PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY, 2026
(3 PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) WEST HAM UNITED 2(1)

Spurs scorer:-
Romero, 64

West Ham scorers:-
Summerville, 15
Wilson, 90+3

Attendance:- 60,857

Referee:- Jarred Gillett
Assistants:- Constantine Hatzidakis, Scott Ledger
Fourth official:- Gavin Ward
VAR:- James Bell
Assistant VAR:- Steve Meredith

Teams:-
Spurs (4-2-3-1):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro, 17. Romero (Capt.), 37. Van de Ven, 33. Davies (sub 24. Spence, 19); 22. Gallagher, 14. Gray (sub 8. Bissouma, 46); 28. Odobert (sub 15. Bergvall, 90), 7. Xavi, 11. Tel (sub 19. Solanke, 62); 39. Kolo Muani

Subs not used:- 31. Kinsky; 3. Dragusin, 4. Danso, 13. Udogie; 44. Scarlett

Booked:- Davies (foul on Bowen), Gray (foul on Summerville), Romero (foul on Summerville), Van de Ven (foul on Bowen), Spence (foul on Bowen)

West Ham (4-4-1-1):- 23. Areola; 29. Wan-Bissaka, 15. Mavropanos, 25. Todibo, 30. Scarles; 20. Bowen (Capt.), 28. Soucek, 18. Fernandes (sub 3. Kilman 90+6), 7. Summerville; 19. Pablo (sub 24. Rodriguez, 79); 11. Castellanos (sub 9. Wilson, 90+1)

Subs not used:- 1. Hermansen; 2. Walker-Peters, 5. Igor, 63. Mayers; 32. Potts, 55. Kante

Booked:- Castellanos (Dissent - Asking referee for Gallagher to be booked after he and Pablo went down after their heads clashed), Bowen (foul on Xavi), Soucek (foul on Gallagher)

How much worse can it get?

"Doctor Tottenham" performed surgery yesterday at his home practice. He performed the following treatments upon his ailing patient, West Ham United:-

1. West Ham won their first game after a run of 10 league games without a win.

2. West Ham won their first London Derby game of the season at the seventh attempt.

3. West Ham won their third game at the so-called "Fortress Tottenham" and prevented the home side from reaching 100 Premier League points against the patient, and a first league double of the season.

Try as they might, Thomas Frank's Spurs cannot improve the cloud of depression that sits upon a home crowd that has seen two league wins this season, in 11 games and only two more such wins in the second half of last season. Spurs have been showing relegation form for too long.

West Ham have drawn three points closer to Tottenham and the gap between us is down to ten points. Next week's game at Burnley assumes massive proportions and I have no confidence in my team's ability to win any game.

How much worse can it get for Tottenham? Relegation is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

Thomas Frank's team was ardently booed over their repeated ponderous play from the back. I think a lot of the boos were aimed at Vicario. Every team knows our style (a bit of a misnomer there) and even lowly West Ham had six players camped in our half whenever we tried to play out. Thomas Frank himself was ardently booed at the end of the game. He must be on borrowed time now.

The idea of drawing the opposition forward works if we could find our players with probing balls forward, but we fail too often to hold the ball, pass the ball correctly, penetrate and to offer true threat.

In fairness, there was plenty of effort by Spurs, but sadly a shortage of skill, application and the degree of physicality required at this level.

Spurs injury woes continue and today Ben Davies was stretchered off after sustaining an injury when he came off worse against Jarrod Bowen as West Ham advanced and scored the first goal. Referee Jarred Gillett (who upset both sets of fans with his perceived leniency) had waved play on but even booked Davies at some point after the goal.

Conor Gallagher made his debut and had some nice early touches down the right channel, and in the second half when Spurs dominated possession and shots on goal, with not enough return.

Spurs kicked off and played towards the North Stand. There was a very early clash of heads between Gallagher and Pablo. West Ham new boy Castellanos was shown a yellow card, for asking the referee for Gallagher to be booked.

Odobert won a midfield ball and fed Pedro Porro, whose cross ultimately reached Tel who hit a right-footed shot over the target. After that early effort, West Ham enjoyed a bit of possession. Castellanos fired over after a cross by Wan-Bissaka and a header back by Summerville, who is not the tallest of players! It wasn't long before the visitors took the lead. My recollection is that the attack followed a poor ball out by Romero. West Ham attacked through the middle and Fernandes fed Summerville. Pedro Porro was lacking support and Summerville scored with a low right-footed shot.

Ben Davies was stretchered off after a long delay. It was surprising that Spurs didn't have Djed Spence ready immediately.

Spurs attacked down the left side and Xavi tried a shot from the left corner of the area, which passed over the target. There was more danger from Summerville (also wearing number 7) as his cross had the defence on the stretch.

It was end-to-end and when Tel crossed from the right, Areola made an excellent close-range save from Odobert's downward header, then blocked Spence's follow-up.

Tel had another shot at goal with his right foot, from the left of the area. This one passed beyond the far post. Tel gazed to the sky. After a Spurs corner, Odobert had a shot blocked after a pass by Xavi. At the other end, "The Hammers" had the ball in the net after Vicario parried Summerville's shot and Bowen swept up. The West Ham captain had been offside.

Summerville was a major threat and both Gray and Romero were booked for fouls on the left winger. That's Romero's ninth yellow card of the season, so he's not far off another two-game suspension.

After the free kick following Gray's booking Mavropanos's header was saved brilliantly by Vicario's flying dive to his left.

Spurs had an attacking throw, which was much-pondered and delayed, but after it was taken Porro crossed and Gallagher's looping header passed wide of the far post.

Eight minutes were added at the end of the first half. Yves Bissouma made his first Spurs appearance of the season, replacing Archie Gray. Bissouma is fresh from the African Cup of Nations and certainly added some impetus to Tottenham. (He was sent off for two yellows in Mali's defeat to Pape Sarr's Senegal in the quarter final)

Bissouma stung Areola's hands with an early 25-yarder. The keeper held at the second attempt. Spence had a shot go wide after he cut in from the left. Bowen was booked for a nasty foul on Xavi, who needed treatment. We had possession, a free kick and a corner, but no end result.

Micky van de Ven made a brilliant goal-saving tackle in the area to deprive Summerville of the ball. Spurs countered and after Gallagher's pass, Bissouma's shot was saved and we had a corner. Solanke came on for Tel and the crowd booed Frank's choice of substitution.

I thought perhaps Solanke had scored but it was skipper Romero who was in an advanced position to power home a header from Pedro Porro's cross. Romero had scored his third league goal of the season and got us back on terms.

Another Bissouma shot went to Row Z after a Pedro Porro free kick.

West Ham managed more attacks now and after a cross by Wan-Bissaka, Castellanos's shot passed wide. Spurs had another couple of corners, but the best they could manage was a shot by Odobert which passed wide.

Soucek was booked for a foul on Gallagher and after Pedro Porro's free kick, Romero headed again, but this one was over the bar.

West Ham had a free kick just to the right of the box and Scarles took the free kick, headed out for a corner by Van de Ven.

Spurs threatened in the position box after good work by Gallagher, but West Ham cleared.

There was a much delayed VAR check on a possible handball by Scarles, but the result was "no penalty". Xavi had a shot saved by Areola after another Pedro Porro cross.

Six minutes of added time were indicated. Bergvall replaced Odobert. Callum Wilson, supposedly on his way out at West Ham, came on for Castellanos. Wilson had a shot on goal, well blocked by Pedro Porro. From that corner, swung from the right, Vicario failed to collect and Wilson scrambled the ball home to complete another day of misery for Spurs fans, but to give hope to the travelling horde.

Spurs return to Champions League action on Tuesday against high flying Borussia Dortmund, who won yesterday and are unbeaten in seven games.

Spurs will have selection problems with injuries and players such as Bissouma, Gallagher and Solanke not currently registered. Micky van de Ven is also suspended. Palhinha was absent from yesterday's game, so we must hope he is able to play. I don't hold out any hope for Spurs on Tuesday and have little confidence we can get a result at Burnley next Saturday.

These are awful times indeed.

Nuno Espirito Santo has won more Premier League games at Spurs as an opposition manager (four) than he won at home while in charge of the north London side. Spurs must be the only club where a former permanent manager has achieved that feat.

Nuno also became the third manager to be involved in three consecutive games in the Premier League against a team that he previously managed: also Roy Hodgson in August 2018 and Sam Allardyce in March 2021.

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