The Premier League is back this weekend after a week of international soccer. West Ham make the trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first game of match day 8.
Tottenham are as inconsistent as ever. A slow start was followed by five wins in a row, until a disappointing 3-2 loss to Brighton in which Spurs were leading 2-0 at the half. They will be looking to move past that loss and improve on their current ninth-place position in the standings.
West Ham have also had a rocky start to the season, picking up only eight points in seven games. The Hammers just went though a series of five games without a win before a convincing 4-1 win against Ipswich Town ahead of the international break. They will hope this gives them confidence going into this matchup.
Here is my Tottenham vs. West Ham prediction.
Tottenham vs. West Ham Odds, Picks, Prediction
| Tottenham Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-0.5 -230 | 2.5 -110o / -110u | +170 |
| West Ham Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+0.5 + | 2.5 -110o / -110u | +500 |
- Tottenham vs. West Ham moneyline odds: Tottenham -230, West Ham +500, Draw +340
- Tottenham vs. West Ham over/under: 3.5 goals (over -110, under -110)
- Tottenham vs. West Ham pick: Tottenham ML & both teams to score
I am backing the Tottenham ML & both teams to score in West Ham vs. Tottenham.
Tottenham Preview
Tottenham fell to Brighton in their last game despite leading 2-0 at half. Ange Postecoglou's side fell apart and was losing by the 66th minute. The Australian manager described that loss as "the worst" of his tenure in North London so far. This game summarized Tottenham's results since Postecoglou took charge, an impressive scoring output matched by defensive liabilities. The team presses high and looks to get the ball up the pitch as quick as possible once they get it back. They currently rank second in attacking third tackles.
There have been questions whether Postecoglou's style of play is to blame for such results. His high risk, high-reward brand of soccer has been praised at times, but it has also resulted in Tottenham conceding far too many big chances. The team has the highest number of expected goals in the league so far, and it has shown how well the team can play when it all clicks. Against Brighton, however, a series of individual mistakes were also to blame, from missed tackles to lazy marking, leading to the three quick-fire goals scored.
In that game, Tottenham conceded six goal-creating actions, more than in any other game. They themselves had four GCA after recording five in their previous two games, and they are likely to produce similar numbers against West Ham, who conceded six and five GCA to Chelsea and Man City respectively. Brennan Johnson has been at the forefront of the scoring output, with goals in his last seven games for club and country. Look for him to try and keep the streak going, considering Son is coming back from an injury and might not be at 100%.
West Ham Preview
The Hammers have been very disappointing this season. While they are coming off a 4-1 win over Ipswich, it was only their second win in the league. West Ham are not playing continental soccer this season, and they got knocked out of the EFL Cup 5-1 by Liverpool, meaning their sole focus is now on the Premier League.
West Ham haven't recorded a clean sheet since August 28th in a 1-0 win in the EFL Cup against Bournemouth. A new center back partnership was acquired in the summer, with Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo coming in. The pair have now started the last three games together, resulting in a loss, a draw and win in that order and they are looking to find some consistency.
West Ham's struggles to find a true striker are yet to be solved, an issue that has plagued the club for multiple seasons now. Michail Antonio, their all-time Premier League top scorer, is now 34, and he needs more goalscoring support from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, both of whom scored in against Ipswich. No player has scored more than two goals this season, and the team has struggled to create goal-scoring chances apart from the win over Ipswich. West Ham have failed their first three tests of the season, losing to Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool and conceding 11 goals in those games.
Tottenham vs. West Ham Prediction
Both of these teams are not far from each other in the league, and a West Ham win would see them leap over Tottenham. While the Hammers are looking to finally kickstart their season, Spurs are hoping to get back on a positive streak and show their loss to Brighton wasn't anything too serious. There are little doubts over Tottenham's scoring ability, however the difference will be whether they can avoid individual errors on the defensive end. The talismanic Heung-Min Son is is not 100% fit, meaning Spurs will look to summer signing Dominic Solanke, as well as Brennan Johnson, to extend his goalscoring streak.
The key in this game will be whether or not Tottenham can commit their full focus for 90 minutes. West Ham have some impressive attacking options in Bowen and Kudus and I see them score at least one, either due to their own talent or Spurs' fragility at the back. Neither team can satisfy themselves with a draw considering their league form so far and they will be looking to grab a win.
I am targeting goals in this fixture, and that is why I am picking Tottenham to win and both teams to score.
