Spurs Share the Spoils Away at the Hammers

Wednesday 31st August 2022 - 7:45pm

Match Report

West Ham United 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur

Venue: London Stadium, London

Competition: English Premier League

"Pre-Match Thoughts – It's been a strong start for Spurs this season, 10 points from a possible 12 so far and we remain unbeaten. A tough test today though as we face West Ham at their place. We all know this is their cup final so they'll be right up for it. Can Spurs weather the storm and come out on top?

I can see it being 2-2."

Bissouma replaced Bentancur after he suffered a concussion last match and new protocols meant he couldn't play again within six days. There was still no Romero, and no sign of Skipp either. West Ham had new signing Paquetá in their ranks, he began on the bench.

3' Royal looked to make an instant impact by unleashing a powerful shot from some way out. It forced a diving save from Fabianski but he managed to parry it to safety.

7' Fornals worked his way inside from the left and got a shot away that drew a decent save from Lloris.

11' Perišić did well to beat his man with a stepover and get a cross in. Kane headed it towards goal but it was blocked by Cresswell's arm. The referee pointed straight to the spot, but following a lengthy VAR review the decision was overturned as the ball was deemed to have hit Cresswell's head before striking his arm.

It seemed a penalty to me... Spurs unlucky.

22' West Ham worked it well through the midfield with a trio of cutting passes that ended up at the feet of Antonio on the top left corner of the box. He sized up Dier before stepping to his right and blasting a shot across goal that beat Lloris but crashed off the outside of the post.

34' GOAL! Dier intercepted on the edge of his area and passed first time to Kane who turned and embarked on the counter. He laid it right to Kulusevski who carried it down the wing before sneaking Kane in by the byline on the overlap. Kane put it across the 6 yard box where Kehrer slid to prevent it reaching Son but could only divert it into his own net. 0-1.

"Thoughts at Half-Time – Spurs haven't been at their best but still have themselves ahead. Let's hope for a more dominant performance in the second half."

55' Goal. Lloris miscued a kick out to Perišić and it went out of play. West Ham took the throw quickly, finding Antonio in the box with his back to goal. He held off Dier then flicked it into the path of the inrushing Souček who took a touch and half-volleyed past Lloris. 1-1.

74' A corner came into the near post, it bounced around off a couple of heads before Sánchez attempted an acrobatic bicycle kick that hit the side netting.

There were half chances at both ends as both sides fancied themselves for a winner. Kane came closest with a bouncing volley from the edge of the box that Fabianski got down to save to his right.

90'+4' A long ball was launched into the area and bounced around awkwardly as Spurs tried to clear. It eventually led to a deflection that looped up and found Bowen with a chance to slide in on inside the 6 yard box right by the left post. Fortunately he didn't quite find the right connection and it trickled across the face of goal and wide.

"Thoughts at Full-Time – Not the best game and one that could have gone either way. West Ham will say they had the better chances, but Spurs were hard done by with the handball penalty decision being overturned. At least we remain unbeaten, and now look ahead to facing Fulham at the weekend."

Tottenham Player Ratings

• 1. Hugo Lloris – 5 – Made a couple of decent saves but didn't look comfortable with the ball at his feet. Booted it out of play before their goal and had a few nervy moments after that too.

• 6. Davinson Sánchez – 6 – Got in the way with some sliding blocks and came close with a bicycle kick towards the end.

• 15. Eric Dier – 6 – Did well to set Kane away on the counter that led to our goal. Struggled to contain Antonio as he beat him to hit the post in the first half, then held him off to assist their goal in the second.

• 33. Ben Davies – 6 – Went about his duties but didn't really have any standout moments.

• 12. Emerson Royal – 7 – Got a shot on goal inside the first five minutes that forced Fabianski into a save. Showed some good work down the right side, winning free-kicks and getting his crosses in at times.

• 38. Yves Bissouma – 4 – Received a silly booking early on for punching the ball away in frustration. It seemed to affect his game as he struggled against Souček throughout.

• 5. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 6 – Picked up what looked a nasty ankle injury but kept continuing on with Conte clearly reluctant to replace him with Skipp or Sarr.

• 14. Ivan Perišić – 7.5 – He's really good at squeezing dangerous crosses in from the left and did so again in the build-up to the overturned penalty. Looked calm and composed on the ball on a number of occasions and uses it well. Was caught out for their goal as they took a quick throw-in while he had his back to the ball.

• 21. Dejan Kulusevski – 7 – Did superbly for the goal by carrying the ball down the right wing then slipping in Kane to cross. Looks a threat most times he has the ball.

• 7. Son Heung-min – 5 – Remains off the pace as he struggles to kick-start his season. More heavy touches and creating very few chances. Unlucky not to put the goal away as it was taken off his toe by a West Ham defender.

• 10. Harry Kane – 6.5 – Should have earned a penalty for his header that struck Cresswell's arm. Did well to break away, find Kulusevski, continue on the overlap, then put it across the 6 yard box for the goal. Quieter in the second half.

Substitutions:

• 21. Dejan Kulusevski ⬅ 76' ➡ 9. Richarlison – 7 – Came on and made a nuisance of himself again. Looks so hungry whenever he's on and surely it's only a matter of time before we see him starting.

Man of the Match – 14. Ivan Perišić