Green Street Hammers
Fansided

West Ham & Spurs Combined XI

By Jonathan Forwood

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Dimitri Payet of West Ham United celebrates scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the EFL Cup Third Round match between West Ham United and Accrington Stanley at the London Stadium on September 21, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Dimitri Payet of West Ham United celebrates scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the EFL Cup Third Round match between West Ham United and Accrington Stanley at the London Stadium on September 21, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

This weekend West Ham take on Spurs in a London derby that always delivers a decent spectacle. Spurs are still unbeaten in the league but a run of successive draws has seen them fall behind their biggest rivals.

Meanwhile, West Ham are dealing with struggles of their own as they sit just 1 point above the relegation zone. So what would a combined squad of West Ham and Spurs look like?

Goalkeeper – Hugo Lloris

Unfortunately, I can’t argue that Adrian should be picked above Lloris. Given his recent performances it’s starting to become difficult to justify picking him over Randolph! Lloris, on the other hand, is a world class international level goalkeeper who has had some outstanding performances this season.

More from Analysis

Right back – Kyle Walker

Given West Ham’s struggles in this position at the minute it’s no surprise that we’ve picked Spurs’ flying wing back. Walker has steadily improved in recent seasons and he has nailed down the position for his club and country, so there’s really no other option.

Centre backs – Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld

You cannot split up one of last season’s most successful centre back pairings, and right one the West Ham defence is not good enough to challenge their rivals of North London. The Belgian duo could feature in Premier League XI’s right now, so they are picked ahead of Collins, Ogbonna and Reid.

Left back – Aaron Cresswell

Maybe it’s because I’m biased, but I’ve never really liked Danny Rose. He’s always far too interested in getting forward and often neglects his defensive duties. I also firmly believe that Cresswell’s England debut against Spain should be his first cap of many, and that he should replace Rose as England’s left back of choice. Cresswell has better defensive discipline and a much better end product, so he gets the nod.

Next: West Ham International Roundup

Defensive midfield – Eric Dier and Pedro Obiang

Eric Dier has established himself as a regular for both England and Spurs. His composure on the ball and ability to dominate the middle of the park is one of the reasons Spurs went so far in their title challenge last season. Pedro Obiang’s introduction into the West Ham midfield coincided with the Hammers finally turning a corner in their season.

He is happy to sit deep and break up the play, allowing other players more license to roam, and he will cover the full backs when they bomb forward. The two of them together would make a formidable partnership that could control most attacks in the Premier League.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 15: Manuel Lanzini of West Ham United celebrates scoring the opening goal with team mates including Mark Noble (2ndR) and Dimitri Payet (R) of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park on October 15, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Manuel Lanzini of West Ham United celebrates scoring the opening goal with team mates including Mark Noble (2ndR) and Dimitri Payet (R) of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park on October 15, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /

Attacking midfield – Christian Eriksen, Dimitri Payet and Michail Antonio

Christian Eriksen had a slow start to life in the Premier League, but he has since become one of the best playmakers in England, with 32 assists since joining Spurs in 2013. He has also made a reputation for himself as a dead ball specialist, taking Tottenham’s corners and getting a few goals from free kicks.

However, there’s no way Eriksen would be taking free kicks in our fantasy XI because we’ve got Dimitri Payet! The Frenchman has been nothing short of sensational since joining the Hammers. It was only last August, picking up 13 assists and 9 goals in his first season in England.

His performances have seen him force his way into the French national side and even get a nomination for the Ballon D’Or! There’s no question that Payet would be one of the stars of my combined XI.

Finally, Michail Antonio would feature in my team because he adds a different dimension to the team. Payet and Eriksen are superb technical players that can pick a pass and control an attack, but Antonio gives a team pace and power on the wings. He is a nightmare to defend against due to his strength and speed, and his aerial prowess means he has the most goals of any player in the two squads this season.

Striker – Harry Kane

Much like at right back, West Ham do not have much competition for Spurs up front. Even if they did, it would be hard to beat Harry Kane. The England striker may have had a more subdued season so far, due to injury and a change in position, but he is turning into a world class forward who can strike fear into the heart of a defence. Even when he is not scoring (which is rare), he adds so much to the team with his intelligent movement and tenacity. He would be the perfect choice to lead the line in this team.