So easy for Spurs as West Ham wilt to another shameful derby surrender

If there’s one thing more shameful to wear in east London than a half-and-half scarf this weekend, it’s probably a West Ham one.

With their second miserable home London derby defeat in a season that is a mere four games old, the Hammers reasserted themselves as the Premier League’s crisis club.

Wolves may have no points and Aston Villa haven’t scored a goal. But while fans in the Midlands may be feeling pretty glum, the Irons are back in irate mood. With good reason.

West Ham supporters are desperate for a change in leadership with one group, Hammers United, calling on fellow fans to protest against the owners before they face Crystal Palace next week, prior to boycotting the clash with Brentford altogether.

By the time the Bees come across London on October 20, it is quite likely that change will have come. Just not the one West Ham fans crave most. Though very few will mourn the departure of Graham Potter assuming the Hammers board do what is surely necessary.

Potter enjoyed a fortnight’s respite through the international break after the 3-0 win at Forest which seemed to take him by surprise as much as anyone. But with home fans at the London Stadium seeking more conclusive proof that a corner had been turned, all they saw was side revert to the fast track to the Championship.

This was not a game of two halves, rather three thirds. The first offered some encouragement that the hosts might build on that Forest win. They could reasonably claim to have been the better side in an entirely forgettable opening period, memorable only for yet more questionable officiating.

Spurs’ only threat came from set-pieces and so badly were West Ham flailing under corners that Jarred Gillett gave them a sympathy call. The referee looked thoroughly unconvinced that an offence had occurred when a claret shirt hit the deck prior to Cristian Romero heading home from almost under the bar, but a foul was given anyway. John Brooks on VAR went with Gillet’s gut, describing a ‘two-handed push’ from Micky van der Ven that didn’t happen. If anything, the Spurs defender was shoved into Kyle Walker-Peters by a panicking Mateus Fernandes.

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Rather than being buoyed by their let off, the Hammers shrank. Spurs assumed control and never looked like losing it.

The opener came from another corner two minutes into the second half. West Ham seemed to take the view that you can’t lose a physical battle you don’t engage in, leaving Pape Sarr with the freedom of the far post. This was not a cleverly-contrived routine. Sarr merely stood still, with little need for blocking around him, before crashing an unchallenged header past Mads Hermansen.

The following 10 minutes saw West Ham wilt entirely. Tomas Soucek’s red card for ripping Joao Palhinha’s sock to ribbons was a blow, sure. But when the red card was waved, so was the white flag.

There were three minutes between Soucek’s dismissal and Lucas Bergvall’s first Premier League goal, but almost that entire period was lost to the Czech’s slow, apologetic departure. Once play restarted, West Ham were undone by three passes, the last being a simple chip over a disorganised, disheartened defence for Bergvall to place a free header beyond Hermansen’s reach.

Potter’s defence were not done disgracing themselves. Seven minutes later, Bergvall wandered into the box before teeing up Van der Van. Despite the presence of eight defenders, in body but not spirit, the Spurs centre-back was allowed to pick his spot.

It had already become a damage limitation exercise, with West Ham possessing neither the guts or guile to bother Spurs a man light. Many if not most home fans made for the exit, sparing Potter and his players a furious reaction. Those who were left greeted the sweet release of the final whistle with a whimper. And when West Ham fans have lost the will to scorn…

Some consolation: Spurs didn’t score five, as Chelsea did last month. And Mohamed Kudus was unsuccessful in his late quest to score against his former side.

Those, though, are tiny crumbs of comfort for a fanbase watching local rivals take the p*ss on their patch on an almost weekly basis while their owners sit idly by.