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Match Center: Tottenham v Sunderland

By Ryan Wrenn

ENFIELD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Assistant Manager, Jesus Perez (L) a member of the coaching staff (C) and Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur (R) watch on during the Tottenham Hotspur training session at Tottenham Hotspur training centre on September 13, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
ENFIELD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Assistant Manager, Jesus Perez (L) a member of the coaching staff (C) and Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur (R) watch on during the Tottenham Hotspur training session at Tottenham Hotspur training centre on September 13, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur gestures to bench as he cluthes his leg during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland at White Hart Lane on September 18, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur gestures to bench as he cluthes his leg during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland at White Hart Lane on September 18, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Finals Thoughts

Tottenham played 90 minutes of football, never looked like losing and ultimately earned three points that take them into third place in the Premier League.

They also were forced by injury into all three substitutions (including Harry Kane, who was stretchered off), struggled to get past among the worst defenses in the league and generally didn’t look anywhere close to their best self.

So, to call Sunday’s 1-0 win over Sunderland a bit of a mixed bag seemed appropriate. Tottenham are unbeaten in the league but seem far away from their best.

That wasn’t true everywhere on the pitch. For the second Premier League match in a row, Son was the best player on the pitch. Before he was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury, Dembélé looked his lively self. And Kane scored his second goal in as many league matches.

There’s still work to be done here. Moussa Sissoko did not look comfortable or capable on the right wing in place of Lamela. Alli struggled in a densely packed center. Jan Vertonghen should not be an option at left-back.

Next: Pochettino: Tottenham's Slow Start Due to Euros

Pochettino needs to seriously ponder his options, especially as next week brings another (relatively) easy opponent in Middlesbrough against which to experiment.

Stay tuned to HotSpurHQ in the coming days for deeper analysis and predictions about Tottenham’s next moves.