Spurs back on track after Cup heartache

Ryan Mason believes Tottenham have overcome the disappointment of last week's cup failures and are back on track in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
Mauricio Pochettino's side face QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday with a Premier League top four spot their sole remaining target after exiting the Europa League at the hands of Fiorentina three days before Sunday's League Cup final defeat against Chelsea.
Tottenham's bruised morale was at least partially restored with the 3-2 midweek victory over Swansea that ensured Spurs kept pace with their main rivals towards the head of the table.
That result left them in seventh place, six points behind Manchester United who lie fourth, but having played a game less.
And with Louis van Gaal's side on FA Cup duty on Monday, victory over struggling QPR on Saturday will close the gap and give Pochettino's team another timely lift.
It may take more than a couple of wins to get the 2-0 Wembley defeat against Chelsea completely out of the system, but young midfielder Mason believes the hard-fought victory over Swansea was a major step in the right direction.
"The win against Swansea was massive after Wembley and going out of two competitions in the last six days, it was huge for us to get back to winning ways," Mason said.
"Wembley was disappointing. We felt during the game we were a bit naive at times but it's a learning curve and hopefully we'll get the chance to play in more finals and to win at Wembley."
- Better statistics -
Mason struck his first Premier League goal against Swansea while Nacer Chadli took his season tally to eight league goals, and the Belgium winger is targeting double figures.
"I have much better statistics than last season and I want to improve, I want to be a better player," he said.
"I've played the last two games, played 90 minutes and I feel better and better every week and I think there is more to come.
"I want to score more than 10 goals and help the team to win games. I'm very happy to score and it's a good feeling to win again.
"We had to win, we had to bounce back and we did that. That was most important."
Tottenham face a reunion with Sandro who left White Hart Lane to join QPR at the start of the season.
The Brazilian midfielder is locked in a relegation battle with the Hoops, with the midweek home defeat to Arsenal leaving Rangers in the bottom three, three points adrift of safety.
And Sandro knows the visit of Spurs will present an equally testing challenge.
"Of course, I'm looking forward to it. But it won't be any easier. Arsenal and Spurs are much the same level," he said.
"We played well in the first half against Arsenal, but they have two chances and score from both.
"We show we can play well against the top teams - but we cannot keep losing. We need a win to rebuild confidence in the changing room, and if we can score an early goal, we can win."
And Rangers forward Bobby Zamora believes Chris Ramsey's side must learn quickly if they are to avoid another defeat that will leave them deeper in trouble.
"The manager has worked on some bits and pieces with us and I don't think we did our job as he planned against Arsenal," Zamora said.
"Performances have been good. We have been so close in so many games but close isn't enough really.
"We could do with not playing well and not working hard but getting three points as we are doing that every week but not getting the points we deserve."
Source: AFP