Fresh from taking the extraordinary step of calling for the people running their club to step down, perhaps the next move for West Ham’s official fan advisory board is to issue a vote of no confidence in their team’s defending. After all, nothing else seems to have made Graham Potter’s dreadful side realise that marking opponents at set-pieces is a good idea.
It was another shocker for West Ham, erasing any advances made during their victory over Nottingham Forest two weeks ago. They are languishing in 18th after conceding 11 goals from their first four matches and it was hard not to feel their latest humiliation in a London derby will only increase the yearning for the kind of boardroom bloodletting recently witnessed at Tottenham, who should probably keep in mind that there was no kinder start to life without Daniel Levy than by visiting the London Stadium.
No wonder anti-board protests are planned for West Ham’s home games against Brentford and Crystal Palace. It is an utter mess. West Ham are winless in seven home games while Potter has lost 13 of his 24 matches in charge. “The second half we make a mistake for the first goal,” the manager said. “It becomes an uncomfortable second half. I understand the frustration.”
Spurs cruised as they continued their fine start under Thomas Frank. Xavi Simons marked his debut with an assist for Pape Matar Sarr’s opener, Lucas Bergvall scored a peach shortly after West Ham lost Tomas Soucek to a red card and the only consolation for Potter was that the visitors eased off after Micky van de Ven made it 3-0 in the 64th minute. “A good, clear win,” Frank said. “A good performance. We haven’t won here for six years. Now we won 3-0.”
Members of the Lewis family were in attendance for the first game since Levy’s removal as chair and were perhaps mulling over an interesting lineup from Frank before kick-off. The Dane utilised his squad by resting Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison after their exertions during the international break, started Simons on the left and deployed Mathys Tel up front despite leaving the Frenchman out of his Champions League squad.
Perhaps it would have played out differently if Lucas Paquetá had given West Ham an early lead. Using Paquetá as a false nine did not work, though. Potter defended his decision not to use Callum Wilson after his excellent cameo against Forest, saying the striker is still building his fitness.
Spurs were largely untroubled. They were faster and sharper in every area, particularly with Mohammed Kudus on a mission to show West Ham what they lost in the creative department when he left for £54.5m last summer.
The barracking of Kudus from the home fans was no surprise but the winger did not hide. He was a constant threat on the right and thought that he had a deserved assist when he saw an early corner headed in by Cristian Romero, only for the goal to be disallowed for a push by Van de Ven on Kyle Walker-Peters.
Spurs were dominant as half-time approached, pushing West Ham back, stifling the ponderous midfield of Soucek and James Ward-Prowse. The pressure rose – hardly encouraging the hosts were banking on Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman holding firm in central defence.
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The defending when Sarr provided the breakthrough in the 47th minute was mystifying. Spurs crowded the far post as Simons delivered a corner from the left but West Ham did not react. Sarr did not even have to jump as he headed past Mads Hermansen.
It was West Ham’s fourth concession from a corner this season. What a feeble team. Soon they were down to 10 men, Soucek ripping one of João Palhinha’s socks after taking a heavy touch and lunging into a challenge with his studs up.
That was as close as West Ham got to putting up a fight. Soon it was 2-0, Romero lifting a gorgeous ball over the top, Bergvall making a late run from midfield and looping an audacious header over Hermansen.
Bergvall was excellent in an advanced role. He made the third, teeing up Van de Ven to fire in a low shot. West Ham gave up.