Play like that at Spurs and things could get very ugly very quickly for West Ham as contrasting styles collide.
While West Ham fans have been bored to jeers in recent weeks despite going five unbeaten, Tottenham Hotspur have been the antithesis.
West Ham’s bitter rivals Spurs have no wins in four. But they have been 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.
Ange Postecoglou – the man West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady clearly wanted at her club in the summer – is having the kind of impact the Baroness predicted in the Premier League.
Contrasting styles collide
Moyes had a pop at West Ham fans after the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday. While there’s a love affair unfolding between Tottenham fans and their new manager, West Ham and theirs appear to be growing sick of one another.
Palace was a game West Ham should have won comfortably against a mediocre side missing their five best players.
Instead the same old lethargic, slow tempo fare was served up with no discernible style or attacking patterns of play and the kind of meek defending that has become a common theme at the other end for the Hammers.
As West Ham fans made their way home, Tottenham – without seven or eight first team stars – were taking the game to champions Man City at the Etihad – coming away with a point in a pulsating 3-3 draw.
Two managers with very different philosophies
Tottenham’s philosophy under Postecoglou is the polar opposite to West Ham under Moyes.
But if West Ham fans are being honest – most would much rather attack games like their rivals do.
Play like that at Spurs and things could get very ugly very quickly for West Ham as contrasting styles collide.
The Hammers have been getting away with it of late, nicking wins by one goal in four consecutive games – three of them in the last minute.
Moyes’ luck ran out against Palace, though, and the frustrations at the team’s performance levels bubbled to the surface.
Things could get ugly for Hammers unless they up tempo
When West Ham went to Aston Villa six weeks ago they got an absolute hammering where 4-1 was kind on them.
The only decent team West Ham have faced since is a weakened Arsenal side in the cup.
Against the Gunners West Ham pressed and harried, played at a high tempo and guess what? They won comfortably 3-1.
A similar approach and level of performance is needed at Tottenham on Thursday night.
Because if West Ham play like they have been over the last couple of months, swashbuckling Spurs will make light work of them.
And it get very messy indeed.
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