Joe, who returned to action for the Spurs game after a one match suspension - while Jermain Defoe came in for the ill Paolo Di Canio - says: "I think there was some good football played at times, and it makes a difference that the front boys really worked their socks off on the day - it took a bit of pressure off the midfield.
"And, on that occasion, we passed the ball a lot better than them as well.
"We have been trying it and things haven't been working for us but that sort of performance is what the fans deserve.
"You have only got to run and chase and tackle and they love you here - it is not a lot to ask and I think we gave them that on Saturday, with an extra little bit of quality to win the game for us."
Joe Cole might not exactly be Roy Keane - indeed Roy Keane himself might not be these days - but Joe holds him up high as an example of the sort of player you need to be in midfield if the battles ahead are to be won.
"The first few tackles were important and Roy Keane is the perfect example of the type of player you need to be in this situation - someone who puts the tackles in early because it rallies the troops and it gets everyone going around you," says Joe.
"A few good early tackles set the tone."
As for having that captain's armband back in place, he says: "It obviously means a lot. It is nice to be given the responsibility, especially at such a young age.
"I am learning with it every week - and it is growing on me."
A double bonus for Joe was the chance to play in the middle, with Steve Lomas ruled out through a knee injury, and he adds: "Everyone knows that I like playing in the centre, but I have played elsewhere for the boss this year. In the last 10 games I may have the chance to show what I can do in the middle and it worked well for the team on Saturday.
"I would never come out in the press or anything and demand it but it is where I like to play - although I will play anywhere on the pitch."
Joe admits that the margin of the victory could have been greater on Saturday but says: "It could have been more but we will save those chances for the next game."
But he has warned fans not to get too carried away with drawing level on points with Bolton - after all, their goal difference is superior by seven - and adds: "There are many more games to come, we are not going to get excited, and we don't want any more false dawns - we just want to get back up there.
"It is going to be hard. There are nine more games to go but we have got ourselves in a good position now to kick on."
As for the fact that there didn't seem to be the same nerves there were at West Brom the week before, he says: "You reckon? Maybe it didn't look like it, but there were plenty of nerves.
"But it is normal, and you have to take those nerves and take them into positive energy like we did. No sportsman in the world goes into a game without being nervous."
And a final word on the target for the season to stay up?
"I think we need five more wins to be sure," he says. "You could sneak three in and a couple of draws but you don't want to leave it to that.
"Our target is to win every game; realistically five, I think, would definitely keep you up but we want to win all of them."