It comes to something when the level of discontent at Tottenham had people who have spent all season watching West Ham wondering if it was all a bit much. There were cries of mutiny whenever Guglielmo Vicario tried to play out from the back, jeers at half-time and, of course, sustained boos when another home defeat for Thomas Frank’s nervous wreck of a team ended with one last cross from Djed Spence drifting sadly out of play in the ninth minute of added time.
At times it felt like not knowing how to leave the room after accidentally walking in on a bitter row between a warring couple. How is anyone supposed to function in such a poisonous atmosphere? Somehow, the malaise at West Ham felt mild by comparison. At least the anger in east London tends to be focused mainly at the board for the failure to kick on since swapping Upton Park for the soullessness of Stratford in 2016. It is not targeted at the team or the manager as much, whereas the grumbling at Spurs seems to fly in all directions, especially as the brutal departure of Daniel Levy five months ago has left fans without one standout candidate to be their hate figure.
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The disconnect is glaring. At West Ham, complaints often centre around the distance from the pitch at the London Stadium and the unsatisfactory matchday experience. Spurs have the best ground in the country. They spent £1bn on a site next to White Hart Lane and have created a spectacular setting for football. On balance, this should be a place that plays host to a confident, front-footed team, backed by a crowd full of positive, happy people who turn up to games with a smile on their face and a spring in their step.
On Saturday afternoon, though, the tone was set by about 100 Spurs fans holding a small protest outside the ground before the game. It was organised by Change for Tottenham, who last week released a statement voicing concerns over transfer strategy, injury problems, recent results and high ticket prices, and any hopes that the dissent would not filter into the stands ended once West Ham went ahead thanks to an early goal from Crysencio Summerville.
The mood was febrile. Vinai Venkatesham, the club’s chief executive, turning on the charm in the programme seemed not to register. Venkatesham had written a column promising to show ambition by spending more on wages and signings but the grumbling was incessant once Spurs were 1-0 down.
West Ham, who breathed life into their flailing fight against relegation when Callum Wilson came off the bench to score the winner in added time, could not believe their luck. They led when the excellent Mateus Fernandes released Summerville, who cut inside to unleash a shot that went in off Micky van de Ven. The goal was followed by the West Ham fans celebrating with chants of “sack the board” but overall there was unity to the visitors, who simply outfought and outran Spurs for much of a one-sided first half.
Spurs looked neurotic. There was a debut for Conor Gallagher, who tried hard in midfield but lacked quality. There were misplaced passes, missed connections and half-hearted tackles. West Ham had so much space in midfield and their new front two of Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe unsettled Van de Ven and Cristian Romero.
This was a significant moment for Nuno Espírito Santo. The turning point in his time at West Ham, even? It remains to be seen, even after a first win in the league since November. However, there can be no doubt that West Ham deserved the points. They should have been 2-0 up at half-time, recovered well after Romero’s equaliser midway through the second half and were pushing before Wilson punished Vicario’s failure to deal with a corner from Ollie Scarles.
Spurs were mentally and physically weak. Even worse, their football is dreadful. There has been no improvement since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou last summer. Although allowances must be made for Frank having to cope without Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, the reality is that the former Brentford manager’s side are hard to watch. They rely too much on crosses and set pieces, possess few ideas in open play, lack discipline and have a shortage of players willing to take responsibility in possession.
Ultimately this is only going to end one way. The fans have had enough of Frank. They deem him too negative. They do not think Frank fits into the Spurs way. The vibe is toxic and it will not be long before the board’s patience with the Dane ends.
Whether sacking the manager changes anything in N17 is another thing. The problem is that fingers are being pointed in every direction. The post-Levy era has not eased the scrutiny on Enic, the owner, much as the executives talk about striving for sporting success. This is a mediocre squad, testament to Spurs’ dysfunction and lack of ambition since moving home.
Meanwhile the relationship between the crowd and the team looks broken. The stadium has become a pressure bowl. Against West Ham the anxiety bubbled up every time Vicario had the ball at his feet and waited patiently for a pass. There was chuntering when Xavi Simons ducked out of a challenge with Jean-Clair Todibo. A mediocre group of players need backing. Instead every loose touch brings groans.
It is hard to see how Spurs change course. They have two wins at home in the league this season. Everybody seems to hate each other. Pedro Porro cupping his ears at the crowd after Romero’s goal summed it up. This gleaming new ground was supposed to take Spurs to the next level. Instead they are stuck in limbo.