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It is one of football's enduring phenomena that after beginning the season amid genuine concerns regarding their defensive vulnerabilities, Tottenham today exude the air of a club who have been somewhat overlooked in the race to gatecrash the top flight's quadropoly.
Injured centre-backs Michael Dawson and Jonathan Woodgate sat just behind the dugout — side by side as when on the pitch — surveying the scene with sizeable grins as Ledley King and debutant Sebastien Bassong snuffed out all that Fernando Torres and Co had to offer with ease.
In front of the duo, David Bentley, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Peter Crouch, Jamie O'Hara and Carlo Cudicini sat among the substitutes and as Harry Redknapp's side strode to victory, the squad at his disposal appeared comparable to most in the division.
By contrast, Liverpool, who are purported to be on the brink of ending their 19-year wait for a League title, could only call on Yossi Benayoun and Andriy Voronin with substantial experience or the quality to salvage the situation.
In mitigation, Rafael Benitez has players to return but the line dividing these two in their respective seasonal aspirations became, temporarily at least, blurred. By beating Liverpool yesterday, Spurs secured more points in one afternoon than they took from their opening eight matches last season as the rot set in on Juande Ramos's reign.
Rarely has a club been so defined by their start to a campaign as Spurs and while the Reds' lacklustre display determined the result almost as much as the home side's endeavour, Redknapp is now awash with options.
“If you lose a game on a Saturday and look at your players on a Sunday morning, they all look crap,” said the former Portsmouth manager. “You think, Oh my good look at this'.
“But if you win you think they all look great until the next game. We have a decent squad, when Woody and Dawson come back it will give us a strong group of players.
“I have four good strikers and I have real dilemma in picking the team. We look a much better group of players now. Wilson Palacios is a Graham Roberts type of figure for us. He gives us something different in midfield and we need players like him here if we are going to be successful.”
Spurs have desperately needed a ball winning central midfielder for some time and Palacios may be the answer.
The ex-Wigan star was excellent and typified the home side's aggressive approach and the balance in midfield was the key to victory.
Aaron Lennon provided pace and penetration down the right as Palacios and Tom Huddlestone hurried and hassled while moving the ball with efficiency and speed.
Luka Modric frequently cut inside to provide creative unpredictability and Liverpool had no answer.
“We have worked really hard in training at pressing teams because if you stand off teams like Liverpool they will pass it along the back, work it into the midfield through Javier Mascherano and then up to either Steven Gerrard or Torres,” said Redknapp.
“We frustrated them, forcing them to knock the ball long and out two centre- halves could just head the ball away.”
For all the pre-match nervousness surrounding Tottenham's rearguard, it was Liverpool who struggled.
Robbie Keane had already wasted three opportunities to give Spurs the lead before Benoit Assou-Ekotto shifted the ball onto his left foot and rifled a stunning shot past the hitherto unbeatable Pepe Reina on 44 minutes.
Although Gerrard equalised after half time when Heurelho Gomes felled Glen Johnson in the area, Spurs were always the likelier to score and Bassong restored the lead with a towering header to cap a promising debut after an £8million move from Newcastle.
“Bassong can be an outstanding player — he's not even fit yet as he has missed most of the pre-season training with Newcastle,” said Redknapp.
“He is raw, young and lightening quick. It was a good performance but now we need to go to Hull on Wednesday and do it all again.”
And that is the crux of it. Any side that have hopes of breaking Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal's grip must dispatch a side like Hull.
Consistency is pivotal, of course, but the squad have a balanced and talented look and if Spurs can improve their away form — they are unbeaten at home in the Premier League since last November — then such optimism will find credence.
For Benitez, he was left to rue two late unsuccessful penalty appeals and fend off the notion Xabi Alonso, who has departed for Real Madrid, was sorely missed.
Assistant Sammy Lee was sent from the dugout for remonstrating with fourth official Steven Attwell — aged just 26 — and Benitez said: “Everybody could see there was a penalty against Voronin. It was so clear. The fourth official is a young referee and maybe he needs to calm down a bit.
“Clearly we have to improve if we want to win these types of games. But we had games without Alonso last season and won a lot of them. I think we have enough quality in the squad.”
Yesterday, Tottenham took a step towards proving that themselves.
Reader views (16)
robs not around so i will give ya my views, same aul spuds win 1 lost the next six,com n u gunners camps leauge and still looking down on u spuds
- Henry Hunter, belfast
Has anyone noticed that Rob Hotspurs and Rob Gooner have not commented on either the Spurs or the Arsnel articles. Must have gone on holiday together !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or would they be one in the same.
- Kevin, London
A fine start for Spurs that shows a team refreshed with new blood and a manager getting into his stride in terms of tactics and thinking further ahead, conceiving strategies to take Tottenham into the winter and through to next May.
Excellent goals and solid link-up play all round, however, most of the the attention was on the rather lacklustre penalty by Gerrard and a tired Liverpool squad looking more like they've come to the end of their season instead of the first day of the new term.
- Toddy, London, England
Next up it's "TO HULL AND BACK" (note the quote marks). Let's hope in onwards, upwards and back with a big smile; but play it cool, chaps - ROB HOTSPUR lurks in disguise at the bar of the Bell and Hare.
- Ted, London
I am so buoyant I have to comment again. Rob where are you and your downbeat comments, you seem a bit slow to post a sarcastic dity this week. Didnt you chastise the arrival of Bassong?! Perhaps you are wallowing in your own embarassment. Fact of being a real Spurs supporter, you ride on the waves when we win and moan when we lose and think the world is going to end, so clearly you have never visited WHL on a regular basis. But that is the great thing of what being a real Spurs supporter is all about. In Harry we trust......as being the real deal, he dug us out of relegation and not many managers are capable of that. Who knows what he can achieve this year.......await the rollercoaster ride and jump on board!
- Sd, WICKFORD
The only dilemma Harry Redknapp must have is how to keep the same ref for the rest of the season!!
- Bryan Ward, Chelmsford
Mark of St Albans, you beat me to it. Wasn't it, my Fifth Columnist, Rob "Gooner" Hotspurs, that berated Redknapp for buying Bassong from a relagetd side?
Okay, one swallow does not a summer make, but there was enough there to see he can be a real hit. A goal from a defender on his debut - nothing better than that. Even if he missed the header, there was always Carragher behind him to raise his tally of own goals against Spurs.
A really, really good performance all round - hopefully not the kind of false dawn we've had too many times before - not just good going forward but also solid in defence.
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England
WELL DONE HARRY !!!!!
The best display from a spurs side in a very long time.
Yes we could have done with a Keano goal, but that will come.
What impressed me was that they didn't drop their heads when liverpool scored, they just got on with it.
Come on then Rob Hotspurs, lets hear you complain....
- Mark, St Albans
Awesome Spurs. Awesome Arsenal. If the first day of the new season is anything to go by, then we are in for a treat. Roll on next week
- Seenitall, london
I do not support any of the so called top 4. During the weekend, ManU played just about well enough to defeat a newly promoted team. Unsurprisingly they miss their two or three-in-one Ronaldo. Chelsea owed their win to a really fluky injury time goal. Arsenal surprised - pleasantly for all neutrals - with their demolition of an Everton, admittedly going through a Lescott crisis. Liverpool without Alonso are worse than last year and did not deserve to win yesterday. Man City's players' quality showed. Same with Spurs. At the end of just one match for each team, all I will say is - Don't rule out Arsenal from title challenge; Man City and Spurs can certainly make it to the top 4; Man U and Liverpool are clearly weaker than last year and Chelsea no stronger.
- Nat, New Malden
Everyone speaks of how awful Liverpool played. I believe they were put out of their stride by a bustling Spurs midfield. Tom Huddleston hasn't had a game where he harrassed the Liverpool players and moved with urgency. Corluka didn't put a foot wrong and Defoe was sharp as a pin.
It will be interesting how they do against the likes of Hull, Stoke, Birmingham, Burnley etc. as they have a habit of performing well against the big boys, but lose precious points to the smaller teams.
I have a feeling that will improve this season. It must.
- Kevin, London
3 points of note. Firstly Bassong (who I tipped as an intelligent purchase) having hardly trained all pre-season and King likewise snuffed out the supposed attack of a team aspiring to be champions and looked like they could defend all day and still not concede anything. Secondly Palacios worked the studs off his boots and someone we have been crying out for since the 60's. Lastly Modric provided that chink of raw class I have not seen in a player of his stature since Ardilles. Trick as always is keeping your best players injury free, and if not having good back up which when Woodgate and Dawson are back we have in all areas. Think Redknapp deserves some credit again for wheeler dealing and giving us a far brighter path to this season than 12 months ago and the depressing sight of clueless Ramos. lets hope they can be as effective away from home against the Stoke's and Burnley's of their league which might determine how good we are.
- Sd, WICKFORD
it was not a blatant penalty at all..veronin was not in a clear position too score let alone have full control off the ball,he was outmuscled..looking for it,Rafa the rant again cannot take losing as he looks for excuses that he cant pin on himself.did he not see his disjointed side,inept tactics and a tired torres looking out of sorts..Spurs were superb and looked hungry and fitter..(rob hotspur will probably find many a fault) a good start against a so called league favourite.
great atmosphere at the Lane yesterday,some great banter,even the stuff handed out too Stevie Me
- Evs, herts
based on last nights game, it must be hard to decide whether to play the ref up front on his own, striaght through the middle or at the back?
- Gareth, hackney
Blatant penalty, don't know how Benoit Assou-Ekotto got away with that!! Did Harry see it?
Great to see Gerrard getting the stick he deserved (Your supposed to be in jail! Self defence your having a laugh!)
Bassong looks a snip at £8 mill, still not convinced about Crouch (One Rodney Trotter, theres only one Rodney Trotter). Good start, long may it continue! COYS
- Paxton, N17
Spurs were far the better side, even with that dodgy decision by the ref not to allow a penalty. The Spurs were no doubt about it the better side on the day. How many times over the years have they had dodgy decsions go their way i ask? Raffa keeps quiet then lol!
- Neil, Southend on sea England
