Another game against our friends at West Ham and of course, another predictable victory. Following the humiliation of our performances in the Wembley Cup last week, it was good to see us play better, against a side that looked even less prepared for the season’s start, than we have.
The highlights for me were the performance of Hutton and Naughton together down the right flank, which suggested that the mad Scot may well still have a future at White Hart Lane. Defoe also looked very sharp and scored the goal, despite having been locked up in an Essex police station for much of Monday morning.
The undoubted star of the show though, was Jamie O’Hara, who played very well in central midfield. At Wembley, he was once again pushed out onto the left wing, which is simply not his position. Against the Hammers, he showed great commitment and energy through the middle, making some dangerous forward runs.
We all know that O’Hara is never going to be another Hoddle or Gascoigne, but he never gives up and plays as if wearing the white shirt actually means something to him, which is more than you can always say for Jenas or Huddlestone. Of all the contenders to play alongside Palacios, it is O’Hara that has put in the most credible pre-season performance.
Here’s the highlights. Sorry about the dodgy music on the clip.
