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Unbeaten run extended at the death by O’Brien

Unbeaten run extended at the death by O’Brien
Everton 1 – 1 West Ham Utd

Everton take on David Moyes’s old team for the first time since his return to Goodison Park, with Doucoure and Alcaraz starting this Saturday afternoon Premier League mid-table clash. 

Dwight McNeil has now been out for 3 months with a knee injury. Illiman Ndiaye was thought to be getting closer to a return; Moyes said: “Iliman is doing much better. He’s not running yet, but he’s certainly improving from his injury” — but he won’t be playing again until next month.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Orel Mangala are both the victims of long-term injuries, while Armando Broja is fit enough to take his place on the bench.

Moyes has at least turned a corner with this tsunami of injuries: there are no young players just making up the number on the subs bench.  Doucoure and Alcaraz start, with the largely ineffective Lindstrom finally dropped to the bench.

The Blues kicked off, long punt from Pickford, and Beto was caught slightly, not enough to warrant a penalty as our shirts are Blue, not Red. Beto kept up the challenge but it was a pretty scrappy start. A great forward pass from Branthwaite to Mykolenko was rewarded with a dreadful cross behind by the Ukrainian.

Gueye and Alcarez dispossessed Kudus but a foul was called. Doucoure was next to press high and force the Hammers back. A nice move through Alcarez saw some neat ball-juggling by Harrison but his shot was blocked by Soucek. Even with an unjustified free-kick called against O’Brien, The Hammers were still forced back. 

It was 12 minutes before the visitors got forward and forced a corner. Ward-Prowse put in a superb delivery and Pickford had to pull off an excellent reaction save to paw away Branthwaite’s inadvertent goalbound header. 

Beto drew a foul off Mavropanos, setting up an attacking free kick for Harrison to deliver — straight to Areola. From a Doucoure foul, the free-kick led to nothing; however, The Hammers looked to press themselves but Mykolenko stopped that with a fine tackle. 

Some pretty decent football down the right from Harrison saw O’Brien cross too deep and Alcaraz could not get enough on the header at the far post to trouble Areola. Harrison got a better cross in but Doucoure could only head it into the ground and away.

From a throw-in, O’Brien put in another nice cross that Beto headed over. An even better cross from Mykolenko was headed over again by Beto but the intent was excellent.

A lovely take by Alcarez was fed quickly to Beto who somehow tripped. A low cross this time found Doucoure and Beto getting in each other’s way. Harrison gave the ball away and the Hammers were immediately down the other end, Bowen lashing a shot goalward that Pickford had to push over. First defender Mykolenko powered away the Ward-Prowse corner. 

The Hammers tried to come again but Alcaraz cleverly stole the ball off Kudus before Paqueta committed a foul. Some great work in midfield with Garner and Alacarz saw O’Briem really connect with a bullet that unfortunately was straight at Areola. More good work won an Everton corner, Garner playing it short, then overhit to the far post and behind as Branthwaite drove around the back.

Everton were starting to play the ball around quite nicely, always looking to get forward, and pressing hard if they lost it.  Paqueta stayed down after Gueye stole the ball off him but neither the referee nor his teammates showed any sympathy. 

The Hammers had a better spell, Kudus winning a corner off Harrison that Ward-Prowse put it on the roof of the net. Branthwaite was on the end of a disappointing move, pushing the ball forward into a space that was devoid of blue shirts. 

Half the crowd wanted a handball call when Harrison’s cross was illegally blocked. Some fine work by Harrison and Gueye gitr the bakk in to Beto who pirouettes, then kicks the ground and goes down in a heap. Penalty called… but the inevitable on-field review suggested by the VAR showed there was no foul on him. 

So ended an interesting half with The Blues looking confident and determined to push forward, but nothing to show for their efforts. 

Hostilities resumed with West Ham now having most of the ball and Everton making poor passes at key moments and not pressing as effectively. Bowen was fouled poorly by Tarkowski, setting up a delivery for Ward-Prowse that was cleared. But the more fluid play had deserted the Blues and Branthwaite had to be strong to deny Wan-Bissaka a good run in on goal.

The initiative, though, was clearly with The Hammers and it had Moyes scratching his grey head. Would he plumb for some early subs that it clearly looked like his side needed?  What looked like a great ball through to Beto from Tarkowski was immediately flagged offside.

That allowed West Ham to get in behind, Paqueta crossing for Bowen to try a bicycle kick, with the Everton defense in panic mode, the goal-bound shot hitting his hand! Kudus was next to test the Everton defence, Garner doing enough to stop him. 

But the Hammers kept regrouping and pushing forward before Everton finally had a brief better epell on the hour… until they went all the way back to Pickford! The Blues crosses were a lot rarer and, when they did come, poorer than in the first half. 

Beto appeared to have half a chance to work the ball in but he lost out and the Hammers went forward, Bowen lashing a shot at Pickford from a narrow angle. The pace increased and it became end-to-end without much really transpiring. A high looping ball into the Hammers area saw Beto launching arms and legs at it without connecting.  

Moyes decided it was time for a change… but was Lindstrom really the best option in place of Doucoure?  Graham looked set to double down with two changes of his own, but not before another West Ham attack came very close to breaking through…

And there it was, Bowen setting up Soucek to drive a clever shot, passed wide of Pickford and just inside the post. What an absolute disaster for Everton as it looked highly unlikely they could score against this lot.

Bowen drove forward again, firing at Pickford, who spilled it, Ward-Prowse forcing a corner that he took twice. Everton had 20 minutes to do something, O’Brien winning a rare corner for Harrison to deliver, but it didn’t get past the first defender. But Harrison kept it allve and he then had a sot that screwed behind off a defender.

Another corner and more Everton pressure but West Ham held out. Everton at least kept the ball high but they were just not getting close enough to goal, despite good work by O’Brien until he was called for a soft foul.

Ward-Prowse was shown a yellow card for holding Alcaraz but Areola cleared Garner’s free-kick. Everton finally upped their game, Alcaraz getting more involved, but the defensive block was very hard to break. 

An Everton corner caused havoc in the crowded area but shots were blocked. Chermiti was a bit too energetic, earning himself a quick yellow card.  Everton kept working it around but the West Ham defence was resolute and The Blues seemingly had no answer. 

But some tremendous pressure saw Chermiti smash a shot at Areola, then a wide cross to Gueye was returned first time right onto the immense nogin of Jake O’Brien, who could make no mistake from short range in added time.

And it wasn’t over yet, Tarkowski heading the ball forward and a clever ball finding Alcaraz who looked for all the world like he would score a dramatic late winner… but no! He scuffed the shot agonisingly wide of the far post!  

And so David Moyes magically survives the Manager of the Month curse that seemed certain to end the remarkable unbeaten run that has now extended to 9 games since his second game back in charge.

Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Harrison (79′ Chermiti [Y:85]), Garner (79′ Iroegbunam), Gueye, Doucoure (69′ Lindstrom), Alcaraz, Beto (80′ Broja).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Young, Coleman.

West Ham Utd: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Todibo (90+2′ Rodríguez), Emerson, Souček, Ward-Prowse [Y:78′], Paqueta [Y:81′] (83′ Soler), Bowen, Kudus (92′ Ferguson).

Subs not Used: Fabiański, Scarles, Cresswell, Álvarez, Luis Guilherme Ings.


Reader Comments (43)

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Simon Dalzell


1 Posted
15/03/2025 at
14:25:11

Thanks Michael. Good to see the injury situation Improving. (touch Wood). Bench Looking Much Stronger. COYB.

Good Luck Mike Hughes. 2~ 0 sounds Good. I’m old enough to remember Bernard and Pearson unfortunately.


Mike Hughes


2 Posted
15/03/2025 at
14:25:19

1975-76. Last game of the season was the first match my Dad (Tom) took me to.

Everton 2 West Ham 0.

So I’ve had a couple of quid on that at 8/1.

Thanks Simon!

(Mike Bernard and Jim Pearson scored that day).


Alan J Thompson


3 Posted
15/03/2025 at
14:27:25

That bench seems a bit light on for goalkeepers, has Mr Moyes become adventurous, 3 full backs and 2 strikers.


Robert Tressell


4 Posted
15/03/2025 at
14:54:34

That’s the strongest looking bench at Everton since the 2020-21 season.


Kieran Kinsella


5 Posted
15/03/2025 at
14:54:39

Almost feels like a derby game with fans on both sides’ loyalty to Moyes even greater than their love of their clubs…


Nicolas Piñon


6 Posted
15/03/2025 at
15:54:09

Take off doucoure and ireogbunam in. Garner to the right Alcaraz behind Beto and harrison left. Its there for us.
COYB!


Alan J Thompson


7 Posted
15/03/2025 at
15:56:22

So far it has been reminiscent of last week’s game as both sides seem unimaginative getting forward more by accident than contrivance then having no idea when they get to the edge of their opponents penalty area.

As for the penalty, from one angle it didn’t look like there had been a foul and from the other the West Ham defender seemed to stand on Beto’s foot but why do we seem to kick the ground so many times.

Harrison doesn’t seem to have the beating of the full back, Doucoure seems to be all over the place without ever being in the right place and Alcaraz can’t find anyone to play with.

I really can’t see what Moyes might do about it or tell them at halftime but something has to change.


Ernie Baywood


8 Posted
15/03/2025 at
16:17:05

It’s really not that hard to decide what to do. Doucoure brings energy but moves break down with him. In that number 10 role most attacking passages of play have to go through him…

I think it’s time to move on and get Alcaraz in that role.


Jerome Shields


9 Posted
15/03/2025 at
16:23:26

Take Doucoure off and bring on Lindstrom. Don’t want to get overrun in midfield in the second half.Need to keep possession.Wish Bowen was a Everton player.


Ernie Baywood


10 Posted
15/03/2025 at
16:28:31

Why did it take that long to make the sub? Doucoure ceased to be a player once the “chase a bit”phase of the match was done.

Lindstrom had been stood there for over 5 minutes.


Ernie Baywood


11 Posted
15/03/2025 at
16:56:11

Scored right on 90 seconds. Took nearly 2 minutes to restart play. Match finished on 94:30. 4 minutes was nowhere near enough in the first place.

Did the officials have somewhere else they need to be?


George Cumiskey


12 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:04:15

Moyes can take no credit for that result I’m afraid, he stood and watched Doucouré Harrison and Beto play absolute shite for the whole match and decided to take them off with ten minutes to go, unbelievable let’s see if he picks them for the next match. 🤬


Alan J Thompson


13 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:06:58

We came out in the second half and continued as per the first and perhaps with even less urgency which had me thinking that the next time somebody suggests a week away in the sun he gets told where he can go which might well be where the sun don’t shine.

We gave away what I thought was a stupid goal as nobody seemed to want to clear the ball, first Harrison and then the half dozen defenders stood in our penalty area, nobody wanted to know. It was only in the last 10 minutes that we started showing any urgency, or was it desperation, that we got the equalizer and who says he can’t play right back.

Moyes has to find a way of making the midfield more creative. Gana had a good game but does little going forward and even Garner goes missing or sometimes more defensive, not getting forward more and we have to have a wide man who can beat a full back or are we again playing Harrison on the wrong side.

Re organize and make the most of keeping the run going as that point is valuable given other results.


Steve Brown


14 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:10:22

1 win in 6 league games – resilience and effort but not enough quality.

Insisting on selecting Harrison on the right and Doucoure at No 10 is very Sean Dyche.


John Charles


15 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:10:27

Just left the ground.
Pretty dire.
Worst player on pitch Doucoure but very closely followed by Alcaraz.
Chermiti made a difference when he came on.
And finally that’s why Jarrad isn’t in the england squad.
However unbeaten in 9.
17 points from 10 games.
Well done blues.


Jerome Shields


16 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:21:51

Moyes knew the danger of the West Ham Midfield Trio, and their interplay, but he kept Doucoure on to give them possession and hamper Everton’s midfield.

Redeemed himself with the Subs, but only just.Why is he playing Doucoure?


George Cumiskey


17 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:22:14

Harrison playing on the wrong side ? Harrison playing in the wrong division 🤬


Colin Glassar


18 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:27:35

Totally agree, George (12). I felt like Moyes didn’t want to win that game. Seemed to me we were just going through the motions until they scored.


Jim Bennings


19 Posted
15/03/2025 at
17:44:13

We’ve pinched a point, another point keeps the run going but obviously as I’ve stated before, we are going to require a small overhaul this summer especially in the attacking third of the pitch.

We’ve probably got at least 4 attacking players that are unlikely to be here in August, DCL, Broja, Lindstrom and Harrison.

I’d be looking at getting Doucoure a move and at best Beto will be a sub striker next season although I still wouldn’t rule out a departure if a considerable offer comes in from Italy.

We need more pace and precision in wide areas than we get from and Harrison and Lindstrom.

For me, Alcaraz didn’t have his best game but I’d be building a team around him and Ndiaye in the attacking area, get at least two pacy wide players that can take a man on but also contribute to goals.

Get at least one striker in that has a clean injury record and can score goals.

This summer was always going to be the Friedkin Groups first big test, how much money can they spend.

Moyes has an eye for a player we know that much, so the rest is up to them.


Joe McMahon


20 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:00:18

Jim, he does but I want an Everton manager to go out and try to win games, particularly at home to West Ham.


Kieran Kinsella


21 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:00:42

Moyes will be blunting his butter knife ahead of the next five games against the CL chasers so a point today was important. This season was all about survival. The dead cat bounce with his arrival offered some excitement but a series of bore draws have seen us basically secure safety so now we need to be working in over drive to overhaul this squad during the summer.


John Davies


22 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:01:57

Colin. I am sure he did want to win the game.


Kieran Kinsella


23 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:02:54

Alan

Have these warm weather breaks ever yielded a positive outcome? I remember Frank wasting cash and increasing global warming by flying Tom Davies to Australia to do yoga on Bondi beach right before he got canned.


Billy Shears


24 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:12:59

So the unbeaten goes on,but to me that’s now eight points pissed away in our last four games. draws simply ain’t good enough,we looked much sharper before we went away to the U.A.E.

Am sure next month’s games will be testing too,we truly need our injured lads back ASAP.


Derek Knox


25 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:17:03

Kieran K, if it was the ‘ shitting dog pose ‘ in yoga, there was no need, he had it in spades ! Hence why he rarely gets off the bench for Sheffield United these days !


Les Callan


26 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:26:54

As bad a performance as anything under Dyche.


Mihir Ambardekar


27 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:31:49

In this unbeaten run we have drawn half our games. Today again there is lot of hard work and desire but we lack quality. Doucoure and Harrison are so poor. Any other above average players in their place would have actually helped us convert some draws into wins.
Beto tries a lot but lacks fluency, smoothness and often gets bullied by average defenders. His overall game is average. I want him to succeed but he has been poor in the last few games.

The upcoming summer will be massive. We gotta focus on quality signings!


Jay Harris


28 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:32:45

Thought quite a few players looked tired and/or unmotivated today.

Thought Harrison and Alcaraz had a good first half but looked really tired second half.

Myko defended well but his crossing is abysmal despite Bainesy working with him.

The only players who looked good for time they were on the pitch was O’Brien Pickford and Chermiti.

Thought we should have had 3 in MF today. I would have played Ironman over Doucs.

Let’s hope we can be better for the next 3 games.


Ian Bennett


29 Posted
15/03/2025 at
18:57:22

It was all very predictable.

So many times the ball went to Mykolenko, Obrien, Harrison and Doucoure and the ball was given away cheaply. West ham with 10 behind the ball showed the quality of side when we are in possession.

The squad is going to take a fair while to sort out.


Paul Hewitt


30 Posted
15/03/2025 at
19:19:53

Les#26. 9 unbeaten, Dyche never did that.


Raymond Fox


31 Posted
15/03/2025 at
20:02:13

There wouldn’t half be complaints if we weren’t getting points.

I don’t know what some of you expect, we are propped up by loan players with 2 or 3 of our better players injured.
Even so we are still managing to get points whoever we play, the manager wins manager of the month I think we must be doing something right.


Christy Ring


32 Posted
15/03/2025 at
20:10:02

Chermiti did more in 10 minutes than Beto had done in the previous 80, even Broja looked more effective. On a different note, Dele Allí came on in the 81st minute for Como, sent off in the 91st min?


Andrew James


33 Posted
15/03/2025 at
20:50:51

Performances like this and the one against Wolves demonstrates how poor a squad we have which has been undermined by injuries.

I trust Moyes to bring in better players and get a better tune out of this lot next season. They have mid-table written all over them and it will take a few transfer windows to fix the damage that the coaches from the Moshiri era did.


Peter Mills


34 Posted
15/03/2025 at
22:03:14

There was no lack of effort today, but there was a distinct shortage of skill, craft and guile from the majority of our players.

But we know this. These are the players who have mostly been found wanting in the Premier League. Credit to them for responding to the arrival of David Moyes and taking us to the edge of mathematical survival, but they are not good enough.

It will be becoming more and more clear to the manager which of them should be culled. It would be easier to choose those who survive. I would hope those will include Pickford, O’Brien, Branthwaite and Ndiaye. The next group down contains Tarkowski, Garner, probably Gueye, possibly Alcaraz (who has not proved himself yet), hopefully Armstrong.

The rest have major question marks against them.


Colin Malone


35 Posted
15/03/2025 at
22:03:34

How many more games have got to put up with a player who runs around like a kid in the playground, just chasing the ball. Ive gone into detail over the last two seasons.
Doucoure is fucking shite, fucking pathetic. Thank you, Doucoure for what you have done for the blues, its time to go.


Bill Fairfield


36 Posted
15/03/2025 at
22:16:21

Beto is an honest enough guy, always gives his all. But he just hasn’t got a football brain. He’s nowhere near premier league level. Along with a few of his teammates.


Kunal Desai


37 Posted
15/03/2025 at
22:24:34

Great get back to the old lady after so long for a final farewell.

Not the best of games, Doucoure and Harrison I thought were extremely poor. Shame Alcaraz shot just went wide of the post at the end. Still unbeaten in 9 games.

Hopefully one or two more back now that we have a two week break.


Colin Glassar


38 Posted
15/03/2025 at
22:28:37

Not only does he lack a football brain, Bill. He has little to no skill on the ball. In fact, he makes Straqualarsi look like Nureyev.

All I know is, at least five players who started today shouldn’t be anywhere near the club next season: Doucoure, Beto, mykolenko (he’s improved but still crap), Harrison and Lindstrom.

All substandard players.


Mike Gaynes


39 Posted
15/03/2025 at
23:41:51

Pete #34, you left out the guy who led us in goals last season and is still leading in assists this season even after missing three months. I’d say McNeil is proven and then some.

I also have very few questions about Iroegbunam. Everything I’ve seen from him has been quality. To my mind he’s core.


Colin Glassar


40 Posted
15/03/2025 at
23:59:38

We could get Walker-Peters (RB), Soucek and Norgaard (MF) all for free. Spend big on Lewis-Potter (LB) and Delap (CF) and we could be back in business next season.

I don’t understand why some are still doubting Alcaraz and Idrissa. They’ve performed consistently well. I’d keep both of them.


Derek Thomas


41 Posted
15/03/2025 at
00:07:20

In a game of rock paper scissors, Potters paper – which probably had 2 or 3 different tactical approaches written on it – easily wrapped up the Moyes rock – which had no different tactical approaches, unless they were old fossilised ones hidden deep inside.

Or The Manager of the Month kiss of death strikes again – take your pick.

Bit of both methinks.

I’ve called for both Alcaraz and Doucoure to play, not one or the other, but with Alcaraz in that ‘Ndiaye’ role at the expense of Harrison (on the left-ish side) but Harrison’s goal keeps him in the 11 with Lindstrom getting the short straw.

Harrison has been marginally better on the left but did nothing on the right – again.

Broja seems all huff and puff with his pantomime villain looks, but Chermiti seems to have a bit more about him.

Pickford was my MotM – kept us in it at least twice.


Ernie Baywood


42 Posted
16/03/2025 at
00:25:17

We’re seeing a limited team looking limited.

They press higher up the pitch than under the previous manager and they had a bit of a bounce from being asked to have a go at the opposition… but they still are what they are. The second half exposed them after a fairly lively first half.

Hopefully Moyes is about to be the 2nd manager out of our last 3 to realise that Doucoure actually creates a problem for us in attack.

I can understand playing Beto. We at least know what he’s there for. But there’s some competition arriving for that place.

Harrison is getting a game purely by virtue of not having alternatives. But Moyes will have to find a way to change personnel even if it’s through tweaking formation.

On the plus side Jake is one hell of a find. In that first half he was exceptional. And I actually thought Mykolenko had one of his better days – he was more progressive in his passing than I’ve seen.

Criticism of Alcaraz is a bit harsh. He’s a footballer surrounded by non footballers. On a number of occasions he asked for the ball to feet from the likes of Doucoure only to watch it rushed forward and lost.

Our place is secure. It’s not going to be very exciting. And the next few games might not be too pretty.


Colin Malone


43 Posted
16/03/2025 at
01:50:54

Abdoulaye Doucoure 5

Couldn’t really impose himself on proceedings and while he tried to lead the press, it was more perspiration than inspiration before he made way when Everton fell behind having let Soucek pick his spot.
Spot on.

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