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Injury crisis facing Spurs' 'unsung hero' Chimbonda
Full back battled through Chelsea win in excruciating pain
SPURS face a defensive injury crisis after it emerged Pascal Chimbonda battled through Sunday's victory against Chelsea in excruciating pain.
The full back was dubbed "an unsung hero"by backroom staff after he was clattered by Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard after just 15 minutes and had to have his knee heavily strapped.
According to a club spokesman, "it was a miracle he managed to stay on the pitch for all that time".
He added: "Pascal was an unsung hero. He had a terrific game, and then when you take into account he was carrying an injury, his contribution was immense."
The full back, a £4.5m summer signing from Wigan, has been one of the season's success stories. Ever-present in the side, he has made the left-back berth his own.
Spurs head coach Martin Jol said: "Pascal took a bad knock to his knee, and it looks like he has damaged his medial ligament. But I had no other defenders to bring on so we strapped it up and he said he'd do his best.
"That was evidence of our spirit and character.
"We played on Thursday and believe me, it's not easy when a top side like Chelsea has two days extra rest. We had some tired legs out there and normally you need a cushion of two goals, we didn't have that but the lads dug in and fought for their lives."
Jol's defensive problems include Michael Dawson, who has been training lightly due to a sore hip, and Paul Stalteri, who has a knee injury.
Both centre backs Anthony Gardner and Calum Davenport are out for around three weeks while Ledley King is having to watch the number of games he plays because of a summer cartilage operation.
Lee Young-Pyo is also missing from the squad with an ankle injury.
Chimbonda had a scan on Monday and it revealed the ligament had been twisted, rather than torn, which would have meant a lay off of around a month. Instead he will have a fitness test on Saturday to assess whether he will be able to face Reading on Sunday.
Jol has used winger Reto Zeigler as an emergency full back in the past and can call on Tom Huddlestone to fill in as a make shift centre back should either King or Dawson's problems reoccur.
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