West Ham unravel after the break as Soucek’s red hastens 3-0 derby defeat

For 45 minutes, West Ham matched Tottenham stride for stride. The London Stadium stirred when Lucas Paquetá, deployed as a false nine, found space down the right in a well-worked move only to miss the target. The margins were tight and the crowd sensed a contest.

But the second half exposed familiar failings. A straightforward header from Pape Matar Sarr, Tomas Soucek’s red card for a high lunge on João Palhinha, and quickfire strikes from Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven left the Hammers 3-0 down and empty‑handed. Winless in seven home league games and sitting 18th, the home faithful had little to cling to beyond the memory of that promising first-half energy.

Promise undone by another set-piece lapse

Spurs’ threat from corners was flagged before the interval when Cristian Romero’s header was chalked off for a foul by Van de Ven on Kyle Walker‑Peters. West Ham’s reprieve did not trigger a reset in their marking; the same disorganisation resurfaced right after the break.

Xavi Simons delivered a left‑wing corner to the far post and Sarr was inexplicably unattended. He barely needed to jump as he nodded past Mads Hermansen. For a side already under scrutiny at set-pieces, it was a galling concession that drained the momentum earned earlier.

There were other warning signs. Tottenham crowded key zones at dead balls and West Ham’s match‑ups lacked logic, allowing Spurs’ aerial threats to dominate and runners to break free. Those small details again proved costly.

The red card that broke West Ham’s resistance

Soucek’s dismissal flipped the match. After a heavy touch, he lunged into Palhinha with studs up, tearing the winger’s sock and leaving the referee with little choice. Down to 10, West Ham’s structure faltered immediately.

Straight from the restart, Romero picked out Bergvall’s late run and the Swedish midfielder looped a cultured header beyond Hermansen. Soon after, Van de Ven punished passive defending to make it 3-0, a moment that encapsulated a wider problem: even with numbers back, the Hammers were second to the loose ball.

From there, Spurs managed proceedings comfortably. Mohammed Kudus, loudly barracked by the home support on his return after leaving in the summer, relished the space on the right as West Ham chased shadows.

Selection calls, crowd mood, and urgent lessons

Potter’s selection gambles did not pay off. Paquetá as a false nine never quite troubled Tottenham’s centre-backs, while Callum Wilson, excellent off the bench against Forest, was not used from the start as he continues to build fitness. In midfield, the Soucek–James Ward‑Prowse pairing struggled to quicken the tempo once Spurs tightened their press.

The atmosphere reflected the trajectory. West Ham are on their worst home league run since 2003, and having conceded five to Chelsea last time out at the London Stadium, three more here intensified frustrations. Anti‑board protests are planned ahead of forthcoming home games. The team’s set-piece structure and in-game composure, particularly after setbacks, now demand urgent attention.

Potter’s plea and the road ahead

“The second half went away from us quickly,” Potter said, pointing to first‑half positives but accepting the discomfort of the restart. He urged patience with a side still coming together, yet the recurring dead-ball issues and the costly red card are problems West Ham can only fix on the training ground and with clearer in-game decision‑making.

A derby that began evenly ended lopsided. The Hammers must bottle the first‑half intent and eliminate the softness that follows setbacks. Next up is Crystal Palace at the London Stadium on Saturday, 20 September (15:00 BST) — a test of whether lessons have been learned and the home rut can be halted.