Harry Kane celebrates Tottenham's first goal in the 2-1 win at Hull City. Illustration by Richard Swarbrick.
The miasma emanating from the festering petri dish that the Spurs community becomes during an international break was threatening to knock us all out when Jake Livermore, of all people, smacked home his opener for Hull at the KC Stadium on Sunday.
Hashtags and banners demanding the end of Daniel Levy and ENIC's regime had been multiplying throughout the fortnight while Emmanuel Adebayor's cheeky complaint that the crowd ought to be more supportive during home games meant that the players were in the doghouse too. The only reason Pochettino hadn't been getting as much stick is because no one can contemplate the embarrassment of yet another change of manager.
The gathering anger at the possible move to Milton Keynes while the new stadium is being built was in no way allayed by the release of the minutes from the meeting between the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust and the club's top brass last week. They were hardly packed with revelations but the club's refusal to rule out the MK Don's home - admitting it was in the running along with Upton Park, Wembley and the Olympic Stadium - was the stand out divulgement. Most observers make Stadium MK the short priced favourite.
But a victory can quickly paper over the cracks however crevice-like they may appear. Spurs weren't great at Hull but they were better than they have been for a while and despite poor old Steve Bruce's gripes, they were worthy winners. The most encouraging aspect of a somewhat spluttering performance was the whopping 23 shots on goal, more than they've mustered in any other game so far this season. Whether they can build on this potency and take it into next Sunday's game with Everton is the intriguing question. Recently, lesser teams have come to White Hart Lane and stifled Tottenham, frustrating the crowd and cashing in on the players' dwindling confidence to snatch the points. But Everton are likely to come and attack which could make for an altogether more entertaining afternoon.
Before that there is the irritating distraction of Thursday's Europa League game with Partizan Belgrade. Despite their illustrious past the Serbs are proving to be the weakest team in Tottenham's group so the hope will be that the three points prove a formality and important players will get a rest before Sunday. Their absence from the bench as well as the starting eleven against Hull suggests that Adebayor, Capoue, Rose and Chadli have injuries. Kaboul, apparently, was missing for 'private reasons'.
A good run of form now would alleviate some of the pressure on the board and it doesn't hurt that there is rampant discontent up the road at the Emirates Stadium. Among the despairing and angry voices of the Spurs faithful of late, some have suggested that that solace should not be sought in the travails of the Arse - that somehow this is hollow consolation. What nonsense. All true Spurs fans support three teams: Tottenham Hotspur, whoever's playing Arsenal (even if it's Chelsea) and whoever's playing Chelsea (unless its Arsenal). If you can't find hilarity in the agony of the Goons, you're short changing yourself. Enjoy!