The numbers game has been so bewildering at White Hart Lane this season – 101 goals, Robbie Keane bringing up his century, the club’s seventh permanent manager in a decade, a first win over Arsenal in 21 matches – that one of the most telling statistics has almost crept under the radar.

For the third time in six weeks, two substitutes have scored for Tottenham Hotspur in the same league match, a feat achieved only once previously since the Premier League started.

Juande Ramos may be still making his imprint on Tottenham after taking charge five months ago, but he has already left a more decisive mark than Martin Jol, his predecessor.

Jol lost two-goal leads against Arsenal and Chelsea last season and Fulham this season. Two of his substitutes scored against Fulham, in February 2005, but Ramos can claim the achievement against Derby County, West Ham United and Portsmouth.

A sterile match was drifting aimlessly until Darren Bent was introduced with 20 minutes remaining. Less than two minutes later, he had headed in Dimitar Berbatov’s scuffed shot and dashed past Hermann Hreidarsson to cross for Jamie O’Hara to prod in. Job done. “I try to play with 14 players, not just with the starting XI, and to analyse the situation,” Ramos said.

Like it or lump it, a change in diet is only a small part of the culture shock that has swept the club. As if to emphasise the point, Jermaine Jenas found himself left out, after being taken off against Chelsea three days earlier. “There’s a different culture and players here find it more difficult to accept [that they are on the bench or substituted], but that doesn’t worry me,” Ramos said. “I use substitutions in a way which I believe will help the team, whether they like it or not.”

Jermain Defoe took four years to realise he had no future at Tottenham – Bent wants to know sooner, after making only nine league starts. “Defoe went through it a lot longer than I want to,” Bent said. “The gaffer might bring in a striker, to push me down the order. I don’t want that.”

Paul Robinson’s indecision nearly gifted Portsmouth the lead, but Didier Zokora cleared Kanu’s header off the line. “Sometimes subs work, sometimes they don’t, perhaps he [Ramos] is cleverer than me,” Harry Redknapp, the Portsmouth manager, quipped.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): P Robinson 6 – A Hutton 6, M Dawson 5 (sub: D Bent, 70min 7), J Woodgate 6, P Chimbonda 5 – A Lennon 4 (sub: J O’Hara, 70 6), T Huddlestone 6, D Zokora 5, S Malbranque 5 – D Berbatov 5, R Keane 6 (sub: T Tainio, 83).
Substitutes not used: R Cerny, Y Kaboul.
Next: Newcastle United (h)

Portsmouth (4-5-1): D James 6 – G Johnson 5, S Distin 6, H Hreidarsson 5, L Aubey 5 – J Utaka 4, S Davis 5, R Hughes 5 (sub: A Mvuemba, 89), P Mendes 5, N Kranjcar 6 – Kanu 6 (sub: M Baros, 83).
Substitutes not used: J Ashdown, M Wilson, D Nugent.
Booked: Utaka.
Next: Wigan Athletic (h)

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