West Ham 0-0 Everton: Tale of missed chances as Premier League strugglers settle for point apiece
West Ham couldn't capitalize on their dominant performance in the second half, as struggling manager Julen Lopetegui watched his team settle for a goalless draw against Everton at the London Stadium.
The pressure continues to mount on the Hammers' manager after his team failed to capitalize on numerous chances after halftime, preventing them from achieving their third consecutive home victory in the Premier League.
Crysencio Summerville had the greatest opportunity when his shot struck the inside of the post, having been set up by Lucas Paqueta. Later, substitute Danny Ings had his attempt blocked by Jordan Pickford, who showed quick reflexes to perform an even more impressive save against Ings during stoppage time after the ball took a major deflection off James Tarkowski.
West Ham: Fabianski (7), Wan-Bissaka (5), Todibo (7), Kilman (7), Emerson Palmieri (6), Soucek (6), Rodriguez (5), Bowen (6), Lucas Paqueta (6), Summerville (7), Antonio (5).
Substitutes: Soler (6), Coufal (6), Luis Guilherme (n/a), Ings (7).
Everton: Pickford received an 8, Young a 7, Tarkowski a 7, Branthwaite a 7, Mykolenko a 6, Gueye a 7, Mangala a 7, Lindstrom a 7, Doucoure a 6, Ndiaye a 7, and Calvert-Lewin a 6.
Substitutions: Beto (6), Harrison (not available).
Star of the Game: Jordan Pickford.
Everton put forth their strongest performance in the first half. Summerville made an important defensive play by chasing back to make a crucial tackle on Abdoulaye Doucoure, stopping a shot that seemed destined for the back of the net. Later on, Lukasz Fabianski made an excellent save, managing to redirect Jesper Lindstrom's header from Orel Mangala's cross over the bar.
As a result, Everton is currently in 16th place with 10 points, while West Ham is ranked two spots higher and has a two-point advantage. However, that didn’t stop their fans from booing them as they left the field after the final whistle.
“I’m accustomed to working in high-pressure situations,” Lopetegui declared. “This isn't a new challenge for us. We believe we can accomplish our goals, and a lot can shift in just a few months. At the moment, we’re not satisfied... we aren’t performing consistently enough. We need to develop as a team and demonstrate greater character.”
Lopetegui Finds Little Comfort In Stalemate
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West Ham has been hoping to capitalize on their home advantage, as they won their last two Premier League matches at the London Stadium. However, the fans expressed their dissatisfaction with boos as the game concluded.
Lopetegui is still feeling the heat following last Saturday's 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, which left the team struggling in the lower half of the standings. They are currently only six points clear of the relegation zone after Wolves' victory against Southampton.
It's clear that the West Ham leadership has no desire to change managers at this time. However, another lackluster performance that only came to life in the final moments will do little to improve the overall atmosphere at the club.
The guests were in control during the first half, with Summerville making an important block to stop Doucoure, who was back from injury, from scoring just eight minutes into the game.
With only three wins out of their first ten league games, including a very lucky home win against Manchester United a couple of weeks ago, doubts have emerged regarding West Ham's choice to replace David Moyes with Lopetegui. However, there weren't many indications of an inspiring comeback until the latter part of the first half.
Pickford didn’t have to make a save until the 44th minute when he successfully denied Jarrod Bowen’s shot aimed at the near post. Shortly after, Michail Antonio also had a chance that Pickford blocked from a tight angle. Another attempt from Bowen was deflected off course, and then Pickford had to dive to push away a powerful strike from Guido Rodriguez.
Everton began to show signs of fatigue as West Ham started to gain control of the game. However, Pickford stepped up and made crucial saves to help secure a draw for his team. After seeing Summerville's shot hit the post, he managed to successfully block Ings' initial attempt and then made a fantastic stop at the last moment, deflecting a redirected shot from the ex-Liverpool striker to keep the score even.
Lopetegui commented, "It's understandable that the fans are upset, and we recognize the reason: we've only earned 12 points. However, there are other teams just three points ahead of us that appear to be content. We acknowledge that we can improve, but there are also positives to focus on."
"We managed to keep a clean sheet against a team that has skilled players known for their counter-attacking abilities, and we allowed them just one significant opportunity, which Fabianski successfully saved."
"We are committed to putting in round-the-clock effort to improve. While we have three or four key players unavailable, that won't serve as an excuse. The players who took the field in the second half demonstrated their readiness to seize the opportunity, and I'd rather emphasize the positive aspects."
Dyche: We Missed 'The Devil' Up Front
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Everton manager Sean Dyche:
"It’s a solid observation and a well-earned clean sheet. Making the choice to substitute Keano [Michael Keane] was difficult, but that defensive lineup managed to secure numerous clean sheets last season, and they accomplished the same today."
"We didn't quite discover the little spark or competitive edge that makes the difference, but the overall performance felt strong. In the end, we leave with a bit of uncertainty, questioning if we could have secured the win. However, we must acknowledge that Jordan made an excellent save to ensure we at least earned a point."
A Joyless Meeting Missing Any Quality
Sky Sports' Ben Grounds reporting from the London Stadium:
This bold scoreless tie wasn't the kind of match you wanted to be on the losing end of.
A week ago at St Mary's, Everton faced a disappointing late defeat. When Ings entered the game as a substitute in the second half, those fans who traveled from the north to London might have worried about experiencing the same fate again.
Only Pickford's exceptional performance prevented that outcome, but honestly, neither team played well enough to earn a victory in this dull match that was sorely lacking in quality.
Summerville's defense truly stood out during a lackluster first half. He had a brief moment of brilliance on the offensive side as Paqueta skillfully pierced through Everton's defense.
It's easy to understand what Dyche is talking about when he refers to facing challenges. Full-back Vitalii Mykolenko missed the target badly while attempting a shot with his weaker foot. This moment perfectly illustrated the lack of confidence both teams are experiencing as they struggle in the lower half of the Premier League. Overall, it was a match that is unlikely to be remembered for long.
