At last a win in the league. The defensive frailty was still present, and the midfield two offered scant protection to the back four, but we defended deeper and were not quite so easily exposed as we have been of late. The game changed in the second half, when Chiriches replaced Dier at right back and then Lennon came on for the ineffective Dembele. With Lamela switching to the left, and Chiriches able to do what he does best- bring the ball forward- we finally opened up a team who were always going to be susceptible from the full-back positions. That we did so after they had put 9 men behind the ball, having gone down to 10 men, makes the achievement all the sweeter.
I’m going to give Pochettino credit for his substitutions and hope that he recognised the need to create width. I maintain this is an option we need to have in our armoury if we are to climb the table.
Player ratings:
Lloris: 6. Two very poor attempts at coming for high balls, but made a great save to keep us in the match when a goal down. A better choice as captain than Kaboul.
Dier: 4 It’s just too easy to expose the likeable, out-of-position centre-back. Hull played two full-backs on Dier’s side and drew the foul that made his appearance in the second half a liability. Good decision to play Chiriches there, after he did so for Romania in the international break. I’d stick with Chiriches against Everton, while Naughton completes his suspension.
Fazio: 5 Woeful ability to read a high ball or play a simple pass. Gifted the ball to Livermore to open the scoring. Offers physical presence but little else. (Livermore showed his class by not celebrating the goal, though.)
Vertonghen: 7 Classy performance. Back at his purring best. Rather than criticise him for “making the most” of Ramirez’s sending off, Bruce should have a word with his attacking midfield player, who did a Beckham and kicked out petulantly to force the referee into make a decision.
Davies: 6 His best game for the club so far, but was still at fault for not closing down Livermore quickly enough to stop the goal. Suspect positionally in defence. Going forward he offered some width and played one or two good crosses into the box, but needs to do more to keep Rose out of the side.
Dembele: 4 His body shape always seems wrong when he receives the ball. He is slow to react and moves often break down because he is not alive to them. Rightly subbed off. Missed a fine opportunity to usurp Capoue’s place in the team. I’d start Stambouli against Everton.
Mason: 6 Needs to improve defensively. Was bullied by Huddlestone and Livermore but came through it and always looks for a forward pass.
Lamela: 6 Reminds me of Nani. Lots of lovely step-overs but little end-product. Was constantly hungry, though and kept probing when heads dropped in the first half.
Eriksen: 8 Man of the Match. Best performance of the season. Constantly chasing the ball down, a hub through which most of our best work came. Was dropped to CM initially after Paulinho came on, but pushed back up the pitch in time to bag our goal.
Kane: 7 He scores goals. Sometimes his touch his heavy, but as long as he keeps sticking it in the onion bag, I don’t care.
Soldado: 6 As usual, great approach play but missed a sitter. Let’s give him an extended run in the team and see if he can find his form and confidence.
Subs
Chiriches: 6 Showed signs of his jittery usual self in the first few touches of the second half, but settled well and created a lot going forward.
Lennon: 7 Changed the game. We scored immediately after he came on. Constantly provided an outlet and occupied Hull’s left-sided players, creating space for others to exploit in the middle. Pushing hard for a start in the next league match.
Paulinho: 5 Anonymous, but it will have done him good to get some Premier League minutes under his belt and to feel a part of the first team squad again.
Everton will provide a sterner test, but results this weekend have been relatively kind to us, with Liverpool and Arsenal losing. We are level on points with Arsenal and Everton, and ahead of Liverpool. United are just two points ahead, as is the top 4. A win against Everton and the cockerel might start crowing again at last.
COYS
another wise spurs blog 
Never thought we’d lose and pleased the players didn’t settle for the draw. Erikson just about did it for me as our best player. I am foolish to compare him to Modric for both style and attitude, and he is still young, but I so want him to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and start dictating the pace, pull and push of the game. Lamela is still wearing blinkers and has tunnel vision, but the whole team is young, there’s no stand out experience or leadership and we are suffering for it. A definite work in progress – sadly again – and the football is strained, peppered sporadically with moments of classy movement. I rate Mason and I think Stambouli is with us to be a long term partner in the defensive middle… but still, romantically, I am holding out for Carroll to return from loan stronger and Bentaleb to turn it on once back from injury. Defensively we are so poor. No wonder it gives Lloris the jitters. Where was Kaboul today, despite not bothering me that he wasn’t playing?
Not sure, but I think I heard something about Kaboul suffering a tragedy. Fingers crossed for Carroll. Every Spurs fan I know likes him.
I’m not sure we can continue playing Lamela in the league – that tunnel vision of his is chronic, and it’s showing him up to be a rather slow-minded footballer. And if Soldado can’t take that chance, or any other against a 10-man Hull, then I don’t really think he warrants a place in the side, either.
Stambouli has looked awful so far – no better that Fazio, Paulinho or Kaboul – which is only slightly worse than Capoue has been, which is still better than Dembele.
It’s a shocking bunch of performances so far from our squad, with only Lloris, Chadli, Eriksen (on the back of today), Mason, Kane and Rose doing enough (just) to be even remotely worthy of a start. Maybe Vertonghen after today, too. On that basis, Lennon certainly deserves a chance – but the competition is so thin it’s frightening.
But somehow we’re only two points off the pace. Yet in terms of performance, we haven’t been this far away from being a Champions League team since the days of Santini et al.
A clear-headed assessment.