wrong, why I had been substituted.

"He said it wasn't because I hadn't been playing well enough, it was just a decision to change tactics.

"He told me not to bother my head with stuff like that."