Like an eerie glimpse back into West Ham's recent history with The Ghost of Seasons Past, here come Everton with all their relegation trouble and lack of 'new manager bounce'. In the shadow of their Stanley Park neighbours for decades as it is, the Toffeemen now face the very real threat of relegation to the second tier - where they've not played for some 70 years. It's fair to say the latest edition of the OV isn't exactly a barrel-full of joy and optimism...
"Just got back. Disappointed not to get a draw there, but in all fairness the mistake for their second, plus the sending off, makes it hard to argue a case for getting anything from this one - you can't do that and expect to get a result. But I thought we did OK on the whole, and while Lampard won't have marked that game down as one he expected to get anything from, it was entirely possible, given it was a fairly close contest. On the plus side, I thought there was a big improvement. The sky didn't fall in when we went behind (twice) nor when we went down to 10 men, so it was good to see that the heads didn't drop at these crucial moments - the same sort of attitude and effort (plus change) will be needed at Turf Moor. Special mention, as ever, for my fellow travelling Blues who, unlike the team, always put in a good shift."
- Daz1878
"The one thing I can take from today's game is that against a team as high in the table (and as high in confidence) as WHU, we still created chances. I would be far more concerned if we were not creating chances. The goals and results will come before the end of the season."
- Old Blue 2
"The positives are that this was comfortably our best away performance. The balance was good, we had a foothold in the game and looked as if we were almost taking the initiative and pushing West Ham back. We then made a really basic mistake, from arguably our best player at the time, and from thereon you could see the panic build. I don't think the reaction was bad but it went to that basketball style of game and then Keane gets himself a second card and that was it. After the sending off we lost all belief and it was game over. I feel like this was a point that we left behind."
- Bailey
"Miscontrol like that from Iwobi today is just absolutely laughable. Top flight players can't be doing that. Any chance Keane can be sacked for gross misconduct after that? I once tripped up in the office and landed with my head between the work experience girl's legs - and I was sacked. Admittedly it was the fifth time that week, but I'm pretty sure Keane has made more mistakes."
- heatmeiser
"A better away performance, we shot ourselves in the foot though. Silly foul given away but nothing could be done about the free kick for the first, then Kenny was too slow to react after a brilliant stop from Pickford for the second. I thought Keane was unlucky to be sent off, I didn’t think either were bookings and Oliver seemed way to keen (pardon the pun) to get the second yellow out instead of issuing a final warning."
- BlueStevie35
"You can sum up why we lost and West Ham won. Richarlison runs sidewards, Gray runs into a crowd of players. Calvert-Lewin contributes practically nothing as our striker. Antonio runs directly at our defence when he has the ball and makes things happen."
- Ghost Rider
"We defeat ourselves time after time, it's not the refs or the Premier League. We are a big team in terms of name, recognition and support, there is no reason anyone would want us out of the EPL as opposed to nothing, value-less clubs like Norwich, Burnley or Brentford. It is Everton who are dooming Everton."
- HeltSkelt
"Thought that was a harsh result and we deserved a point. I know Iwobi messed up but he was good with the ball going forward. No luck again, Pickford makes the save and the ball could ricochet anywhere but it goes straight to the only opposition player in the box who doesn't even have to break stride. West Ham were poor, I mean they barely crossed the halfway line playing against 10 men. If we play like that from now on we will be fine, surely we will start to get the breaks hopefully starting on Wednesday."
- Rollo Tomassi
"That's six defeats in eight league games. Every new manager deserves a chance but I’ve seen absolutely no improvement in the team, tactics or most importantly the results."
- Nosidoog
"It's hard to sympathise with a manager who continuously selects Jonjoe Kenny and Michael Keane when there are better options fit and ready to play within the squad. Yes Benitez maybe did the damage this season, but Lampard has had the players, even with injuries, to keep us up with ease. The fact that he's continued to select a handful of players game in game out tells its own story. He'll be deserving of being called the manager who relegated us."
- GoldenToffee
"Red cards every week. No bollocks each week. No luck every week. Ref on us every week. No leaders each week. Sleepwalking every week. I just feel sick. Absolutely sick."
- plaidharper
"When Iwobi and Holgate both give a goal away and are still among the best candidates for your outfield MotM player - you are in a bad way. If we do stay up it won't be to do with our own efforts. Baring a miracle, or some sort of on-field and/or mathematical fluke we are - mistake by mistake, game by cocked up game, taking ourselves down."
- degsy
"I think we have the stink of death about us now and are off to the Championship, probably. Not enough character in the team/squad/club. If I could i'd even sack myself. K'off, Everton."
- ForestBlue
"Referees all seemingly have an agenda against us. It's getting worse because we brought it up. Every week it's happening to us."
- atypicalusername
"I can't be arsed any more, Lampard six defeats in eight, he is taking us down. Better today but still no points. Lose at Burnley and that is the end with both teams' run-in."
- ForeverEverton
"Absolutely brutal being an Evertonian at the moment."
- Brownie
"I literally hate Everton. The real Everton is the friends I met along the way, the football club is almost dead to me. This wasn't even the worst performance, sometimes something has to give and today was it. Can't be arsed with footy, FU Everton."
- Diogenes the Cynic
"We lost against West Ham on goals, possession, passes and shots on target before the sending off. But we made it competitive. Top four is on next season."
- Death
"The performance wasn't that bad, we just need players that can defend, score, and pass to each other and we will be fine..."
- Sadken
"I fear we are doomed. Is Big Sam still free?"
- JobForTheMoyes
"Antonio is everything Dominic Calvert-Lewin should be, I’m just not sure DCL has the required quality."
- Tony1985
"It isn't remotely amusing that Antonio falls into Keane, YELLOW card without a moment's thought. Keane is half a second late (and concedes a dangerous free kick) - YELLOW CARD without a moment's thought. But it's ok to kick Richarlison in the chest - after the play is done and it's not reviewed. But that's ok, we're Everton and we don't count."
- ToffeeDan
"It didn't have any bearing on the game at the end, other than they would have had one less player in the box defending the ball in, but how the West Ham lad (Cresswell i think?) didn't get sent off for kicking Richarlison on the floor is beyond me."
- Houghty19
"That game was there for the taking today, 100%. You could tell in first five minutes the crowd /West Ham weren't up for it. But we've done a classic Everton."
- ford_uk
"West Ham doubled us this season for the first time since 1973. Next up is Burnley, where we haven't kept a clean sheet in 24 visits going back to 1958."
- bluetack
"Not that it makes a difference, but not sending that rat Cresswell off just shows how corrupt VAR is."
- mightymoyes
"West Ham didn't even need to turn up. We are our own worst enemy."
- captainvindaloo
"The worrying thing is we got beat by a West Ham team who didn't have to get out of third gear to do it."
- LouReedwalkonthewildside
"West Ham were well below par and hardly got out of first gear and still won. Burnley will be battling for their lives, roughing us up to a level way beyond what they normally do. So a different game altogether."
- Bluedyhell
"Reading through the comments I'm confused, just how many gears do West Ham have? They variously 'didn't have to get into first', 'didn't have to get out of first', 'didn't have to get out of third'. Perhaps we should be getting some motor mechanics into our coaching staff?"
- Sarnia Kevin
Comments originally published at grandoldteam.com and toffeetalk.com.
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