Tottenham 2-3 West Ham: Hammers Fought Back to Ease Tension on Slaven Bilic

steemsports (80)in #steemsports • 7 years ago

SteemSports Presenter: @feekayo

SteemSports Editor/Writer: @writingamigo

Moussa Sissoko put Spurs in front after just six minutes of play
The Home side doubled their advantage shortly before the halftime with a deflected Dele Alli effort
Andre Ayew started the comeback 10 minutes into the second half
The Ghanaian striker then leveled matters five minutes later after good play from Andy Carrol and Manuel Lanzini
Angelo Ogbonna then completed the remarkable comeback when he headed in at the 70th minute
Spurs attempted to fight back but eventually failed to conjure anything up

The very moment Ogbonna’s winner crested into the Tottenham net, West Ham goalie Adrian set off upfield to join the raucous celebrations.

In spite of this just being the Carabao cup, the West Ham end of the stands was overjoyed as the winning goal meant more than just one goal that took them to the Carabao cup semi-final. It meant respite for a much-maligned team and their manager, Slaven Bilic

At the halftime, the great Croat looked wary, beaten and bowed once again. He had struggled a lot of time to conjure anything from the touchline and looked more or less on his way out of the London Olympic stadium side. The question seemed when, rather than if, he was going to get the boot.

He spoke of feeling betrayed when his team lost 3-0 at home to newly-promoted Brighton and Hove Albion last week Friday, and they seemed to have betrayed him once again here in the first half.

West Ham’s first half was shameful at best. The players had shown the absolute worst response to their scathing performance in the League and seemed lucky to be only two goals down at the halftime. Bilic seemed on his way out. He had to be, just like Frank de Boer, Craig Shakespeare, and Ronald Koeman, he had been given more than enough time to stop this train that was hell-bent on careening off a cliff.

After the halftime, Bilic made absolutely no changes but probably gave his player an earful. The team simply started to play like a bunch of professional footballers again rather than a bunch of cobblers.

West Ham had exerted a dominance in the 10 minutes before the goal that had perhaps not been seen since last season. They did not exactly kick down the Tottenham door, but they were holding the ball very well

Home Keeper, Michel Vorm, inexplicably parried an Edimilson Fernandez low drive off a corner kick into the path of Andre Ayew, and when the Ghana international planted the ball firmly into the post, very few in the stadium would have expected that to be the beginning of an Epic come back.

But soon after that, it became clear that the momentum of the contest had firmly shifted the way of the Hammers and Spurs looked stunned by the unfamiliar stance of their visitors. Spurs were shell-shocked and seemed to lose all composure at the back, completely losing it defensively.

Toby Alderweirald, an absolute rock in the defense was the worst of the lot. In the 60th minute, he was totally beaten in the ear by Andy Carrol and didn’t cover the space, which Andre Ayew eased into when Manuel Lanzini cut back the eventual ball. Ayew was able to easily put the ball into the back of the net without much harassment

10 minutes later, it was also Alderwierald who did not track Ogbonna’s run as he steamed ahead to head in what was the winner of the pile with just 20 minutes left.

In conclusion, it would be difficult to discount West Ham for this win, but Tottenham also looked like a mere hollow of the team we know so well. And it remains to be seen how they would react, given the fact that their next match is away at Old Trafford against Manchester United.