Jermain Defoe has issued a challenge to his team mates, to show the league that they will not bottle their challenge for fourth place.
Spurs have started 2010 in indifferent form, drawing with Hull and Leeds, in addition to defeat at Liverpool.
They still sit in the coveted fourth position, but their competitors are hot on their heels.
Spurs face Fulham in the first of five fixtures in 16 days, and Defoe feels they must kick-start things again now to give themselves a good chance.
“This is part and parcel of playing at the top level.
“You are going to get that pressure. We’ve set that standard now and especially playing at home, teams are going to sit in and make it difficult for us.
“It’s important to keep focused. The spirit has always been good but at this stage it’s important to stay focused. I truly believe everything will be okay.
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“We’ve got a great squad with players who can come in and produce performances, so it’s important to prepare right. It’s a massive game against Fulham, they are a good team with a great manager. Hopefully we can get three points.”
Defoe also expressed his sympathies to want-away Russian, Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Pavlyuchenko has found first-team opportunities hard to come by this season and has tried to engineer a move away from White Hart lane, and Defoe does feel sorry for his position having suffered the same during his first stint at the club.
“It’s difficult. It’s important to stay professional. At times when you are not playing, it is difficult.
“I can understand that. When I wasn’t in the Spurs team, it was difficult. You wake up in the morning and feel there is nothing to prepare for. When you are playing, you come to training and prepare right, you’re happy and buzzing.
“It must be difficult for Pav. He hasn’t figured much this season and to be honest, he came on and did well to get the goal against Leeds.”
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