7/10 Spurs star was Ange’s unsung hero

And we’re back. Tottenham Hotspur’s capitulation on the south coast has faded away, pushed back to the recesses of the fanbase’s mind, for West Ham United were crushed on Saturday.

An emphatic second half saw the Hammers blown back down the N17 with their tails between their legs, with the three points elevating Ange Postecoglou’s side to sixth place in the Premier League.

An up-and-down start to the season has left plenty to be desired at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but the staunch supporters have found solace in the magnificent style of play that they have been treated to – now, though, it’s time for results to blend in accord with the easy-on-the-eye approach.

Postecoglou’s intense and stylish brand of football is magnificent when it comes together, and optimism has been renewed. Many players caught the eye, although James Maddison will definitely be frustrated with his performance.

James Maddison’s performance vs West Ham

Maddison earned an assist for Dejan Kulusevski’s first-half goal, though the in-form Swede admittedly did most of the work, collecting and curling just inside the penalty area to give the hosts a tone-setting goal ahead of the second half.

That aside, the playmaker, who is hoping to earn a Three Lions recall after missing out on Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, did little to inspire awe, withdrawn at the break as Postecoglou looked to make a tweak and inject some more control into his team’s performance.

Some might argue that the 28-year-old’s substitution was somewhat unfair, especially since he put in some eye-catching attacking numbers across the opening 45 minutes.

However, all of this fails to quite paint the complete picture; Tottenham looked to gain much authority after Maddison was taken off, and the three goals scored across the first 15 minutes of the half looked to put the matter to bed.

His replacement, the young Pape Matar Sarr, didn’t get his name on the scoresheet, though certainly deserves some praise for what was a mature and impactful display.

Pape Matar Sarr turned the tide

Sarr has only started twice in the Premier League this season, with each of his past five appearances coming off the bench. Still, he served Heung-min Son’s goal to consolidate the resounding victory and has now supplied teammates twice across three matches, also scoring twice in the Europa League against Ferencvaros.

Sarr might not have taken as many touches as Maddison – with 28 to the Englishman’s 50 – but he instilled a degree of stability and security in the centre of the park that allowed his red-hot attacking teammates to wreak havoc on West Ham’s beleaguered backline.

Maddison claimed an assist, but so too did Sarr, who won four of six contested duels, whereas Maddison lost three of his five duels.

The Senegalese’s match statistics have since been corroborated by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who handed him a 7/10 match rating and praised his impact after replacing Maddison at the interval.

Gold wrote: ‘Introduced at the break and was key to the team’s fourth goal of the afternoon after winning the ball and playing through Son to finish off. Was caught in the face by Kudus for the West Ham man’s red card. Good showing in the middle of the park.’

The depth that Postecoglou has created in this squad makes a telling comment on Tottenham’s prospects across the duration of the campaign, looking to complete a top-four finish in the Premier League but also push to end this interminable trophy drought, eyes on the prize in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League all.

Sarr embodies this, having not quite wedged his way into a regular starting berth in the top flight but proving that he can be a difference-maker when called upon.

Contextualising this: as per FBref, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 9% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90 and is also marked as Arsenal sensation Declan Rice’s most comparable player.

Maddison might feel aggrieved after being hooked, with Tottenham largely in control against the city rivals and the creative midfielder looking to pull strings, but Postecoglou’s tactical savvy allowed him to see a further chink in the Irons’ armour and it paid dividends.

Kulusevski’s new-found brilliance in a central and roving position has allowed for greater fluency and energy, and it’s curious that Maddison, another playmaking ace, was the one to be taken off at half-time, perhaps insinuating that the pendulum of power has swung in Tottenham’s creative department.

Now, Sarr will hope to earn appearances from the outset and elevate Postecoglou’s project to another level. We mustn’t masquerade over the fact that the Londoners have lost three of their opening seven Premier League fixtures of the season, and that there is plenty of work to be done.

That said, there’s so much to get excited about, especially when up-and-coming talents such as Sarr prove that they can step in and make a real difference in a match as big as the one just passed.