LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur‘s early-season triumphs have given way to a concerning trend as they suffered their fourth defeat in five matches, falling 2-1 to West Ham on Wednesday.
Ange Postecoglou’s side, which started the season impressively and led the Premier League table at one point, now trails nine points behind the league leaders, Arsenal.
The match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium saw the home side take the lead with a goal from Cristian Romero in the 11th minute.
However, West Ham mounted a spirited comeback, equalizing through Jarrod Bowen shortly after half-time, and completing the turnaround with James Ward-Prowse’s goal in the 74th minute.
Delighted with his team’s performance, West Ham manager David Moyes acknowledged the challenge they faced against a quality opponent.
“Huge performance because of the quality of the opposition,” he told Amazon Prime.
“We were up against it tonight. We had to dig in. Thankfully we just about scraped it.”
“The quality Tottenham showed in the first half, I don’t know if we touched the ball for eight or nine minutes,” added Moyes.
Tottenham fail to capitalise on dominance
Tottenham dominated the opening minutes of the game, enjoying around 90 percent possession.
Romero’s header from a corner put them ahead, and they continued to create chances with Dejan Kulusevski catching the eye.
However, Spurs failed to capitalize on their early dominance, and West Ham grew dangerous on the counter as the second half unfolded.
Jarrod Bowen’s equalizer in the 52nd minute showcased West Ham’s threat on the break.
Tottenham’s energy levels dipped, and West Ham took advantage of a defensive error to secure the winner.
Destiny Udogie’s back pass to goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario fell short, leading to a rebound opportunity for James Ward-Prowse.
Tottenham’s struggles to secure victories after taking the lead have become a recurring theme, with this match marking the fifth consecutive occasion where they failed to win after scoring first.
Spurs captain Son Heung-min expressed frustration, stating, “You get the lead five times in a row and losing the game is unacceptable.
“We were soft, and especially in the Premier League, even if you’re winning 2-0 or 3-0, you never know what’s going to happen in the end. One-nil isn’t enough; you have to try to kill the game.”
The defeat leaves Tottenham in fifth place, three points outside the top four, while West Ham sits in ninth position.
