Tottenham 2 Pool 0

The new Spurs boss came into his first game in charge saying he wanted his team to play with style, but on the evidence of this display he faces an uphill task to turn things around at White Hart Lane this season.

Tottenham's defence still looked a mess and only the woodwork and a superb save from Paul Robinson denied Blackpool piling more misery on the north London club.

The former Sevilla coach is thankful that strikes from Robbie Keane and Pascal Chimbonda ensured there was no major cup upset and knows he still has a chance of landing some silverware in his first season with the club.

The home side started brightly and could have opened the scoring after six minutes when Didier Zokora fired in a 25-yard drive, which flew just past the post.

Tottenham continued to mount pressure on the Blackpool goal and came close again on nine minutes when the ball fell to Chimbonda inside the box but he fired over from close range.

Former boss Martin Jol had been blamed for the club's shocking defending this season but things looked just as bad at the back under Ramos' leadership.

Younes Kaboul produced a dreadful mistake at the back, which allowed David Fox a run through on goal, but he fired the ball just wide of the post.

Blackpool were made to pay when Keane fired Tottenham into the lead on 18 minutes. Robinson's long kick was flicked on by Dimitar Berbatov, and Keane made no mistake chipping the ball over the advancing Paul Rachubka and into the back of the net.

Ramos will have to weave all his magic if he is to improve Tottenham's dismal defence as Blackpool should have snatched an equaliser just a minute into the second half.

Keigan Parker was allowed too much space down the right and his cross picked out Gary Taylor-Fletcher whose close-range header cannoned back off the crossbar.

Taylor-Fletcher had another golden chance to draw the Championship side level on 51 minutes when Shaun Barker's cross fell perfectly to him inside the box but his volley produced a world-class save from Robinson diving away to his right.

Ramos gave an early indication that he could make sweeping changes at the back when he hauled off Kaboul on 55 minutes and replaced him with Teemu Tainio.

And the move paid off when Tottenham raced down the other end and doubled their lead on 58 minutes.

Steed Malbranque's corner picked out Chimbonda at the far post and he headed the ball into the corner of the net to ensure Tottenham progressed to the next phase of the competition.