Spurs starting to home in on some silverware
TOTTENHAM moved a step closer to sealing at least one trip to Wembley this season that they will be more than happy to make.
Two-goal Son Heung-Min and Fernando Llorente fired a much-changed Spurs side to victory against West Ham and into the quarter-finals.
Navigate their way through two more rounds and they will be in the Carabao Cup final, back at their temporary home.
Frustrating delays to their new stadium have forced Spurs to borrow the national arena once again so far this campaign. But if they are there on February 24 there will be no complaints as it will mean they are just one win away from ending their long trophy drought.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino may not consider this competition a real trophy compared to the Premier League and Champions League. But given their last one came in 2008 – the League Cup – any silverware chance really should not be sniffed at.
They had to pass a big test of the depth of their resources, with Pochettino making 10 changes to his side following their league defeat by Manchester City on Monday.
Defender Davinson Sanchez was the only player asked to put in a marathon effort and play twice in three days.
But it was still a side containing the likes of Harry Winks, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, who were drafted in to start after substitute appearances against City.
West Ham made seven changes of their own but it was a player who retained his place who caught the eye early on.
Exciting academy product Grady Diangana, who has emerged this season, got the home fans on the edge of their seats with a couple of teasing dribbles down the right. But after Alli had a goal ruled out for an Eriksen offside in the build-up, Spurs took the lead when Son got his timing right to latch on to the England star’s deflected flick and slam in his first Spurs goal since March.
West Ham should have been at least level at the break but Michail Antonio had two efforts diverted wide and Javier Hernandez was frustrated twice by Paulo Gazzaniga.
The Argentinian came to Spurs’s rescue again after the break with a smothering save after Michail Antonio bullied Juan Foyth off the ball.
And West Ham paid the price for their wastefulness when Arthur Masuaku failed to cut out Alli’s pass, only managing to shin it perfectly into Son’s path, and he rounded Adrian to make it 2-0.
Spurs would have known it was not quite game over, having seen West Ham overturn deficits to win the previous two league cup ties between the sides.
And when Lucas Perez nodded in fellow substitute Robert Snodgrass’s 71st minute corner, the comeback was on.
But the Hammers’ hopes were quickly snuffed out four minutes later when Llorente got ahead of Angelo Ogbonna to expertly volley in Eriksen’s corner.