Fan blogger Joe Difford looks back at Saturday's draw against Everton...
West Ham don’t tend to have much luck against Everton, only winning one of the previous 17 before Saturday’s game, that being the famous FA Cup penalty shootout earlier this year.
Regardless of form, players picked, or manager at the helm, Everton seem to rise to the occasion and make it difficult for us to take anything from the game. Saturday’s encounter again finished with less than three points for the Hammers, but a draw was probably the fair result.
Unfortunately, John Stones must have done his homework on Andy Carroll, as he kept the number 9 quiet all afternoon, forcing Victor Moses, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet to create chances.
Payet drifted beautifully past countless men in the first half, before pulling the ball back for Moses to smash inches wide of the post.
Ross Barkley came close with two free kicks, but Adrian watched them float narrowly over the bar.
The game was a fast-paced, exciting affair from the start, but it really sprung into life when the ball fell to Manuel Lanzini, who expertly curled the ball into the top corner of the goal from the edge of the box.
There has been a lot of talk about whether we should sign Lanzini on a permanent deal, and going on what we’ve seen so far, that is a no brainer, as he could be a key man for the club in the next few years.
Unfortunately, as he always tends to do, Romelu Lukaku levelled the scoring just before half time, making it seven goals in seven games against West Ham for him.
Gerard Deulofeu played a wonderful through ball and although replays show the Belgian striker was ever-so-slightly offside, he did well to round Adrian and slot home.
The second half was made that much harder after our star man, Payet, was forced off injured following a horror challenge from James McCarthy.
The Toffees’ midfielder took the Frenchman out with a scissor-like foul, and was lucky to remain on the pitch, as the tricky number 27 limped off.
Enner Valencia was the second casualty, having to be stretchered off, but this time the challenge was fair and he just caught his foot in an unfortunate angle.
In the end, the draw was probably a fair result and the international break will give Slaven and the players time to regroup and consolidate ahead of the highly anticipated London derby with Tottenham later this month.
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The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United