Congratulations, you've endured the first international break of the 2025/26 season. Just two more to go before the year's out.
As a result, it's been two weeks since our disappointing home defeat to Bournemouth, during which the Cherries were utterly dominant. Andoni Iraola's seemingly exposed every single flaw within Thomas Frank's squad, but the Dane has since been bolstered by the additions of fresh faces that are poised to supply more than mere mitigation.
The excitement is palpable as we prepare for Saturday's trip to the London Stadium, where we face a West Ham side that looked to be nothing short of a disaster before they beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 in Nuno Espirito Santo's final game at the helm.
The Hammers will be up for it, that's for sure, but this is still a great opportunity for Frank's side to return to winning ways ahead of the start of our Champions League campaign.
Here are four keys to a Spurs victory on Saturday evening.
1. Maximise set-pieces
Our cruel UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain showcased one of Frank's key points of emphasis from an attacking perspective. Unlike Ange Postecoglou, the Dane is at one with the dead ball, and the appointment of Andreas Georgson as set-piece coach paid dividends right away in Udine.
Nailing the extra details allowed Spurs to emerge as PSG's equals that night, and it's no coincidence that the best teams in the Premier League as of late, namely Arsenal and Liverpool, rank among the very best from set-piece situations. Chelsea are the early front-runners this term.
If West Ham are surrender territory and play on the counter, set plays could be a useful route for the visitors, even if playmaker Xavi Simons makes his debut.
Despite shutting out Nottingham Forest before the international break, Graham Potter's side have still conceded the most goals from set-pieces through three games (four). Frank may not have Kevin Danso available for the long-throw (he'll be on the bench), but Georgson has already shown he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
2. Exploit West Ham's weaknesses from crosses
Key to West Ham's demise in their first three games (including a 3-2 defeat at Wolves in the Carabao Cup) was their inability to defend crosses. Sunderland bullied them in the air on the opening weekend of the season, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka went to sleep a couple of times at the back post against Chelsea.
Potter thus changed tack at the City Ground, with towering centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos returning to the side and partnering Max Kilman, as they shifted from a 3-4-1-2 to a 4-2-3-1. The switch proved effective, as West Ham shut out Forest's crossing barrage. Just four of their 35 crosses were successful, with Mavropanos and Kilman combining for 11 clearances.
Potter's defensive configuration will thus be interesting on Saturday, with Mavropanos, while good in the air, deficient elsewhere. A clever box mover and nimble operator can exploit the Greek's lack of agility.
Nevertheless, West Ham's early-season weaknesses when defending crosses mean I'm backing Pedro Porro to have a productive day. Former Hammer Mohammed Kudus recorded a pair of assists to Richarlison on the opening weekend, and he'll be desperate to showcase his best on Saturday evening.
3. Bowen's the man to contain
Bournemouth showed two weeks ago that you can stifle this Tottenham team by pressing high, but I don't think West Ham, not for the duration of the contest anyway, will aim to relentlessly win possession back in Spurs' third.
Containing and counter-attacking was key to the Hammers' success under David Moyes, and I suspect Potter will opt to cede control to Frank's side on Saturday. Our rest defence will be put to the test, given that the hosts have gained greater power in midfield over the summer.
Lucas Paqueta is excellent, but there's no doubting that Jarrod Bowen is the man Tottenham have to contain if they're to return to winning ways on Saturday. The England international scored in back-to-back seasons against Ange Postecoglou-led sides, and he's typically the man West Ham turn to against the Premier League's big boys.
He's not a one-on-one menace, but he's efficient in transition and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
4. Dribblers, dribblers, dribblers
Simons is going to be included in Spurs' starting XI at the London Stadium. He has to be. The Dutchman alleviates our build-up issues and creative void in the final third, and his versatility means he can perform as a No. 10 and left-winger under Frank.
Simons is a multi-faceted creator who's superb in tight spaces and at his best when he's operating from the left inside channel. Crucially, he's a talent capable of unlocking Spurs' dormant left-hand side. If he starts as the No. 10 on Saturday, expect him to shift out towards the left flank, where he'll hopefully be accompanied by a surging Destiny Udogie, who could force Bowen to defend deeper than he'd like, and a dribbler on the touchline. Not Brennan Johnson.
Mathys Tel is not a touchline guy; he needs to be working infield for Spurs to see him at his best, so I think Wilson Odobert will get the nod. Odobert must add a ruthless streak to his game, but he's good at creating separation in one-on-one situations. Against Aaron Wan-Bissaka, creating this yard of space will be key to playing around the full-back, who relishes emergency defensive situations.
With Simons drifting, Udogie marauding and Odobert retaining, there's scope for Spurs' left flank to come to life. As a result, Kudus will have more opportunities to attack Diouf one-on-one on the opposite wing.