Tottenham Hotspur yet again showcased itself as a side that has lost its identity. This time, it’s a defeat to London rivals West Ham United by way of a 93rd-minute winner by substitute Callum Wilson.
It is obvious that this year’s Spurs side has been disappointing under Thomas Frank. With major injuries all over the pitch and dropping points countlessly at home, Spurs yet again failed to pick up A point. This time, they gave hope to a West Ham United side that is fighting to stay in the Premier League.
Entering the match with only winning two out of their last 12 Premier League matches, Spurs fell behind early by way of a Crysencio Summerville finish. The Dutch winger took his dribble inside the box and left Pedro Porro and Connor Gallagher trailing as a third touch and shot towards the back post was deflected off Micky van de Ven and past the diving Guglielmo Vicario.
As we have all noticed throughout the season, Spurs really do struggle to put together an attacking display in the first half of matches. But today, the likes of Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel tried to take on the weak back four of West Ham, with the two almost connecting on a wonderful cross and header. Tel took his cross on the outside of his boot for a chip towards the middle of the six for Odobert to power home a header, but hit it right on the chest of Alphonse Areola. Djed Spence (who came on for the injured Ben Davies, who was aircasted off the pitch) had a follow-up shot that looked poor, but a replay showed Areola got his leg out to stop Spence from a far corner finish.
West Ham almost had a 2-0 lead going into the half as Jarod Bowen believed he had a follow-up tap-in off a save from Vicario on a Tomas Soucek shot, but the flag quickly went up as Bowen stood offside on Soucek’s shot on goal.
Lucky to be down 1-0 going into the break, Spurs came out in the second half and looked more lively in the first five minutes after the break as players actually made runs and tried to be on the front foot.
Yves Bissouma — who came on for Archie Gray at the break — had two great outside-the-box attempts as his first was straight at the keeper, but the second one forced a parry and corner for the Lilywhites. Bissouma actually showed urgency to put the ball on goal throughout the half instead of having the ball go around and around like Spurs have done much of the year.
Passing the hour mark of the match, Spurs got the tying goal thanks to a powerful header at the back post from captain Cristian Romero, as the delivery from the league’s crossing leader in Porro had a perfect placement for the Argentine to get the leveler.
As the match opened up and Spurs looked to get that leading goal, as West Ham looked tired and forced to foul more and more to stop breaks, Spurs had chances as corners were put into the box again and again. VAR had a look at a possible handball by Oliver Scarles as the left back got beaten on a turn from Spurs debutant Connor Gallagher, but it wasn’t the VAR check Spurs fans or players wanted to be checked. After Gallagher had a cross off the touch squared in the box, Xavi Simons had the ball controlled and ready to do something with it when he was shoved off the ball by Konstantinos Mavropanos.
After the VAR check and the refs indicating six minutes of added time, both sides made one final sub as Lucas Bergvall came on for Odobert and Wilson came on for Valetine Castellanos. Bergvall’s long throw attribute was used instantly as Spurs crowded the box, but as West Ham broke free and down the pitch for their own throw-in, Wilson had a clear shot at goal.
Chesting the ball down and onto his feet with no defender insight, the striker thought he had the winner, but Porro’s recovery and block kept the game leveled at 1 with three minutes to go.
But, we all know how this ends as Vicario was marked by Wilson, and failing to get past the striker to punch the ball away, the ball sat near the striker for him to get a touch before Spence and into the back of the net for the 2-1 winner.
With the frustration boiling over from the fanbase and the players showing signs of yet again this happening to them, the camera panned to Thomas Frank at the touchline, and the Danish manager had the look of maybe this is it. The Spurs board has defended him in the media that he deserves time, but with another loss to a London rival and sitting a mere 10 points from safety, it seems to be time to make the change.
