Brennan Johnson – involved in more goals as a sub than any Premier League player this season – scored after starting against West Ham
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said he would like a “joystick” to control his players like in a video game after they were held by West Ham.
The Spurs boss was left frustrated as his side missed the chance to move into the Premier League top four with the draw at a rain-soaked London Stadium.
Brennan Johnson’s tap-in put them ahead after five minutes, but the Hammers levelled when Kurt Zouma headed home from a corner.
Both sides showed endeavour but lacked a cutting edge as the spoils were shared.
Despite having 68% possession Spurs only had four shots on target, including Johnson’s early opener and Destiny Udogie volleying straight at home goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski in second-half stoppage time.
They never looked likely to achieve the two-goal margin of victory they needed to overtake fourth-placed Aston Villa, who face Manchester City on Wednesday at Etihad Stadium.
Postecoglou’s side remain fifth, two points behind Villa, and the Australian said his team missed “clarity of thought” at times in attack.
‘We have more time than we think’
When asked why they lacked that clarity, Postecoglou said: “Because they’re human beings, mate, it’s just football.
“I’d like to have a joystick and put them where I want but it doesn’t work that way. My role is to try to help them through that.
“At times, we have more time than we think. We scored a great goal but there are times the ball is flashed across when we should have been in those areas. It’s things to work on.”
Tottenham led when Johnson – brought in as one of three changes to the Spurs starting line-up from Saturday’s win over Luton – turned in from close range after Timo Werner was allowed space to get in behind the left side of West Ham’s defence to fire in a low cross.
But West Ham responded well, and their tactics of swinging in corners to put Spurs goalkeeper Gigi Vicario under pressure worked when Jarrod Bowen’s 19th-minute set-piece was nodded in from five yards by Zouma.
The Hammers came closest to finding a winner after the break, but Michail Antonio shot straight at Vicario after the Jamaican international had overpowered Micky van de Ven to get one-on-one with the keeper.
West Ham stay seventh as both Newcastle and Wolves failed to win and overhaul David Moyes’ side in the Europa Conference League qualification place.
Vicario impresses but set-piece struggles continue
With the promise of fourth place on offer, Spurs came out of the traps quicker than in recent games.
Their fifth-minute opener came after their previous 12 league goals were all scored in the second halves of matches, a run dating back to 3 February.
But an old weakness reared its head again as they conceded from a corner dropped on top of Vicario, who had twice punched unconvincingly at earlier set-pieces.
The Italian has largely impressed following his move from Empoli last summer and made more crucial saves here – flying to his left for a two-handed stop from a James Ward-Prowse first-half free-kick and then denying Antonio twice after the break.
But corners remain a weakness which he and Spurs must address.
Bowen shines but defensive frailties hurt Hammers
Moyes will have wanted a response from West Ham after the galling 4-3 defeat at Newcastle, having been two goals ahead with 15 minutes remaining. Despite the early goal conceded, his team delivered.
“I genuinely thought we didn’t deserve to go behind,” Moyes told TNT Sports. “But the players did a good job.
“We had a threat and so did they – they are a good side and that’s why they are challenging for the Champions League. Maybe a draw was the right result in the end.
“I’m sure after the way we played on the weekend, to see the way the defence played [here]we looked much more organised. We had set-pieces, we had chances, so overall hopefully it will give us good confidence.”
Things had looked positive when Mohammed Kudus pressed high to win the ball back near the Spurs area, before crossing from the left for Bowen to fire wide from a good position.
Seconds later the Hammers switched off in defence and Spurs led, another example of the frailties which have frustrated fans in this campaign.
Moyes’ men have now conceded 55 league goals this season, the same number as the whole of 2022-23, and are without a clean sheet in 11 matches.
But there is clearly some fire in this West Ham side, sparked by the inspirational Bowen who raised a taunting fist in defiance at the away fans after delivering the dead-ball routine for Zouma’s equaliser.
The hosts went on to create the better chances, but could not find the winner.
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-5-1
1 Fabian
5Coufal15Mavropanos4Zouma33Emerson
20Bowen10Lucas Paquetá28Soucek7Ward-Prowse14Kudus
9Antonio
1Fabianski5Coufal15Mavropanos4Zouma33Emerson20Bowen10Lucas Paquetá28Soucek7Ward-Prowse14Kudus9AntonioBooked at 53minsSubstitutes2Johnson3Cresswell11Phillips17Cornet18Ings21Ogbonna40Earthy45Mubama49Anang
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
13Vicar
23Porro17Romero37van de Ven38Udogie
8Bissouma30Bentancur
22Johnson10Maddison16Werner
7Son Heung-min
13Vicario23Porro17RomeroBooked at 89mins37van de VenBooked at 44mins38Udogie8BissoumaSubstituted forHøjbjergat 82’minutes30BentancurBooked at 61minsSubstituted forSarrat 70’minutes22JohnsonBooked at 74minsSubstituted forLo Celsoat 90’minutes10MaddisonSubstituted forKulusevskiat 70 ‘minutes16WernerSubstituted forRicharlisonat 82’minutes7Son Heung-minSubstitutes5Højbjerg6Dragusin9Richarlison12Emerson Royal18Lo Celso21Kulusevski29Sarr33Davies40Austin
Live Text
Match ends, West Ham United 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Second Half ends, West Ham United 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Attempt blocked. Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Attempt saved. Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Cristian Romero.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Giovani Lo Celso replaces Brennan Johnson because of an injury.
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur).
James Ward-Prowse (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Pape Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Vladimír Coufal.
Attempt missed. Tomás Soucek (West Ham United) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen with a cross following a corner.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Micky van de Ven.
Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James Ward-Prowse (West Ham United).
Foul by Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur).
Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Richarlison replaces Timo Werner.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg replaces Yves Bissouma.
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Player of the match
BowenJarrod Bowen
West Ham United
Squad number20Player nameBowen
Squad number14Player nameKudus
Squad number7Player nameWard-Prowse
Squad number10Player nameLucas Paquetá
Squad number15Player nameMavropanos
Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Squad number4Player nameZouma
Squad number33Player nameEmerson
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Squad number5Player nameCoufal