Lloris: No need to fear Spain

France captain Hugo Lloris says his side should have no fear when facing World Cup holders Spain in their Group I top-of-the-table clash on Tuesday.

France have only lost one of their eight competitive encounters with Spain (EURO 2012 1/4 finals).

France go into the game two points ahead of Spain with the opportunity to extend their lead at the Stade de France following their opponents' disappointing 1-1 draw with Finland on Friday.

France had no such problems with a 3-1 win over Georgia and Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris does not feel Les Bleus should change their approach against the side who beat them 2-0 at Euro 2012.

He said: "It doesn't change the way we'll be going into the game.

"We know how good Spain are and they are able to come here to win."

France face Spain following a win inspired by goals by Olivier Giroud, Mathieu Valbuena and Franck Ribery at home to third place Georgia.



Another win for France on Tuesday would leave Spain facing a potential play-off to reach the World Cup finals in Brazil.

Wednesday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Brad Friedel is ready to give up his battle with Hugo Lloris to be Tottenham's first-choice goalkeeper and make a dramatic return to Blackburn Rovers, according to Dailymail.



- Liverpool's interest in Jeffren Suarez has been confirmed by the Sporting Lisbon forward's agent, Jorge Llagostera, who told Portuguese radio station Antena 1: "Liverpool and other Premier League clubs are monitoring the kid."



- Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, is keen on joining Arsenal or Chelsea next year, according to Voetbal International.



- But Huntelaar insists he only wants to concentrate on playing football, telling reporters: "I only concentrate on my games for Schalke."



- Manchester City want Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Alen Halilovic, according to Dailymail.



- Manchester United striker Josh King is set to sign for Blackburn on loan, according to talkSPORT.



- Manchester United are ready to press ahead with a move for Kevin Strootman - and PSV are already planning for his departure.



- Arsenal and Everton are ready to find out whether they will receive the green light to move for Lewis Holtby - with the Schalke star's future set to be concluded next month.



- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out signing Thierry Henry for a third time.



- Arsenal could ramp up their interest in Aymen Abdennour after sending scouts to keep an eye on the defender during Toulouse's 1-0 defeat to Nice on Sunday, according to talkSPORT.



- The agent of Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky claims there is no substance to reports linking his client with a move to Roma.



- Theo Walcott will put no timescale on contract talks with Arsenal and has called for continued patience from the club's supporters.



- Southampton are ready to offer £5.5million to take Blackpool midfielder Matt Phillips in January.



- Sky Sports understands that Christian Atsu is poised to pen a new deal at Porto, forcing Tottenham Hotspur to end their interest in the highly-rated youngster.



- Real Madrid have turned down Everton's bid to sign Russian starlet Denis Cheryshev, according to sources in Spain.



- Marseille forward Andre Ayew admits he could be lured away from France, as speculation linking him with West Ham United mounts.



- Inter Milan want to scupper Manchester City's plans to sign Pedro Obiang and will make their move this January, according to talkSPORT.



- Atletico Madrid are yet to make a move for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani, according to the player's agent.



- Radamel Falcao has moved to dampen talk of a January switch to Chelsea by insisting he remains focused on achieving success with Atletico Madrid.



- Hamburg have no plans to sell South Korea international striker Heung-Min Son amid widespread Premier League interest.



- Former Chelsea ace Didier Drogba could be on his way back to the Premier League after asking FIFA for special dispensation to leave Shanghai Shenhua on loan outside of the transfer window.

Lloris: France must attack Spain

Hugo Lloris said France must hit Spain 'where it hurts' when they face Vicente del Bosque's side in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.



The two sides met back in June when the world and European champions strolled to a 2-0 victory in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.



But Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris believes his side can take all three points if they take their chances.



"It could be difficult, but we have to be together, and everyone has to put in a huge effort and hit them where it hurts," Lloris told reporters.



"We will certainly have our chances, and we cannot let them pass."



The pair have had contrasting build-ups to Tuesday's encounter, with Spain strolling to a 4-0 win over Belarus, while Les Bleus fell to a shock defeat at home to Japan on Friday.

Lloris happy to bide time

France captain Hugo Lloris has attempted to deflect the negativity surrounding his transfer to Tottenham, saying he never expected to walk straight into the team.



Even though Lloris made his belated Premier League debut in last Sunday's 2-0 win against Aston Villa at White Hart Lane, the rumour is that manager Andre Villas-Boas will recall veteran American Brad Friedel when Spurs take on Chelsea next times out.



In an interview with L'Equipe, Lloris has banished some of the myths behind his deadline day move from Lyon to North London and has said he does not intend to "create trouble" if he does not get the No.1 spot straight away.



"We have to keep some perspective because I have only been a month at Spurs, I arrived during the season with a team already in place and I have only missed three matches," Lloris said. "I have not signed at Tottenham to play a [substitute] role, but I am at the disposal of the team.



"I have just been hired as part of the future project. Do I have guarantees for the future? No, I have not. The coach will make his choices. I just came to a new club so I am not here to create trouble, but rather to bring solutions.



"As for the rumours that I am the choice of the chairman not the coach, I talked with the coach and there is no ambiguity. He told me everyone at Tottenham wanted me to come, and in England the manager has a power on that kind of thing."



Lloris is convinced he has made the right choice by signing for Tottenham and he is relishing the demands of plying his trade in the Premier League.



"There are more contacts on the keepers and the game is much faster, but if I have to take some blows I will take them, I am prepared for that," he added. "To me it was an important choice to make this move. It is a new adventure, a new culture. Indeed I expected to leave [France] much earlier, but you cannot control that as a player.



"When you come into a new club, you have to prove yourself and that is logical. Things will come naturally, I won't force them. I expected that because England remains a specific culture. Englishmen want to see you play on their pitches before judging you, but this questioning is fine to me."



France coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Lloris remains his first choice keeper despite his limited first team action at Tottenham and he will start in Friday's night's international against Japan.

Lloris faces Spurs fight

Benoit Assou-Ekotto does not see any reason to change goalkeepers at Tottenham Hotspur and has told Hugo Lloris he will have to be patient.



France international Lloris made the move to White Hart Lane on transfer deadline day but looks unlikely to go straight into the side due to the good form of Brad Friedel.



Andre Villas-Boas stated after the draw with Norwich City that the spot was Friedel's and Lloris has since admitted he did not appreciate the comments.



Spurs full-back Assou-Ekotto has now warned Lloris that it will take a lot of hard work to break into the side, as he does not think Friedel deserves to be left out.



Asked about Lloris, Assou-Ekotto told RMC: "It won't be easy for him because there is competition.



"Number one keeper in the French team or not, he will have to fight to get the position in the team.



"We currently have a keeper that doesn't make any mistakes, who is very well-known in Great Britain.



"To start I believe Lloris will be No.2. If our keeper doesn't make any mistakes there is no reason to change."

Lloris unhappy with AVB comments

Lloris left Lyon for Tottenham in an £8 million move on Friday, with the clear intention of taking the No 1 shirt from Brad Friedel.

Hugo Lloris has 'not appreciated' Andre Villas-Boas's comments that he might have to fight for Spurs place



New Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is said to be unhappy with comments made by manager Andre Villas-Boas just four days after his move to White Hart Lane, according to France manager Didier Deschamps.

With Friedel now 41, it appeared Lloris, 16 years his junior, had been brought in with the idea of replacing the veteran American.

But Friedel responded to his arrival by producing one of the performances of his career against Norwich on Saturday, prompting Villas-Boas to say that Lloris would have a fight on his hands to win a starting spot.

That does not appear to have gone down too well Lloris, who linked up with the national team yesterday.

Speaking at their base in Clairefontaine, Deschamps, in comments reported by L'Equipe, said: "Hugo has not appreciated the statements of his coach.

"I am not going to create a problem that I do not need today.

"But if it were to happen then it would need some consideration.

"I do not want Hugo to find himself in this situation."