SLOPPY SPURS STUMBLE
Nervy Tottenham fall short of the summit as Antonio’s header lifts vibrant Hammers
ALL they had to do was win. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? After all, Tottenham put four past West Ham the last time they played. It’s different now, though. This was a win to go top of the league, by the team increasingly acclaimed as the title favourites. So it wasn’t like any win Tottenham have searched for all season. It was different, and so were they.
Tottenham were second best. It is not often that has been said this season. They have been excellent most weeks. Defensively tight, energetic, creative, well organised, with bags of stamina. This was a Tottenham we have rarely seen. Better after half-time than in the first half, true, but not greatly eyecatching at any stage, really.
Take nothing away from West Ham. They scored early and made the most of that advantage with a bright, courageous display. They are closing in on their own milehis stone season, too — creeping ever closer to the Champions League spots.
This performance showed why. Even in the second half, when Tottenham threw everything at an equalising goal, bringing on all the players Mauricio Pochettino had hoped to rest for Saturday’s north London derby, West Ham still created decent chances.
In the 55th minute, Aaron Cresswell should have done more with a cross from Dimitri Payet, burying header in the fraying Upton Park turf. After 66 minutes, a Payet free-kick from the right side — indeed, a similar position to his dead ball that won the FA Cup replay with Liverpool — was flicked over the bar by Michail Antonio from close range.
Tottenham had the odd chance, but disappointingly few for the team who boast most shots on target in the Premier League this season. The best of it was a Toby Alderweireld effort from long range, parried by goalkeeper Adrian, and then whipped off the toes of the lurking Harry Kane. Erik Lamela had a header go wide, Kane went close at the far post from a Christian Eriksen cross. It really was that limited.
And so, Leicester march on. A little stumble against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night, true, but they played with more confidence than Tottenham did here and, now we know, increased the gap at the top by a point.
Who would have thought that? Who would imagine a home draw would see them 10 points up on Manchester City, six on Arsenal, three on Tottenham. There is a history of Tottenham challenges coming to grief at Upton Park. This wasn’t quite Lasagna-gate — but there were quite a few in the away end who will have left feeling a little queasy.
The irony is it is meant to be Leicester who are feeling the heat of leading from the front, when it is every bit as much a new experience for Tottenham, too.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team haven’t been top all season, the club have spent just 33 days in the Premier League era looking down on the rest of the league, and it is 1961 since the title last came to White Hart Lane, a feat only recalled by those now approaching retirement age. And it showed, that newness, in the first half here. With victory needed to take them top of the table, Tottenham were very disappointing. Aside from a Christian Eriksen cross early on, that needed the attention of James Collins to clear, they failed to make any significant headway in the first half. Slaven Bilic should take credit for much of that. His decision to play three at the back, with Cheikhou Kouyate added to the right of Collins and Pedro Obiang, troubled Tottenham — as happened earlier in the season when Watford faced them.
Harry Kane couldn’t get in the game, and Eriksen was squeezed in midfield. True, West Ham caught a break with Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to rest several key players, not least Dele Alli, with Arsenal to come on Saturday. Even so, winning leagues is about game management, and he will have been disappointed at the response of his players to West Ham’s energy in the opening 45 minutes.
It did not help that, after seven minutes, West Ham were ahead. It was a simple goal, simply worked. A corner from Dimitri Payet that found Michail Antonio at the near post, losing Nacer Chadli on marking detail. Antonio’s flicked header beat Hugo Lloris, although the keeper may also feel he should have done more. Certainly, he was unusually hesitant after that, almost caught in possession in the penalty area, waiting too long to release the ball.
At the back, Tottenham lived dangerously. Toby Alderweireld was shown a yellow card for tripping Payet in the 30th minute, and Kevin Wimmer followed him into Andre Marriner’s book soon after for pulling back Emmanuel Emenike.
Erik Lamela was in the wars for a clash of heads, too, and had to leave the field to change a bloodied white shirt. Meanwhile, West Ham were causing aggravation in the penalty box, Noble’s shot blocked and then
played out to Antonio by the same player, Wimmer’s charge diverting a goalbound shot for a corner.
The second half started in much the same fashion, Lloris dallying when he should have got the ball away and forced to make a hurried clearance from the edge of his own six-yard box.
The France keeper has been magnificent this season, but pressure does the strangest things to people. At least Tottenham had a serious goal attempt after 53 minutes, through Kane. It had been a long time coming.