Tottenham vs. West Ham: Winners and Losers from Premier League London Derby
Tottenham Hotspur destroyed West Ham 4-1 on Sunday thanks to a brace from Harry Kane, a wicked header from Toby Alderweireld and an outrageous finish from Kyle Walker.
The first 20 minutes were the epitome of tense, but Spurs finally found their feet and scored soon after, with Kane slamming home after good work from Heung-Min Son. Alderweireld’s near-post header from a corner gave the hosts a 2-0 lead heading into the break, and Kane made it three soon after the restart thanks in part to a horrendous error from James Tomkins.
Walker guided an outside-of-the-boot finish in to make it four late on, then Manuel Lanzini scored a consolation late on to pad the scoreboard.
"Great level of performance, we were fantastic and the effort was brilliant. We showed how we can play," Mauricio Pochettino enthused to reporters after the game.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Mousa Dembele, Tottenham Hotspur
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Picking this game's headline winner was difficult, as so many Tottenham Hotspur players played so well, but we've gone with Mousa Dembele over Harry Kane—despite the latter's two-goal haul.
Dembele's story is more compelling. He's finally converting mass potential into major production and influence, consistently dominating games in midfield. Whether it's tracking back and dispossessing or slaloming forward, creating chances, he catches the eye.
With Dembele re-finding form and Dele Alli and Eric Dier forming a great combination in holding midfield, the likes of Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb have been locked out of the XI (though the latter has struggled with injuries).
Loser: James Tomkins, West Ham
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Competition for places in the centre of West Ham’s defence is tough; Slaven Bilic has four good options to choose from but can only field two in his preferred formation.
That means mistakes are punished—particularly if you’re Winston Reid’s partner. James Tomkins made a big mistake early in the second half to tee Harry Kane up for 3-0, passing straight to Christian Eriksen from the back and allowing the Dane to assist his colleague.
With Angelo Ogbonna on the bench and fit again following a hamstring problem, Tomkins is now under a lot of pressure. Given the Italian’s great form prior to the ailment, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he comes straight back in.
Winner: Kyle Walker, Tottenham Hotspur
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Kyle Walker has put together a quietly excellent few months, finding an element of consistency we’ve rarely seen from him in his career to date. His stellar performance against West Ham during Sunday’s major slot may well have exposed the secret, though; with the world watching, the Englishman put in a complete performance with just one negative to speak of.
Goal.com’s Jay Jaffa praised his “aggressive, decisive” game on Twitter. Several crosses from the right caused mass panic in front of Adrian’s goal, and his well-timed runs troubled Aaron Cresswell all day.
His goal was absolutely sumptuous, guiding a delicate, outside-of-the-boot effort into the corner after a one-two with Heung-Min Son. Picking a Man of the Match is difficult, but Walker’s a big shout for it.
Loser: Aaron Cresswell, West Ham
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Speaking of Aaron Cresswell, he goes down as a loser for the day. The defensive collapse wasn’t solely his fault, but he was a weak link which Tottenham Hotspur took great joy in exploiting.
Switching play to Kyle Walker’s late runs on the right frequently caught Cresswell far too narrow, leaving him 15-20 yards to close off before reaching his man. Walker and Co. used that space wisely, feeding clever balls inside and escaping down the flank to attack.
Cresswell is fantastic flying forward, but like many modern full-backs, leaves a lot to be desired defensively. Furthermore, when things go badly for the Englishman, they tend to go really badly; he’s capable of putting in some real stinkers.
Winner: Heung-Min Son, Tottenham Hotspur
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Heung-Min Son grabbed his first league start since the end of September and absolutely aced it. It was a performance that gives Mauricio Pochettino the much-sought-after “positive selection headache.”
Erik Lamela has found good form on the right flank and his partnership with Kyle Walker has been a real plus-point this season, but due to a suspension, he had to sit this one out. Son seized his chance, combining just as well with the full-back, working his socks off defensively and linking play superbly in the final third.
Constantly playing on the swivel, Son’s ability in tight spaces and generous passing created numerous opportunities for his team-mates. The assist for Walker’s goal was a just reward for a great showing.
There’s a chance both get to play next week against Chelsea as Dele Alli’s upcoming suspension may force Mousa Dembele into a deeper role, but moving forward, this is one hell of a tussle.
