Confident Spurs can 'go a long way'

Tottenham Hotspur FC gave their supporters some unforgettable nights when they last mingled with Europe's elite and they seem determined to do the same on the evidence of their opening victory in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Spurs went for all-out attack against FC Twente and gained their reward with a 4-1 victory that leaves them level with FC Internazionale Milano, their next opponents on 20 October, at the Group A summit. Having held Werder Bremen, this handsome home win showed why midfielder Tom Huddlestone believes they have what it takes to hold their own with the continent's finest, 48 years after their predecessors reached the semi-finals.

The midfielder told UEFA.com: "We have had two good results and one very good performance out of the two games. Inter are the holders and it is going to be very tough over there, especially after their result tonight [4-0 against Bremen]. They will be full of confidence but equally we will be too. We know that on our day we can cause most teams problems."

Although Nikolay Mihaylov saved Rafael Van der Vaart's penalty before the break, Spurs struck twice within five minutes of the restart through Van der Vaart and a Roman Pavlyuchenko spot-kick. Despite Nacer Chadli then halving the deficit and Van der Vaart's sending-off, they secured victory through Pavlyuchenko's second penalty and a late Gareth Bale strike.

Harry Redknapp's team also hit four goals in the home play-off against BSC Young Boys though their attacking approach affords the opposition opportunities: Twente managed seven attempts on target to Spurs' eight.

"We could maybe be more rigid but I think the players we've got and the way we like to play football it is always going to be a bit open," added Huddlestone, who gave a powerful performance in central midfield. "But if we can combine that with a bit more rigidity I think we will go a long way."

Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes admitted it made for a "very exciting" spectacle. "It was a very attacking game, they tried to press us a little bit and we tried to score at the other end. I think the fans enjoyed it." Gomes made an important contribution on his first appearance since the Young Boys tie by stopping Bryan Ruiz's attempted lob after the Twente forward broke clear early on. The Brazilian said: "It was a key moment for us. At 0-0 if they go one up it is more difficult."

Twente defender Douglas had a clear view of where it went wrong for Michel Preud'homme's Dutch champions in their first defeat of 2010/11. "I have to congratulate Gomes who made a great save but when we have chances we have to take them," he said. "In the first half we played very well, but in the second our concentration was not the same and that is why we lost. It was a lesson for the next games that we can't just play for one half but for two. We must play like in the first half but get a goal – we had two good chances but didn't take them."