Sick as a Cockerel

How Spurs must have looked forward to their visit to West Ham. Just one more good result in a London derby against bitter rivals and it would be Champions League football next season and, for the first time in many years, an orgy of gloating against the bitterest rivals of all – the Arsenal.

But it was not to be. First, there was a bout of food poisoning affecting 10 players in the squad and attributed to a buffet at the London Marriott West India Hotel where Spurs spent an uncomfortable night. It didn’t prevent Martin Jol fielding what must have been pretty much Tottenham’s strongest team, but it did affect the energy levels of the players. Second, and more importantly, West Ham did not, as many had predicted, play with their team weakened or their minds distracted by the F.A. Cup final. Indeed, the strength of their performance was the best possible preparation for a trip to Cardiff and the last thing Spurs wanted in the circumstances.

As a result, goals from Fletcher and Benayoun gave the Hammers a thoroughly deserved victory and they could even afford the luxury of a rare penalty miss from former Tottenham favourite Teddy Sheringham.

As for Spurs, this was the day their luck ran out, so the much longed for gloating at the expense of the Gunners will have to wait – possibly for a very long time.