Post match review vs Spurs

FT score - West Ham 0 - 1 Tottenham

Goals - Dier 90 + 3

Well! I was hoping it would be a few weeks until my first rant but here we go!

Defeat to rivals Spurs is never the way we like to start a season, especially conceding so late on to a team that was second best for the majority of the game. Overall the game did have some positives with the team generally playing some good football, not quite the attacking style we was promised but some nice stuff nevertheless. We had stand out performances from Downing and Kouyate with new Leftback Cresswell being my man of the match. Despite this we seemed to settle back into our old ways with Big Sam putting out a very familiar 4-5-1 with Cole up front. For years the Hammers faithful have put their hopes in Cole but he is simply not a top division player, as loyal as he is to the club he is too slow and does not work hard enough for the cause. Nevertheless in first game of the season I gave Sam and Coley the benefit of the doubt.

First half
The game started positively with some good movement and showed signs that the new players were settled in their new team with Kouyate making plenty of powerful runs and harassing the Tottenham midfield. Cresswell also made a good impact early on with positive movement and some good crosses early on. Over the course of the first half we seemed to be holding our ground well and towards the end of the first half seemed to be creating some good chances. Some excellent wide play from Downing created the best of these with the ball falling to Vaz Te (still don't understand his inclusion) and Cole in the box but we could simply not convert out chances, same old West Ham! In the 29th minute our fortunes seemed to be on the up with a blatant hand ball from Naughton after a close range Kevin Nolan strike. PENALTY AND A RED CARD! As Spurs players complained and Naughton walked off the pitch, ever reliable Mark Noble stepped up to take the penalty, a player who has not missed from the spot in his last ten attempts, surely this must be 1-0. Nope! A terrible dragged shot goes well wide of the post to the frustration of West Ham fans around the world.

After the penalty miss West Ham seemed encouraged at least by the red card, giving them the extra man, which looked to give us a great chance of winning the game. Downing and Cresswell continued their positive runs creating some good chances with almost no attacking response from the visitors who seemed to struggle under the pressure, finding it difficult to supply front man Adebayor. Half Time came with the game looking positive with many fans hopeful that we would bring on an extra striker with Valencia and Zarate on the bench.

Second Half

What is Allardyce doing! No substitution, no extra striker! As the game continued we failed to press Tottenham who were slowly making their way back into the game, with the introductions of Holtby and Townsend looking threatening to the Hammers defence. 62nd minute Adebayor breaks off sprinting at the defence, when A blatant body check from Collins stops him in his path second booking. RED CARD! Silly mistake meaning we had lost our advantage and given Spurs a route back into the game. A substitution was made before the incident, with Obrien leaving the field for Demel, a strange sub which may have contributed towards the mistake. By the 80th minute both Diame and Valencia were on, far too late if you ask me! Both players looked lively and helped create a few chances towards the end. Spurs were also looking more threatening with Holby, Townsend and sub Kane linking up well. The last 15 mins were a hectic end to end which nearly resulted in a winning goal for West Ham with Downing's close range effort stopped by a world class save from Lloris.

Into the last few mins of extra time Tottenham made a counter attack with Harry Kane slipping a neat ball through to debutant Dier who finished well round sprawling keeper Adiran. This was surely the end with less than a minute to go.

FT 0-1

A very hard defeat for the players to take after playing well at times but I put this down to poor tactics from Big Sam who refused to play two upfront despite us being a man up for the majority of the game. An attacking change should have been made at half time to press our advantage but the boss left Zarate and Valencia on the bench whilst Cole contributed nothing in the second half. Bringing on Diame and Valencia in the 80th minute was too late and did not give them the opportunity to make a great deal of difference. Let's hope that Valencia and Zarate are fit to start next week against Crystal Palace and that the gaffer has the sense to play them instead of Cole.

Despite our result today I can see us beating a troubled Palace side next week bring it on! Come on you irons!