Spurs win 2-0 vs West Ham in a game that was much more nerve wracking in real life than it was on paper.  Two thirds possession and 15 total shots, but none of them actually hit the target.  Fortunately, West Ham sucks balls and we forced an own goal.  It was deserved.  That old ‘pucks on net’ hockey adage came to life in soccer form.

Even after the lead, it remained nerve wracking because this is Spurs in our season of spare.  West Ham hit the post, but we can just block that one single play out of our mind and remember us closing out in perfect form.  None of the bad things we’re used to seeing happen actually happened.  We look so good when that happens!

One week of restart is in and life definitely feels sweeter for us.  Sure, West Ham sucks, but they don’t suck nearly as much as that corrupt ManU ref on Friday.  I never had access to watch those 2006 rigged Serie A matches, but now I can confirm exactly what they must have looked like.  Corners turned into goal kicks.  Dirty ass play with no cards given.  Penalty kicks for breathing on players.  We new it would happen, but it still stung.  Thank god for VAR as a loss would’ve been catastrophic.

Four points in two games is not the world beater pace we need to make Champions League, but it’s a damn good start considering we deserved six.  We cheer for Sheffield or draw in their match vs ManU tomorrow, and then we can beat them next Thursday to make this race verrry interestinggg…

Sheffield also has FA cup on Sunday, so we’ll have a fatigue advantage on top of the depth advantage we already have.  Wolves?  I’m trying not to think about them, just like nobody wants to think about the fact that Lester is falling apart.  Let’s pray that ManU match rigging was a one game deal and we get a result from Sheffield tomorrow.  Then, this race is fucking on.

Observations and ANALysis:

–Kane did not look good at all on Friday and I was starting to worry that his age 26 was more like an NFL RB’s age 26.  That all vanished yesterday as he looked like a world beater again.  Tons of great through balls and strikes despite not getting a finisher until, when he was visibly exhausted in the 82nd minute, he knocked home that sprinting goal to make him confident as fuck for the rest of the season.  He’s one of our own and he scores when he wants.  Love him 🥰

–Son completed his compulsory military service over quarantine and was ranked in the top five of his 157 person class.  He probably played a role in KJU’s disappearance during that time too.  What a badass.  His goal yesterday was nifty as hell, even if it was a hair offsides.

-I’m gonna try and explain Sissoko’s importance through these two gifs:

-Given those three points above and that all three players were supposed to be out for the season, it’s clear no team has benefited more from this pandemic than Spurs.  As long as I keep my job, nobody I know dies, and we finish the job to make champions league, I will be a happy camper.  I will keep drinking coronas during the games as a good luck charm.

-Two games, two sets of well-executed tactics (out of one 4-2-3-1 formation).  We played typical Mourinho-ball on Friday, but yesterday we were forced to do the opposite.  NBC’s halftime commentators alluded to the struggles that Mourinho’s ManU and Chelsea teams had against bus parking, citing the emphasis on countering not jiving with the technical play it takes to break down deep blocks.

Spurs allayed those concerns for two main reason: (1) we have a lot of great dribblers when healthy  (2) Davies and especially Aurier were great on the wings, giving us extra width and numbers to get open.  A very possible third reason is that West Ham is trash, so let’s hope we keep this up throughout a remaining schedule of mostly teams that suck a little bit less than West Ham.

-I fucking love the new Dutch kid Bergwijn.  The internet may have been more focused on De Gea’s weak hands, but that strike on Friday was still absolutely nasty.  Unfortunately, it seems ManU put a bounty on him after because the ref was in their pocket, and he had to be subbed out after a brutally dirty tackle left him limping (no foul called).  He was a sub yesterday and had a good defensive play during our close out.

–Dier at CB, so far is a rock?  It’s definitely a more natural position for him than CDM, where he was too slow and clumsy.  I’m not ready yet to be comfortable with him, but am getting much less uncomfortable.  The Twitter account ‘TranSPURS’ has some good videos of his job vs both ManU and West Ham.

-Our beloved captain Hugo is looking as good as he’s ever been.  That £15k guard dog he bought over quarantine must’ve helped with his confidence.

-It is hilarious that West Ham is getting relegated!  Fuck em.