A match almost entirely lacking in incident stymied Everton’s chances of catching the Premier League elite and proved Slaven Bilic is capable of some sly expectations management, as his scratch West Ham United team comfortably held the Merseysiders to a goalless draw.
With the sun shining across the open spaces of the London Stadium it was possible to detect a hint of optimism in the air before this much. Granted, that would have been as much to do with the not-so-distant approach of summer as anything else, but Bilic embraced the theme of change himself, dropping his first-choice keeper, filling his first team with irregulars, his bench with kids and, finally, switching to an unfamiliar three at the back.
It’s fair to say that the first 30 minutes of the match did their best to quell any hopefulness among home supporters however, and for Everton’s travelling army – still dreaming of catching the top four – it wasn’t any different. The highlight of a meagre period of football, in which both teams struggled to pass the ball or generate any sort of tempo, was when Adrián, back in the side after spending most of the season as understudy to Darren Randolph, mucked up an attempt at a volleyed clearance, fell on his backside, and almost gifted a goal to Romelu Lukaku.
West Ham may have had an unfamiliar look about them, but they seemed to understand their manager’s gameplan – to stifle Everton’s football and break directly – and slowly they began to assert themselves on the game. A break from the little-seen forward Jonathan Calleri forced Idrissa Gueye into a lunging foul that brought a yellow card in the 27th minute. The subsequent free-kick led to a corner and, from that, the forgotten midfielder Havard Nordtveit picked off two strong long-range efforts that were first blocked by a defender and then held by Maarten Stekelenburg.
In the 36th minute, another succession of set plays almost ended in the opening goal after Winston Reid won the ball from a Manuel Lanzini corner, played the ball back to the Argentinian, whose second cross was met by James Collins at the back post, but his header was wide. Five minutes later and Morgan Schneiderlin was forced to clear for another corner after Collins caused more complications for Everton’s backline.
With the game scoreless and the visitors off the pace, Ronald Koeman made a double change at half-time, bringing off one teenager, Tom Davies, for another, Ademola Lookman, while the yellow-carded Gueye was replaced by Gareth Barry. The game gave the impression that it was willing to crank up in tempo, Evertonworking the ball into West Ham’s box with guile and West Ham breaking on them at pace. In the 52 minute, West Ham had another opportunity to take the lead, but Lanzini’s fierce drive from the penalty spot was stopped by Phil Jagielka’s face.
Sadly, that was largely that. Bilic brought on the long-lost Diafra Sakho, the striker who had spent three months out with a back injury and spoiled his comeback by rowing with his manager over his fitness before the match against Sunderland last weekend. Koeman tried another teenager, in the shape of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
On the field, Everton won a few corners and Lookman had a decent effort from range in the 75th minute that dipped but still went over the bar. José Fonte should have done better with a far-post header off an 89th-minute corner. To record any more events here would be to afford them too much importance.
All in all, West Ham will be happy with a point. Their home form this season has not been much to write home about and this was only their 22nd point from the London Stadium. They were coherent and determined, and two more of the Hammers’ dead men, Arthur Masuaku and Edimilson Fernandes, turned in decent performances.
Everton, meanwhile, surely waved goodbye to the Champions League dream in the meekest way possible. But still, the weather was nice.
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