David Moyes said big moments in West Ham United’s 4-0 Premier League defeat at Everton went against his team.
The Hammers started slowly at Goodison Park and fell behind to two Wayne Rooney goals – the first a rebound header after Joe Hart had conceded and then saved the Everton captain’s penalty, and the second a close-range finish at the end of a slick move down the right flank.
Moyes brought on Diafra Sakho at half-time and Aaron Cresswell hit the crossbar before the Senegal striker won a spot-kick for his side, only for Jordan Pickford to save Manuel Lanzini’s effort.
Rooney then added to West Ham’s frustration by scoring with an audacious shot from inside his own half, before Ashley Williams completed the scoring with a looping late header.
“We were much better in the second half and I don’t think we deserved the scoreline in the end,” Moyes reflected. “Ultimately, we missed a penalty kick when it was 2-0 and I thought we were the team on top in the second half.
“I thought we played well in the second half and things didn’t quite go for us. Jordan Pickford saved a penalty; Joe Hart saved Wayne’s penalty but the rebound came back unfortunately to him.
“We had a chance when we were in the box to make something from it with Michail Antonio, and from that, they went up the other end and made it 3-0. I thought the first half wasn’t good, but the second half was much better.
“We made changes which helped us, and we had to because we were poor in the first half. But I have got to say, some of our play gave us a chance. We improved greatly in the second half but we gave away poor goals, individual mistakes, which, since I’ve been here, have cost us. We have to try and eradicate that.”
We were much better in the second half and I don’t think we deserved the scoreline in the end
David Moyes
Moyes gave Rooney his Everton debut as a 16-year-old and later worked with the former England captain at Manchester United. On Wednesday, his former charge came back to haunt him in spectacular style.
“I know Wayne very well and he has the technical ability to score the goal he did for the third. He also has a striker’s awareness to get in the right places and finish chances when he gets them.”
Concentrating on his own team again, Moyes says his players simply must cut out the errors they are making if they are to start picking up positive results on a regular basis.
Next up is a trip to unbeaten leaders Manchester City on Sunday, when any lapses will likely be ruthlessly exploited by Pep Guardiola’s team.
“It’s individual mistakes which are costing us. We’re more organised at times but it didn’t show with individual defending. If you’re defenders don’t do the simple things well, we’ll be in trouble.
“I think that it’s said many times, football is a strange game; you never know. You have to improve all round on performances, which I’ve been saying since I joined. We’ve had good bits, but what I’m noticing is that we’re making individual mistakes rather than collective ones.
“Our attitude and effort was much better in the second half but we just never got going in the first half.”