West Ham 2 - 0 Everton

As the song goes, there has to be a little rain sometimes. I just wish it wouldn't be all of the time or as frequent as it is right now.

An early start to get the dogs out and full of my usual foolish optimism. Early train into London with my son and his girlfriend to meet one of my best friends who I introduced to Everton over 30 years ago. The poor unsuspecting Warwick lad; he's even passed this burden onto his kids. What have I done to them? My brother joined us too.

A couple of drinks near King's Cross and off we went from St Pancras on the fast train to Stratford International. They were cynical and predicting a loss. I was full of it. We can win this and I looked at them with a confused expression. They returned the compliment.

I eventually got into the ground after what felt like about 17 security checks. If anything, it was causing congestion and frustration rather than providing security. Even at half-time, you had to show your ticket to get back to your seat, although quite a few walked straight past the army of stewards and ignored them. How did they think I'd gotten in the ground in the first place? Police State at the London Stadium.

Some time in the second half, several Police Officers marched up the stairs. I hoped there wasn't going to be a repeat of the scenes at Old Trafford. I don't think there was. The stewards also antagonised a few young supporters near me by removing their banner. They cited it was obstructing the view of other supporters.

For those familiar with the London Stadium, they were on a front row in one of those areas in the stadium that has nothing in front of them. Don't these people realise that supporters get passionate about football and you can make a situation worse by unnecessarily intervening? God forbid if they tried removing banners from the Kop.

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A lengthy and unnecessarily coordinated march back to the station. I don't know how much West Ham spend on stewards and policing but it must put our outlay in the shadows and we never have issues at Goodison. Just let people make their own way home. We are all adults and know our Green Cross Code.

It took what felt like an eternity to get back to Stratford station via numerous diversions and crowd control measures on the streets. Even the natives were getting irritable. I'm fairly knowledgeable with the area and we must have covered half of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Westfields before finally getting to the station, which should be a 10-minute walk from the away end.

On the match. I know it's difficult on the back of a damaging defeat, but I'll give it a brief go from what I saw.

Well, in honesty, I thought we looked the better team and controlled possession for long parts. West Ham are not a good team and I think they will still be in the mix. The simple difference was they took their chances. As has been well documented, we lack options up front and have little, if any, attacking threat. Possession is irrelevant if you don't create or take your chances.

Too many of our players seemed afraid of the football and scared to shoot when chances presented themselves. And despite what some may say, there were chances if we'd have had players with the confidence to take them. But no-one took responsibility or had the bottle to give it a go. So they won't statically go down as chances. They preferred to pass it rather than take the opportunity. "Pass the buck" as the saying goes.

It's often hard to pick positives on days like that, but I thought Onana had a good game; probably our Man of the Match. Iwobi tried, but to my point, when they look up, there are few options in front of them, so it's almost like a forlorn hope. Pickford looks increasingly frustrated. Mykolenko had an off-day. I think Tarkowski was at fault for one of the goals.

The tactics again were questionable. The amount of breath-stopping moments I had – particularly in the second half as we continued to insist on playing dangerous passes across our defence and putting Pickford under pressure – had me looking to the heavens.

One thing that struck me is that the amazing travelling thousands couldn't really get up for it and were unusually subdued. Amongst a very flat home support, there was very little to enthuse us. That is worrying. It makes me think how much damage the club have done in alienating the very supporters that are the lifeblood of this club with their communication this past week.

It looks to me like the players and supporters are now feeling that. Divide and rule, as I said on another thread. Won't show their faces at our home, yet turn up in London for a day out.

I read that several supporters told the manager before the match that it wasn't about him and they support him. That we are here for the team. Some may be calling for another managerial change and that is understandable. You live by your results or fall on your sword.

But the manager has to deal with what he has been given. Sacking another manager, although overtly justified right now, would be yet another deflection tactic from the root cause of what is wrong at Everton.

I haven't even read what Graeme Sharp has apparently said, but my more moderate son tells me it is not good. I decided to leave it because I was already too upset. If he's not careful, he is going to taint his legacy of being an Everton legend. Do the honourable thing and distance yourself from this shambles. Retain your dignity and then come back.

A young kid stood there at the end sticking 2 fingers up towards the players. Couldn't have been more than 6 years old. I asked his dad if I could shake his hand. Leon was his name. I shook his hand and told him this was his club, not theirs. He gave me a smile and we headed out.

The players were very gingerly in coming over to the supporters. Coady eventually led the march but not many joined him and they didn't come too close. From where I was sat, this got a bad reaction.

I know I've bored everyone with my Schalke talk but – win, lose or draw – the team always stand in front of the Nordkurve together. Don't we quote "All Together Now"? I think the Liverpool vernacular and term is "Shithouses" was appropriate. Coleman took it upon himself to walk on and come over. He got a decent reception.

I lost the gang but eventually managed to navigate my way back to the station and got back into London to meet up with them at King's Cross. Some good engagement with a few West Ham fans on the train to St Pancras. Apparently they don't like Moyes and want him gone.

Food before heading home to watch the Eubank-Smith fight.

Still only 3 points from 14th. A long and disappointing day, but we are not done yet, despite the strange looks I get from my family and friends.

Arsenal next. The win has to happen at some point and Everton have a habit of doing the unexpected rather than the expected. On we go.

Great to meet my mate of 34 years and good to see John during and meet Neil after the match. A shame I didn't catch Rob.


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