I gave a lot of thought, and I mean a lot of thought, to skipping today. I am utterly exhausted, and the last thing I wanted to do was get up not much later than I do on weekdays to watch what I expected to be yet another lackluster carnage. With the whole Mourinho circus stirred up to even greater heights by our media departments awe inspiringly stupid video the other day, who needed this? But then I remembered. I’m 54. I forgot how to sleep in years ago. So when my eyes popped open a little before 6am, there was little else to do but make coffee, feed the cat, and embrace the horror. And horror it was.
The third minute was the first warning we all needed when Kane got behind the West Ham defense via a pass from Alli. He fired a high shot past a rather lifeless Roberto. West Ham didn’t need VAR on this occasion because the flag went up, but the space Alli had was worrisome. Minutes later Fredericks sent a cross into the box that Haller didn’t quite connect with and Gazzaniga handled it with ease.
There was a moment in the eleventh minute that could have dire consequences for West Ham later in the match. Diop was pulled down by Kane, and Oliver decided Diop’s arm was the perpetrator of the crime. Diop saw yellow when he shouldn’t have. On the ensuing free kick, Sanchez floated a ball into the box. Roberto wasn’t that decisive in going for the ball, but Moura’s header went wide.
As I watched West Ham when they had the ball, it was striking how little movement there was. It looked more like a foosball game where the figures are on sticks, unable to move beyond side to side. That isn’t necessarily about pace. It’s about vision and guile. Something we appear to be lacking, and it certainly makes me question if we have the personnel to play the attacking, high line style the manager wants.
West Ham’s defending of set pieces has always been suspect. Lately, with Roberto between the pipes, it has been abysmal. So when Spurs won a few corners in the 31st minute, it was nervy times for the home side. One was blocked by Fredericks, another cleared by Diop. Moments later Alli sent in Son and only a late tackle by Rice for another tackle prevented an almost certain goal.
Social Media by and large has been a scourge on the earth. But the 33rd minute applause for Lilly Harris showed that every now and then it can be a tool for good.
The inevitable finally happened in the 35th minute. With every Spurs player given loads of space and time, they put together a series of passes that rightfully ended in a goal. West Ham were miles off the pace and looked completely lost. Alli passed to Son, he did a little step over for effect, and blasted it by Roberto.
West Ham 0
Tottenham 1
A few minutes after the goal, West Ham were fortunate not to be down to ten men when Fredericks barreled into Son. He got a piece of the ball, but got even more of Son’s leg. I expected VAR to change the yellow card to red, but Fredericks was let off the hook.
A Few minutes later, Spurs doubles their lead in a way that only seems to happen to West Ham. Alli got the ball near the sideline but fell over it. Somehow, from the seat of his pants, he passed to Son. Every West Ham player seemed to be asleep at the wheel, while every Spurs player kept driving. Son sent a low cross to Moura in the box, and the Champions League hero easily beat Cresswell to poke the ball into the net.
Halftime
West Ham 0
Spurs 2
The second half saw the introduction of Antonio, and he won a free kick. In our current state, that’s a win. But the wee bit of enthusiasm was squashed seconds later when Spurs countered. By the time I started writing about the cross that went wide, the next wave had come and Kane had put Spurs up by three. Diop didn’t move. Fredericks moved less. It was pathetic. Spurs certainly had their first win on the road in 307 days.
West Ham 0
Spurs 3
As many of you know, I made 0-3, or 3-0 depending on location, my limit for punishment. So as I jotted down my premature conclusions, I kept the TV on. But once this “work” was over, my actual day at home would begin. I would post the report sans visuals, because that’s the righteous thing to do.
Like with Newcastle, we scored two goals after I gave up. Maybe me not watching is the key? It worked during The Great Escape. Antonio scored while I was putting cream cheese on my son’s bagel. And then Rice scored while I was getting dressed, but VAR ruled it offside. A last second goal by Ogbonna begs the question we ask all the damned time. Why do we start every game so poorly? And if anyone says VAR robbed us of a point, spare me.
Final Score
West Ham 2
Spurs 3
I have heard Nigel Kahn say, both on the podcast and in person, that relegation doesn’t really bother him that much. It’s part of being a West Ham fan, and in the end it’s simply a different set of teams to play in a different league. For some reason, that has finally started to sink in without the panic that used to accompany it. The truth is that for whatever reason West Ham is notorious for taking quality players, and instead of the club rising to their level we drag them down to ours. So if I am to continue supporting this club, which I obviously will, that truth is inescapable. The reality that has come over me is that the decisions made by our board are not the only problem. The methods by which they make decisions and thus run their football business are flawed. They have never won anything, and have failed more times than you or I would be allowed to in our jobs before being shown the door.
That is our lot in life, football wise, and we have to make the best of it.