Different manager, same Spurs. Tottenham Hotspur’s temporary manager Tim Sherwood sent out a team that was possibly the most anti-AVB selection imaginable, but his team dominated, struggled to score, got themselves in front then capitulated at the end.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Ham United: Final score 1-2, Hammers strike twice to stun Sherwood’s Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur looked to get off to a good start under Tim Sherwood, but after Emmanuel Adebayor put them ahead, West Ham struck back to gain a shock victory.
Paul Gilham
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Spurs dominated the first half, but had nothing to show for it before Jermain Defoe linked up with Emmanuel Adebayor for the former Arsenal man to volley the hosts ahead in the second half. But West Ham struck back through Matt Jarvis and a rare goal from Modibo Maiga to stun White Hart Lane.
The game got off to a start that fitted Tim Sherwood's first lineup at Spurs, with a frantic, end-to-end opening that saw both sides have chances. Emmanuel Adebayor showed his rustiness by creating a West Ham counterattack with a misplaced pass, before Spurs attacked through Aaron Lennon, the winger finding Jermain Defoe only for him to shoot wide.
Andros Townsend was the next to miss the target for the hosts, later turning provider to twist and turn down the left and stand up a fine cross for Adebayor, who was just off-target with his header. A goal looked imminent as the visitors could barely escape their own area, but Spurs' thrust soon petered out in the middle of the half, and save for a brief spell toward the end, where Adebayor and Defoe both blazed over, the rest of the first 45 minutes were largely uneventful.
The Spurs renewed their attacking intent after half-time, however, and a goalmouth scramble saw them go within a hair's breadth of taking the lead shortly after play resumed. Kyle Walker's shot bounced off Defoe while headed goalwards, and neither he nor Gylfi Sigurdsson could force the ball home.
West Ham were also beginning to grow into things, however, and soon earned their first corner of the game. Unfortunately for Sam Allardyce’s men, it proved to be a double-edged sword -- the delivery was easily cleared, from which Defoe stormed down the left and delivered a superb cross for the arriving Adebayor, who blasted a first-time volley in off the bar to put Spurs into the lead.
The Spurs then suffered a setback as Andros Towsend had to go off with a hamstring injury, as the visitors once again began to exert some pressure and Matt Taylor going close with two fierce efforts. The pressure was growing though, and soon told. A long ball found Maiga to flick on to Taylor, who produced a fine pass to supply Matt Jarvis to finish at the near post and cancel out Spurs’ opener.
The introduction of Mohamed Diame and Ravel Morrison saw West Ham look for a further opportunity, and they soon got it -- Diame sent in a deep cross and Modibo Maiga rose highest to head home his first goal for a year and send the visiting fans wild with delight.
The result will not help Tim Sherwood’s audition for getting the job on a permanent basis much, but it may just help prolong the reign of his opposite number, under even more pressure: Sam Allardyce. This was a fine result for West Ham, who are into the semifinals. Tottenham played the polar opposite style they did under Villas-Boas, but the results weren’t too much better.
Tottenham: Lloris; Walker, Chiriches, Capoue, Rose (Fryers 62’); Lennon, Dembele, Sigurdsson, Townsend (Chadli 73’); Adebayor (Holtby 78’), Defoe.
Goals: Adebayor 67’
West Ham: Adrian, O’Brien, Rat, Collins, McCartney, Diarra (Morrison 79’), Taylor, Collison, J.Cole (Diame 70’), Jarvis, C.Cole (Maiga 65’).
Goals: Jarvis 80’, Maiga 85’
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