West Ham 1 Tottenham 1: Soucek fires Hammers’ first home goal of season to earn draw in fiery derby after Kane forced OG
WORK TO be done for Antonio Conte.
The Italian has overachieved in more ways than one to transform Tottenham from a feeble, weak outfit into an efficient machine capable of grinding out results.
No longer can this Spurs team be classed as Spursy, such were the improvements to the squad over the summer. They now often snarl and bite in the face of adversity.
But currently, that snarl and bite is not helping them produce the sort of 90-minute displays Conte is striving for to keep the North Londoners near the top of the early pile.
Three wins and two draws may look decent enough on paper, but beneath the results have been moments and individual performances that will have cause for concern.
And for all the counter-attacking talents of Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min and Dejan Kulusevski, their impact was few and far between at the London Stadium.
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One of those counters – a stunning burst from one end of the pitch to the other – forced Thilo Kehrer into a 34th-minute own goal in a game where Kane, Son and Kulusevski huffed and puffed.
Kane’s best chance of grabbing a goal came in the 11th minute, only for VAR to overturn a harsh-looking penalty involving Aaron Cresswell’s face and arm.
But crucially, West Ham had their moments as well. Michail Antonio was desperately unlucky his curling effort from range smacked Hugo Lloris’ left-hand post.
They then grabbed a deserved point thanks to Tomas Soucek’s 55th-minute equaliser after an astonishing piece of skill by Antonio.
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But David Moyes will be pulling his hair out in bed tonight, having nightmares about missed late chances by Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen and record-signing Lucas Paqueta.
They at least avoided the chance to make history in the worst way by losing their opening three home league games for the first time in their history.
Moyes insists it will take time for their season to get up and running after eight signings, including Paqueta who was named on the bench after his Monday arrival.
Having made his first league start away at Aston Villa, another new-boy in Gianluca Scamacca missed out due to illness with Antonio returning to lead the line.
Conte decided to keep faith with Son despite his below-par start, meaning keepy-uppy merchant Richarlison was a substitute once more.
But there was a first inclusion from the off for summer signing Yves Bissouma as Rodrigo Bentancur recovered from concussion.
Moyes made it clear in his pre-match notes that he expected the toughest of challenges from Spurs, hence going with a back five that saw Fornals as a make-shift wing-back.
The Spaniard was almost caught out immediately as Emerson Royal thumped one at Lukasz Fabianski only for the hosts to respond well.
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Bowen dragged one wide before Hugo Lloris was forced to punch away Fornals’ effort.
For all their early hard work, West Ham were staring down the barrel of Kane standing over the penalty spot with a ball in his arms after the England striker’s header appeared to strike Cresswell’s arm in the 11th minute.
Referee Peter Bankes had no hesitation in giving it, before being told to hesitate for almost four minutes by VAR and then view the monitor by Stuart Atwell. We all know what happens after that.
The home crowd were buoyed, encouraging Declan Rice – on his 200th appearance for the club – to test Lloris from range with a half volley.
Antonio went one better after some great build-up play that had Lloris scrambling, saved only by the woodwork.
Tottenham were becoming impatient on the ball until the 34th minute when they sniffed out a counter attack from nowhere.
KEHR MARE
Rice attempted a one-two on the edge of Tottenham’s box only to land at Eric Dier’s feet, who fed Kane who fed Kulusevski who galloped 50 yards into the opposite box.
Kane overlapped and crossed into a dangerous area. Had Kehrer not put it in his own net, Son would have converted regardless.
West Ham remained vulnerable to the counter for the rest of the half with Son and Kulusevski fluffing their lines to increase their lead.
But it only took ten minutes in the second half for Tottenham’s superiority to be crushed thanks to some sublime trickery by Antonio from a Vladimir Coufal throw.
Soucek latched on to the flick and made no mistake with a powerful half volley from a few yards out.
For a team many consider to have lost their Spursy-ness, there were signs of it returning in the aftermath of the equaliser as Lloris’ dither in his own box caused panic.
Moyes sensed a turn of the tides, bringing on Paqueta in the 67th minute to rapturous applause.
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Needing a Brazilian spring of his own, Conte sent on Richarlison, who nearly had the desired effect putting in Kane behind West Ham’s tiring backline.
But as has been the case so far this season, Conte’s men are still not firing on all cylinders.
