WE'VE heard a lot hype about Tottenham's strength in depth, about the players who don't get a game but could walk into other Premiership sides. Today Spurs were without Bale from the start and lost Lennon after 20 minutes: robbed of our flying wingers who have produced so many thrills and spills already this season, the question was could we get out top four push back on the boil after last week's disappointment against Stoke without our anointed 11?

 

The key problem was where would the cut and thrust come from with out Bale or Lennon on the pitch? The answer was not immediately apparent in the first half: with no bucaneering flankmen, this was going to be chilly war of attrition. Sunderland, with their new manager Martin O'Neill pacing furiously like a caged tiger, kicking every ball, were a stubborn mixture of organisation and that extra 10 per cent effort players conjure up when they have a new boss to please. Spurs were solid but lacked the usual flair  – with two defensive midfielders  Sandro and Parker in the middle, it was solid rather than spectacular. Neither had started together so far, and it may be some time before they do again.

 

Yet there are some real positives to be taken from this. The old adage that a good team can win ugly is something we've not been able to say about Spurs – this time it is different. Spurs did not purr as they so often have done this term, but still managed to use their quality when the breaks came. Perhaps they are saving themselves for Chelsea's visit on Thursday.

 

It was a strangely muted atmosphere and while Spurs enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening half hour they didn't test Black Cats keeper Keiren Westwood to any real degree. Perhaps the closest was an Assou-Ekotto shot that looked goalbound but bounced off van der Vaart. At the other end, there was a brief scare when Connor Wickham nearly connected in a dangerous position in the box in a rare attack. On 44 Pavlyuchenko got on the end of a Scott Parker cross from close range but otherwise Harry Redknapp had some gee'ing up to do over the half time biccies. But with two defensive midfielders in the centre and a real lack of width with Modric and van der Vaart on the flanks, the flowing football we've been enjoying was notable by it's absence.

 

The ball behind the full back move which has bought us such rewards this term with Bale and Lennon hammering people for pace was not working: Assou-Ekotto and Walker were 20 yards too deep to get into the space. 

The second half saw them up it a level: Parker, Adebayor and van der Vaart all got forward and had sniffs without creating a really clean opportunity in the opening 10. But it finally came. On 60, the crowd turned on a roar as Modric stepped into space. He combined with Parker and Pavlyuchenko angled the ball home from the dge of the box. It was just the jolly-up that was needed. Suddenly the confidence came back: Adebayor and Modric could have increased the lead, and Sunderland never really bothered Friedel.

 

So the claims of a strong squad have been borne out today. Not a convincing display but three points anyway, and a new experience of winning ugly. How very un-Tottenham like.