There’s no getting away from it — West Ham are right in the thick of a relegation scrap. But in a week where confidence took a hit following a dismal 2-0 defeat away to Aston Villa, a surprising voice has offered a glimmer of encouragement.
Award-winning journalist Henry Winter has taken aim not at the Hammers — but at Tottenham Hotspur.
And in doing so, he may just have highlighted why West Ham still have a fighting chance.
Both clubs had poor weekends, there’s no denying that. West Ham’s performance at Villa Park was flat, lacking intensity and invention, while Spurs somehow managed to sink even lower — losing 3-0 at home to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in what many are calling one of their worst displays of the season.
But while criticism has been aimed at both sides, Winter has drawn a very clear line in the sand.
He believes Tottenham are the ones sleepwalking towards the drop.
Spurs Accused Of Lacking Fight As West Ham Showed Signs
Winter’s verdict was brutal. “Tottenham Hotspur are going down unless they show some fight,” he said, pointing to a lack of hunger, desire and basic commitment from Spurs players.
He highlighted how Nottingham Forest — led by Morgan Gibbs-White — simply wanted it more. The kind of fight needed in a relegation battle was there for all to see. Tracking runners, blocking crosses, competing for every loose ball — the simple basics that decide who survives and who doesn’t.
And according to Winter, Spurs just aren’t doing it.
Now here’s where it becomes interesting from a West Ham perspective.
Because while the Hammers were undeniably poor against Villa, that performance was something of an anomaly compared to recent weeks. Prior to that defeat, Nuno Espírito Santo’s boys had shown far more resilience, spirit and — crucially — fight than our North London rivals.
Even in defeat against Liverpool, there were positives. Effort, goals, tactical positives and a willingness to compete.
That simply wasn’t evident from Tottenham against Forest and if we’re honest, it’s been like that for Spurs for most of the season.
Winter even questioned the very fabric of Tottenham as a club — citing poor recruitment, a lack of leadership and issues stemming from the very top. It’s a damning assessment but also will sound very familiar to West Ham fans.
However, by contrast, West Ham have made improvements recently and weekend aside, seem to be in better shape than Spurs.
That’s not to say West Ham are safe. Far from it.