Jacob Steinberg was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for us. I’ll leave you with his report.
Dejan Kulusevski's reaction
The first half was tough, honestly, but when I equalised I knew we were gonna win.
When we play good we are unbelievable, but we have to defend much better and we have to train on that more.
[On the half-time substitution of James Maddison] The balance was not good enough in the first half, we were a little bit too offensive, so we have to look at that before the next game. I think Pape [Sarr] changed the game for us.
When we click we can score four goals in four minutes. More of that please!
Full time: Spurs 4-1 West Ham
A restorative afternoon for Spurs, who came from behind to overwhelm West Ham and draw a line under that Brighton nonsense. Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min both scored and were outstanding; they also combined for an own goal that was harshly credited to Alphonse Areola. That was the second of three goals in eight minutes at the start of the second half.
The game was petering out when Mohammed Kudus, who had put West Ham ahead, tried to start a riot and was sent off. He might face an extended ban for booting Micky Van de Ven around like an old sock.
Updated
90+3 min It’s definitely petering out now. The official player of the match is Dejan Kulusevski, who was menacing throughout and played a big part in the first and third goals.
90 min Seven minutes of added time, mainly for all those fun and games with Kudus. West Ham may well lose him for more than three matches.
It goes from bad to worse for West Ham as Mohammed Kudus is sent off 🟥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 19, 2024
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Z8TLFQJVAG
Updated
87 min: Spurs substitution Archie Gray is on for Destiny Udogie.
Kudus is sent off
86 min His noggin went completely for about 10 seconds. I think he’s been sent off for slapping Van de Ven round the chops.
Updated
85 min There’s a VAR check, so Kudus will surely be off here. The kick in the back was by far the more egregious offence, but he’ll probably be off for raising hands to both Van de Ven and Pape Sarr (I think).
84 min: Kudus and Van de Ven are booked! That’s astonishing. I cannot believe Kudus hasn’t been sent off for either offence.
Updated
The ball got trapped under the falling Van de Ven. Kudus kicked him in the back then, when Van de Ven sprang to his feet, shoved him in the face. He’s going off surely.
The kick was well out of order, not dissimilar (though nowhere near as bad) as Pepe’s infamous kick that led to a long suspension.
Pepe y Casquero te recuerdan que hoy se enfrentan Getafe y Real Madrid en Liga pic.twitter.com/X9yC2clTdb
— RetroPlus (@retro_plus) January 2, 2022
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83 min: It’s kicking off! Mohammed Kudus is in trouble here. Van de Ven ended up on the floor, as did Richarlison.
Updated
81 min: Double substitution for Spurs Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur replace Yves Bissouma and Dominic Solanke.
80 min The West Ham fans are buggering off en masse. Rightly or wrongly, it feels like Julen Lopetegui has lost any goodwill he received after that Ipswich game.
79 min Maybe the match is starting to peter out now. Plenty more football to come, though, and Scott Murray has the team news for the big 3pm games.
76 min Spurs still want more. Kilman makes a vital lunging tackle on Johnson on the edge of the area, then Werner’s header from Porro’s deep cross is pushed away by Areola. Not sure whether it took a deflection; if not it was a fairly comfortable save.
Updated
73 min Apparently Spurs’ third has gone down as an Areola own goal, which is a bit strange.
72 min A misjudgement from Van de Ven allows Kudus to lead a West Ham break. They faff around for a bit, allowing Spurs to get back, but then Kudus curls a good shot from distance that is pushed away to his right by Vicario. He did well because it came through a crowd and bounced awkwardly just in front.
71 min: West Ham substitution Konstantino Mavropanos replaces poor old Guido Rodriguez, who worked extremely hard to keep West Ham in the game for the first 50 minutes.
70 min: Spurs substitution Timo Werner replaces Son Heung-min, who was increasingly magnificent on his return to the side.
69 min “Ange Postecoglou’s teams seem, to me, to need adversity to work,” says Kári Tulinius. “When things go too well, the intensity drops, the players run slower, take time to ponder, and their opponents are free to make use of the vast acres of space that Angeball leaves unoccupied all across the pitch. But when things are going wrong, that extra burst of energy that comes with panic allows the players to cover that extra yard, to fizz that unexpected pass, to shoot without thinking. It might be better for teams to let Spurs score two early on, and then go for broke in the second half.”
Heh, that’s an interesting theory. Sometimes I think the opposite, certainly against really good teams – that they can get deflated if there’s no eye in the opposition needle.
67 min Soler, just on as sub, is booked for something or other.
67 min: Good save! Areola dives low to his right to repel Johnson’s shot, an excellent save, and Solanke just can’t get to the loose ball in front of goal.
66 min “Being a Spurs fan nowadays is a strange thing,” writes Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo. “When we’re losing 1-0 you’re always confident they’ll get an equalszer, but when they’re 3-1 up you’re fretting they might throw it away. Still prefer this drama to the Mourinho/Conte drama.”
As a neutral I feel the same. But I do miss the rants and the alibis.
65 min Now Kulusevski curls not far wide from the edge of the area. Spurs look like scoring every time they go forward.
62 min: Off the line by Udogie! West Ham want a penalty for handball. The ball ricocheted across the six-yard box to Kudus, whose shot hit the arm of Udogie – which was held tight to his chest – and flew behind for a corner. There’s a VAR check but no penalty.
61 min: Son hits the post! Spurs are rampant. Rodriguez did well to cut out a through pass but could only divert it to Son, who cracked a first-time shot from the edge of the area. It beat Areola, hit the inside of the post and rolled across the goalline to safety.
60 min: Triple substitution for West Ham Lopetegui actually wanted to make this change at 2-1. Crysencio Summerville, Edson Alvarez and Carlos Soler replace Soucek, Antonio and Lucas Paqueta.
Updated
Son has been quite brilliant since half-time and now he’s made it 4-1. It came on the break, with Wan-Bissaka caught miles upfield. Son ran at the backpedalling Todibo, dizzied him with a couple of stepovers, shifted the ball onto his left foot and rifled it through Areola at the near post. Lovely goal.
Updated
GOAL! Spurs 4-1 West Ham (Son 60)
The main man is back!
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56 min Soucek is booked for throwing Johnson off the field. That was a bit weird.
Son collected the ball in the centre circle, flicked another lovely outside-of-the-foot pass out to Kulusevski and kept running. Kulusevski cut inside on the edge of the area, then reversed a pass to give Son a clear chance. His shot was fairly tame but Areola could only push it against Todibo, after which it dribbled miserably into the net.
Updated
GOAL! Spurs 3-1 West Ham (Todibo 55 og)
An unlucky own goal from Jean-Clair Todibo gives Spurs a two-goal cushion.
Edit: the own goal has since been credited to Alphonse Areola.
Updated
54 min Kudus breaks dangerously, reaching the edge of the area before hitting a shot that is blocked. He should really have played in Wan-Bissaka to his right, but he didn’t, and now…
Updated
Son, on the touchline, flicked a delicious out-of-the-boot pass to the underlapping Udogie in the area. He turned back outside Wan-Bissaka, near the byline, and laid the ball back to the onrushing Bissouma on the edge of the area. Bissouma hit his shot into the wrong but it wrongfooted Areola, who expected him to go across goal, and bobbled into the net.
GOAL! Spurs 2-1 West Ham (Bissouma 52)
Of all the goalscorers!
51 min Udogie enlivens the crowd with a shot from the edge of the area that deflects behind for Spurs 482nd corner. Son takes, Soucek stoops to head clear at the near post.
50 min “You mention ‘a Pep Guardiola No8’ re Kulusevski in the first half,” says Gary Naylor. “I’m pretty sure about a No10 and a No6, but I can’t be alone in being unclear about a No8. Any enlightenment welcome to someone who used to read FourFourTwo.”
Really? David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in Pep’s first great City teams are perfect examples of a modern No8. Martin Odegaard, Dominik Szoboszlai, Andres Iniesta, Socrates, Xavi (late period), etc, etc.
49 min It’s been a slow start to the second half from Spurs, and a quiet one from their fans. That’s a surprise because they battered West Ham for the second half of the first half.
47 min Maddison hasn’t looked as natural as Kulusevski in the No8 role but it’s still a surprise to see him hooked at half-time. He’s sitting on the bench, arms folded, with a face like a you know what.
46 min No hay lesion: apparently Maddison was taken off for football reasons.
Spurs substitution Pape Sarr is on for James Maddison in midfield; you’d assume that’s because of injury.
Half-time reading
Half time: Spurs 1-1 West Ham
Spurs are never dull. That was a richly entertaining first half that could easily have finished 3-2. Mohammed Kudus forced a terrific save from Guglielmo Vicario before putting West Ham in front; the outstanding Dejan Kulusevski, playing like a Pep Guardiola No8, drove Spurs forward and eventually scored the equaliser.
45+1 min Another chance for Spurs right at the lot. Romero’s cross reaches Son beyond the far post, but he sees it late and his touch is slightly heavy. That takes him too wide for a shot so he rifles a low cross that is booted away from under the crossbar.
43 min: Great effort from Porro! Kulusevski’s clever flick finds Udogie on the left of the area. He clips a cross back towards the edge of the area, where his fellow Pedro Porro arrives late, reads the bounce and hits a ridiculous scissor-kick that flashes just wide. That would have been some goal.
Updated
43 min Paqueta is booked for a tactical foul on Johnson.
40 min Kulusevski wanders over the left, beats Wan-Bissaka and has a shot blocked. He’s been brilliant.
39 min The underlapping Porro whacks a low cross that is desperately cleared by Wan-Bissaka, with Son waiting behind him to score. Spurs’ response to going behind has been admirable; they just keep coming.
West Ham lost the ball in the Spurs half and were immediately in trouble. Maddison broke four v four and gave the ball to Kulusevski on the right. He danced across the edge of the area and reversed a surprise shot which the unsighted Areola could only push onto the inside of the near post. The ball bounced across the line, hit the far post and spun into the net.
Updated
GOAL! Spurs 1-1 West Ham (Kulusevski 36)
Spurs are rewarded for their irrepressibility!
Updated
34 min: Fine save by Areola! Spurs take a short corner and work the ball infield to Porro, 25 yards out. His first touch is excellent, teeing himself up for a fierce shot that takes a deflection and is really well stopped low to his left by Areola. It was pretty central but he had to change direction sharply because of the deflection, then get down to the shot and ensure he didn’t palm it out in front o goal.
31 min Johnson overhits a relatively simple pass to Kulusevski in the area, which allows Kilman to make an important tackle. Lots of openings for Spurs, but no clear chances yet.
Updated
29 min The resulting corner eventually leads to a speculative overhead kick from Solanke that is saved comfortably by Areola.
28 min: Chance for Spurs! Son plays in the underlapping Udogie, who teases a cross towards the far post. Johnson comes on the blindside of Paqueta, misses an attempted header, and the ball hits Paqueta’s shoulder before bouncing fractionally wide of the near post.
Johnson can’t believe he didn’t make contact, although it was awkward as he was running away from goal and had to come round Paqueta.
Updated
26 min Son collects a headed clearance on the left of the area, moves outside Wan-Bissaka and hits a shot that goes behind for yet another corner. Spurs have had at least seven in the first 26 minutes, and they’ve done bugger all with any of them; this one from Maddison goes behind for a goalkick on the far side.
25 min It’s not often Spurs and West Ham fans come together but they did before the game to protest against the reduction – and in some cases removal – of concessionary tickets.
💥JOINT DEMO THIS SATURDAY💥
— Save Our Seniors (@SaveOurSenior66) October 17, 2024
.@SaveOurSenior66 and @SaveConcessions have come together ahead of Spurs v West Ham to protest against the erosion of concessions at both clubs.
Join us.
Details here👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/iy9x7ChZXq
22 min Spurs’ passing and movement is of a really high quality and West Ham are having to work extremely hard in defence. Emerson heads behind for a corner which is then nodded away by Rodriguez. He might be working the hardest of all of them.
21 min Kudus has a very similar chance earlier in the game. He connected sweetly with that and didn’t score, whereas the goal wasn’t cleanly struck at all. Theer’s a moral in that story I’m sure.
Spurs struggled to clear after a bit of pinball in the area. Bowen collected the ball on the right, shuffled away from Udogie a bit too easily and tried to cut the ball back. It deflected towards Kudus, who scuffed a shot into the net from 10 yards. I think it took a touch off the sliding Johnson; either that or Kudus hit it into the ground. The hell he’ll care.
Updated
GOAL! Spurs 0-1 West Ham (Kudus 19)
All that possession for Spurs and it’s West Ham who take the lead!
Updated
18 min The overworked Rodriguez concedes his third corner on the Spurs left. Maddison swings it too close to Areola.
16 min: Lovely effort from Son! Spurs probe patiently until Son receives possession on the left edge of the area. He beats Wan-Bissaka through sleight of hip, not even needing to touch the ball, and shapes a textbook curling shot that goes just wide of the far post.
13 min Bowen is starting to threaten. He runs through Van de Ven on the edge of the area, benefitting from a ricochet Preben Elkjaer-style, forcing Bissouma to get back and sweep up. Bowen would otherwise have been through on goal.
11 min: Fine save by Vicario! Bowen runs at Van de Ven and screws a low cross towards Kudus, charging onto the ball at the far post. He sweeps a first-time shot towards goal and Vicario reacts superbly to push it over the bar. It was close to him but he still needed abnormal reaction speed to make the save.
9 min Udogie underlaps nicely to win another corner for Spurs. Both were conceded by Guido Rodriguez, who has already had to put out a few fires.
8 min The corner is cleared, which gives West Ham their first opportunity to break. Antonio is held up on the left wing and the Spurs players have time to shuttle back.
8 min Kulusevski wins a corner for Spurs, who are all over West Ham like a cheap cliche.
6 min A terrific effort from the in-form Brennan Johnson. A loose ball bounced towards him on the right side of the area, the angle far too tight for a shot. Or so it seemed: Johnson watched the bounce and cut across a beautiful shot that swooshed just wide of the far post.
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4 min Spurs have started with a spring in their step; they usually do. Kulusevski looks particularly bright.
2 min Areola springs from his line to beat Solanke to a through ball from the right. He kicked the ball out for a throw-in instead of picking it up, but ultimately he got rid of the danger.
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1 min Peep peep! After the players on both sides take a knee, Spurs kick off from right to left as we watch.
The Premier League table at the start of play
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 7 | 11 | 18 |
| 2 | Man City | 7 | 9 | 17 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 7 | 9 | 17 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 7 | 8 | 14 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 7 | 3 | 14 |
| 6 | Brighton | 7 | 3 | 12 |
| 7 | Newcastle | 7 | 1 | 12 |
| 8 | Fulham | 7 | 2 | 11 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 | 6 | 10 |
| 10 | Nottm Forest | 7 | 1 | 10 |
| 11 | Brentford | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| 12 | West Ham | 7 | -1 | 8 |
| 13 | AFC Bournemouth | 7 | -2 | 8 |
| 14 | Man Utd | 7 | -3 | 8 |
| 15 | Leicester | 7 | -3 | 6 |
| 16 | Everton | 7 | -8 | 5 |
| 17 | Ipswich | 7 | -8 | 4 |
| 18 | Crystal Palace | 7 | -5 | 3 |
| 19 | Southampton | 7 | -11 | 1 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 7 | -12 | 1 |
A reminder of the teams, who are about to stroll onto the pitch.
Spurs (4-1-2-3) Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Moore, Richarlison, Werner.
West Ham (4-1-4-1) Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez; Bowen, Soucek, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Cresswell, Soler, Coufal, Summerville, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Alvarez.
Referee Andy Madley.
Julen Lopetegui’s pre-match thoughts
It will be our most demanding away match so far and we have to be ready to be very competitive.
We know what this means to the fans so we have to be all our focus on the pitch.
"The derby games always mean more"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 19, 2024
Julen Lopetegui assesses West Ham's chances today against Tottenham... 👀
🎙️ @alexaljoe
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/VHYZtOg9y1
Updated
This is a nice piece about Kate Cross’s dad
I am frustrated and upset to have read recent misleading and inaccurate press articles, published in both England and Brazil, claiming to disclose information about my case.
Big Ange talks to TNT Sports
"It's a derby and it means a lot to the fans. It's up to us to earn that support" 🙌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 19, 2024
Ange Postecoglou talks to the crew ahead of Tottenham's Premier League clash with West Ham...
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/IALwEg2Uv9
Look out!
Team news: Son returns
Son Heung-min has recovered from a hamstring injury and replaces Timo Werner on the left wing. Yves Bissouma is preferred to Rodrigo Bentancur in the only other change from the Brighton defeat.
West Ham are unchanged.
Spurs (4-1-2-3) Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Moore, Richarlison, Werner.
West Ham (4-1-4-1) Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez; Bowen, Soucek, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Cresswell, Soler, Coufal, Summerville, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Alvarez.
Referee Andy Madley.
Updated
Preamble
It’s time for Tottenham to get back on the horse. Ange Postecoglou has had two weeks to dwell on their horrid collapse at Brighton, where they lost 3-2 after being 2-0 up at half-time. And while there’s no chance of him changing his philosophy, he’d quite like Spurs to stop flattering to deceive.
Spurs have played brilliantly at times this season, yet they’re only two points clear of a West Ham side who have been criticised from all angles. Things look a bit better for Julen Lopetegui after a 4-1 win over Ipswich before the international break; a win today really would endear him to the West Ham fans.
Kick off 12.30pm.
