West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur are going into the October international break in very different moods and mindsets.
West Ham finally have lift off to life under Julen Lopetegui after a comfortable 4-1 win over Ipswich.
Meanwhile bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur blew a 2-0 half-time lead at Brighton to lose 3-2.
There is nothing worse than going into an international break off the back of a demoralising defeat like Spurs have just suffered.
On the flip side, winning in style as West Ham did gives the club 14 days to bask in some much-needed positivity.
When Premier League action resumes on October 19th, Tottenham host West Ham in north London.
There is no love lost between the Hammers and Spurs. On or off the pitch.
Rivalries resume and there’s plenty on the line besides the usual bragging rights.
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For the Irons there are plenty of incentives to go to Tottenham and repeat what they did last season when they recorded a 2-1 victory.
Now West Ham can pile the pressure on Spurs and prove Karren Brady wrong in the process.
Now West Ham can pile the pressure on Spurs
If Lopetegui was under pressure at West Ham then Ange Postecoglou is now sharing that spotlight.
Spurs – like the Hammers – have lost three games already this season.
Postecoglou is under scrutiny after making it clear he ‘always wins something in his second season’.
That has already been used as a stick with which to beat the Australian.
Many observers feel Postecoglou’s tactics are too naïve. Jamie Carragher said last week that Spurs are simply too easy to play against under Postecoglou.
West Ham vice-chair Brady is not the most popular person among her club’s fans.
But if she had it her way Postecoglou would probably be managing the Hammers instead of Spurs.
When David Moyes’ future was uncertain last year West Ham were heavily linked with the then Celtic boss.
Brady appeared to make it very clear who she thought should replace Moyes were he to depart back then.
Brady wrote a gushing column about Postecoglou and the job he had done at Celtic.
West Ham’s vice-chair predicted Postecoglou’s unique style would be a massive hit in the Premier League.
The Australian boss has since brought that unique style to Tottenham instead. But it’s dividing opinion over whether it can really bring success.
Now West Ham have several incentives for the forthcoming clash against their second biggest rivals behind Millwall.
Hammers can prove Karren Brady wrong in process
Thanks to Tottenham’s collapse against Brighton, Lopetegui has a carrot he can dangle in front of his players.
Because if West Ham beat Spurs on their own patch again, they will go above them in the table.
As a second big incentive, a West Ham win would pile the pressure on Postecoglou ahead of a tough run of games before the ominous November international break.
A win for Lopetegui will really have fans onside behind the Spaniard.
But it would also go some way to proving Brady wrong about Postecoglou being a big success in the Premier League.
Tottenham’s defeat at Brighton meant it was the 10th time Spurs have lost after being two or more goals ahead.
Fans have been reacting angrily and Postecoglou himself acknowledged the situation, calling it “the worst defeat” since he took charge.
West Ham could put their foot on Postecoglou’s head further still in a couple of weeks.
Lopetegui and Hammers fans couldn’t wish for better incentives.
Let two weeks of build-up begin.