For an under-fire Ange Postecoglou, a slow start against Wolves was an absolute disaster.
Not even five minutes were on the clock when they fell behind - in somewhat comical circumstances too - as Guglielmo Vicario could only punch a freekick away to the edge of the area and Rayan Aït-Nouri’s miscued volley bounced off the Molineux turf and into the far corner.
Spurs were all over the place in the opening stages and should’ve fallen two goals behind when Vicario’s limp clearance fell favourably to Jörgen Strand Larsen, but he stumbled and could only divert his effort narrowly wide.
Once Spurs settled into the game they did look a little better, and did come close to getting back on level terms when Yves Bissouma stung the palms of José Sá from the edge of the area.
Dom Solanke and Brennan Johnson both wasted chances to get Spurs back on level terms and they were made to pay in brutal fashion.
If the first goal came in comical circumstances, then the second one was farcical, as a deflected cross into the area should’ve posed no real danger to Vicario, but he palmed the ball against Djed Spence and the ball trickled over the line.
The visitors were dicing with danger at times with their bold possession-based approach, but despite a couple of scares, they eventually halved the arrears.
It would be debatable to say they were good value for it, but they wouldn't have cared when Mathys Tel popped up at the far post to steer home Johnson’s cross.
That goal only provided some temporary hope for Spurs, who soon found themselves two goals behind again when another defensive calamity struck.
Cristian Romero had his pocket picked by Aït-Nouri as the last man and he rolled the ball across the six-yard line for Strand Larsen to tap into an empty net.
Wolves had the luxury of introducing Matheus Cunha, who played for the first time in almost a month after a four-game ban, and he almost marked the occasion with a goal but his wicked strike whistled inches over the bar.
That chance would have made the end more comfortable, but instead a Richarlison goal set up a nervy ending.
Those nerves were eased when Cunha re-established their two-goal cushion which secured Wolves a first pair of back-to-back home wins all season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rayan Aït-Nouri (Wolverhampton Wanderers)