The Spurs Web

Tottenham Hotspur welcome West Ham United to North London this weekend in the Premier League – a welcome return from two weeks of international football.

The worst timing for Spurs

It really was the worst time for Tottenham to endure an international break. Fresh off the back of letting a two-goal lead slip against Brighton, Spurs fans and players everywhere have been forced to stew in those three dropped points.

What better way to get the blood pumping again than a London derby? West Ham have struggled for form at the start of the Premier League campaign, finding themselves two points below even Spurs.

A win for Tottenham would go a long way to dispelling the concerns raised on the South Coast, but a defeat could compound the troublesome headlines for Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs vs West Ham score prediction

Pascal Chimbonda expects Spurs to bounce back from that Brighton defeat with a narrow win in the London Derby this weekend, while we expect something a little more stylish.

Pascal prediction – 2-1 Tottenham win

Spurs Web prediction – 3-0 Tottenham win

The Table

Spurs Web – 8 points after 10 games (5 correct results, 1 correct score)

Pascal – 5 points after 10 games (5 correct results, 0 correct scores)

The Lilywhites are back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, with West Ham the guests. Spurs will be looking to bounce back from that woeful defeat to Brighton, while the Hammers will simply want to improve on their dismal eight points from seven games.

Tottenham vs West Ham United

We believe that Guglielmo Vicario will start between the sticks for Tottenham, fresh off the back of his competitive debut for Italy in the international break.

At right-back, Pedro Porro returns to action after a successful recall to the Spain national team.

At left-back, Destiny Udogie retains his spot despite putting in his worst Tottenham performance to date against Brighton last time out.

In the centre of defence, Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven continue to be the go-to partnership for Ange Postecoglou, despite Radu Dragusin’s superb performance for Romania this week.

Rodrigo Bentancur starts in the pivot role, aided by the fact he has been training with Postecoglou at Hotspur Way all week rather than jetting off around the world.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison line up in the more attacking and creative midfield positions.

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On the right of attack, Brennan Johnson will be hoping to make it eight goals in eight games for club and country across all competitions.

On the left, Heung-min Son finally returns from injury to captain the side.

Up front, Dominic Solanke leads the line following his first minutes for England in over seven years.

Predicted Tottenham XI to face West Ham

Former Tottenham and West Ham striker Jermain Defoe thinks his two former clubs have had similar starts to the Premier League season, but Spurs ‘really need’ to come out on top on Saturday.

Two sides searching for consistency

Tottenham host West Ham in the early kick-off on Saturday with a much-needed return to Premier League fixtures after two long weeks of international break.

It has been far from the ideal start to the 2024/25 season for both London sides, in truth. Spurs have just 10 points from their opening seven games, while West Ham are lingering even further below on eight.

While Ange Postecoglou will be desperate for his side to propel themselves back into the hunt for Champions League football, the Hammers will simply want to steady the ship after what seemed like a positive summer transfer window.

In need of a response

Speaking to Gambling.com, Defoe has highlighted the importance of this match and what each team will be looking for after their last run of fixtures. In fact, heading into the London derby, he feels the two rivals have had comparable starts to their Premier League campaigns.

He said: “It’s a big game for both teams really. West Ham and Tottenham are similar; they’ve had a stop-start season. West Ham’s performance against Chelsea was disappointing, but then they got a good win at home (against Ipswich).

“Tottenham really need a win to be honest. The Brighton game was really disappointing. When you’re winning the game 2-0 at half-time, you have to manage the game in the right way. If you can’t win – don’t lose.”

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Postecoglou described the loss at the Amex as the ‘worst defeat’ of his tenure as Spurs manager. In addition to a result, Defoe believes Postecoglou will be looking for a performance which corrects the wrongs of their last match.

“The manager will be looking for a reaction from his players, and I think the players will be looking to put things right.”

When asked about how the game may play out, Defoe said: “It’s a big game for both teams, a London derby, so I’m looking forward to it. I think it’ll be a good game.

“Tottenham are at home but I think West Ham will go there confident. I always feel like you get the best version of every player in a derby. As a player you find a little extra because you know how much it means to the fans, and it’s a special game.”

A player familiar with the stakes

Arguably, no player from the Premier League era is more familiar with the rivalry between Tottenham and West Ham than Jermain Defoe. He made close to one hundred appearances for the Hammers before moving to Tottenham and becoming one of their all-time greatest goalscorers.

Speaking about the intensity of the fixture, Defoe said: “When I left West Ham and signed for Tottenham, I remember all the stick I would get from the West Ham fans every time we played them. So I know how big the game is, and it’s going to be a tough one for both teams.”

Former Spurs fan favourite, Jermain Defoe, has offered his verdict on Tottenham Hotspur’s new big-money signing, Dominic Solanke – and he has plenty of advice for the number 19.

Solanke’s journey to N17

Dominic Solanke certainly earned his move to Tottenham. Scoring 19 Premier League goals in 38 appearances, he helped AFC Bournemouth to a 12th-place finish last season (Transfer Markt).

But Solanke is under much more pressure at Tottenham than he faced at Bournemouth. The 27-year-old has already been criticised for his lack of goals in his first few matches at Spurs, a consequence that comes with being the club’s record signing – costing £65m.

However, he is now getting to grips with playing for Spurs and has just represented England for the first time in almost seven years, grabbing an assist against Greece, despite only spending around 20 minutes on the pitch.

Defoe praises Solanke

Speaking to Gambling.com, Defoe has commended Tottenham’s newest striker, who he believes will get even better at Spurs given time.

He said: “I like Dominic Solanke. He’s nicked a couple of goals now, which is good. He got off to a slow start and after three games, people were sort of questioning the signing. But I think that’s just part and parcel of football really, every player’s had it.

“If you’re not playing well, then people are going to come for you. If you’re playing well then everyone loves you.

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“I did say that he’ll come good. He’ll score goals because of the way Tottenham play, they create a lot of chances. So it’s just up to him to take them.

“I think for him, he just needs to just focus on playing well and improving. He’s just got back in the England squad, which is good.

“I know he didn’t get any minutes, but just to be amongst it is good. Ivan Toney’s gone to Saudi, so there’s a space there. You’ve got Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins who will always be involved. I think for him, just focus on goals, focus on playing well and improving, and keep himself in and around the English squad.”

Solanke could become very important to Tottenham

Solanke was criticised for failing to score in his first few matches for Spurs, particularly on his debut against Leicester City. However, while he missed some big chances, he did most other things well, holding up the ball and making runs which were often ignored.

It now looks like Solanke has found his shooting boots, scoring three goals in his last four starts. Although he may not be a direct replacement for Harry Kane, Solanke offers something different and could make a real difference for Tottenham this season.

Guglielmo Vicario picked up a rare start for Italy on Monday night, but the Spurs keeper made a big mistake that is symptomatic of one of his biggest weaknesses.

Set-piece problems for Vicario again

Since joining Tottenham last summer, Guglielmo Vicario has begun to make great strides in his career at international level. He made his debut for the Azzurri in March of this year, went to Euro 2024 with his country, and is consistently in the matchday squads under Luciano Spalletti.

During this international break, the Spurs stopper was given the starting spot ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma for the Nations League tie against Israel on Monday.

While Italy won the game 4-1, there was one big moment of real concern for Vicario, who again struggled to deal with a set-piece delivery into his box.

With Israel preparing to take a corner, Vicario was seen pushing defender Matan Baltaxa away, with the Hapoel Be’er Sheva player standing right on the keeper’s feet and causing problems in the six-yard box.

Mohammad Abu Fani then floated in the corner, Vicario was outmuscled and unable to deal with the delivery, and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

You can watch a clip of the incident here, thanks to ViaPlay.

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Same old issue

This exact scenario has now occurred multiple times for Vicario while he has been in goal for Spurs, and is clearly a weakness opponents are taking advantage of.

The pattern emerged in the back half of last season, when teams like Everton and Arsenal began aggressively man-marking the keeper at set-pieces, forcing him into errors that often lead to goals.

Spurs may look to replace Vicario

If this issue is not resolved this season, Tottenham will have to look for a new goalkeeper next summer. While Vicario is brilliant at shot-stopping and pretty effective in his distribution, this inability to command his box will cost us dearly.

Former Spurs midfielder Dele Alli could be set to sign for a new club in the near future, with the free agent currently being eyed by a top French club.

Lille interested in Dele

Dele has been without a club since his contract with Everton came to an end in the summer, but has continued to train with the Toffees over the last few months.

Recently, the former England international has been linked with a move to Serie A side Genoa, as the Italians look for reinforcements in midfield after the injury to Ruslan Malinovskyi (Secolo XIX).

But, the move to Italy has yet to come to fruition, and Dele may now have another avenue to explore on the continent, as Ligue 1 club Lille have emerged as a potential suitor for the 28-year-old.

That’s according to the Daily Mail, who claim Lille are among the clubs showing interest in Dele, with a view to picking him up as a free transfer.

No money for Spurs

If that move were to happen, it would mean Spurs would no longer be in line for any financial compensation from Everton for the player.

The original terms of the deal taking Dele to Goodison Park in January 2022 included a number of appearance-based bonuses, but that was renegotiated to pivot towards performance-related payments.

They would only become eligible, however, if Dele were to sign a new contract with Everton. As things stand, he is training with the club to work on his fitness, but there has been no mention of a deal being imminent.

Money doesn’t matter

It really isn’t important for Spurs to get any money from the Dele situation, to be honest. While it would always be nice to get some compensation for the manner in which he left the club, the main thing is that he finds a new team and gets playing again. Hopefully, Lille can offer him that.

Tottenham Hotspur have a number of top players in their squad right now, and three of them have been recognised in a list of the 100 best footballers in the world.

Heung-min Son makes it… just

As per FourFourTwo’s list of the top 100 players in the world right now, Heung-min Son is the first of the Spurs first-team squad to make the ranking. But, the South Korean star has only just made the cut.

Son is ranked at number 92, with the outlet writing: “The dip in form Heung-min Son suffered under Antonio Conte feels a long time ago now. Since Ange Postecoglou rocked up at Tottenham, Son has managed to get back to his best form. Harry Kane’s departure made him the main man in North London and the South Korean has taken the responsibility in his stride.”

The Spurs skipper has now been with the club for almost ten years, scoring 164 goals in over 400 appearances for the Lilywhites.

Micky van de Ven rising the ranks

Spurs fans have been delighted with Micky van de Ven‘s impact since joining the club last summer, and he has quickly established himself as one of the most competent defenders in the Premier League.

Respected football magazine FourFourTwo clearly appreciate the Dutchman’s qualities, as they have him ranked at number 85 on the list, praising his pace and ball-playing ability.

They wrote: “It’s no coincidence that Tottenham’s 2023/24 season suffered when Micky van de Ven picked up an injury. His searing pace at the back allows Spurs to play a high line and underpins the team’s wider tactical approach. His incredible assist against Manchester United in September showed just how good he is with the ball at his feet as well. Easily one of the best young defenders in Europe.”

Pedro Porro is the top Spurs player in FourFourTwo’s list

Somewhat surprisingly, it is Pedro Porro who ended up being the top-rated Spurs player on the list at 64. The Spaniard has settled into life at Tottenham really well over the last year, especially since Ange Postecoglou’s arrival at the club.

On Porro’s talents, the outlet wrote: “A very modern full-back… by which we mean he is unbelievably attacking to the extent that his defensive work sometimes leaves a bit to be desired. But there’s no faulting Porro’s application, and after a difficult start to life at Tottenham, he has become one of the most notable right-backs in the division. At 25 years old, his prime years may still be ahead of him too.”

Micky van de Ven has been in fine form for Tottenham Hotspur so far this season, but his latest display at international level has left onlookers shocked as the Dutchman appeared nervous on the ball.

Pundit shocked by van de Ven display

While he may have quickly established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, Micky van de Ven was unable to impress on the international stage during his team’s 1-0 defeat to Germany on Monday night.

The game was underpinned by a number of errors and clumsiness from the entire Dutch team, and pundit Hans Kraay Junior (speaking via FC Update) has discussed the issues at play, with van de Ven among the culprits for a poor performance.

He said: “What I am very shocked about, and at Tottenham Hotspur they will be too… We only hear that van de Ven is fantastic at Tottenham as a central defender and we hear that he is fantastic as a left-back, but I have seen such an incredibly nervous Micky van de Ven.

“When they put zero pressure on him, he is good. Now he was so uncertain on the ball. Everyone was getting each other into trouble, whether it was van de Ven or Timber or Gravenberch or Reijnders. It was really unbelievable.”

Uncharacteristic from van de Ven

That performance was far from what Spurs fans have come to expect from van de Ven, and may be a little concerned that the young defender is hitting a bit of a rough patch.

He certainly looked off the pace against Brighton before the international break, and it could be the case that his confidence has taken a hit as a result of that display there.

Spurs defence needs a reset

That game against Brighton was a real catastrophe for the whole defence for Spurs, and the players involved in the backline there really need to get back to their best as soon as possible. Hopefully, a win against West Ham at the weekend can rejuvenate them and imbue them all with some much-needed confidence.

While there was hope that Richarlison could be back in training and in contention for Tottenham’s next match, new information has emerged suggesting he may have to wait a little while longer for a return to action.

Richarlison is due back in November

Injury issues have really gotten in the way of Richarlison‘s time at Tottenham. The Brazilian has been out of action since the second game of the new season with a lower leg injury, and his rehabilitation appears to be taking longer than anticipated.

There was hope that Richarlison could be back in full training this week and have a chance of being a part of the matchday squad for the West Ham game on Saturday afternoon, too (Football.London).

However, the latest from Premier Injuries suggests otherwise, with Richarlison’s potential return date pushed back to November 3rd. That would put him in line for a comeback in the Premier League game against Aston Villa.

Son and Odobert closer to return

Still, at least there is some good news in the form of optimism that both Heung-min Son and Wilson Odobert can be back for the West Ham game.

The pair have been on Tottenham’s injury list for a number of weeks now, and while Son’s situation has always been less severe, Odobert was expected to be out until the end of October.

Both players have a potential return date of October 19th on Premier Injuries, though how likely it is that they will actually feature against West Ham is yet to be seen.

Richarlison setback is a real worry

How many more times is Richarlison going to get hit by injury problems? He has missed so much of this season already, and his recovery is really not going according to plan. If he cannot turn a corner with this soon, sadly, the time will come when Spurs need to move him on and sign a new striker.

Tottenham legend Paul Gascoigne has shed light on the way he is treated by the club’s hierarchy and his words will leave Spurs fans seething.

Treatment of former players

The treatment of the club’s former players, managers and employees is something that a section of Spurs fans have raised their voices against on social media in the past.

Most recently, David Pleat revealed that Tottenham do not even offer him free matchday tickets, despite the many years of service he has given to the club (The Athletic).

It appears even Spurs icon, Gazza, has run into a few ticketing problems of his own at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium of late.

Gazza’s admission

Gazza has now admitted he is charged whenever he asks Daniel Levy and co for tickets to watch the Lilywhites play – and a hefty price at that.

When asked about the upcoming Europa League clash between his two former sides, Tottenham and Rangers, he told Football 365: “If they’re at home, definitely. It’s difficult, that one. I was so close to Rangers. At Rangers, I’m welcomed in every way and at Tottenham, I asked for a couple of tickets and they said ‘that’ll be 400 pounds each.’

“I was like, wow, with all I did for that club, you know? When I left Tottenham I got them a lot of money when I signed for Lazio and I put in my contract when I went to Lazio that Tottenham had the first option to sign me back and they didn’t so I was a bit upset at that, considering the teams I could’ve went to.”

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Cheering for Rangers

Gazza admitted that the Scottish club have treated him much better than Tottenham have over the years, which is why he will be cheering for the SPL side on December 13.

He added: “I made the right choice in going to Rangers, the fans were fantastic, they love me up there. I didn’t like doing venues up there because I speak for an hour and they start singing for 55 minutes.

“The last time I went, ‘Can I please talk?’ I said, ‘Let me say something’. They’re singing ‘The Bluebells Are Blue’ and then all the Gazza songs. Let me get my money’s worth at least! When they play Spurs, I think I’ll be a Rangers fan.”