Four things to like about Oliver Skipp’s performance against West Ham

Thrust back into action after more than a year away from regular playing time, Oliver Skipp showed several positive signs for Tottenham in the win over West Ham.

With Rodrigo Bentancur out for the rest of the campaign and Yves Bissouma out for at least another month, Tottenham Hotspur must rely on other midfielders. While both Pape Matar Sarr and Skipp performed well midweek in Milan, it was Skippy who got the nod against the Hammers at the weekend, and the lad showed he deserved it. While his performance was not perfect, there were several positives to take away.

Positive One: Skipp was all over the field and available for Tottenham teammates

There was a lot to like about Skipp’s performance against West Ham, which all started with his movement in the midfield. One thing you rarely saw over the 85+ minute shift Skippy put in was the midfielder walking. Throughout the match, Skipp was all action.

Whether chasing down a ball and putting in a sliding challenge or running to create a passing angle for a teammate, Skipp was on the move. The short runs to create passing lanes cannot be underestimated, as his movement gave his defensive teammates a consistent outlet against a pressing Hammer’s team.

The movement in the middle of the park leads to more movement in other parts of the pitch, and as we all know, it was the movement that killed West Ham on Sunday. Skippy didn’t play a role in either goal, but his availability and movement made the team flow.