Tottenham once considered taking legal action against West Ham’s move to the London Stadium, in what would have been a wild change of circumstances.
Instead, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is now home, although it did not feel like it when Tottenham lost 1-0 to Chelsea on Saturday.
Joao Pedro’s first-half goal was the difference between the sides, although the visitors may well have scored two or three more against Thomas Frank‘s lacklustre Lilywhites.
Micky Van de Ven and Djed Spence were seen snubbing Frank after the game, which will be cause for concern for the Dane.
Thankfully, the London Stadium is not another issue, which has been the case for West Ham.
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Tottenham considered London Stadium legal challenge
Tottenham’s woeful record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was once again a topic of discussion following Saturday’s defeat.
Frank’s team were barely in the game at all, despite having the backing of their home fans in a huge London derby.
And the stats only make for more appalling reading, with Tottenham‘s 0.05 expected goals to Chelsea’s 3.68 representing a serious problem for Frank.
Down the road, West Ham are also struggling with life in their stadium.
The Hammers are yet to win at the London Stadium this season, although it could have been Tottenham playing there if different choices had been made.
Dan King, writing in his column on Sunday, recalled a time when Tottenham were pursuing a challenge over the decision to hand the stadium to the Irons.
“It is amazing to think that, at one point, Tottenham were pursuing a legal challenge to the decision to give West Ham the Olympic Stadium,” King wrote for The Sun on Sunday, page 57.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium produces everything but results
Both Tottenham and West Ham left iconic, noisy grounds when they made their moves. White Hart Lane and Upton Park had been intense, difficult places to travel to for the opposition.
But both London clubs now find themselves struggling for wins in their more modern homes. At least Tottenham can say their stadium is capable of producing an atmosphere.
The London Stadium, in its design, struggles to harbour good noise, with away teams often enjoying the big pitch and the unintimidating feeling of the place.
Tottenham’s £1.2billion stadium can do nearly everything. It is a commercial dream, capable of generating a brilliant atmosphere when it houses almost 63,000 fans.
But the Lilywhites just cannot seem to win there consistently, with Saturday’s game just another stark reminder of what is rapidly emerging as a genuine problem for Frank.
At least they’re not West Ham right now, who are preparing for yet another fan protest on Sunday.