‘Is it attitude?’ – Pundit questions mentality of Spurs players in West Ham defeat

Alan Hutton has questioned the mentality of the Tottenham players after the defeat to West Ham and suggests Nuno Espirito Santo will be wondering why his side have not built on the win against Newcastle. 

Tottenham failed to produce a bounce-back display against the Hammers after losing to Vitesse Arnhem last midweek, losing 1-0 at the London Stadium thanks to Michail Antonio’s second-half strike. 

Nuno’s men were simply outworked in the encounter, despite all of his starters in the clash being rested for the side’s Europa Conference League fixture in the Netherlands. 

Former Spurs defender Hutton suggested David Moyes’ side looked much more up for the fixture in West London and were willing to work for the three points, which they eventually received. 

He also questioned if the Spurs players were applying themselves properly or getting in the right frame of mind for a London derby. 

Hutton told Football Insider: “Is it application, is it attitude, what is it? I know it’s [West Ham] not the biggest derby for Tottenham, it’s big the other way, but you should still be up for it.

“I didn’t see much from anyone, to be honest. West Ham looked the fitter, the stronger, more aggressive in everything they did. They were the team that looked like they were going to do something.

“Out with the Kane header, there wasn’t much to go on. Spurs, it’s a weird one at the moment. You go back to the Newcastle game and I was thinking: ‘Right, okay I see something here.

“I saw a progression, it looked like the starting team to me, the right formation. Kane a goal and an assist, time to kick on.

“Then it was flat again. It must be a difficult one. Nuno must be scratching his head thinking, ‘what’s going on here’?”

Spurs Web Opinion 

It was another sloppy and disjointed performance from Spurs, particularly in the second half, which you cannot do in a London derby.

West Ham were content to let Spurs have the ball as they knew they were going to be able to keep plugging away to find a breakthrough. 

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