Tottenham’s difficult season took another painful turn on Saturday as they slipped to a 2–1 defeat against West Ham in the Premier League, a result that only deepened the frustration around the club.
It was a London derby that promised intensity but instead exposed familiar weaknesses, with moments of quality undone by errors, poor attacking play, and a crushing late goal that left the home supporters furious.
Thomas Frank made several changes following the FA Cup loss to Aston Villa. New signing Conor Gallagher was thrown straight into the starting eleven after his big-money move from Atletico Madrid, partnering Archie Gray in midfield.
Joao Palhinha was left out entirely, while Randal Kolo Muani stepped in to lead the line in place of the injured Richarlison. Cristian Romero returned from suspension to shore up the defence, replacing Kevin Danso.
The game turned on a disastrous spell midway through the first half. Ben Davies went down injured after just 15 minutes, immediately calling for medical attention, and almost straight from that disruption, West Ham struck. Crysencio Summerville cut inside far too easily, slipping past Pedro Porro and Gallagher before unleashing a shot that took a cruel deflection off Micky van de Ven and looped past Guglielmo Vicario. In the space of ten seconds, Spurs had lost both control and momentum.
Vicario could do little about the deflected opener and later produced two excellent saves, first denying Tomas Soucek from close range and then stretching full length to push away a powerful header from Konstantinos Mavropanos.
However, all that good work was undone at the death. From a late corner, he appeared hesitant under pressure, and Callum Wilson reacted quickest to bundle the ball home. It left Vicario with a mixed afternoon, ultimately earning him a rating of 5.
Pedro Porro endured a tough battle on his flank. Summerville caused him constant problems, and the Spaniard was beaten too easily in the build-up to the opening goal.
To his credit, Porro responded with a superb cross that Romero headed home for the equaliser and later made a vital block to deny Wilson. Even so, defensive doubts lingered, and his performance settled at a 6.
Romero himself brought much-needed aggression and leadership. Although he picked up another yellow card, his powerful header in the second half briefly lifted the stadium and gave Spurs hope.
Van de Ven was unfortunate with the deflection for the first goal but made a crucial last-ditch block to stop Summerville again before the equaliser. Both centre-backs fought hard and looked devastated at full-time, each deserving a 7.
Davies’ afternoon ended far too early to judge, while Gallagher’s debut was a mixed one. He showed energy and commitment, shaking off an early clash of heads, but he was caught out defensively for the opening goal and struggled to influence the game going forward.
His effort was clear, but impact was limited, earning him a 6. Gray showed bravery and bite, making strong challenges and driving forward when possible, though a knock and a booking meant he did not return after the break. He also finished on a 6.
Out wide, Wilson Odobert failed to make his mark. He had one close-range effort saved but offered little else and looked short of confidence, finishing with a disappointing 4. Xavi Simons flickered between promise and frustration, threatening in moments but unable to dominate or take control when Spurs needed him most. His display merited a 5.
Mathys Tel was one of the few bright sparks. He worked tirelessly, looked eager to make things happen, and delivered the cross that led to Odobert’s chance.
He also went close himself and continued to ask questions of the West Ham defence. His substitution after just over an hour was met with boos, reflecting the fans’ disbelief. He earned a 6 and plenty of sympathy.
Kolo Muani’s performance summed up Spurs’ attacking struggles. He drifted in and out of the game, rarely imposing himself or attacking the box with conviction. For a striker leading the line, his lack of presence was alarming, and a rating of 3 felt justified.
From the bench, Djed Spence had a brief impact but offered little overall, while Dominic Solanke barely saw the ball. Yves Bissouma, however, surprised many with a lively display after coming on at half-time.
Despite limited minutes this season, he made interceptions, drove forward, and showed sharpness, even if one mistake late on contributed to the corner West Ham scored from. His performance stood out, earning him a 7.
Lucas Bergvall’s late cameo was too short to judge, but even in a few touches, he looked more inventive than others. In the end, Spurs were left with another defeat, growing anger from the stands, and serious questions about where improvement will come from.
