Post Match Comments
Audio Match
ReportMonday 11th September 2000
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
White Hart Lane
Attendance:33,282
Referee: Steve Dunn
TOTTENHAM1Campbell
67 WEST
HAM0SULLIVANCARRCAMPBELLYOUNGTARICCOSHERWOODFREUND
FERDINANDLEONHARDSENREBROVIVERSENSubs:WALKERTHATCHER
73ETHERINGTONVEGA 50CLEMENCE HISLOPLOMASFERDINANDS PEARCE
SINCLAIRWINTERBURNCOLELAMPARD KANOUTECARRICKDI
CANIOSubs:FORRESTMONCURPOTTSPEACOCKKITSONWest
Ham are still rooted to the bottom spot after a 1-0 defeat at
Spurs.
A 66th minute Sol Campbell goal gave Spurs all three points after a pulsating first half which, yet again, had seen West Ham dominate but not manage to score.
Frederic Kanoute should have given the Hammers the lead just four minutes in, streaking down the middle onto Paolo Di Canio's delightful diagonal pass. All he had to do was slip the ball past Neil Sullivan, but he underhit the shot and it rolled easily for the goalkeeper.
Joe Cole should also have done better after wriggling his way through the Tottenham defence. He opted to shoot from a tight angle, when Kanoute was waiting for the pull-back and Sullivan saved easily.
The close call suddenly woke the home side and they started to put some threatening moves together. Substitute Ramon Vega had a free sight on goal at the far post from Steffen Iversen's smart, one-touch cross, but he decided to head back across goal and the chance was gone.
Campbell stepped in to show him how to do it soon after and having taken the lead, the points were never in doubt. Steffen Freund was unlucky not to grab his first goal in English football with a ferocious 30-yard drive that cannoned of the angle between post and bar.
If that was unlucky, then Les Ferdinand was simply careless. The striker, whose tally of two goals this season has already surpassed last term's mark, was sent through on goal, but his control was awful and Hislop rushed out to save at his feet.
Hammers' boss Harry Redknapp admitted that his players were down after the defeat but insisted:
"It's not a crisis. Two wins and you'll be 7th or 8th. It's not like we're 12 points adrift. No-one wants to be bottom but I know we're not a bad side. We have a great spirit at the club, and some good players."