Mauricio Pochettino: 'We never gave up and kept coming and believed in our skill and kept our defensive play, reorganised our system and carried on'

Published: 16 August, 2014
by CATHERINE ETOE

Premier League
WEST HAM 0,  SPURS 1

TOTTENHAM manager Mauricio Pochettino praised his players for following his playing philosophy after they nicked all three points at West Ham with an injury-time winner from debutant Eric Dier.

“I am very pleased for him on his debut,” he said. “But this is our philosophy – believe always for 90 – 95 minutes, try to win every game.”

The match had looked set to go West Ham’s way for a fourth time in a row after Spurs defender Kyle Naughton was sent off for handball in the 29th minute.

But Mark Noble missed the resulting penalty and the teams were equal again just after the hour when James Collins was dismissed for a second yellow after fouling Emmanuel Adebayor.

Pochettino disputed Naughton’s red card but Hammers manager Sam Allardyce’s only complaint was over his side’s inability to score.

“We had enough chances to win this game but we didn’t take them and we’ve paid the price,” he said.

The loss of three points was a high price indeed given that after a lively opening 10 minutes, Spurs were on the back foot for most of the game.

Carlton Cole rattled the visitors twice, first when he almost got a shot off from a teasing Stewart Downing cross, and again from a long throw by Hammers debutant Aaron Cresswell.

Tottenham’s defence scrambled clear on both occasions and Danny Rose did the same to deny Hammers skipper Kevin Nolan at the far post.

A Spurs capitulation looked on the cards when Naughton was judged to have handled a shot from Nolan in the box and sent off.

But while Noble sent keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way in the resulting penalty, he skewed his effort wide and Tottenham held on to go in 0-0 at the break.

The home side were left to rue the penalty miss when Collins was dismissed on 63 minutes and Spurs substitute Andros Townsend almost scored with a curving volley.

But West Ham continued to battle and Noble nearly made up for his error when he dispossessed Tottenham skipper Younes Kaboul only for Lloris to smother his shot.

Lloris then stood tall when the excellent Downing looked certain to score after collecting a clever back-heel from Nolan.

And the keeper punched the air in delight in the 93rd minute when England youth player Dier coolly rounded Adrian and slotted into the bottom corner for 1-0. 

“We never gave up and kept coming and believed in our skill and kept our defensive play, reorganised our system and carried on,” said Pochettino. “I’m very, very pleased.”

SPURS: Lloris, Naughton (red card, 29), Kaboul (c), Dier, Rose, Capoue, Bentaleb, Eriksen, Lennon (Townsend, 61), Lamela (Holtby, 61), Adebayo (Kane, 82). Subs not used: Friedel, Soldado, Dawson, Davies
Attendance: 34,977