Matt Le Tissier expects Spurs' defensive frailties to drag Juande Ramos down in Sunday's derby at West Ham.
West Ham v Tottenham
1pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 1
Juande Ramos has a very good track record and could well be the man to turn Tottenham round - but he hasn't got much room for manoeuvre.
I don't mean in terms of the Tottenham board, but simply because of where they are in the table. They need results, but Ramos is going to need time.
The international break will have helped him settle in, but how many of his players will have been around the club? It will take some time for his tactics and team to take shape, but Tottenham cannot afford to lose too many more games.
But even in one game I like what I have seen. Leaving Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov on the bench against Wigan told us what Ramos is all about.
I don't think for a minute he thinks Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe are his best pairing. All he was doing was making a statement of intent; telling them he was the boss and this is how it is going to be.
Mind you, Tottenham's attack has never been an issue. Going forward their midfield creates enough chances and not many teams have four better strikers on their books. Their problem is at the other end.
We always hear managers say they need to start at the back and sort their defence out, but it's never usually that straightforward. With this Spurs side though, I really do think it is.
They have missed Ledley King of course and I don't think Paul Robinson's loss of confidence has helped either. That spreads to the defence and they are still a little weak in either full-back area, which just makes it worse.
But I don't think Ramos will foresake anything going forward, certainly not here, because he will see a derby game with West Ham as one where Spurs have to be bold.
Unbelievable
The Hammers are a decent side at home, but I wouldn't have thought this fixture would frighten him to death. It's not like they're going to Old Trafford or the Emirates.
And I mean that as no disrespect to West Ham, who will see this as a game they should win themselves. Not just because it's against their London rivals either.
It's unbelievable the amount of players they have lost this season - especially the ones they have shelled out good money for - but you have to give them credit for still picking up the results.
I see Dean Ashton, Scott Parker and Freddie Ljungberg could all be fit, which might give Alan Curbishley a welcome headache. With all the injuries it has been the players that were already there - like Matthew Hetherington and Carlton Cole - that have produced the goods.
West Ham will know that Spurs back four is their weak point, and at Upton Park they always attack sides.
By the same token Spurs won't sit back and defend either, so we could be in for a right old London derby.
I am not sure that is Ramos' nature to come looking for the draw and besides, the last thing Tottenham can afford to do is sit back and invite a side onto them.
Le Tiss predicts
HOME WIN - This should be an open, attacking game and I do see there being goals and plenty of incident, compared to some of the local derbies we get these days. Spurs won't sit back, but with their defence creaking at the minute and West Ham so strong at home, I am going for the Hammers by the odd goal in five.
Matt's main man
CARLTON COLE - He's done very well for them over the past few weeks. After a few years in the wilderness he is finally starting to live up to something like his potential and West Ham fans have realised that. If there is one criticism, it is his lack of goals because as a centre-forward, that is what you are always judged by. But what Cole has done in the past few weeks will allow his manager to be a little more cautious with Ashton.
