First midweek game this season, with the short trip to Stratford. WHam have been pretty rubbish so far, but you just know they will be raring to go against us. I can see dropped points here or even a loss. Bentancur got a concussion late vs. Forest so I expect Pierre with Bissouma in the middle. Although apparently Skipp is also available. Perisic has been great but I expect he gets a rest and Sessegnon starts. Those are my likely changes but beyond that it is guesswork. On the back line Romero could be fit again. Will one of Dier/Davies be rested? Doherty for Emerson? Up front, if Richarlison starts, who does he displace? Son needs a confidence lift, Kane is in form, Deki brings something different. Maybe if we had a proper right wing-back like Spence playing I could sacrifice Deki. On paper this is a tougher game than the next one (home vs. Fulham) so maybe there won't be too many changes. COYS, etc!
So much for rotation: the only change is forced, Bissouma in for the concussed Bentancur. Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bissouma, Perisic, Kulusevski, Son, Kane. Subs: Doherty, Skipp, Richarlison, Sessegnon, Forster, Spence, Tanganga, Sarr, Lenglet.
West Ham playing like us - sitting back and playing on the counter and they nearly score after we give the ball away and Bowen drags a shot wide.
Shaky moment from Lloris, he punches when he should catch, but the home side commit a foul on the corner.
Spurs given a pen, Cresswell appears to block a shot with his hand, but it looks like the ball may have come off his face first. VAR is checking.
We score once again on the counter, Kane and Kulu combine and Kane's cross is turned in by the defender on the goal line with Son bearing down.
When he came on during the first match (or 2nd, not sure which), he did not look that good. I'm willing to give him time, and I hope he does not become another Ndombele.
Sloppy goal to concede, we had gotten complacent. Too much slowing the game down and didn't react to a quick WHam move from a throw in. They don't really deserve it but I'm not sure we deserved being ahead either.
Not enjoyable watching, this. First sub is Richy for Deki, 75th minute. Still 1-1 but we've been awful. Lloris had a brainfart earlier.
1-1 Final. Worst performance of the season. They looked tired and sloppy, a bit like the old Tottenham that would always have a defensive howler in them. Happy to remain undefeated.
I thought we had a big squad, lots of talent on the bench, blah, blah, blah. I guess not. Whatever Hojbjerg was doing at the start of the second half was a distraction and led to the goal. Guess we don't always win when playing badly.
Lloris's kicking game was terrible and most of their chances came from us giving the ball away trying to play out from the back. File that one away and just be glad we didn't lose.