Tottenham Hotspur breezed previous West Ham on the London Stadium far simpler than anybody can have anticipated of their Premier League conflict on the London Stadium on Saturday.
The match-defining moments all got here within the second half, with Pape Matar Sarr breaking the impasse lower than two minutes after the break, and West Ham’s Tomas Soucek incomes a straight purple card within the 54th minute. Simply three minutes later, Lucas Bergvall doubled the guests’ lead, and within the sixty fourth, Micky van de Ven set the ultimate rating at 0-3.
Groups
Midfielder Graham Earthy was the one participant absent from West Ham’s squad.
Supervisor Graham Potter organized his males in a 4-2-3-1 form. Mads Hermansen was in aim, with Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman paired up within the coronary heart of defence, flanked by former Spurs man Kyle Walker-Peters and Malick Diouf. One other one who performed for Spurs up to now – James Ward-Prowse – joined Soucek in the midst of the park, whereas the trio of Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville supported Lucas Paqueta because the lone striker. It was a moderately shocking transfer by Potter to place the attacking midfielder in that position, leaving designated strikers like Niclas Fullkrug and Callum Wilson on the bench.
In the meantime, Spurs boss Thomas Frank had loads of squad points to work round. There are three gamers with cruciate ligament accidents in his ranks: ahead Dejan Kulusevski, midfielder James Maddison and defender Radu Dragusin. Ahead Dominic Solanke, midfielder Yves Bissouma, and defender Kota Takai, had been all absent too.
Guglielmo Vicario stood between the posts, with Djed Spence shifted to the left defensive flank, Pedro Porro on the best, and Cristian Romero forming the centre-back duo with Van de Ven. Joao Palhinha anchored a three-man midfield, positioned simply behind Sarr and Bergvall. In assault, striker Mathys Tel had Xavi Simons on one facet, and former West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus on the opposite.
Match recap
The opening half carried a balanced rhythm, with West Ham exhibiting early ambition by Paqueta and Bowen, whereas Tottenham steadily settled into possession. The guests discovered most of their pleasure by broad deliveries and set-pieces, forcing defensive scrambles from the house facet. Romero even discovered the online from a nook, just for the hassle to be disallowed after Van de Ven was adjudged to have fouled Kyle Walker-Peters within the build-up. West Ham’s attacking promise was restricted to flashes from Summerville and Diouf on the left and Bowen on the best, however they not often stretched the Spurs defence.
The competition pivoted decisively simply after the break. Tottenham struck inside two minutes of the restart when Xavi Simons’ nook was met on the far submit by Pape Matar Sarr, who nodded in unmarked. It was a tender concession from West Ham, exposing their fragility at set-pieces, and it tilted momentum firmly in Spurs’ favour.
Issues worsened dramatically for the Hammers quickly after, as Soucek lunged into Joao Palhinha with a studs-up problem. Referee Jarret Gillett had no hesitation in producing a purple card, leaving West Ham to play the ultimate 35 minutes with ten males. The dismissal broke their form, stripped them of midfield management, and handed Tottenham a whole initiative.
Sensing the opening, Frank’s facet capitalized ruthlessly. On 57 minutes, Bergvall scored his first Premier League aim, ghosting between defenders to fulfill a protracted ball from Romero and looping his header over Hermansen.
The third aim, arriving simply seven minutes later, ended the competition. Bergvall was once more concerned within the build-up, linking play earlier than Van de Ven superior into the field and calmly swept a shot past Hermansen from twelve yards.
From that time, the match turned an train in management. Spurs dictated possession, shifted West Ham back and forth, and denied them any probability of a comeback. The hosts, already demoralized, provided little resistance, their early sparks extinguished by the numerical drawback and the scoreboard strain.
Tottenham, in the meantime, launched recent legs from the bench to consolidate their grip, making certain the clear sheet was preserved with out incident.
By the ultimate whistle, the scoreline precisely mirrored the gulf in composure, group, and scientific execution after half-time.
Extra to return from Simons after thrilling Spurs debut?
Having joined Spurs from RB Leipzig for a reported €60million charge, Xavi Simons performed roughly 71 minutes on his membership debut earlier than being substituted.
He equipped the help for the opener proper after half-time: his nook was met by Pape Matar Sarr, who headed in unmarked on the far submit. When it comes to different metrics: he had 1 shot (off beam), 50 touches, an 84.4% cross accuracy, made 1 dribble, 1 sort out, 7 crosses tried, and he received 1 header. He appeared energetic and prepared to take initiative all through, all the time trying to create one thing when in possession, particularly delivering that wonderful ball for the aim.
General, whereas not excellent, it was a totally promising debut: he delivered instantly in the important thing second, confirmed good involvement, and appeared a artistic spark for Spurs. If he builds on it, it may mark the beginning of one thing excellent below the brand new regime.
Potter’s questionable selections
In the meantime, there’s clearly one thing not working very properly at West Ham below Potter. One doesn’t have to look a lot farther from their place within the Premier League desk and their factors tally after 4 rounds – even whether it is early days but.
Potter has carried out some notable tinkering together with his lineup, beginning the marketing campaign with a three-at-the-back system and switching to 4-2-3-1 for what occurred to be the one victory – a convincing one, too – to date, beating Nottingham Forest away forward of the worldwide break. It ought to, nonetheless, be stated that Forest had been in the midst of a turmoil on the time, with coach Nuno Espirito Santo dealing with the sack, to be ultimately changed by ex-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
Dealing with a powerful opponent, one which seeks to dominate the competition, arguably requires a disciplined defensive midfielder, which neither Ward-Prowse nor Soucek are. Ward-Prowse, identified for his passing and set-piece capability, likes to get on the ball and dictate play from deep greater than to work off the ball, whereas Soucek notoriously enjoys making runs into the opposition field the place his imposing 6’3” body can do severe injury.
A participant like Edson Alvarez was sorely missed on this recreation, and it’s exhausting to not query the membership’s resolution to permit the Mexico worldwide to go away over the summer time. Soungoutou Magassa and Guido Rodriguez had been definitely choices – Magassa changed Matheus Fernandes after Soucek’s dismissal, however at that time, the ship had already begun to sink.
However what’s much more intriguing is Potter’s resolution to start out Paqueta as the point of interest of assault, leaving each Fullkrug and Wilson on the bench. Fullkrug joined the membership as a notable attacking reinforcement final summer time and Wilson arrived six weeks in the past as a worthy backup choice, and but, they had been left watching till Wilson obtained his probability within the 68th minute – if it may be referred to as an opportunity, provided that his crew had been already a person and three targets down.
Desk rankings
Be that as it might, there’s no escaping the truth that West Ham at the moment are contained in the relegation zone, in 18th place with three factors from 4 matches. Talking after the sport, Potter stated he understood the anger of the supporters, however he positively must get grips with the truth that his job now on the road and the strain is mounting. If the Hammers’ type doesn’t decide up shortly, a change within the dugout will likely be greater than probably.
Passable outcomes at dwelling in opposition to Crystal Palace subsequent week and away to Everton the week after at the moment are a should, particularly with the very fact in thoughts that the quick journey to the Emirates to face Arsenal comes after that.
In the meantime, issues are moving into a totally wrong way for Spurs. Frank appears to have gotten off to an important begin at his new membership, and following Saturday’s matches, his crew are in second place with 9 factors, equal to North London rivals Arsenal on the prime, reigning champions Liverpool in third, and Bournemouth in fourth place. Nevertheless, Liverpool are but to face Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday and will overtake all of them once more by the tip of the day.
However Frank absolutely has different issues on his thoughts proper now. His crew begin their Champions League marketing campaign subsequent week because the Europa League winners, and it’s La Liga facet Villarreal who come to London on Tuesday night. After that, Spurs journey to face Brighton on the Amex.
