Tottenham’s Title Chances Takes a Hit
A win would have put Tottenham on top of the league table but today’s loss has hurt their odds of winning just a bit.
In what could be characterized as a missed opportunity, there was something to be said about how this game unfolded from the very beginning.
With two London rivals going at it, a high-flying Tottenham team and a resurgent West Ham side, something had to give. That something was unfortunatly Mauricio Pochettino’s side who saw their title chances take a hit with this latest loss.
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It wasn’t for a lack of trying despite managing the entire first half without a single shot, or one that was on target.
Instead, Slaven Bilić stuck to a game plan that his Hammers side work out to perfection: out-press and counterattack a team who does the exact same thing.
For the opening few minutes of the game, both teams were going back and forth to establish a rhythm and gain momentum in a huge matchup. But the club who struck first would be West Ham with Dimitri Payet taking a well taken corner kick.
Low with plenty of curve and spin. The ball would curl into the middle of the penalty box where only Michail Antonio could get to it.
A header by the English forward to the near post was unsavable.
Sure, Hugo Lloris got a hand on the ball but that alone wasn’t enough to stop a strong shot from barreling into the net.
Because Tottenham were trailing and West Ham got the early lead, this ultimately shifted how the game would be played out for the rest of the evening.
Whether Slaven Bilic changed his tactics for the rest of the first half or it was his players that came up with a new game plan instead. It appeared that the Hammers conceived a brilliant strategy, (if it could actually be called on), to clear the ball whenever possible. Especially when Tottenham progressed into the attacking third to score an equalizer before half-time.
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Maintaining possession and/or building upon their lead was a priority for West Ham of course but because Tottenham didn’t exactly play well for the first 45 minutes, it wasn’t exactly necessary.
Although Spurs would finally show life after the break, and West Ham were doing their best to hold on, it wasn’t enough in the end to steal two points from the Hammers.
With that said, this was a game that Tottenham will have to look back on and continue to iron some things out.
Namely, finding ways to be more consistent in creating chances in the attacking third when they have opponents on their heels and are trailing in the game.
Despite a crushing defeat to West Ham United and dropped points, the positives to take away from this match is how Mauricio Pochettino’s side didn’t give up and actually turned it around in the second half.
No goals were scored of course and they failed to capitalize on the few chances that they created. But it should bode well for Tottenham’s next match when they host Arsenal this Saturday. And since, Pochettino has found ways to get his team to rebound after a loss this season, it can only go up from here on out.
Next: A Win at West Ham Would Take Tottenham Top
A Tottenham win could see them once again have a chance to draw level with Leicester on points and be top of the table on goal difference, before the Foxes take on Watford. A loss to Arsenal will see the Gunners back in the thick of things alongside Spurs for the Premier League title.