Carabao Cup: Spurs one step closer to ending trophy drought
Tottenham's Lucas Moura, second right, scores his side's second goal. Picture:AP Photo/Rui Vieira
Mauricio Pochettino couldn't do it and nor could Jose Mourinho; plenty of other big names have tried and failed to bring a trophy to Tottenham. With Antonio Conte however there is already a feeling that the fans will not have long to wait.
Not since 2008, when Juande Ramos was at the helm, have Spurs required any silver polish but goals from Steven Bergwijn and Luca Moura either side of Jarrod Bowen's Hammers reply mean Spurs are now a single game away from the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Which they lost last season of course, with Mourinho seemingly sacked in case he actually produced a miracle and would have to stay on. Conte has only been at the helm for a few weeks but has already transformed this half of north London.
This ground hosted a breathless encounter with Liverpool on Sunday that ended with a furious dissection of the officials' competency by Jurgen Klopp for failing to send off Harry Kane for a reckless lunge on Andrew Robertson.
The England captain was better behaved in this one and began the trend of keeping goalkeepers busy with an early effort created by Moura's turn and pass in the centre circle. Alphonse Areola dived to paw away Kane's left-footed shot.
Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris was also kept occupied, starting with Bowen's free-kick before three goals in the space of five minutes gave Tottenham a narrow half-time advantage.
Bergwijn's first goal of the season in his first start under Conte was a simple enough finish from five yards but the Dutchman had a big hand in creating it too. A forward said to be viewed by Conte as January expendable held off Craig Dawson before sending Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg into a dangerous position on the right.
West Ham were level within three minutes however - and that was after Tomas Soucek had twice tested Lloris with headers and Craig Dawson had nodded over both keeper and bar from even closer range.
Eric Dier's poor pass from his own box put Spurs in trouble with Bowen swivelling to plant a low drive beyond Lloris after Nikola Vlasic had recycled the ball into the danger zone.
What West Ham did in three minutes, Spurs then achieved in two as Bergwijn again impressed, this time with a burst into the box on the right to tee up Moura, who slotted home from six yards before Ben Johnson could intervene. West Ham almost levelled within 60 seconds but Oliver Skipp was fractionally ahead of Soucek at the back post to clear.
Skipp began the second period with a drive that was deflected wide by team-mate Bergwijn, who continued to make bursts forward of old-fashioned directness.
The Hammers were matching the hosts in the possession stakes however Ben Davies had to dive in front of Bowen to stop him connecting with Arthur Masuaku's ball to the near post. Bowen was soon back again and this time Lloris had to make a brave dive at his feet to paw away.
Both Spurs scorers were replaced to applause on the hour-mark as Conte decided to rejig, sending on Heung-min Son and Harry Winks. Moyes did the same eight minutes later, with Vlasic and Manuel Lanzini replaced by Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals.
Benrahma was instantly in on the action but blasted well over on the turn.
Son was presented with half a chance to put the tie to bed in the other box but for once the South Korea star's touch deserted him.
Benrahma almost made him pay with an 81st-minute lash across the Spurs goal that bounced just wide of Lloris' right-hand post, with the Frenchman powerless to intervene.
Lloris 7; Sanchez 7, Dier 6, Davies 7; Doherty 6 (Tanganga 83, 4), Skipp 7 (Alli 77, 4), Hojbjerg 7, Reguilon 6 (Royal 83, 4); Moura 7 (Winks 60, 6), Kane 7, Bergwijn 8 (Son 60, 6).
Gollini, Rodon, Lo Celso, Ndombele.
Areola 7; Johnson 6, Dawson 7, Diop 7; Ashby 6 (Yarmolenko 80, 4), Rice 6, Soucek 7, Masuaku 7; Bowen 7, Vlasic 7 (Benrahma 68, 5), Lanzini 6 (Fornals 68, 5).
Randolph, Baptiste, Alese, Fredericks, Kral, Noble.
Chris Kavanagh 6.
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