Ramos: Players are speaking my language

Tottenham boss Juande Ramos believes his team are finally beginning to understand the way he wants them to play after Dimitar Berbatov's 81st-minute winner at Portsmouth brought their first league away success of the season.

The victory came on the back of last week's 2-1 triumph over Manchester City and Ramos' decision to again leave Jermain Defoe on the bench was justified when Berbatov put away his third good chance to claim his sixth goal of the campaign.

It ended Portsmouth's 11-match unbeaten run and Ramos said: "We have to recognise it was a success for the whole team, not just one player. We had chances earlier to kill the game and did not take them. Berbatov had one or two."

Speaking through an interpreter the Spaniard added: "I'm very happy because it is important to win two matches in a row and it is a path we must continue to follow.

"We have been playing 4-3-3 sometimes but now 4-4-2 and I think the players are beginning to understand what we must do.

"We decided to stick with an attacking way despite the fact our defence was weak again. Michael Dawson had to go to hospital before the game with problems in his head. We think it is a migraine."

Spurs again played midfielder Didier Zokora in defence, gave Kevin-Prince Boateng, their £4.5 million signing from Hertha Berlin, only his second league start and handed Jamie O'Hara, 21, his debut as substitute in the last 17 minutes.

But they were rarely threatened by a Portsmouth side who have now not scored in their last four home matches - despite six away wins on the spin.

And manager Harry Redknapp admitted: "We just didn't get started. It's got to be our worst performance of the season. And we got what we deserved - which was nothing.

"To be fair, I always thought it was a dangerous game. If you look at Tottenham's squad there is a lot of quality there. They are the one team who should be pushing to get into the top four if anyone can."