Spurs rock bottom

Juande Ramos: The only way is up.

No need to panic then? Spurs are languishing at the foot of the table after another miserable performance saw them crash to a 2-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa.

After the striker exodus in the summer, Spurs showcased for the first time the player whose job it is to fill the black hole left by Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane.

£14m Russian hit-man Roman Pavlyuchenko made his debut as did Croat Vedran Corluka in defence but Spurs were undone by an organised Villa side with neither newbie shining.

Villa led after four minutes when Nigel Reo Coker easily converted a Gabriel Agbonlahor cross. The misery was piled on further on 54 minutes when goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes let Ashley Young's tame shot slip under his body.

Darren Bent’s late goal provided scant consolation for Spurs and left coach Juande Ramos with some explaining to do.

‘I'm always angry at the end of games like this with the players and myself as well,’ said Ramos.

‘It's only just begun and there's still room for us there. I'm not going to carry out an assessment after one game.

‘Hopefully with calmness and experience we'll get a positive result.’

Well, we’ll carry out our assessment now – it’s not looking good, Juande. You’ve got three games to turn it around Juande before the fans start calling for your head.

They’ll show as much faith in you as you did in Paul Robinson, and look where that got you last night.

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