Tottenham 3 - 1 Wolves ; Redknapp loving his new Van
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Tottenham Hotspur 3 Wolves 1: Redknapp loves his new Van as 'present' steers Spurs to a late win
Spot of relief: Rafael van der Vaart begins the Spurs comeback from the spot
They may change the manager, buy and sell players, but there remains something flaky about Tottenham. They can beat the best and lose to the lowliest, throw away winning positions or rescue lost causes.
On Saturday it was the latter as they came from behind to overcome a gritty Wolves side who were no soft touches but neither the hard cases of recent reviews.
They were watched by legendary Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and Wolves' celebrity fan might even have been tempted into a rendition of Celebration Day had his side clung on to Steven Fletcher's first-half goal to repeat their win at White Hart Lane of last season as part of a double over Harry Redknapp's side.
Instead, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp halted Tottenham's deepening depression with a successful tactical substitution, adding to an enforced one earlier, which changed the game.
After first-half substitute Alan Hutton had set up the opportunity, Rafael van der Vaart levelled from the penalty spot, the Dutchman capping a fine individual creative performance. 'I love players who are good with the ball and can see a pass,' Redknapp purred of the man signed after Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy rang him at 4pm on transfer deadline day to say: 'I've got a present for you.'
Deadly finish: Roman Pavluchenko makes no mistake to give Spurs the lead
In a frantic final five minutes yesterday, Spurs completed their comeback when Roman Pavlyuchenko, who had come on for Robbie Keane, stroked home a second before Hutton was gifted one of his own.
'Wolves made it difficult for us, they don't give you space to play,' said Redknapp. 'But we moved the ball around well and stuck at it and eventually took the chances.'
Redknapp's counterpart, Mick McCarthy, lamented: 'We have contrived to give that away. But Tottenham are a Champions League team and we have taken a lead, so I prefer to look at the glass being half full.'
Spurs could have been several goals to the good by half-time - or several goals behind. So it is with them.
Given a rare start, Keane was clearly desperate to score against the club with whom he shot to prominence as a 17-year-old and saw Kevin Foley block his drive before glancing a header wide from Gareth Bale's cross.
Splitting the defence: Wolves' Steven Fletcher gets between William Gallas and Younes Kaboul to give Wolves the lead
From another Bale cross, goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann pushed over Peter Crouch's header and he also showed his agility in palming away a fierce Van der Vaart shot.
Then again, Spurs might have been an early goal down when William Gallas escaped unpunished after bringing down the pacy Matt Jarvis. Referee Mike Jones might also have pointed to the spot for the Frenchman tripping Fletcher.
So it was justice of a sort when the summer signing from Burnley gave Wolves the lead on the stroke of half-time. David Jones slipped a neat ball to Foley and his low cross from the right byline was touched home by Fletcher from close range.
MATCH FACTS
Tottenham (4-4-2): Cudicini; Kaboul (Hutton 45min), Gallas, King, Assou-Ekotto; Van der Vaart (Lennon 86), Jenas, Huddlestone, Bale; Crouch, Keane (Pavlyuchenko 67). Subs (not used): Pletikosa, Palacios, Bassong, Kranjcar. Booked: Huddlestone, Van der Vaart, Pavlyuchenko.
Wolves (4-5-1): Hahnemann; Foley, Craddock, Spearman, Ward; Jarvis (Van Damme 54), Henry, Mancienne (Bent 90), Jones, Fletcher (Edwards 58); Doyle. Subs (not used): Hennessey, Elokobi, Ebanks-Blake, Guedioura. Booked: Foley, Van Damme, Hahnemann.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).HERO Alan Hutton - waited a while for such a chance and took it.
VILLAIN Stephen Ward - diving in turned the game against Wolves.
MAGIC MOMENT Early through ball from
Jermaine Jenas to Gareth Bale. Classy.Either side of the goal, Wolves had no fortune at all, however, quite apart from the penalty denials. A groin injury that cost them the livewire Jarvis was particularly damaging early in the second half.
Spurs turned the screw from the start of the second period, with Hutton, who had replaced the hamstrung Younes Kaboul, clipping a shot just wide and Van der Vaart, cutting in from the right and seeking out space cleverly, narrowly missing twice, with an acrobatic bicycle kick then a curling shot.
With minds turning to the recent home defeat by Wigan, Redknapp threw on Pavlyuchenko, though it was the earlier replacement who did most to bring Spurs back into the game.
Hutton drove at Wolves down the right flank and penetrated into the penalty area, where Stephen Ward dived in hastily and brought down the Scotsman. Up stepped Van der Vaart to strike the penalty home.
Now self-doubt crept into Wolves as Spurs finally found ways through their cloying 4-5-1 line-up. Tom Huddlestone drilled in a shot after Wolves had failed to clear their lines and it rebounded to Pavlyuchenko, who sidefooted past Hahnemann.
In added time, Hutton sealed the win. He again drove forward and Richard Stearman's clearance hit him and looped over the unfortunate Hahnemann.