Tony Pulis knew how to get to Tottenham right from the off. And it wasn't by winding up Dele Alli, doubling up on Harry Kane or by putting 11 men behind the ball.
We all knew West Brom would come to frustrate us and we all knew how good they are at it.
But the first victim of their stifling strategy was not Mousa Dembele's driving runs from deep midfield, nor Danny Rose's link-up with Erik Lamela – and it was not Kyle Walker bombing on down the right.
It was the fans.
White Hart Lane kicked off the evening in good spirits but West Brom set their stall out early.
They took far too long over every throw-in, goal kick and free-kick, letting a few more seconds tick down whenever the occasion arose and pushing the ref to, but never beyond, the limit.
Credit to our players, they weren't fooled and our slick passing game opened up the Baggies time after time.
Christian Eriksen was agonisingly close with two free-kicks - either side of Kane's effort that Boaz Myhill somehow pushed onto the post.
But the home support was starting to play into Albion's hands. Huffing and puffing, booing and jeering every carefully crafted stoppage or set-piece delay that Pulis' side was getting away with.
The Spurs faithful were not directly criticising their own but, once the agitation was flowing, you could see it start to affect the side.
Spurs players already had every reason to be a bit nervy - Leicester's 4-0 win over Swansea on Sunday meant this was basically win or bust.
With that in mind, a bit of calm from the terraces would not have gone unappreciated. Especially seeing as this side have risen to the task and proven themselves again and again.
Timewasting tactics are schoolyard stuff but Pochettino's blue n white army of followers fell for it - hook, line and absolute stinker.
We all ask players like Alli to keep their heads in the face of such situations then we all lose ours at the first sign of bother - effing and jeffing with an irrational fear that, somehow, the Baggies might be able to waste the whole game away before we got our noses in front.
When Craig Dawson diverted Eriksen’s free-kick into his own net just after the half hour the damage may already have been done.
The reaction was that of relief rather than elation and the lads went in at half-time to muted applause rather than all-out encouragement.
Prior to this we had conceded one goal in four games. A 1-0 win would have done just fine. There was no real reason to believe that West Brom should be able to seriously trouble us at the back.
Still we worried, fretted and bit our nails and the lads came out for the second half a shell of the team we have known in recent weeks.
Apart from a few shining lights in Toby Alderweireld and Dembele, the nerves were taking hold and the tension was rising in the stands - until eventually Dawson got the equaliser we had all been fearing since his own goal at the other end.
It was job done for Pulis and probably job done for Leicester.
But devastating? Gut-wrenching? Miserable? Not at all. And we certainly did not bottle it.
At the end of January, 12 games ago, we were fourth – five points behind Arsenal who were top of the pile.
Anyone who thinks we bottled it has an admirable sense of ambition - but no sense of perspective.
Going forward we will no doubt all look for progression from this young team that has showed so much promise. We will all hope they can use this season as a platform and learn from the experience.
Next season we will look for them to demonstrate the composure of title challengers, rather than title hopefuls.
And really, as fans, we should be looking to do the same.
