Published: 27 October 2013
By DAN CARRIER at WHITE HART LANE

PREMIER LEAGUE

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR   1 (Soldado p 79)
HULL CITY   0

IT took a late Roberto Soldado penalty for Spurs to win three points against Hull at home this afternoon (Sunday) – and the laboured victory had boss Andre Villas-Boas lamenting the fixture list.

Speaking after the game, he said he felt home performances were tinged with tension as his team were regularly playing 24 hours later than rivals, who had already put three points in the bag.

"We played in a tense atmosphere," he said.

"It was negative – we looked like the away team and we had to dig really deep. As a group, we have noticed sometimes at home it is difficult."

He said the Europa League was the reason behind the poor performances.

"It is a consequence of playing on Sundays," he said.

"We know other results before we kick off and I believe that leads to tension at the ground."

He added that with visiting teams playing for a point, the onus was on Spurs to keep calm and believe an opening would come.

"It was difficult to get into situations where we could create danger," he said.

"Hull came with one objective: to get 10 men behind the ball and defend – but we kept our cool."

In the first half, Andros Townsend forced Hull keeper Steve Harper in to a sprawling stop, Soldado nipped a header over while a Kyle Walker free kick stung Harper's palms towards the end of an otherwise flat 45.

The second half continued with Spurs struggling to create chances: the best came on 57, when Soldado was manhandled in the box and should have been awarded a spot kick, while substitution Christian Eriksen had a low effort hacked clear with the keeper beaten.

As things looked like they may end in a frustrating afternoon, Spurs got the break they needed.

On 79, Jan Vertonghen's cross struck the outstretched arm of Hull's Curtis Davies. From the resulting penalty, a bloody-faced Soldado – his nose had been clattered moments earlier – scored his third spot kick this term.

Last season, Spurs did not win one penalty: this term, the side have been awarded more than any other club in the Premiership – and bagged nine points because of them.

Until Villas-Boas works out quite what his best line up is – or Tottenham are knocked out of the Europa League and can play on Saturdays – he will be very happy to be handed such breaks.

SPURS: Lloris, Walker, Vertonghen, Chiriches, Lennon (Defoe, 69), Paulinho, Soldado, Holtby (Eriksen, 59), Townsend, Dawson, Sandro (Sub, h/t, Dembele).
Subs:
Friedel, Lamela, Naughton, Defoe, Dembele, Sigurdsson, Eriksen.
Attendance: 36,080

'ISN'T IT TIME FOR LAMELA?'
SPURS COMMENT by DAN CARRIER

WATCHING Argentine international Erik Lamela kicking his heels on the Spurs bench is a study in frustration.

While his team mates were huffing and puffing and failing to create much, he fidgeted constantly. Cheeks were pinched, mouth turned down, breaths theatrically exhaled.

Whenever an attack floundered against the Hull defence, fists were clenched and heels kicked.

He looked absolutely desperate to get out there.

And with such a wealth of attacking options, it leads to a fair amount of head scratching as to why this sides problem is creativity. When Spurs are at home and teams come to defend, the lack of nous in the final third is plain to see. Last term, the wonder boots of Gareth Bale got the side out of a fair few fixes. This time round, while defensively it looks as solid as it has been for many a year, there is a real lack of penetration.

With Lamela costing £30m and billed as one of the most exciting prospects in European football sitting through another flat performance, perhaps it is time for AVB to forget a bedding in period for the young forward and just let him loose. After the game today AVB revealed Lamela's family were moving to London this week to help him settle.

If his body language is anything to go by, the side will get no end of enthusiasm if he is trusted with a start. If his reputation is deserved, the side will also get some much needed trickery.