Harry-Kane inspired Tottenham Hotspur pass character test against Everton

LONDON // The issue of character comes up more at Tottenham Hotspur than perhaps any other club.

Tim Sherwood highlighted what he saw as his players’ lack of grit last season and, as another campaign dwindles into anti-climax long before the halfway point, it is hard not to believe there is a fundamental issue in the Spurs squad.

Perhaps it is the natural consequence of a squad assembled as quickly as this one has been – which players at Spurs really think they will be at the club for a protracted period.

Perhaps that is why Mauricio Pochettino started against Everton with three academy graduates in his starting line-up, players who have at least some sort of emotional bond with the club.

One of them, in particular, Harry Kane, made a major difference. It is easy to understand why he is such a popular figure with Spurs fans, partly because he is local, partly because he scores goals, but mainly because it is so evident that he cares.

Almost by effort alone, he dragged Spurs back into a game that looked to be going the way of so many of their matches after a Europa League tie this season.

It would be wrong to read too much into this – there have been plenty of false dawns before – but the win, only Tottenham’s third in seven games at home this season, lifted them to seventh, just two points off fourth, lifting them three points above Everton and hinting that there might be a brighter future ahead.

Yet they began sluggishly and Romelu Lukaku had already wasted one opportunity with a snatched finish when Everton took the lead on the quarter-hour.

The goal was brilliant, Kevin Mirallas sending his shot from just outside the box curling and dipping over Hugo Lloris, but Tottenham bore some responsibility, Roberto Soldado lackadaisical in closing the Belgian down as Leighton Baines’s free kick was half cleared.

There had been little sign that an equaliser was coming but when it did, it was inevitable that Kane would be central to it. As Soldado’s run drew two players away he surged in from the right and, when his shot was saved, Christian Eriksen squeezed his finish over Tim Howard and behind a backtracking Gareth Barry.

Suddenly there was a renewed energy and belief about Tottenham. They pressed with greater intensity, harrying Everton in possession even deep in their own half.

They had their reward in first-half injury time when Kane won possession and Aaron Lennon fed Soldado, who finished superbly for his first league goal in nine months.

There were fraught moments towards the end, but Tottenham’s performance in the middle 50 minutes of the game probably just about deserved the win.

Perhaps most importantly, there was evidence that this is a side that is prepared to fight.

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