Last night reminded me of how we played at home just a few seasons back under Jol.
Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Michael Dawson were on target as we blitzed Stoke in the first half.
Prior to this match, we had managed just one point in our last four Premier League matches.
Coupled with a recent run of just three points out of the last 18, it had left us talking about relegation again.
As I mentioned above, we did play some great attacking football, but the defending and marking by Stoke was way below par.
In the eighth minute, Spurs capitalised on some of the aforementioned poor defending by Stoke.
Defoe was able to pick out Lennon in so much space out on the right.
Stoke right-back Andy Wilkinson tried to make up ground, along with Abdoulaye Faye, but neither got near the pacey winger as he darted into the box.
Lennon then slotted home with his left through Thomas Sorensen’s legs from 12 yards to claim his first goal since the last-minute equaliser at Arsenal in the fantastic, heart-stopping 4-4 draw last October, and his first goal at the Lane for over a year, with his previous home strike coming also against the Woolwich Wanderers on January 22, 2008.
Why Stoke gifted so much room to both Bentley and Lennon was beyond me, and also beyond their manager, Pulis, as he stood shaking his head in absolute shock, time and time again.
Better was to come in the 21st minute when a superb passing move through the heart of the Stoke defence led to a second.
Modric picked out Roman Pavlyuchenko, whose first-time pass was perfectly weighted and directed for the diagonal run of Defoe into the box.
Defoe was able to take the pass in his stride and blasted a powerful shot past Sorensen into the left side of the keeper’s goal.
The third goal came after Bentley played the corner short to Modric, who deceived Amdy Faye with ease before crossing with his left.
The centre in the 25th minute was perfect for Dawson to rise and send a thumping header into the net.
Cudicini, making his Spurs début, had a solid game, and was unfortunate to concede after Etherington lofted the ball into the box for Beattie, who controlled and slotted home with his right foot for his seventh career goal against Spurs.
The few points I picked up from the game was that Modric, who undoubtedly has an abundance of talent, is better when he’s playing at the Lane. Also, if Pavlyuchenko and Defoe continue playing the way they do, we won’t need another striker as it seems to me that they are gradually developing a great understanding.
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