Rampant Spurs are on the march
WHEN Tottenham play like this, they make you want to believe they can break the spell in English football and finish in the top four. At times, Maurico Pochettino’s team were so good, so in tune with the traditions and culture of their club that this stylish victory made it seem like things are all coming together. Harry Kane and Co swept aside a West Ham team who had already beaten Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Crystal Palace on the road this season. Here, they ran into a dead end. Kane was magnificent, scoring in each half and setting an example to his team-mates as Spurs beat their London rivals to anything that moved. Slaven Bilic’s side were awful, powerless and unable to stop Kane putting Tottenham in front when he found some room by the penalty spot to rifle a left-footed effort into the roof of Adrian’s net. When he scored again after the break, beating West Ham’s keeper from the edge of the area with a strike that smacked of authority, he took his total of goals in London derbies to 12 in 14 games. Next up in the Premier League are Chelsea, the team he took to the cleaners on New Year’s Day when he scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 5-3 victory. Unfortunately, Spurs will go into that fixture without midfielder Dele Alli after he was cautioned, a touch harshly, for coming to Kane’s rescue during a childish dispute with West Ham skipper Mark Noble. But they crushed West Ham, running out convincing winners after Toby Alderweireld scored with a header before the break and Kyle Walker scored a beauty with the outside of his boot. Tottenham are a team with authority, unbeaten since the opening day of the season and narrowing the gap on third-placed Manchester City and fourth-placed Arsenal to just two points. In truth, it feels a lot closer than that. ‘There are no excuses,’ admitted Bilic, a broken man after his team let down their big travelling support with a lamentable performance. Losing is one thing, but for West Ham to be beaten by Tottenham in this manner is unacceptable. They were second to everything. Spurs are on the charge under Pochettino’s leadership, with something irresistible about the way they are playing. Kane is rampant, although he admitted he should have done better when Alli’s cushioned touch put him clean through on Adrian before the break. On that occasion Kane got it all wrong and skewed wide. By then Spurs had scored a second when Alderweireld lost his marker Winston Reid at a corner and beat Andy Carroll at the near post. It would not do justice to describe Carroll’s efforts in a West Ham shirt in a few words when only one would suffice and the groans could be heard on Green Street when Bilic confirmed Dimitri Payet will be out for 11 weeks. The third arrived for Spurs when Christian Eriksen fed Kane and the England striker beat Adrian with aplomb. Tottenham fans were baying for more, but they had to wait until the 83rd minute for Walker to add a fourth. Manuel Lanzini scored a fine consolation goal for West Ham, but it mattered little. For Pochettino and his young team, the only way is up.