Spurs vs West Ham | Ben's players to watch, Rob's analysis

Ben Haines, lifelong Spurs fan and presenter of Inside Spurs, The Warm Up and The Review Show joins Club commentator Rob Daly for their regular match preview - next up, West Ham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening (Thursday 7 December, 8.15pm UK).

Don't forget you can catch up with Ben and Rob on the Warm Up pre-match from 7.30pm and the Review Show with Ange Postecoglou and the players after the final whistle...

Ben's ones to watch

"Right then... last time out, very much a case of 'why always us' against Manchester City. Year after year we find a way to lift our performance against them, and what a time to do it. It means we’re coming into two massive fixtures with a huge amount of momentum and positive energy. With that in mind, our ones to watch this week... I’m going to be greedy and go for two for Spurs - Brennan Johnson and Deki Kulusevski. Both are flying, both are having a huge impact in terms of their return in front of goal, Brennan with a huge assist at City and Deki with a bullet (shoulder!) header to level up the scores. Away from their creativity, though, I think what both players give us is incredible work rate. So much is asked of them going both ways - and particularly Deki, considering the way his role is evolving now, sometimes a winger, sometimes playing as the most advanced of a three in midfield and even at times as a centre forward. His attitude is first class and I think both he and Brennan will have a massive impact on this one on Thursday night. What about the Hammers? Two players to look out for there... they will make it really tough for us, but when they do eventually try to break out, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta are the players who will be really dangerous. Bowen’s pace in behind and clever running make him a real threat but Paqueta, as a deeper lying playmaker, has an incredible ability to dance through a press - a big job ahead for our midfield to stifle his threat as well."

Talking tactics with Rob Daly

"West Ham have been trying to get the right balance for all their creativity and talented players in midfield and up front. Certainly, there has been a move to play Jarrod Bowen as the centre forward, they've been doing that recently and he scored a super header as they came back to beat Nottingham Forest. Tomas Soucek, who got the winner in that game, is in real form, playing kind of the most advanced of the three central midfielders. He has five goals in his last six goals for club and country and Spurs know he's a threat in the penalty area - he's scored against them before. Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse provide the balance in the middle, then Brazil international Lucas Paqueta one side and Mohammed Kudus the other, and he has been excellent since arriving from Ajax. He has the physicality to play in the Premier League but also great creativity, such an eye for goal - he scored an incredible goal in defeat against Brentford recently. West Ham have been a bit up and down, but we all know they will be up for it on Thursday night. Cristian Romero returns for Spurs after suspension and we can all fully expect to see him back at centre-back. Then, for Ange Postecoglou, similar in many ways to West Ham, what is that right balance for the midfield three and front three. At City, we saw the change at half-time with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on for Bryan Gil, with Deki Kulusevski moving out to the right and Brennan Johnson left. That saw Spurs have a really good foothold in the game in the second half. That doesn't necessarily mean you directly employ those tactics to facing West Ham, but I think that will be the question for Ange, does he go with Gil and play that attacking midfield line-up of Gil, Gio Lo Celso and Kulusevski? Does he play Hojbjerg and move Kulusevski wide? He was effective in both positions at City. Also, good to see Richarlison back and off the bench for a few minutes at City, getting back to full fitness. So, I see the question for Ange in midfield and who starts on Thursday evening."