Glenn Hoddle: Spurs legend (Phil Cole/Allsport)

'We stopped them playing in the second half. Given the team I was able to put out, I was not unhappy with the result,' said the Spurs boss.

Southampton under Glenn Hoddle may be well-organised and ever-improving - but world-beaters they are not.

And Spurs, who have defeated the likes of Liverpool, Sunderland and Newcastle at home and are yet to taste Premiership defeat on their own pitch, were expected to do much better.

Graham bemoaned the absence of four first-team regulars but the visitors, too, were far from full-strength.

The truth is that Tottenham were outplayed and out-fought, and Southampton were denied only by their own timidity in front of goal and the returning Ian Walker, in for suspended Neil Sullivan.

Of course, by talking up Southampton, Graham must have known he was also fuelling the 'Hoddle for Spurs' lobby, with the former England coach having fashioned a side which appears increasingly at ease with itself - a fact which has not gone unnoticed among the fans at the Lane.

Walker, meanwhile, was grateful to the Southampton forwards for making him look good on only his second start of the season.

Admittedly, every shot needed saving but successive efforts from Hassan Kachloul, James Beattie and Kevin Davies were all just within his reach.

'We'll see how the West Ham game goes (on Wednesday week) and then what George decides to do for the Saturday after that,' said Walker.

'The clean sheet was what I was looking for after training hard for the last six months. If I get the opportunity then I think I can be an international footballer again. But I have to play consistently.

'Maybe the gaffer will let me go on loan, just to get a certain amount of games in.