“By some way the worst game I’ve seen this season.” That was the verdict of one journalist who witnessed Everton’s 0-0 draw with West Ham United on Saturday and few in attendance would have disagreed.
Games like these have become par for the course for Sean Dyche’s side, who met their bottom line in east London. Occasionally, a game of football threatened to break out. The creative talents of Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye and West Ham United’s Crysencio Summerville tried to lift their respective sides — and briefly came close to doing so — but overall, these were two struggling Premier League teams straining to stay out of trouble.
A draw does little to move the dial for either team — both are still firmly in the bottom half of the table — but it may keep the wolves from the door for a little longer in Julen Lopetegui’s case, a manager who still retains full support from his board. For Dyche, it is a valuable point on the road after a defeat at Southampton on November 2, a baby step forward rather than a giant leap.
Yet, the swathes of empty seats inside the London Stadium at the start of the second period told a story, as did the applause that greeted the signalling of just one minute of additional time at the end of the first half. As the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, a group of home supporters turned their backs to the action and instead took a selfie. Many had already left. They all knew a late twist was unlikely, even if Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had twice foiled Danny Ings late on to preserve a point.
The question both clubs will have to answer is whether there should be something more for their supporters than this. Neither set of fans came to the match with much hope or expectation and the flat atmosphere made it seem as if watching the game was a chore, rather than a hard-earned highlight of the week. Supporters pay good money for their seats. While results are the foundation, they want to be entertained too and there was little of that on Saturday. It was grin-and-bear football.
Hosts West Ham offer a cautionary tale as Everton gear up for their next chapter with a new stadium to be opened in time for next season and a potential new owner, the Friedkin Group (TFG).
Lopetegui replaced David Moyes as head coach over the summer, ushering in what was meant to be a bold, progressive new dawn. But West Ham’s current reality is that of poor results and largely turgid performances, despite an outlay of around £130million ($168m) on players over the summer. The Spaniard remains on shaky ground after Saturday’s draw and though it is early days the football is dull, uninspiring and lifeless.
There are similar murmurings of discontent from some Everton fans about Dyche’s style of play and decision-making, even if he has not been afforded anything like the same riches as Saturday’s opposite number.
The former Burnley manager played a key role in keeping Everton afloat in recent years, particularly last season in the face of two separate points deductions, but pushing on beyond that has proven challenging.
Despite favourable early-season fixtures, Everton are still too close to the relegation zone for comfort and the schedule will soon get much tougher, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all to come in December.
This interim period before TFG officially takes charge is key. Everything and everyone will be under scrutiny at the club right now — including the manager — while the takeover approvals process runs its course.
With Dyche out of contract at the end of the season and yet to be offered a new deal, it amounts to an audition of up to six months to show he can be part of Everton’s new era. To do so, he and his team will need to show some signs of progression.
Under Dyche, Everton can be functional but rarely entertaining. At times this season, they have been neither. The theme of the campaign has been of a team struggling for rhythm and balance, one that is not performing at the same levels as before.
Dyche’s solution to Dwight McNeil’s absence through injury on Saturday was to revert to last season’s blueprint, with Abdoulaye Doucoure as a slightly ill-fitting but willing No 10. Toil was foregrounded over craft, with somewhat inevitable results. Even the new — or, in this case, tweaked — resembles the old.
Doucoure makes Everton more secure out of possession and harder to beat, but lacks finesse in the final third. He entrenches some of their deficiencies.
Everton’s attack was again clunky in east London; like West Ham, they were better on the counter than when trying to sustain spells of possession. Doucoure was ponderous when put through on goal by Idrissa Gueye early in the first half, and it was tempting to wonder how the more attack-minded Ndiaye, stationed on the left, would have done with similar opportunities.
The Senegal international showed sporadic moments of real quality, but Everton need to find a way of involving him more. Dyche may have greater tools at his disposal than last season but he is still to fashion a consistent, viable attacking blueprint. That is proving to be a source of frustration for some fans.
The core of Pickford, Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski will probably win them enough points to survive but the attack requires significant work.
In only four of their 11 games this season have they registered an expected goals (xG) total above one. In only three games have they finished with a higher xG than their opponents.
Rarely do they take the shackles off in tight games. That makes displays like Saturday a distinct possibility for the time being.
The future will need to be brighter and more vibrant.
(Top photo: Harriet Lander/Getty Images)
