A TITLE HAMMER BLOW FOR SPURS
Spurs’ title dream left in tatters by Lanzini
THIS time next week, Chelsea could be crowned champions. That was the bottom line after Manuel Lanzini’s killer goal. The final game at White Hart Lane could be as much a wake as a celebration.
Second place. Once that would have been considered a successful season for Tottenham.
Now it sticks in the craw. So near, yet so far.
Certainly it would have hurt to see their dreams dashed here, of all places. Tottenham fans like to mock their neighbours to the east by telling them this fixture is West Ham’s cup final. Yet it has seemed a considerably bigger deal for Tottenham of late.
Upton Park was the venue when Tottenham blew their chance to finish above Arsenal and qualify for the Champions League. Last season, a 1-0 defeat dealt a savage blow to their hopes of chasing down Leicester. And now this.
A defeat that leaves Chelsea four points clear with a game in hand.
Beat Middlesbrough on Monday and it becomes seven.
Win at West Brom next Friday and it stretches to ten — and Tottenham will have only three games to play.
At that point, it would be over. Again. The match against Manchester United would be purely ceremonial while a party takes place across the other side of town.
No wonder Tottenham’s players looked stunned by developments in the 65th minute.
Aaron Cresswell got a cross in at the second attempt which Spurs failed to clear.
Mark Noble put it back, another chance to clear was lost, Andre Ayew couldn’t turn the ball in and instead it fell to Lanzini.
He was inside the six-yard box, Tottenham scrambling to smother. Too late. He lashed the ball past Hugo Lloris and a despairing Toby Alderweireld on the line.
The London Stadium erupted. Could this be the night the new venue had been longing for all season? True, it was a negative of sorts — stopping Tottenham rather than making history of their own, but a win would also ensure West Ham’s presence in the Premier League next season.
And the chance to see how Tottenham handle their new surroundings at Wembley.
This was a disappointing performance from the visitors overall, though.
It had shades of the display at Crystal Palace but without the saving grace of Christian Eriksen’s screamer.
Indeed, West Ham should have wrapped it up.
Alderweireld was caught in possession by Jonathan Calleri, who seemed to have got into the perfect position to score, only to give Lloris a lifeline with a shot at the perfect height to save.
‘We are still fighting,’ said Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino less than convincingly afterwards. ‘We must wait but it is more difficult.’
Eric Dier was more forthright. ‘It was already hard before, now it’s going to be even harder.’
More was certainly expected against a West Ham side who went into the game without a league victory against a team in the top eight.
So it was a pleasant surprise for the locals that Slaven Bilic’s team held their own, matching Tottenham’s goal threat and their midfield physicality.
Indeed, referee Anthony Taylor made a rod for his own back by going early, and harshly, with the yellow cards.
It did little to keep foul play in check and set precedents that were hard to maintain.
West Ham felt they should have had a penalty when Lloris cleaned out Lanzini, one on one, after 29 minutes — although that would have been a tough call, too.
Mark Noble played a lovely ball through, Lanzini eluded Tottenham’s backline but took a huge hit from Lloris on the edge of the area as he advanced on goal. Lloris did get some of the ball, all of the man, and just about anything else in his vicinity.
Had it been anywhere else on the pitch it probably would have been a foul as the sheer ferocity of the challenge pushed the envelope.
For Taylor to act, however, would have meant sending Lloris off.
The debate would have been moot had Cheikhou Kouyate completed the job with Lloris on the floor and the goal at his mercy. Instead he delivered a sloppy lobbed finish and the danger for Tottenham passed.
Unluckily, for the visitors, Lanzini was not to be so lenient when the opportunity presented itself midway through the second period.
The Tottenham players looked sick.
Pochettino looked for answers, as well he might.
As for a jubilant Bilic, his future has come under severe scrutiny but this might just be the spark he’s been needing.
Asked if this win keeps him in a job, he replied: ‘I don’t care. When my team is playing like this, I am happy. I think I’m doing a good job.’