Spurs boss Juande Ramos believes they are more hungry without Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov.
The club are still licking their wounds after their first-choice strike force was ripped apart in the summer with Keane snapped up by Liverpool and Be rba to vat Manchester United.
In their place are unproven 19-year-old Fraizer Campbell, former Spartak Moscow striker Roman Pavlyuchenko and ambitious Darren Bent - now the longestserving member of Tottenham's front line.
Ramos said: "The young ones always bring hope, willingness and ambition to a team and that helps the group to form personality and character.
"If they are also quality players and willing to give everything, the level of team competitiveness increases."
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Highly-rated Campbell was virtually ordered by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to ditch plans to joinWigan in favour of Spurs to ensure Berbatov's switch went smoothly. Yet that has not appeased some Spurs fans who believe the club's start to the season has set the tone for another disappointing campaign.
But Ramos added: "The team is working well. We have made mistakes and been unlucky but this is only the beginning.
"Now we have to continue working hard, build our confidence and find our own character as a group.
"The team has the possibility to improve enormously.
"I ask the fans to be patient and keep giving us the same support as they always have." "I have little doubt that we have a squad of greater overall quality now than when I began."
