Ahead of the game, expectations of a victory at White Hart Lane would have been met with raised eyebrows or accusations of blind optimism - this was the team who'd just won 5-1 in Europe thanks to what some were calling the best goal they'd ever seen, after all - and when the line-up was announced too many fans just accepted defeat immediately. But as Jamie McClen and Clarence Acuna once proved at Highbury, miracles and miraculous victories can happen, and Newcastle scored another famous win at White Hart Lane. Even more gratifying than the three points and the rise to 14th place in the league was the revelation that Newcastle did not win by accident. Last year, the three points stolen from Tottenham were won very much despite the performance: we relied way too much on Spurs fluffing their attacking lines, and on Tim Krul having the game of his life. But this time out, the win came thanks to actual decisions made by the manager, and a change of personnel and tactics to take the game to Spurs. Hopefully, Pardew will have noticed the fact, and also that he deserves praise for those changes, but he should also be thankful for the performances of Moussa Sissoko and Fabricio Coloccini, who were both towers for their team. Let's just hope Pardew can take these major lessons into next weeks' tough game against Liverpool...
