Losing to Spurs is always hard to take but it was never going to be esay for the Hammers to get anything from this game, struggling as they do against sheer pace. Inevitabiliy, It was Aaron Lennon who caused confusion for the first goal scored by Modric after only 11 minutes and, with the Hammers again struggling with injuries in-between, Defoe scored against his old club late on to tie up the points for the home side.

West Ham were looking to follow up their Boxing Day win against Portsmouth but found themselves behind early when Lennon's cross was stabbed home by Modric as the ball looped off the surface and over Green. That was bad enough but then the Hammer's best player, Scott Parker limped off to necessitate a juggling of the side - Jimenez coming on - before Ilunga limped off seven minutes later to be replaced by Spector. This left Collison to hold the midfield together but it looked too much for the Welsh youngster who struggled for much of the match, although he did provide one of the first half's few chances for his side when he shot low for Gomes to save.

At the other end though, Spurs wasted chances with the impressive Huddlestone going close on two occasions and Crouch having a shot deflected by Tomkins while Defoe watched a free kick dip just over. Huddlestone again came closest after the break, hitting a post as West Ham struggled to make any headway with an ineffective Franco struggling alone up-front. Whatever happens in January, the Hammers surely have to find someone to fill in if Cole or Franco are injured.

With the lead only 1-0, West Ham were always in with a faint chance but their hopes were dashed after a spell of pressure in the 82nd minute when Defoe inevitably scored for the home side, his first piledriver striking Green on the shoulder only for the ball to run out to the Spurs striker to power home.

It was all rather depressing but with a touch of the inevitable about it. The Hammers haven't won at Tottenham for ten years and that looks likely to continue as Redknapp continues to build with Spurs while West Ham struggle to hold onto their best players, even the MOTD pundits commenting on rumours that Scott Parker is likely to move in the January window. Zola denied the rumours, and it does seem unlikely that their best player will be allowed to leave in the transfer window, but I think we can pretty much expect to have to put up with this for the next 30 odd days.