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. 
 

[Massive Attack]

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?

Yes, he's been shit.

I wasn't a fan of JWP but let's not sit on the fence anymore, to loan him out and bring in two carthorses was a big fuck up. That is NOT an opinion, it's a simple fact.

JWP was fucking awful last season 

 

He wasn't awful. 

[Justin P]

This manager turns this around by playing Kudus up front and buying a young combative CM in Jan.

Front 4 of:

Bowen Paq Jimmy
      Kudus

Defence looking ok

CM is weak, new player Jan with Paq pulling strings

 

[Fauxstralian]

I can’t see what Loppy is trying to do
Whatever it is it isn’t working so I’m LOPPY OUT
Obviously the priority would be Sullivan out but suspect he will leave in a small wooden box

We were poor and probably there for the taking. If Everton weren’t complete & utter dogshit

[ragingbull]

Was reading Everton fans comments on X, all their fans were saying we was there for the taking and we was the worst team they have played so far this season.
Very worrying as i want to give Lop more time.

[Gank]

Aren’t you from Kent?

Yes I am. I’ve never cited that as a ‘credential’ for being West Ham.

[ATHammer]

Sean Dyche got the best out of a very limited group of players. Julen Lopetegui, again, got the worst out of a highly talented group of players. 

[Mad Dog]

Jwp is a good footballer.

He is not a CDM nor a left winger though, which is where moyes deployed him last season to make way for a woefully bad soucek.

This season soucek is playing a little better mind (either that or everyone else has become so shit he looks semi decent all of a sudden)

[Forest Gate Ugly]

Thank you, Dino. A thoroughly depressing read but all true sadly! I walked to Leyton station after the match and saw all the jolly, beardy, worthy Orient fans looking like they’d had a nice day out. Rather different from my own! 

[Sir Alf]

Don Hutchinson summed up our problems with his “pensioner/walking football” comment when describing West Ham.  

[Keep dreaming]

Just watched Lopes post match interview.


I mean, what an uninspiring character and what a load of rubbish he serves up.
"Clean shit" was what he wanted and was exactly what he got, Clean Shit....

[Manuel]

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?

Yes, he's been shit.

I wasn't a fan of JWP but let's not sit on the fence anymore, to loan him out and bring in two carthorses was a big fuck up. That is NOT an opinion, it's a simple fact.

 

Nope it's definitely an opinion and that is a fact.

JWP was fucking awful last season and every time it was him and Soucek we got completely over run, so you're half right, shipping him out was the right thing to do. Not replacing him properly wasn't. 

Should never have bought him in the first place when Fofana was wanted, he's exactly the type we need. 

In my opinion obviously 

The point is despite JWP being shit last season he still would have offered more than Rodders and Soler, I can't believe anyone would dispute that.

[Takashi Miike]

with the way he approaches matches? you're right. It's a hopeless situation, where we have a clown that stonewalls the media at every press conference, and then pretends his weekly tactical (emergency) substitutions were pre-planned as it goes to shit each week. but he's a client of salthouse, so hang in there

[fraser]

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?

Yes, he's been shit.

I wasn't a fan of JWP but let's not sit on the fence anymore, to loan him out and bring in two carthorses was a big fuck up. That is NOT an opinion, it's a simple fact.

 

 

Nope it's definitely an opinion and that is a fact.

JWP was fucking awful last season and every time it was him and Soucek we got completely over run, so you're half right, shipping him out was the right thing to do. Not replacing him properly wasn't. 

Should never have bought him in the first place when Fofana was wanted, he's exactly the type we need. 

In my opinion obviously 

[Mad Dog]

Claypole 

I've noticed that on a few games
  If awb Or Emerson lose it up the pitch, they jog back just quick enough to look like effort is being put in but nor quick enough for actually trying to get back.

Summerville bust a gut to get back to make that tackle yesterday after awb and bowen gave it away from that corner.  Kilman and todibo were in full sprint, but others were just going through the motions

either put effort in or fuck off, and most of our players at the moment are not putting the effort in

[Manuel]

I'm genuinely wondering what the point of all this is now? What have we got to look forward to? Can't even say the FA Cup as we have no fucking chance.

[claypole]

I saw Bournemouths goal from a corner yesterday, Head and shoulders above what we are doing

[stubbo-admin]

I seem to recall Nevin was the set piece mastermind....when he left, so do the ingenuity, which was handed on to Kevin. God knows who's in charge now...but they look about as sharp as a ping pong ball.

[fraser]

Coufal pushed right up when he came on too and didn't get back that much. Guido was playing like a third centre back,, then Soucek did it when he went off. Our full backs are all over the place.

[claypole]

In fairness I thought our set pieces got worse halfway through Moyes' last season.
Awb must be carrying an injury or ill as he looked totally disinterested in tracking back unless of course he has been told not to bother.
I cant remember the last time I watched players on the same team run into each other, usually involving Antonio somewhere along the line.
I always enjoy the old Soucek to Coufal, Coufal to Soucek, Soucek to Coufal-- throw-in to the opposition magic, I have missed it.
Cant see how this manager can turn it around.

[Mex Martillo]

Nice one Deano, thanks.

Yes, pretty forgettable game.

Ings did look better, but Antonio does a good job as well. It's just it's not good enough to get us goals or assists. Ings looks more dangerous, but needs more service, which our midfield is not really providing. I agree, although the Brazilian kid did nothing, I'd like to see more of him. I would certainly give Ings more time, but share the time between them.

I'd like to see more of Coufal. Wan Bissaka looked better, but hasn't provided much. Coufal was getting plenty of assists and even though it doesn't look like it, may be the better option.

I guess you'll not like it, but I would also say the absence of Moyes and Cresswell are big factors in our set pieces and corners. The golden period was when Cresswell was taking all corners and Moyes must have been doing a lot of training on those. Cresswell is passed it now and not sure what Lopetegui does in traning, but it ain't set pieces.

West Ham credentials. I guess I don't have then and probably because of that don't see the importance. Used to be a lot of rubbish on here of people claiming to be Mr West Ham. Seems important to some before they comment of except someones opinion. I prefer to just look at what is being said.

[Manuel]

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?

Yes, he's been shit.

I wasn't a fan of JWP but let's not sit on the fence anymore, to loan him out and bring in two carthorses was a big fuck up. That is NOT an opinion, it's a simple fact.

[Manuel]

Nice one Deano. Personally, I don't read match reports since I watch the games so I already know what happened. Would I read up about a film after watching it? Good effort though. 

[Alfs]

Here's one...how on earth did out corner routines turn to abject shit almost overnight so badly?

I thought that today. We should have kept JWP.

[stubbo-admin]

Here's one...how on earth did out corner routines turn to abject shit almost overnight so badly?

[stubbo-admin]

Well he was being relentlessly beaten at his near post, and his distribution was appalling. Was definitely time for him to sit out (and now he's injured).