• Premier League

Dembele: Spurs must beat 'small' teams like West Ham

ESPN staff
October 8, 2013
West Ham secured a shock 3-0 win at White Hart Lane on Sunday © Getty Images
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Mousa Dembele insists Tottenham can't afford to keep throwing points away against "small" teams like West Ham if they are to mount an assault on the top four this season.

Spurs were humbled 3-0 by West Ham at White Hart Lane on Sunday to halt a fine start in the Premier League following the recruitment of seven summer signings at a cost of nearly £100 million.

Andre Villas-Boas' side had not conceded more than a single goal in any of their games this season, with their 1-0 loss at Arsenal and the 1-1 home draw with Chelsea their only dropped points.

And Dembele has now demanded there are no more slip-ups against supposedly inferior opposition.

"If we want to be there with the top four we need to win these games," he said.

"You see the top teams, if they want to be champions, they have to win these small games and you can see it's the difference with the guys who become champions, they win these small games.

"It's easier to play against the top teams for the motivation but if we want to be a top team we need to be concentrated for these kind of games.

"It's a mental thing. We have to talk with the team and we need to concentrate each other. It's normal. We have a lot of players and you can change very quickly the team, so everyone needs to know it's a difficult season."

Sunday's win was West Ham's first against Spurs in 14 years, and their biggest at White Hart Lane since 1994.

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