With Tottenham atop the first remotely significant Premier League table, and Burnley nestling in seventh place, you could be forgiven for thinking that football’s clock had turned back 50 years.

Spurs benefited from a generous Hull defence last Wednesday, after their opening weekend win over Liverpool. And they came from a goal behind to win at West Ham on Sunday, Jermaine Defoe’s opener for Spurs coming from a sliderule pass by…the Hammers’ Carlton Cole.

Cole had fired West Ham ahead just after half-time. But his pass for Defoe’s leveller was classic Glenn Hoddle. And a terrific individual effort nine minutes from time by Aaron Lennon gave Spurs the points.

They are the only team with a 100% record after three matches and they lead the table from North London rivals Arsenal, who are 100% after two matches.

 

Tottenham made it two 5-1 away wins in a week, at Doncaster, to start their bid for a third successive Carling Cup final.     Midfield misfit David Bentley had a hand in four of Spurs’ haul, scoring once himself. A number of other squad players impressed, notably keeper Carlo Cudicini with two excellent saves with the score still 0-0 and Roman Pavlyuchenko.   As Tuesday’s transfer deadline looms, Pavlyuchenko could be one of many ins and outs at the club over the next few days, despite manager Harry Redknapp’s public insistence that the striker is going nowhere.

The beanpole Russian international has seen his chances of regular first-team football diminished since the arrival of beanpole England international Crouch.

And he feels his chances of making Russia’s World Cup finals’ squad could be similarly diminished – a familiar refrain of which we will surely hear more at various clubs this season.

Pavlyuchenko said: “I’m ready to listen to offers from other clubs. No footballer likes being on the bench. I could lose my place in the Russian squad before the World Cup.”

Redknapp is reportedly fighting interest from Manchester United in Croatia playmaker Luka Modric, although Modric told Croat newspaper Sportkenovosti: “I am happy at Tottenham.”

He added, cheekily, that “I wouldn’t be surprised if Tottenham offered me a new contract…that is something which happens in England.”

Meanwhile, Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has paid £2m to be reunited with full-back Pascal Chimbonda, who played under him at Bolton.

 

Possibly joining Spurs is on-trial Honduran defender, the delightfully-named Osman Chavez and £15m-rated 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder Sandro.     Chavez’s domestic club Platense have reportedly agreed a £1.5m fee with Spurs, should his trial be a success. Chavez has won twenty-three caps.   Sandro is one-third owned by investors in his club Internacional, which could complicate any future deal.

Tottenham have also been linked with Le Havre midfielder Kevin Anin and Dinamo Zagreb frontman Mario Mandzukic.

Tottenham will look to maintain their 100% record on Saturday when they host newly-promoted Birmingham. However, they will be aware that the Blues won 3-2 on their last visit to the White Hart Lane, in November 2007, manager Alex McLeish’s first match in the St. Andrews hotseat.