Report by John Gallagher at White Hart Lane

Well, where to start. That's two magnificent 'pride' nights in the space of four days now. After the dross of the last two seasons the last two games have probably been my most enjoyable since the Treble season.

It was a completely different line-up to Sunday but it was the same attitude, playing a side nobody gave us much chance of beating, and facing their full strength side (bar Defoe who came on anyway).

Plenty of heart, determination and no little skill saw us overcome the odds once more, as Benitez stuck with the lads who have served us so well in this competition up to now.

Highly promising defender David Raven came in for his first team debut at Right Back, and we were also treated to the much awaited debut of Antonio Nunez.

The bench was a mixture of lads who have had no first team experience at all in Mark Smyth and Robbie Foy, and lads with minimal experience in John Welsh and Ritchie Partridge.

There was some experience in the side though, in the shape of Dudek, Henchoz, Diao and Biscan.

Spurs had us on the back foot from the off and Kanoute was unlucky with a shot that hit the bar early on. They continued to control proceedings for the rest of the half, but Dudek was in fine form making some unbelieveable saves, including one following a goalmouth scramble when the ball was richocheting all over the place but we eventually managed to clear our lines.

It was like watching the Jerzy of his first season here. Calm and confident, he would still walk into most sides in the Premiership.

Another person who has impressed me in every Carling Cup game this season is The Grimace himself, Stephane Henchoz. His attitude is always fantastic in these games even though his time at the club is probably at an end.

That's a great shame and when he does eventually leave he will go down as one of our best defenders, and will easily be in my top 10 favourite players to wear the red.

We didn't create hardly anything of note in the first half but to the lads credit they dug in and got to Half Time goalless.

In the second half we upped the tempo a bit and certainly improved when John Welsh came on for Neil Mellor, who looked like he had picked up a knock. With vital games on the horizon lets hope its not too serious.

That change forced a reshuffle in the side as we went from 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 with Igor getting forward to support Flo. We looked a better side playing this way and began to keep the ball much better.

Welsh was harshly booked not long after coming on and for his small size the lad is not scared to tackle.

We looked quite comfortable in the second half but again Dudek was called into action and made a great save from Robbie Keane. Big Spurs defender Anthony Gardner was lucky to stay on the pitch when Flo got away from him and he cynically pulled him back.

He was given a yellow card much to the annoyance of Igor (God Love Him). If Flo had been more central then it would have been a stonewall red card.

Biscan went on a few late mazy runs like only he can but seemed to want to walk the ball in the net rather than lay it off. Mark Smyth came on for the tiring Nunez late on and did ok, forcing Robinson into a save with almost his first touch.

It is still early to pass judgement on Nunez, he did some good things at times in the game and hopefully when he is fully fit he will be a handy player, he seems quick and direct thats for sure.

We finished the stronger team in the 90 minutes and the players who had seemed a bit understandably nervous in the first half were now enjoying themselves.

Extra Time got underway and there was a comical moment when Defoe recieved the ball from deep and ran at the defence. Both Steph and Zak slipped over, but the brilliant Raven came dashing over from Right Back to put a fantastic 'Henchoz like' block in just as Defoe was about to shoot in the area.

We had a great chance of our own though when Welsh went clean through and placed an effort agonisingly wide of Robinson's far post.

We made our final substitution around this point when Partridge came on for Diao who was relatively neat and tidy throughout and worked hard to protect the defence. However, he still tries things he shouldn't be trying, such as trying to take three players on at a times and getting dispossessed. But he does live in a mad mad mad world!

The Spurs goal came about by Pongolle giving the ball away deep in their half after we had committed men forward. All of a sudden Kanoute had the ball on their right side and he set Defoe up for the easiest of tap ins.

Even if we had lost 1-0 in extra time I would still have been proud of those players, but to their credit they never give in. The team spirit looked fantastic due to them all coming through together and knowing each other for the last few years.

Just before we scored Igor had his obligatory 'Igor Moment' when he chased the ball to the touchline to keep it going out of play and he challenged it with a Spurs defender and ended up whacking his chin on the advertising hoardings.

He was down for quite a while and spent the last few minutes in a daze (although some cynics might say thats the norm). We got a corner a minute later and from the cross Kanoute inexplicably handballed it.

It was reminiscent to Kluivert doing it in the UEFA Semi in 2001. No wonder his manager was furious with him after the game. From the resultant penalty Flo made no mistake in sending Robinson the wrong way cue jubilation in the away end.

A small mention must go to the fans who were superb throughout and the La Bamba Benitez song really took off in the first half and lasted a good twenty minutes.

We had to survive a couple of hairy moments in the last couple of minutes but we held out well to take the game in to penalties.

A funny thought occurred to me as the players were organising who was taking the penalties. The youthfulness of the side brought a crazy image in my mind of the players asking can they take the penalties from the six yard box as from twelve yards they might not reach the goal, a bit like the mascot doing a kick in with the keeper before a game.

Defoe stepped up first and made no mistake with a great penalty. Steph stepped up for us and sent Robinson the wrong way. Carrick did the same then for Spurs. Partridge nestled one in the bottom corner to make it 2-2 before Dudek made a great save from Kanoute low to his left.

Robinson made a great flying save to deny Potter's well hit penalty, and Zeigler made it 3-2 Spurs before Welshy hammered one straight down the middle for 3-3.

Michael Brown who had a good reputation of taking penalties at Sheffield United blazed his over the bar so it was all down to Flo who again made no mistake in beating Robinson to send Beni's Babes marching on the the Semi-Finals where we will play Watford.

I could have given the star man to a few playerst. David Raven slotted in brilliantly, Stevie Warnock was class throughout as were Welsh and Potter.

Flo provided some interesting moments as well, but it was a great team performance and they all deserve credit. For me, Raven just edges it and the Wirral youngster can be well pleased with his first appearance for the club he's supported all his life.

It is surely set up for a Liverpool v Chelsea final as United won't put their strongest team out and Chelsea are hell-bent on winning the competition, putting a strong sides out in every round.

If we get to the final, especially v Chelsea it is a bit of a catch 22 situation in what type of team to play. As much as I hate them they are the finest team in the land right now, and it probably take out first choice line up to beat them.

At the same time though, it would be fantastic to see the likes of Zak, Ravo, Potter, Welshy, Stevie W, the Boy Mellor and Flo playing in a major Cup Final. Rafa it's over to you!!!

Liverpool: Dudek, Raven, Henchoz, Whitbread, Warnock; Nunez (Smyth), Diao (Partridge), Biscan, Potter; Mellor (Welsh), Sinama-Pongolle:

Agree or disagree? Email me at johng@liverpoolway.co.uk

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