Keane sure less could be more at Spurs

Jermain Defoe and new signing Mido - not available tomorrow - were so effective against Portmouth last week that there is a strong argument to retain them in the Premiership.

Keane accepts that striker rotation is now the way of the Premiership world. He said: "Look at any big club, they have four strikers who they can rotate. It's not about one key goalscorer or partnership any more.

"It's the way the game is changing, you need a big squad. Any team who want to do well must be able to rotate players. You know each week it's a challenge to get in the team.

"When I was at Leeds, we had Robbie Fowler, Mark Viduka and Alan Smith. Harry Kewell played up front as well, so they just kept changing it. Look at Manchester United, you would assume it would be Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy but I haven't seen them play five games together.

"It's the same at Arsenal. Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry play together a lot, but then Jose Reyes also plays."

The drawback of this policy is a lack of consistency and a weakened team if two of the four strikers can't work effectively as a pairing. Certainly this charge was levelled at Spurs when Keane and Defoe were kept quiet by Chelsea's John Terry and William Gallas last month and also struggled against the Crystal Palace back-line three weeks ago.

But 24-year-old Keane said: "People talk about our size, they like to see a big man and a small man up front. The ball comes up high and nine times out of 10 the centre-half is going to win the header.

"Then people say we can't play together because if neither of us is going to win the header, we end up chasing lost causes. But we have shown we can play together when the team keep the ball on the ground.

"Wherever I have been [Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan, Leeds], managers have said if you have two good players in the same team then it won't be a problem them playing together. I think that is the case with Jermain and me."

Mido, who signed on an 18-month loan deal from Roma, is an obvious "big man" alternative to Kanoute. Coach Jol rates the 6ft 3in Egyptian as "one of the best headers of a ball I've seen".

The quartet provide Jol with an enviable selection of striking talent and have left many fans dreaming of European qualification. But Keane is anxious to play down expectations, considering the number of changes instigated by sporting director Frank Arnesen.

Keane added: "We have to be honest with ourselves and I don't think Europe's a realistic aim for this season. We have a great squad but this year is probably a little bit too soon for us. It takes time to adapt.

"Once that happens, I don't see any reason why we can't get into Europe next year and for years after that."

For Keane, less is more. The modernisation of Spurs will almost certainly mean fewer starts for individual strikers, but it is a price worth paying if they are going to compete at a higher level.

Mido is unavailable tomorrow because he was not signed in time.

Andy Reid and Michael Dawson are both Cup-tied, while Reto Ziegler, Pedro Mendes and Ledley King are doubtful. Sean Davis has returned to training but will not be risked.