Ange Postecoglou says it would be nice to control his players with a joystick but ‘it doesn’t work like that’ after Tottenham were left to rue missed chances in draw at West Ham

Ange Postecoglou quipped he would to love to control his players with a joystick after admitting Tottenham‘s decision making must improve after the 1-1 draw at West Ham

Brennan Johnson’s early strike was cancelled out by a goal from Kurt Zouma as a frantic London derby ended all square.

Spurs remain fifth in the Premier League, two points behind Aston Villa and nine ahead of Manchester United, who face Chelsea on Thursday night.

‘I thought for the most part we controlled the game pretty well,’ said Postecoglou.

‘They are a big strong team. They sit deep and make it difficult for you. You have to be fairly calm in your approach but also really disciplined because they are a threat from the counter-attack.

Tottenham dropped more points in the race for the top-four with draw at West Ham

Brennan Johnson scored his fourth in eight games to put Spurs ahead at the London Stadium

‘We conceded from a set-piece but the rest of the set-pieces we coped with really well. In the front third we lacked a bit of clarity of thought.

‘But they are human beings, it is just football. I would love to have a joystick and put them where I want them, but it doesn’t work like that.

‘Sometimes we have more time than we think. There were times when the ball was flashed across the box when we should have been in those areas.

‘It is all part of the development. That is why we have coaches, why we develop a system. We are not the finished article and we know that.

‘There was enough there tonight for me to say that it is a team still heading in the right direction.’

West Ham should have gone ahead inside four minutes when Mohammed Kudus rolled the ball across goal, but Jarrod Bowen put a simple chance wide.

Just over a minute later they were behind when Tottenham put a carbon copy chance away, Timo Werner crossing for Johnson to sweep home.

Defender Kurt Zouma scored the equaliser with a glancing header beyond Guglielmo Vicario

The Hammers equalised in bizarre fashion in the 19th minute when Bowen swung in a corner.

With Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario rooted to his line, the unmarked Zouma went up for a header and glanced the ball into the net off his back.

Michail Antonio spurned a glorious chance to put West Ham ahead after half-time when he held off Micky van de Ven to go one on one with Vicario, only to fluff his finish.

Destiny Udogie could have won it for Spurs in stoppage time but drilled his shot straight at Lukasz Fabianski.