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 …

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