Tottenham Hotspur missing nine stars is not Ange Postecoglou’s biggest problem against West Ham United this week.
West Ham go to rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night where contrasting styles collide.
West Ham fans have been bored to jeers in recent weeks despite going five unbeaten.
Yet Tottenham Hotspur have no wins in four but are winning plenty of friends and admirers with their brave, attacking style in the face of an injury crisis.
Many Hammers fans are fed up of David Moyes’ approach and his inability to get a team packed full of exciting talent playing anything that resembles exciting football.
But there’s a reason for that, particularly of late, and much of it is to do with the opposition West Ham have faced.
Tottenham Hotspur missing nine stars is not Ange Postecoglou’s biggest problem against West Ham.
Spurs’ injury crisis means Ivan Perisic, Rodrigo Bentancur, Micky van de Ven, James Maddison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon and Alfie Malik Whiteman are all out of the game while midfielder Pape Sarr is a doubt along with Eric Dier.
Many Hammers fans are fearing the worst given the contrasting styles and performances West Ham and Tottenham have been serving up.
But Postecoglou’s insistence on playing all-out attack may play perfectly into West Ham’s hands.
Moyes reverted to playing counter-attacking football at the start of the season and there was nobody better at it in the Premier League.
The Hammers even topped the fledgling table as they broke at pace on a host of teams with great success.
West Ham have played a run of games against teams who, for the most part, sit off them and defend deep.
That’s when Moyes and his players struggle.
The only decent team of Tottenham’s level that West Ham have faced in the last couple of months is Arsenal in the cup.
Against the Gunners West Ham pressed and harried, played at a high tempo and hit them on the counter. And guess what? They won comfortably 3-1.
A similar approach and level of performance is needed at Tottenham on Thursday night.
Because Postecoglou’s tactics will leave Spurs wide open and vulnerable to West Ham’s counter attacking play. Execution will be the key of course.
Much of the focus pre-match has been on the Tottenham injury crisis. Yes Moyes will be hoping that helps his side.
But it won’t be Postecoglou’s biggest concern if he takes the game to West Ham – which he most certainly will – because it’s just what the Hammers want, need and thrive on.
Just ask Brighton and Chelsea who West Ham also dismantled 3-1 when they took the game to them.
