Friday 23 August 2013 17:25, UK
Andre Villas-Boas insists Tottenham are not distracted by the relentless transfer speculation surrounding the club ahead of Sunday's game against Swansea.
When Spurs hosted Swansea last season they struggled without Bale, who missed the match through injury, and they had to rely on a Jan Vertonghen goal late in the second half to seal a 1-0 victory. This current Tottenham squad appears much better-equipped to cope without the Welshman, however, and Villas-Boas has been pleased with how his new-look team has gelled so far after two wins from two matches. "It's just the beginning, so for the team to perform like that was something very good," the Portuguese said after Thursday's 5-0 victory over Dinamo Tbilisi in the Europa League. "Considering the trip, the time difference and our efforts against Palace, I'm extremely pleased. The body is tired but the mind is happy, absolutely." The five-and-a-half-hour journey back to London will hardly make for ideal preparation for Sunday's game - particularly as Swansea played at home in their Europa League play-off - but Villas-Boas says his team will be fit for the visit of Michael Laudrup's side, who began their season with a 4-1 home defeat to Manchester United. "We didn't use excuses when we played in the league after a European game last season and this is part of the philosophy on how to embrace this competition," the 35-year-old added. "It is a long trip but we have enough time to recover. We train 3pm on Friday but I think we will be fresh for Swansea."
