Inexcusably shambolic collective defending gifted West Ham all three points, casting Tottenham further adrift from the Premier League’s top four places.
Poor defending at the start of both halves cost Tottenham dearly in a match they needed to win to remain in the Champions League conversation. The 2-1 defeat is a bitter pill to swallow considering the opportunity presented to Jose Mourinho’s men.
West Ham punished Spurs for a lethargic, lacklustre and sleepy start. Pablo Fornals left Lucas Moura for dead, the Brazilian deciding not to track Fornals’ dangerous darting run through the heart of Tottenham’s box.
Davinson Sanchez was dragged out of position and Eric Dier was forced to pick up Moura’s slack, leaving Michail Antonio, West Ham’s most dangerous attacking threat, unmarked.
Japhet Tanganga tried to cover Antonio but was too late, allowing the bullish forward to nip in and pounce.
Tottenham mustered just two shots on target in the first half, both of which coming in the last few minutes. Harry Kane was unlucky not to score with a fizzed low effort, demanding a strong low save from Łukasz Fabiański.
Erik Lamela, one of Tottenham’s few bright spots in the first stanza, registered the away side’s other shot, coming in the 43rd minute. Perplexingly, Lamela was withdrawn at halftime, the spry, lively Argentinian making way for Gareth Bale’s introduction.
Second half starts the same as first
Yet another disastrous first five minutes after the restart allowed West Ham to double their lead. This time Spurs’ soft, vulnerable centre was penetrated with alarming ease. Sanchez was too tight on Antonio, the Colombian drawn in like an addict to a fix. Sanchez couldn’t make up the ground on a Jessie Lingard, whose electric pace confounded Dier.
Take nothing away from Lingard’s precise, crafty finish, but Spurs were once again architects of their own demise.
The away side, though they tried with a much better final 40 minutes, couldn’t make up for two inexplicable defensive lapses. Moura, with a sublime header, made up for his first half mental lapse, while Kane and Bale threatened West Ham’s goal numerous times.
Unfortunately the margins in the Premier League are too slim to get away with inept defensive mishaps. It’s a recurring theme that needs to be addressed urgently at Spurs.
With the devastating loss, Spurs drop nine points behind West Ham and see the likelihood of qualifying for next season’s Champions League via a top four spot significantly diminished.