Spurs Web

Following the two-week international break, Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action with an away trip to face West Ham on Saturday.

It must have felt like a long two weeks for Spurs fans. The last time they saw their side in Premier League action, it ended in disappointment as Spurs lost 0-1 at home to Bournemouth. That result stung even more given how bright the start to the campaign had been. Spurs opened with a 3-0 win over Burnley before beating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad.

Against Bournemouth, though, they never recovered from Evanilson’s early strike. The performance was flat, with Thomas Frank’s side failing to create a single big chance in front of a frustrated home crowd. It was a game to forget, and one that handed Frank his first defeat against Bournemouth, a side he had never lost to during his Brentford tenure.

Across London, things have hardly been good for West Ham. After a 14th-place finish last season, there was hope that Graham Potter could steady the ship, but the start has been rough.

A 3-0 defeat to newly promoted Sunderland on opening day was followed by a 5-1 thrashing at Chelsea. Three days later, Wolves eliminated them from the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 win.

However, West Ham finally gave their fans something to cheer about before the break, beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 at home.

What time does West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur kick off?

West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur: Head-to-head record

West Ham have managed just one win in their last seven Premier League meetings with Spurs (D3 L3), a 2-1 victory away from home in December 2023.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Each of the previous three league clashes between the sides at the London Stadium finished 1-1. In fact, Spurs are winless in their last five league visits to East London (D3 L2) since a 3-2 win back in November 2019.

When these two met last season, it finished 1-1. Before that, Spurs thrashed West Ham 4-1 in a fiery encounter that saw Mohammed Kudus sent off after clashing with almost half the Tottenham squad. Ange Postecoglou was still in charge then, but Frank boasts a decent record against the Hammers from his Brentford days, winning six of his 11 meetings.

Tottenham team news

There are two fresh faces available for Spurs following the Bournemouth defeat. Thomas Frank finally has a number 10 in Xavi Simons, while deadline day brought striker Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG. Both have trained with the squad and are in contention.

Injury-wise, not much has changed. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin remain long-term absentees. Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma and Kota Takai are doubtful, but their availability will only become clearer once Frank addresses the press on Friday.

West Ham team news

Graham Potter confirmed that Niclas Fullkrug will be assessed after he picked up a knock during international duty. While the German has trained lightly, it seems more likely that Callum Wilson will lead the line. Luis Guilherme remains sidelined, and 21-year-old George Earthy is also a doubt.

Predicted Tottenham line-up

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Simons, Sarr; Kudus, Richarlison, Johnson.

Destiny Udogie returned from injury against Bournemouth, but Djed Spence’s form means the Italian may have to settle for a place on the bench. If Udogie does feature, it could be as a replacement for either Porro or Spence.

In midfield, Xavi Simons is the player everyone wants to see. Frank may play him in his natural number 10 role, giving Spurs the creativity they lacked against Bournemouth. That would mean Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr providing the balance behind him.

However, there is a chance Frank could keep faith in his tried and tested trio of Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr. Palhinha, though, was particularly poor last time out, and with his limited involvement during the international break for Portugal, we have opted to leave him out here.

If Frank does decide to stick with his midfield three, then expect Simons to feature out wide, in place of Brennan Johnson. The Welshman had a disappointing afternoon against Bournemouth and then struggled during international duty, being benched for one match and failing to impress in the other. Frank may be reluctant to fully drop him, as he would rather let Simons fill in the number 10 role.

Up front, the man in form, Richarlison, will likely continue to lead the line despite competition from new signing Randal Kolo Muani, who is set to make his debut off the bench.

Our prediction

Thomas Frank and his players know they let the fans down against Bournemouth, and that disappointment will give them the extra push to prove it was not a true reflection of the team as they look to put things right for Tottenham.

Mohammed Kudus will be the man to help Spurs do that, as he faces his former side. Following the criticism surrounding his move, he will be hungry to silence the West Ham fans.

Xavi Simons is obviously another man to watch out for. Seen as the answer to Spurs’ creativity problems, the La Masia graduate will want to leave an impression on his Premier League debut.

Despite the stats suggesting a likely draw for the fourth consecutive time at the London Stadium, we expect Thomas Frank’s men to get the job done with plenty to spare.

Tottenham Hotspur travel across London this weekend to face West Ham United, and with a busy schedule ahead, Thomas Frank could be set to hand first starts of the season to several players who have been waiting for their chance to impress.

Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to bounce back to winning ways when they face off against London rivals West Ham United at the London Stadium.

Several Tottenham players have just returned from international duty, where they picked up much-needed minutes to sharpen their fitness, and Frank will be mindful of how he rotates his squad with a heavy run of fixtures looming.

The UEFA Champions League league phase begins the week after the West Ham clash, which means Frank may turn to some of his fresh options to spread the load across the squad.

Six players, in particular, could be in line for their first starts of the season, and we have highlighted each one of them.

Xavi Simons could make first Tottenham start vs West Ham

Xavi Simons, who only arrived at Tottenham days before the summer window slammed shut, looks primed for his first full start this weekend.

Tottenham have lacked a creative spark in midfield, a problem that was glaringly obvious in the defeat against Bournemouth, and with Simons fit after minutes on international duty, the Dutch international seems ready to step in.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spotted in training on Wednesday, Simons was heavily involved in tactical drills, which highlights Frank’s plans for him.

At £51 million, Tottenham’s new signing is unlikely to be eased in slowly, and with the Champions League starting next week, he may be thrown straight into the starting XI at the London Stadium.

Randal Kolo Muani pushing for first Tottenham start

Randal Kolo Muani is another big signing who could be handed a chance, as Tottenham look to rediscover their winning rhythm.

The French striker stayed back during the international break, giving him valuable time on the training ground with Frank and his staff, which may prove useful as he adapts to life in North London.

Richarlison, meanwhile, was in action for Brazil until midweek and played just over an hour, so Frank could decide to keep him fresh for the Champions League, meaning Muani might get his opportunity to lead the line, although a substitute role still looks the likelier outcome depending on the flow of the game.

Dominic Solanke return depends on injury

Dominic Solanke has barely been involved for Tottenham this season, with injuries keeping him sidelined in the early weeks.

The striker missed the clash with Bournemouth due to a hamstring issue, although there is optimism that he might return after the international break.

If Solanke is passed fit, then he could be in contention to face West Ham, but given Tottenham’s attacking options and the recent arrival of Kolo Muani, it feels unlikely Frank risks starting him immediately.

Mathys Tel looking for Tottenham chance

Mathys Tel has been in the headlines after being excluded from Tottenham’s Champions League squad list.

The French forward responded in style during the break with a thunderous strike for France Under-21s, which reminded everyone of his talent and potential.

Tottenham fans have been calling for Tel to be given a chance under Frank, and with him ineligible for midweek Champions League action, the 20-year-old might just get a run out against West Ham.

Wilson Odobert waiting for Tottenham start

Wilson Odobert is yet to start a game under Thomas Frank, with the manager preferring Mohammed Kudus and Brennan Johnson as his wide options.

The competition for places is fierce, and it is difficult to see where Odobert fits in at present, although he does provide flexibility by being able to play centrally or on either flank.

That said, Simons is expected to play in the number ten role, and both Kudus and Johnson remain in strong form, so while Odobert could get a look in, it feels more likely that he will remain an impact option from the bench.

Destiny Udogie ready for Tottenham breakthrough

Destiny Udogie made his first competitive appearance of the season against Bournemouth, coming off the bench and offering plenty of attacking intent from full-back.

The Italian did not feature for his national side during the break, so he will be fresh and ready if Frank chooses to make changes to his defensive set-up.

Tottenham Hotspur’s first London derby of the season is around the corner, and now Opta’s supercomputer has weighed in on their clash with West Ham United.

The international break is finally over, and Tottenham Hotspur’s attention is set to turn back to Premier League action.

Following their home defeat at the end of August, Spurs will now be on the road in matchweek four when they take on West Ham United.

It is set to be the first London derby of the campaign for Tottenham, against a Hammers side who will be buoyed by their emphatic 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. This comes despite a sluggish start to the season, which saw them lose their opening two matches while conceding eight goals.

Opta supercomputer predicts Tottenham vs West Ham clash

Opta’s supercomputer has now revealed its score prediction for the Tottenham versus West Ham United fixture this weekend.

Despite Tottenham coming into the derby off the back of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth, the model still has Spurs down as the most likely winners when they face the Hammers.

The prediction has handed Tottenham a 41.8% chance of victory, while West Ham United have been given a 32.7% chance of taking all three points.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham and West Ham recent form and outlook

Historically, in the last five meetings between the two sides, Tottenham hold the stronger record with two wins, West Ham securing one victory and the other games ending in draws.

Spurs are coming off a difficult campaign and will be desperate to set things right this season, with Thomas Frank already collecting two league wins that he will want to build upon with another strong showing at the London Stadium.

After a strong start to the season, Richarlison’s form appears to be tailing off, and the Tottenham striker’s latest performance for Brazil may pose a problem for Thomas Frank.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker was arguably the club’s best performer across the first three games of the season against Paris Saint-Germain, Burnley and Man City.

Richarlison even won the Premier League Player of the Week award in gameweek one for his brilliant brace in the 3-0 win over the Clarets.

However, the 28-year-old struggled in the 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, being bullied by the Cherries centre-halves and failing to give Spurs an out-ball when they were under pressure. It appears that his struggles have continued during the international break.

Brazilian media were not impressed with Richarlison against Bolivia

The former Everton man got just 11 minutes under his belt in Brazil’s 3-0 win at home against Chile last week, with Chelsea’s Joao Pedro getting the nod to start as the number nine.

However, Carlo Ancelotti gave Richarlison an opportunity to lead the line away at Bolivia on Tuesday, but the Spurs man failed to take his chance as the Selecao fell to a 1-0 defeat.

Richarlison was replaced by Pedro on 61 minutes, and the Brazilian media were not too impressed with what they saw from the Tottenham striker.

MORE SPURS STORIES

GE Globo gave him a 5/10 and wrote: “He was rarely called upon. On his only chance, in the 37th minute of the first half, he controlled the ball, burst into the box, and struck hard, but the ball deflected off the defender.

“He left the game during the first substitution, in the 17th minute of the second half. He has remained goalless for the national team since the World Cup in Qatar.”

Will Thomas Frank be tempted to start Randal Kolo Muani?

Richarlison’s mini-slump in form is a cause for concern for Thomas Frank, particularly given that there remain doubts over Dominic Solanke’s fitness.

However, Frank’s squad has been boosted with Tottenham’s deadline-day loan signing of Randal Kolo Munai, who adds experience and firepower to the Spurs frontline.

Things could not be going much better for Ryan Mason right now, as the former Tottenham assistant is thriving in his first real managerial role since leaving the club in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur has been undergoing a handful of changes in recent weeks, but those changes did not exactly start recently.

Earlier in the summer, Tottenham confirmed the departure of long-time servant Ryan Mason, one of Ange Postecoglou’s assistants, following his move to Championship side West Bromwich Albion, who appointed him as their new first-team coach.

Mason is not a stranger to coaching, having stepped up on several occasions during his time at Tottenham, often taking the role of caretaker manager.

Ryan Mason enjoying bright start at West Brom after Tottenham exit

Following his move to the Hawthorns, Ryan Mason appears to be enjoying a fine start to life in the Championship, already managing to make an impression in his first run of games.

The former Tottenham caretaker has been nominated for August’s Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month award, a recognition that underlines how well his side has begun under his guidance.

Mason currently has West Brom sitting second in the Championship table, having won three of his opening four fixtures and drawn the other, keeping an unbeaten start and giving the supporters plenty of reason for optimism.

MORE SPURS STORIES

What Ryan Mason’s rise means for Tottenham fans

Following Mason’s departure, Tottenham fans were quick to wish him well, with many believing a move to the Baggies was the perfect step for the young coach at this stage of his career.

Mason has not yet enjoyed a full season in charge of a team, with caretaker spells at Tottenham being the most he has achieved in management so far, meaning this opportunity with West Brom is a chance to prove himself over the course of a campaign.

Uncertainty has swirled around Tottenham this month, but one journalist explains why the Lewis family are adamant Spurs are not for sale.

The future of Tottenham Hotspur has been a subject of debate in recent weeks, particularly after the departure of Daniel Levy.

There is a genuine sense of transition at Tottenham, but for all the speculation surrounding the boardroom, the Lewis family still hold majority control at the club and remains uninterested in cashing out.

Instead, reports suggest that the family are ready to double down on their commitment, with suggestions that they are prepared to invest further at a time when two separate investors have attempted to prise control of Tottenham away from the Lewis family.

The message from the very top is unambiguous – Tottenham is not for sale, and the new era will be shaped with the Lewis family continuing to drive the project forward.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, journalist Kaveh Solhekol offered insight into the situation, pointing out that Tottenham fans have often voiced frustration over the club’s financial model and the wage structure when compared to rivals.

He explained that there could be a shift, as the Lewis family may be prepared to inject more funds into the club, with their expectation being that the leadership team deliver greater success on the pitch. Solhekol outlined:

MORE SPURS STORIES

“You know, a lot of Tottenham fans complain about the fact that we do not spend as much money on players as our rivals. We do not pay the kind of wages that our rivals pay.

“Now that could be set to change, because Tottenham’s majority owners, the Lewis family, could be ready to put more money into the club, and how would that extra money be spent?

“Well, that would be up to the leadership team at Tottenham, because they have been told what you need to do is deliver more success on the pitch. If they decide that the best way to use that money is to pay more wages, because at the moment Tottenham’s wages to turnover ratio is the lowest in the Premier League, 42%.

“If they believe we need to pay players higher wages or if we need to spend more in the transfer market, then I think they will be backed to do that, because I know that lots of reports of Tottenham could be for sale, but the majority owners of Tottenham are the Lewis family and the message I am receiving is that Tottenham is not for sale.

“They have no interest whatsoever in selling Tottenham, and I think it is significant that senior members of the Lewis family are expected to be at the Tottenham game against West Ham on Saturday.”

Why the Lewis family do not want to sell Spurs

Solhekol went on to reveal why the Lewis family remain adamant that Spurs is not up for sale, even when sizeable offers have come their way.

He said the family have no financial incentive to walk away, and reminded viewers that they have been custodians of the club for a quarter of a century, pointing out:

“Okay, people are talking about Tottenham being worth 2,3,4 billion pounds. The bottom line is that the Lewis family do not need the money, they have no desire to sell the club they have owned Tottenham for 25 years, they are Tottenham supporters, they have never taken a dividend out of the club.

“They are well aware that Tottenham is a very valuable asset. Just because a lot of people want to buy something, it does not mean that you are going to sell it, because they are well aware of the fact that Tottenham are very positioned to have more success in the future; they just need to get things right.”

Thomas Frank is gearing up for his first London derby as Tottenham Hotspur boss, and now we have taken a closer look at his record against sides from the capital and what that might mean for Spurs this season.

Following his move from Brentford to Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank has had just over two months to settle into life in North London.

Two wins from three Premier League fixtures have the Tottenham boss sat in fourth place heading into matchweek four when Tottenham take on West Ham United.

This clash marks the first London derby of the season for Tottenham, with six more capital showdowns still to come.

Spurs Web have taken a closer look at Thomas Frank’s record against London sides to get a clearer idea of what Tottenham supporters can expect from the Dane this season.

Thomas Frank’s London derby record at Brentford

So far in his managerial career, Thomas Frank has faced each of the current Premier League clubs from London more than once, aside from Brentford, which he previously managed.

Across the 25/26 campaign, Tottenham will face Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, and West Ham United as they travel across the capital.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Looking at the numbers, Tottenham fans can take some encouragement from the fact that Frank’s sides have always been competitive in London derbies.

Frank has overseen 45 matches against London opposition in the Premier League, picking up 17 wins in the process and beating each of the capital’s sides at least once.

However, he has also suffered 19 defeats in these fixtures, with Arsenal proving the toughest challenge as they have beaten Frank six times in their nine meetings.

That said, his record shows that he has been able to secure big results against the very best, with Chelsea in particular finding Frank’s Brentford difficult to deal with.

Frank’s Premier League record against London clubs

Tottenham fans will expect Thomas Frank to improve

It is important to note that Frank went toe-to-toe with Arsenal and Chelsea while managing a Brentford side that, in terms of quality and squad depth, was nowhere near the level of Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca’s sides.

Even so, he still gave these heavyweights a fair contest, and his record against Chelsea stands out, with three wins, three draws and three defeats across nine matches.

Against clubs closer to Brentford in the Premier League table, Frank managed to achieve an impressive balance, winning five of his 10 games against Fulham, securing six wins against West Ham United in nine matches, and taking two victories over Crystal Palace in eight games, with five of those ending in draws.

Now with Spurs, Frank is leading a stronger, more talented squad, and the expectation will be for him to turn those competitive performances into consistent victories in London derbies.

First up is West Ham United, a side Frank has enjoyed plenty of success against, and Tottenham fans will be hoping he can extend that record with a positive result at the London Stadium.

Amidst reports suggesting that Tottenham Hotspur are looking to loan out Yves Bissouma, Fabrizio Romano has now revealed what his sources have told him about the Spurs midfielder’s future.

Despite the transfer window in the UK and much of Europe closing a week and a half ago, Tottenham have still been trying to offload Bissouma as the window remains open in a few countries.

However, the Spurs midfielder’s chances of moving to Turkey have seemingly collapsed over the last few days.

According to reports, Galatasaray pulled out of an agreement to sign Bissouma due to concerns about his fitness, while their cross-city rivals, Fenerbahce, have now also seemingly cooled their interest.

Fabrizio Romano weighs in on Yves Bissouma’s Tottenham future

Some sources have suggested that Fenerbache turned down the chance to sign the Tottenham man due to his disciplinary record, and with the Turkish window closing in a matter of hours, a move to Istanbul now looks unlikely for the 28-year-old.

It has been claimed by Football Insider that Spurs are even ready to loan out Bissouma in a desperate late attempt to get him out of the door, but Fabrizio Romano has now said that an exit from N17 is not close for the former Brighton man.

When asked if there is any concrete movement in Bissouma’s potential departure from Tottenham, Romano told GiveMeSport: “No, at the moment it’s gone quiet.”

MORE SPURS STORIES

Why have Spurs not been able to offload Bissouma?

At the start of the summer window, it was being reported that Bissouma was attracting interest from sides across Europe, and that made sense considering he played a big part in Tottenham’s Europa League win.

However, it is possible that Thomas Frank’s public admission of Bissouma’s disciplinary issues caused alarm bells to ring among interested clubs, especially given that the midfielder already has a history of inappropriate behaviour.

Atletico Madrid are keen on signing one of Tottenham’s most experienced players on a free contract next summer, but Spurs are clearly against the idea.

Tottenham have managed to tie down two key players to a new contract recently, with Djed Spence putting pen to paper on a long-term deal, while more importantly, club captain Cristian Romero has also committed his future to Spurs.

All through the summer, we have been hearing that Tottenham intend to open contract talks with Rodrigo Bentancur, who is now into the final 12 months of his deal.

The Uruguayan has made a solid start to the season, with Thomas Frank showing plenty of faith in the former Juventus man, but it turns out that one club are not giving up their hopes of prising the player away from Spurs.

Atletico Madrid want to lure Rodrigo Bentancur away from Tottenham

This update comes from Fichajes, who say that the lack of movement in Bentancur’s contract situation has attracted the attention of Atletico Madrid.

The report claims that Conor Gallagher, who has been linked with a move to Spurs, is expected to depart the Spanish capital and return to the Premier League next summer, with Atletico identifying the Tottenham man as the ideal replacement.

Diego Simone believes that the 28-year-old will be a perfect fit for his side’s midfield and would provide balance and resilience to the Colchoneros.

MORE SPURS STORIES

However, the report makes it clear that the La Liga giants are only considering signing Bentancur as a free agent and will not be keen to negotiate a deal with Tottenham Hotspur should the player sign a new contract at the North London club.

Bentancur would welcome a move to Atletico Madrid

More concerningly, Fichajes say that the former Juventus man would welcome a move to Spanish football, having played in Argentina, Italy and England.

He allegedly views a switch to a club like Atletico as the ‘natural next step’ in his career.

Tottenham supporters have been left split after fresh reports revealed that Rodrigo Bentancur is in advanced talks with the club over a new contract.

Tottenham Hotspur were said to have opened early discussions with Rodrigo Bentancur some time ago, though progress seemed to stall, leaving uncertainty around his long-term future in north London.

That stance now appears to have shifted, as reports claim that Tottenham are moving quickly to secure fresh terms for Bentancur, a player Thomas Frank has already been impressed with since stepping into the dugout.

With less than a year remaining on Bentancur’s current contract, the urgency from the Spurs is clear, as there is a strong sense that the club do not wish to risk losing a senior figure in midfield.

Tottenham fans split on Rodrigo Bentancur contract talks

Spurs Supporters have wasted no time reacting to the news of renewed talks, and the opinions reflect the divided view of Rodrigo Bentancur’s value to the side.

One fan bluntly remarked: “He is good until he is not. He is not consistent.” Another was clear about his stance, saying: “Make it quick. If he does not sign, move him on. He has flattered to deceive anyway.”

Others, however, were more upbeat, with one declaring: “Finally let’s goooo” and another adding: “Deserved.” One Tottenham fan even called Bentancur the “most underrated player in the squad”, while another urged Spurs to “double his wages” and “keep the spine” of the team.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Yet scepticism remained, as another fan simply stated: “Not good enough and should have sold him.” Another argued that Bentancur is “Not up to league team winning standard, even for a bench spot.”

Bentancur’s role under Thomas Frank

Rodrigo Bentancur has already played a notable role under Frank this season, with the 28-year-old starting two of Tottenham’s opening three Premier League fixtures.

He has been paired in midfield with loan arrival Joao Palhinha, with the duo tasked with forming a partnership that can anchor the side across the campaign.