In a thrilling night at Goodison Park, with Sam Allardyce watching, Everton thrashed David Moyes’ West Ham United 4-0. What did we learn?
1. Rooney The Regista
When everyone looked at the Everton team-sheet, they assumed it was a 4-2-3-1 with Wayne Rooney in the hole. But actually it functioned slightly differently, as it was Rooney who played deep next to Idrissa Gueye.
Tom Davies ran forward, Gylfi Sigurdsson slipped inward, but Rooney dropped deep and was the man pulling the strings. Rooney was absolutely resplendent in this role, thriving in the extra space afforded him.
This bodes incredibly well for Sam Allardyce’s tenure in charge, as Rooney’s performance was amazing. Leaving aside his goals (which were superb, but not something to rely on) he was as good as he has been for ages. Making tackles and passing well.
With Idrissa Gueye as his defensive shield, Rooney the regista could be the midfield playmaker that Sam Allardyce needs to turn Everton around.
2. Moyes will relegate West Ham if they let him
West Ham were rancid against Everton. As good as the Toffees were, and sure they were great, the Hammers were hideous. Their shape and system wasn’t cohesive, the personnel decisions were baffling – why was Arnautovic in right-wing? Why didn’t Diafra Sakho start up-front? – there was nothing good about the display.
And alright, if Manuel Lanzini scores that penalty or if Joe Hart doesn’t make a colossal plonker of himself then the game may have proceeded differently, but that’s the problem with David Moyes.
So often his players make individual errors that cost his team, and he can then blame those players. But it’s always his players, isn’t it? And they make so many mistakes, don’t they? The common denominator is Moyes.
Moyes was a shocking appointment as manager of West Ham and if they let him manage the rest of the season there’s no doubt he will relegate them. Yes, he only just got the job, but they have to sack him before the January transfer window and get in someone who isn’t a disaster.
3. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be a great striker for Big Sam
Buried under Rooney’s excellence and Pickford’s penalty stop was a really good performance from Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a striker. The youngster has often been used as a winger this season, but today was given the starting no. 9 role and he played it superbly.
Calvert-Lewin won the penalty for the first goal, and hassled the West Ham defence into making a mistake for the third goal. Beyond that he was constantly pushing up on the Hammers’ back-line, driving Everton forward.
Moreover he was a monster in the air, winning 8/14 aerial duels. That was a key feature of his performance and given Sam Allardyce’s love of long-ball football it bodes very well that Calvert-Lewin put in this kind of all-action Kevin Davies-with-speed performance.
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