But having offered little, Spurs then snatched an equaliser just before the hour mark, via Erik Lamela’s header, and the visitors nearly won it late on, with two superb saves by Maarten Stekelenburg keeping out a shot from substitute Vincent Janssen and a deflected Lamela strike.
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It was not an ideal start for Tottenham on Saturday, with Ross Barkley’s fifth-minute free-kick sneaking past Hugo Lloris, before the French goalkeeper was forced off due to a hamstring injury. They’ll want to pick up points while they can before their schedule gets too tough.
“It is always the best to have a good start to the season because that really gives you the confidence you need to play”, Koeman said.
In Kane’s place will be Vincent Janssen. “We just had to be quicker switching the ball and I thought we did that in the second half”.
“I am happy with the team performance, the first 45 minutes was really excellent”. Now we’ve learned a lesson and we’ll improve on our mistakes.
“At half-time I told them that we had made a lot of mistakes, and if you can not play in possession and create chances you will not get anywhere”.
Barkley failed to break into Roy Hodgson’s England team at Euro 2016, but it seems as though he will be a pivotal figure in Ronald Koeman’s formation as he scored the first league goal of the manager’s reign.
That was only to be followed by England’s toothless display at the European Championship in France, when they were eventually knocked out by minnows Iceland in the round of 16.
“That was important for us to keep the result, because it is also a mental question”.
Erik Lamela’s header cancelled out Ross Barkley’s early opener and Tottenham had a chance to win, but Everton keeper Maarten Stekelenburg denied Vincent Janssen and Lamela late on.
The Dutchman, who turns 34 next month, was an unheralded signing earlier this summer, as manager Ronald Koeman swooped to reunite with a player he worked with at Ajax and Southampton.
Spurs eventually leveled matters in the 59th minute as the Erik Lamel evaded his marker to head home Kyle Walker’s cross from the right.
“Sometimes it’s hard because that kind of creative player sometimes is a little bit more sloppy in that aspect but we will work on it”.
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The visitors finished the game with 10 men when substitute Ben Watson was sent-off for a professional foul on Shane Long with 15 minutes remaining. “Before half-time we had a big opportunity to score the second goal which would have made it a totally different second half”.
