By Saul McNeilage
November 22 2005

‘Dear oh dear’. That’s a slightly watered down version of my reaction to the final whistle at The Lane yesterday. How frustrating? How infuriating? I’m sure I’m not the only Spurs fan still in pain this morning after Hammer heartbreak on Sunday afternoon. ‘Dear oh dear’. That’s a slightly watered down version of my reaction to the final whistle at The Lane yesterday.

How frustrating? How infuriating? I’m sure I’m not the only Spurs fan still in pain this morning after Hammer heartbreak on Sunday afternoon.
I had to listen to this game on the radio (never an easy thing to do) but I have to admit that I was confident of bouncing back at home against West Ham after the disappointment of losing to Bolton some two weeks ago. The longer the game went on, however, the more uncomfortable I began to feel in my armchair and from sitting comfortably at half time I was beginning to slide closer and closer to the proverbial edge of the recliner.

Yet again Spurs made a bright start at home in a London derby (Chelsea, Arsenal) and as in the Arse game took a deserved lead through a neatly placed header from Mido, his fourth of the season. Surely this was the queue for a barrage on the Hammers goal and ensure we didn’t let slip our advantage and be punished for not taking our chances as we were against Arsenal.

Kill them off this time I thought, but the second goal did not arrive. That said, apart from a couple of long range shots, West Ham didn’t really trouble our defence and I don’t think Robbo had to make a meaningful save throughout the first 45.
Again Jol went with the four central midfield players across the park employing a kind of diamond formation and absolutely no width. Perfect when you have a great header of the ball up front who thrives on crosses. Surely Lennon and, hopefully Routledge must come back soon for some much needed wing play.
I know we played a lot better against Arsenal than we did here but there was a nasty feeling of déjà vu creeping in as the 2nd half progressed and the score remained 1-0.

For me, too many big names were going awol in the 2nd period. I hardly heard Keane’s name mentioned (strange considering he was given a rare starting role in place of the misfiring Defoe) and Carrick as well as Jenas appeared to have disappeared in terms of an attacking force. Still, over an hour had gone before Robbo had to make his first save of the match from Teddy and what a save it was, England’s number one excelling himself with an astonishing tip over the bar from our former favourite.

As the game slipped into injury time and Jenas curled a beauty just inches wide I thought that’s it, a hard fought vital 3 points and bragging rights over the Eastenders for the next few months. As soon as they got a corner though three minutes in to added time the dreaded phrase ‘here we go again’ slipped into my mind, surely not, not now at the death.

We all know what happened next and to say I felt sick is an understatement. When the dust had settled and I’d regrouped my thoughts our failure to take games by the scruff of the neck and kill the opposition off when we’re in the ascendancy cost us the three points yesterday and credit must go to West Ham for persisting to the last. In short, we need to start scoring more than one goal in a game if we’re to end this run of draws and defeats! At the end of the day I think the West Ham website got it right with their headline, The Hammers pinched a point.

A lot to think about for our jolly Dutchman as we prepare for Wigan, dear oh dear.