Statistical Preview: Tottenham vs West Ham

As Tottenham move on from one London derby to another, they will be looking to improve on a disappointing second half display against title contenders Chelsea.

– After dominating proceedings in the first half, Tottenham were put under pressure in the second period and they have keeper Hugo Lloris to thank for keeping them in the fixture. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that the French skipper made the second most saves in the league on Saturday.

 

– Much of the credit for keeping Chelsea at bay on Saturday, and interrupting their rhythm, should go to defender Kyle Walker. The Sheffield-born full back made 5 interceptions against Chelsea, the second most in the league.

 

– When Luka Modric departed Spurs for Real Madrid a couple of seasons ago there was a big worry amongst Tottenham fans that they wouldn’t be able to replace him, but Belgian midfielder Moussa Dembele has certainly done much to fill the void. Dembele completed 29 passes in Chelsea’s half on Saturday, the most of any Tottenham player.

 

– The Belgian’s dribbling ability was also evident against Chelsea, as he completed 8 dribbles – the most in the league.  You can find Dembele at 23/2 with 888sport.com to score the first goal of the match on Sunday.

– Andre Villas-Boas hasn’t done much wrong since walking in the door at White Hart Lane, but he could have made a terrible mistake if he’d let Michael Dawson leave the club. Dawson has underlined his importance to Tottenham by clearing the ball 41 times this season – more than any other Tottenham player.

 

– West Ham’s disappointing start to the season continued with a 1-0 loss away to Hull.

 

– James Tomkins made his first League start for West Ham at the weekend, and despite the team losing, he made his mark defensively completing 5 tackles – more than any other West Ham player.

 

– Fellow West Ham academy graduate Mark Noble was also impressive on Saturday, as he completed 36 passes in the opposition half, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. This was the most in the West Ham team, and the eighth most in the league.

 

– Mark Noble’s passing ability should not be underestimated, as the former England U21 captain has completed 54 more passes in the opposition half than any of his teammates. The central midfielder is 18/1 with 888sport.com to score the last goal of the game on Sunday.

 

– Sam Allardyce has placed emphasis on his widemen in seasons gone by, encouraging his wingers to cross whenever possible. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index demonstrates that this hasn’t occurred this season, as with the exception of Matthew Jarvis, no player has crossed the ball more than 3 times.

– Mohammed Diame has been a central figure for West Ham over the past couple of years, and it isn’t difficult to see why. The midfielder has been very impressive for West Ham defensively this season, completing 81% of his challenges.