Mixed Performance in Win over West Ham Leaves Tottenham with Plenty to Prove
WHITE HART LANE, London — The best and worst of Tottenham Hotspur was on display in their 3-2 victory over West Ham United on Saturday.
In the final Premier League meeting between the two at the current White Hart Lane (an FA Cup draw in the New Year is still possible), Tottenham's performance rose and fell like a life depicted on a heart monitor. Their fans followed accordingly, appearing to flatline before the glorious comeback resuscitated them, and perhaps their team's season too.
A goal for Harry Winks in his first Tottenham start and a brace for Harry Kane secured the victory, either side of Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini scoring for West Ham. It is via these goals we look back at the story of Spurs' game, what it said about Mauricio Pochettino's still unbeaten side and what they need to work on ahead of a massive week at home and in Europe.
Michail Antonio: 24th minute—Tottenham 0-1 West Ham
Despite conceding two in a Premier League game for the first time this season, Tottenham still have the best defensive record in the division.
With just eight goals conceded in 12 games, their resistance work has kept them in touch with the top of the table even as their attack has struggled. They have also still only let in one goal in open play too—Ahmed Musa's equaliser for Leicester City last month.
Plenty of questions have been asked about when last season's fan-voted player of the year Toby Alderweireld will be fit again. Perhaps a more pertinent question of Pochettino and his team—given the same minor issue was there when the Belgian was playing—is why do they keep getting caught out at set-plays?
After using a three-man central defence against Arsenal, Spurs reverted to a back four against West Ham. Flanked by the usual full-back pair of Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen largely shut down the Hammers' attempts on the break, going long or under sustained pressure.
The four and their team-mates defended more desperately at free-kicks and especially corners.
Letting the dangerous wide-man Antonio—who scored against Spurs last season and now has six this campaign—go free to head in West Ham's opener was an egregious oversight. Just how Vincent Janssen was assigned the imposing Winston Reid in the run-up to conceding a later penalty should also be asked.
Of course, no team is completely impenetrable. But if Spurs can tighten up here they may become even tougher to break down.
Harry Winks: 51st minute—Tottenham 1-1 West Ham
We have talked about Winks a lot here on Bleacher Report, most recently examining the milestones of his fledgling career during the international break.
In reaching the next landmarks—a first Premier League start and senior goal—the 20-year-old showed why there is so much anticipation of and excitement over his development.
Pochettino deployed him to the left of a diamond midfield in the first half. Victor Wanyama anchored the quartet, Mousa Dembele operated more to the right and Christian Eriksen was situated more offensively.
It did not have quite the desired impact. Spurs were too narrow out of possession while the emphasis on trying to overload and outplay West Ham centrally was countered by the visitors' obstructive shape and good positional discipline.
Winks' more experienced team-mates toiled implementing this. Impressively, the precocious academy man adapted well.
He worked hard to try to plug the left-hand channel and also protect Rose. His passing was typically intelligent and crisp, while he took his opportunities to push on into space left by West Ham.
One such moment led to his equaliser, getting into the box for a rebound after Janssen's near-post shot was saved. Winks' celebration was joy defined. The reaction of his team-mates and manager was testament to the goodwill there is for his continued development.
The game fluctuated further from there with Pochettino changing to a more recognisable setup late on. Winks kept his head through all this, maintaining possession sensibly as he searched for possible breakthrough points.
It was telling he was kept on for the successful comeback push. Expect to see him utilised even more from here on out.
Manuel Lanzini: 68th minute—Tottenham 1-2 West Ham
Janssen cannot catch a break right now.
A stunning goal in the October international break for the Netherlands against Belarus looked to have boosted his confidence. He responded with good performances for Tottenham against West Bromwich Albion and Bayer Leverkusen, but was then surprisingly dropped for Bournemouth in a game made for him.
He had his first Premier League goal cancelled out against Leicester and in general has had to make do with insufficient service. Kane’s return to fitness relegated him to the bench for Arsenal, and during this month's national team duty he suffered a concussion.
Getting the nod to start up front against West Ham alongside Kane was a big show of faith from Pochettino. Unfortunately Spurs' persisting creative malaise in the first half did not service either well, and the Dutchman was left to fight for scraps in earlier phases of play.
His shot led to Winks' goal, but his biggest moment of the game was conceding the penalty that led to Manuel Lanzini giving West Ham a 2-1 lead.
Janssen was already likely to be substituted for Dele Alli shortly after. Nevertheless, his frustration was visible as he went off, muttering disconsolately and punching the bench.
Harry Kane: 89th minute—Tottenham 2-2 West Ham
As willing and hard-running a player in the Tottenham team, Janssen will have been delighted as anyone to see them fight back after his mistake and withdrawal. Still, you would forgive him a pang of jealousy at seeing such a good chance present itself for Kane making it 2-2 after so little came his way.
Alli's introduction was followed four minutes later by Heung-Min Son's. Spurs moved closer to their more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation at this point having already readjusted the midfield roles earlier in the half.
With insufficient movement and the same over-reliance on early crosses, little appeared to have changed. West Ham's choice to sit back and look to catch their hosts on the break proved too tiring to maintain, though, and they were ultimately punished (the recipient of some of these, substitute Simone Zaza, notably lacked confidence when they did get forward).
Son's first few tries figuring out a path to goal from deeper were too easily stopped. On the 89th minute he chanced positioning himself further forward and Alli found him in the left-hand channel between Antonio and Cheikhou Kouyate.
Son's low centre had enough on it to beat Darren Randolph's dive, and Kane tucked it away.
It was one of Spurs' few real penetrative moments. Pochettino will be striving to find out how they can do more without relying on opponents to grow fatigued.
Harry Kane: 91st minute—Tottenham 3-2 West Ham
Son did well again breaching that side of the West Ham box and winning the decisive penalty. After a few quiet weeks, Tottenham's previously in-form man will be delighted to have made such an important contribution again.
Along with Winks, it was his fellow Harry who was one of the men of the day for the north Londoners.
Kane admitted to the press afterward it had not been one of his best performances. But he reiterated again he is a player Spurs can rely on to come through for them more often than not.
Although considerably aided by Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell's dereliction of their marking duties, he still had to be in position to net his first. The coolness he displayed converting the stoppage-time spot-kick winner should not be underplayed.
It followed another big penalty earning a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in his comeback from injury. As researched by OptaJoe, "of players to have played in 10+ London PL derbies, Harry Kane has the best goals/game ratio."
Tottenham's derby king is back and with another big one against Chelsea coming up, it may yet inspire them to become the capital's best.
The Aftermath
It was easy to tell how much this result meant to Pochettino and his players. After the match the boss made a point of waiting to embrace them as they left the pitch, his greeting with Winks an especially jubilant moment (see above video).
The young midfielder's goal provoked an emotional response from the Argentinian too. Throwing his bottle to the ground, he ran over to the nearby fans, sharing in their relief at getting level (albeit briefly at that point).
Beating West Ham might not be among their biggest priorities in the run-up to these meetings (Kane said there had been little discussing over this being the likely last matchup at the Lane). But when it comes down to it, getting one over their East End rivals is always sweet—especially in this game's circumstances with the travelling fans' gleeful taunting for much of the match.
Securing a first win in all competitions since early October was also a big weight off their shoulders.
Despite this unwanted run, they are still somehow unbeaten and only three points off top in fifth place.
A vital game against Monaco in the Champions League now follows before Tottenham renew hostilities with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. They will hope their joy over this victory is not short-lived.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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