Match Report | West Ham United vs Everton | PL | 9.11.24 |

[WHUDeano]

Evening Gents. 

So my first match report for the website that has shadowed me through the new millennium. From popping on here while at Uni to read comments on our relegation season under Roeder while I was still using my student loan to travel home and away, to the season after when I decided I didn’t want to miss the weekends out with my mates in our final year. 

Yet I’m still here, suffering the political threads like the rest of you sane types. And now I’m joining the likes of Coffee (a great bloke who privately advised me on whomail as to where to visit when passing through Kolkata years back) in creating something to kick start things on our new site. 

So today is my first match report, a bit different to the comprehenive style of Vinny in the past but hopefully still of use. 

My West Ham credentials: I grew up in Essex (Thurrock), my dad and grandparents were from the east end (Upney & Stratford), ‘slummed out’ in the early 60s to countryside of Thurrock with a lot of others. My dad went week in week out throughout late 60s, 70s, 80s. 90s. 00s and deep into the 2010s. He started taking me at the start of the 90s – my first season ticket in the old family enclosure of upton park began with the boxing day trevor morley inspired victory against Oldham of boxing day 1990. I was also lucky enough to go to the Forest semi final at Villa Park that same season. I was 8 years old. The same age as my eldest boy  now. Different world. 

Cards on the table – I don’t go to home games anymore. Neither does my dad. For reasons that have been covered by others and not worthy of spending time discussing now. 

So, onto todays match. Using creative licence to not have to mention much about the game but obviously given this is a match report, something needs saying. I’ll keep this objective without giving opinions on players or manager until deserved. 

First half:

3pm It kicked off. 

3.44pm We had a shot on target
3.45pm We had another shot on target. 
3.46pm Half time*. 

*Summerville made a great tackle to save a goal early on. Otherwise, awful. Sideways pass, sideways pass, backwards pass, hoof to no one. Repeat. 

Second Half:

We looked better. 

Summerville buzzed around looking dangerous, Bowen moved around looking busy, Antonio moved around doing a half decent impression of a number 9 at times, Paqueta tried a few things doing an ok impression of his old self before he got caught out and fucked himself and us. 

Second half was better, but still forgettable. Summerville hit the post, Pickford made a few good saves to probably bag MOM. Ings came on and impressed, he is now obviously out best striker option and should start – saying this depresses me more than almost anything else about the match. 

Overall a fairly turgid 0-0. Little to report, little to entertain, little to be positive about with this manager. 

Ratings:

Fabianski 6 Solid though a 40 year old should not be our best option in goal. 
AWB 5 He’s been ok since signing. Was nice not to see him standing up next to Bowen for once. 
Emerson 6 Played ok today I thought
Todibo 6 One week I think he could be the next Van Dijk, the next week I think he’s no better than Mavropanos. 
Kilman 6 He looks ok, decent on the ball, but are either Todibo or Kilman better defenders than Craig Dawson? 
Rodriguez 5 The new Radoslav Kovac
Soucek 4 If he doesn’t score, he does nothing other than slow play down, pass sideways, backwards, or give it away when passing forwards. 
Paqueta 5 a chunky shadow of the player who we used to have before getting collared. 
Summerville 8 always lively, always busy, always running, always trying. I like him a lot. 
Bowen 6 Trying, but looks ill suited to Lopeteguis ever changing tactics and consistently beaten in the air after the aimless hoof forward. 
Antonio 5 Played like you would expect a 34 year old converted muscular winger would play. Tried, run a bit, did nothing. 

Subs 

Coufal 7 Looked ok, maybe more suited to the role bring asked than AWB?
Soler 5.5 Didn’t notice him much, but looked marginally better than the others in centre mid so surely worth a start. 
Ings 7 Now by far our best forward option and must start next time. Unlucky not to score. 
Guillherme 6 Pace to burn and enthusiastic, worth another look. 

Overall:

A turgid affair and one that makes you wonder what the point was in replacing Moyes with Lopetegui. We still have a deep line, don’t really have the players to press but no longer have counter attacking ability of a Moyes team. 

Let’s not mess around, at this point Lopetegui has been a disaster of an appointment. Confused tactics, demotivated players, strange signings. We have gone backwards, but as everyone knows, Sullivan will be content that we are 6 points clear of relegation and obviously not going to go down. 

Another annoying international break now, and no chance of a change in manager despite the obvious signs that it’s not going to work.

A season of turgid confused football, discontent fans, and 13-16th place finish to come. 
 

[Graec]

Thanks - decent analysis.

I agree regarding Fabianski, but I have no idea why Areola was dropped.  I didn't see him making any terrible mistakes or hear anything from looking on WHO or news reports.  Did I miss something?

[WHUDeano]

Aren’t you from Kent?

[Gank]

No problems whatsoever with your match analysis, but I struggle to see how being from Essex is a West Ham “credential” any more than being from Middlesex, Surrey or Kent would be.

[simons]

Pickford earned them a point today, although I’m not sure if we would have deserved it. They’re a poor team, but if we can’t put them away at home, it’s a fucking worry. 

[Mad Dog]

I think 5 for antonio is way too high

I thought he waa fucking useless today.  Never in the middle which is a pre request for a center forward and got trampolines for shoes.  Can't control anything.

He should only ever be coming on as an impact sub.

Ings HAS to be infront of him

[Hammer and Pickle]

Agree with all of that though perhaps a tad harsh on AWB. No, Coufal is not the answer to our lack of pace in the transition, which is the main problem as far as I can tell.