Sp#rs 2 West Ham 0

West Ham decided to start the game with Parker who it was reported had a hamstring injury but it was a gamble that didn't work.

West Ham started the game reasonably well but as usual looked vulnerable down the flanks and didn't look particularly threatening going forward. West Ham's best chance of the half fell to Parker in the 9th minute when Franco played the midfielder clear but Parker's shot from wide right in the penalty area flew well wide left of the goal.

In the 11th minute Lennon got in behind Ilunga, drove to the byline and crossed to Modric who scored from 10 yards out. The injured Parker was then replaced by Jimenez. In the 33rd minute Sp#rs again made good work down the right wing and Crouch should have scored from 6 yards out but missed wide left of the goal.

West Ham's only other chance of the half fell to Collison, who forced a save from Gomes with a 20 yard shot. However as the half progressed the absence of Parker began to tell and as half-time approached it was all one way traffic towards the West Ham goal.


The second half started the same way as the first had ended and Defoe and Huddlestone both shot over in the opening couple of minutes. That seemed to determine the pattern for the rest of the game, with Sp#rs dominating possession and being wasteful with the numerous opportunities created.

In the 75th minute West Ham actually had a shot on goal when Kovac shot over from 20 yards. However that was a rare effort in what was practically all one way traffic. In reality it was a miracle that Sp#rs failed to get their second until the 81st minute. Green saved Defoe's initial shot from the edge of the box but the ball rebounded back to Defoe who then fired in Sp#rs' second.


West Ham can only pray for the return of Parker and Cole, as without them you suspect there could be more embarrassing performances ahead.