Villas-Boas aims to lift the gloom at Spurs

LONDON (AFP) - Andre Villas-Boas accepts Tottenham have made a disappointing start to the Premier League campaign and the news that centre back Younes Kaboul is out for four months has hardly lifted the mood at White Hart Lane.

Villas-Boas admits a solitary point from the opening two games against Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion is an unsatisfactory return as the new Tottenham manager attempts to emulate the fourth-placed finish achieved by his predecessor Harry Redknapp last year.

Anything less than victory over Norwich City at White Hart Lane on Saturday will mean the gap between Spurs and the top four will grow uncomfortably wide even at this early stage of the season.

But Kaboul's absence after undergoing knee surgery is an early blow to Villas-Boas's hopes of establishing defensive stability in his starting line-up.