David Moyes admitted West Ham United were unable to solve the puzzle set for them by Sean Dyche’s Everton following Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League defeat by the Blues.
The Irons had 64 per cent of the ball at London Stadium, but created just two shots on target, and were stunned when Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired in the only goal of the game six minutes into the second half. Either side, Dyche’s side stayed compact, got back into shape quickly and sprung forward on the counter in a manner which Moyes would likely have been proud of.
Moyes had changed things up following a Premier League loss at Aston Villa and midweek UEFA Europa League reverse at Olympiacos in Greece, bringing in Mohammed Kudus for his full top-flight debut. The Ghanaian flashed with his quickness and ability to carry the ball away from pressure, but ultimately his and his teammates’ final ball was left wanting.
It took until added-time for Jordan Pickford to make a meaningful save, from substitute Saïd Benrahma’s fierce volley, and the manager conceded his side had not done enough in possession to get the better of Dyche’s team.
They were always going to give you the ball and we’d have more of it, and I think we did, but ultimately you have to score the goals.
We’ve had games here recently when we haven’t had much of the ball but we’ve scored the goals on the counter-attack. I’m not saying that was their goal today but it was a little bit like that.
We were the ones who got done by a counter-attack, really.
I think we were probably the better team and I thought we looked the more likely to score in the second half as it went on and we looked a bigger threat.
In the first half I thought we did quite well with the ball but we didn’t really go anywhere with it.
Everton are really good at what they do.
If you look at how hard their wide players and full-backs work to stop crosses coming in and forcing us to go back and play inside regularly. That was a feature and we were aware of it.
This was a game I was worried about in many ways as Everton have been much better away from home and they’re a side who it took Liverpool 65 or 70 minutes to get the first goal against last week, so they’re not a side who are giving up goals easily.
We gave Mo a first Premier League start and we have got players for competition and I’ve got an ability to change them because we don’t have to play the same ones.
We thought it was right to give Mo the opportunity and I think he played well today.
I thought he played well individually, but I just don’t know if we got that final pass or cross or something.
I thought he always looked lively and that he could make things happen and that’s the way it is. We have to give up something and we have to find a way to get good players in the team, but because we have a few we’re able to change them.
Look, I’m disappointed because we’ve lost here as our record at London Stadium has been pretty good.
I’m disappointed because, although I knew it would be tough and really, really close today and we couldn’t do it, but we’ve got another chance to get rid of that in midweek [when we host Arsenal in the EFL Cup fourth round].
