Simonsen stepped in 20 minutes before kick-off at White Hart Lane and helped keep Spurs at bay before Glenn Whelan struck at the death, denting the hopes Harry Redknapp's men had of sustaining their top-four challenge.

Towards the end, Spurs were looking to use the height of Peter Crouch rather than playing through Stoke - a tactic that Tony Pulis' men themselves have been criticised for.

Simonsen said: "It is satisfying because we didn't allow them to pass the ball around the way they wanted to. We were at them all the time and biting at their heels.

"They couldn't move it around the way they wanted to. The fact they went route one in the last 20 minutes was a testament to the way we played."

Stoke did play directly at times but also matched Tottenham technically for spells, especially when Ricardo Fuller's set up Whelan's strike.

"Everyone has us down as a route-one team but we can use it," Simonsen said.

"We have fantastic football players here and get it down and play it in the right areas, like we did for the goal.

"People have a bit of a stereotype about Stoke being route one but we're not.

"We've shown on numerous occasions we don't have to play like that.

"We're not bothered because we are getting the result. Even if we were outrageously route one, a la Wimbledon, it wouldn't bother us if we were getting results."

Matthew Etherington is one of the players Pulis looks towards for a creative spark - and the former Tottenham winger is happy with critics labelling Stoke as an ugly team.

Etherington said: "We get stereotyped but that's fine, they can keep doing that. As long as we get the results I don't care.

"I think towards the end Spurs were running out of ideas and just lumping it towards Crouchy. In the last 20 minutes, we weren't doing that, we were passing it about."

Part of the reason for Spurs' direct tactics was Aaron Lennon limping down the tunnel with an ankle injury.

He risked infuriating Redknapp because the Spurs boss asked him to carry on.

"We went to 10 men and didn't want to concede then. We said that we should mix up the game and it is harder to play through teams when you have 10 men," said midfielder Niko Kranjcar.

"Obviously you look for chances with crosses and long balls.

"It was frustrating that we used all three subs by that time. But it was one of those games."

Fabio Capello was in the stands to see the episode. The England boss also watched Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas, and he may have been impressed by Stoke centre-back Ryan Shawcross.

Shawcross said: "I think Capello was here to watch the Tottenham players more than me but it is always good to put a performance on when he is in the stands.

"There are a lot good centre-backs in England so I'm in a long queue but I'm playing well and just wanted to keep performing. It's my dream to play (for England) one day and hopefully I'll be able to do that."