Charlton - 0 Spurs - 1:English Premiership:Pity Glenn Hoddle. Forced to scrap around the bargain basements of Real Madrid and Lazio in the hunt for a fifth forward, this season is seen by some to be a write-off before it has even started.
Last night, however, without Fernando Morientes, Hernan Crespo or even Rivaldo, Tottenham showed - in patches - that they have enough quality to prosper in this division.
A first-half goal from Simon Davies, followed by 80 minutes of controlled attacking play and obdurate defending gave Spurs three points against a side that did the double over them last season.
Add a platinum-plated goal machine and who knows what might happen?
Both teams made changes from the weekend. A serious injury to Graham Stuart and the sale of Mark Kinsella forced Alan Curbishley to push Radostan Kishishev and Paul Konchesky into midfield. Glenn Hoddle, meanwhile, brought the Yugoslav Goran Bunjevcevic into midfield while Gary Doherty replaced Les Ferdinand up front.
Yet, it was the presence of the two former Peterborough trainees on the flanks that made the difference for Spurs.
Matthew Etherington, continually reported to be out of Hoddle's plans, offered a persistent threat down the left wing, his fast breaks and close control seemingly modelled on his comrade Simon Davies.
Davies the Premiership knows all about after his 10-goal debut season last time around, but knowing about him and dealing with him appear to be different things. After scoring a goal for Wales last week, Davies hit another fine goal in the eighth minute.
Picking up a square pass from Doherty, Davies accelerated past Chris Powell before switching a neat one-two with Teddy Sheringham and rifling a shot into the roof of the net.
Charlton's response to the goal was typically forceful, harassing and harrying all over the pitch. There was little penetration, however. The home side's best efforts came from Kishishev, the Bulgarian forcing Kasey Keller into two sprawling saves in the 16th and 29th minutes.
Driven on by a raucous capacity crowd, Charlton's second-half showing had a lot more bite.
However, Spurs, with Redknapp looking composed and Teddy Sheringham as canny as ever up front, were capable of maintaining possession when needed.
They will also point to a penalty decision that went bizarrely against them; Davies booked for falling, perhaps too promptly, under the manhandling of Dean Kiely.
Guardian Service
Charlton: Kiely, Young, Rufus, Fortune (Brown 71), Powell, Kishishev (Robinson 65), Jensen, Bart-Williams, Konchesky, Johansson (Svensson 54), Euell. Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Lisbie. Booked: Konchesky.
TOTTENHAM: Keller, Taricco, Gardner, Richards, Ziege, Davies, Redknapp, Bunjevcevic, Etherington, Sheringham, Doherty (Ferdinand 78). Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Rebrov, Thatcher, Acimovic. Booked: Davies, Bunjevcevic. Goals: Davies 8.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
