Late late show is horrific for bereft bumbling Blues

Everton 1 - 3 West Ham United

Everton gave up the lead and then two shocking goals in added time to give West Ham United a thoroughly undeserved massive win at Goodison Park.

Everton made two changes as Onana and Beto came in for Gana, who failed a late fitness test with a groin injury, and Calvert-Lewin, dropped to the relatively strong bench, with Dobbin returning.

James Garner kicked things off with the Pickford hoofball straight in, Beto's arm in the face of Paquetá. Godfrey did better with a great ball down the right wing but Garner could not reach Doucoure with his pass. 

More decent right-fank passing found Beto but Harrison's cross was blocked. Everton re-treated for some unconvincing, if not downright dangerous playing out from the back that lost possession. But it was regained and taken up to Beto who shot well wide from a long way out.

Beto then did well to get off a cross that was inches away from Doucoure. Onana was next to test Areola with a deep cross. Tarkowski's deep crossfield ball was very wayward. Branthwaite had to get across and clear but West Ham found Alvarez who tested Pickford with a decent strike. 

Everton tried the fast outball down the left, which Mykolenko brought down well but he could not find a blue shirt. West Ham countered to win a corner off Harrison. It was a bit different and needed a decisive block before it was eventually cleared. 

Everton then conceded a really poor corner with a dreadful backpass, Paqeta getting in behind McNeil but crossing too deep. Everton got really sloppy in midfield and Godfrey had to concede another corner. Mavropanos ducked as he headed it off his shoulder and just wide of the far post.

But it was worrying that West Ham were now seeing far more of the ball and the blue shirts were no longer getting far beyond the half-way line. They reverted to the long ball and at least had some play upfield, a cross punched out to Mykolenko whose volley was wild, as Doucoure was called for clattering Areola. 

More advanced play ended with Onana shooting from way too far out, his effort blocked. Tarkowski got the ball through to McNeil who found Beto in tremendous space but his effort was so low on quality, Areola had no trouble falling on the ball.

But a foul saw a set-piece chance that caused some havoc in the Hammers area but no clear chance. Godfrey did a tremendous job to stall Emerson, who then needed treatment. 

Harrison tried to get the ball forward for Beto but Areola was out very quickly to intercept. McNeil's cross was deflected into the side-netting, giving Everton their first corner, delivered to a crowd at the far post and defended for a quick West Ham counter that was well stalled.

Everton stumbled forward erratically and it was Mykolenko's turn to try and shoot from well outside the area, to no avail. Wet Ha resumed their attack and that was stopped, Everton moving upfield again to win another corner. Garner's delivery evaded Areola but another defender cleared it and they tried to counter again but so far it was something of an equal stalemate. 

Branthwaite's forward pass was too easy for Kudus to intercept and it almost led to another corner, Mykolnko getting a goal-kick off Coufal. Garner blocked Kudus for a central free-kick that Pickford launched back upfield for Beto and there was an almighty shout for handball by Zouma — he clearly lifted his arm to stop the ball. What would Pawson think, looking at the monitor...???

Penalty! Everton's first of the season, with no Ca;vert-Lewin on the field. Chance for his stand-in Beto: a dreadful attempt after a long, long pause, slow, to Areola's left, and easily stopped.  His saved was reviewed by the VAR but there was nothing wrong with it. In fact, it looked even worse by Beto on replay… What an absolutely pathetic effort!

There were 4 minutes added on but they just served to intensify the feeling of maddening frustration at Everton's shockingly poor quality on the ball going forward. Thankfully, West Ham weren't much better, and thus finished another pretty dreadful half of so-called Premier League football at Goodison Park. 

Calvert-Lewin on then at half-time? Don't be silly, this is Dyche in charge and Bumbling Beto continues his comical 'cameo'. He tried to feed The ball forward but Mykolenko and McNeil contrived to let it go for a goal-kick. 

McNeil at least produced a decent shot on goal out of nothing – Areola down well to save. Everton tried a quick counter through Beto and Harrison but his cross was blocked out for a throw-in. From this, the ball came through to McNeil whose goal attempt was also blocked. 

Bowen danced in from the wing through five players and got almost to the goal before he was finally thwarted. But out of virtually nothing, Garner swung over a lovely cross that Beto,  in plenty of space and just in the right place, headed down perfectly into the bottom corner. All is forgiven! 

A much better move going forward saw Harrison pause and then pick out McNeil crashing in who somehow found Areola rather than the back of the net. That really upped the tempo, a West Ham counter thwarted by Pickford before Everton launched another attack. 

West Ham then went forward, Kudus having his shot deflected wide of the post for a corner. From which, Zouma's header flew over Garner on the far post to destroy Everton's flimsy lead. 

Everton tried to play quick-ball, McNeil shooting again really from too far out, on target but very easily saved by Areola. West Ham responded but their attack was halted. 

Everton tried to build forward attacking moves along the ground only to fail with poor passes delivered kindly to the feet of a West Ham player. Beto pulled off a tremendous looping shot that looked like it might beat Areola but he stretched back and got a hand to it.

The corner was cleared off the line from Docucoure and then McNeil shot horribly wide.  [70 - 85]

The pace of the game was still good despite the changes, but the chances just wouldn't come as 5 minutes were added on.  West Ham got forward again and a ball across to Soucek was hammered home superbly from a wide angle through four players and past a despairing dive from Pickford. 

Pickford was upset about something and got booked for hounding down Referee Pawson. 

Everton won a late corner that was taken twice by Garner with exactly the same result: cleared by the first defender. West Ham broke at pace, Bowen setting up Alverez for an easy finish to make it 3-1 for the Hammers. Quite an astounding collapse by the bereft bumbling Blues. 

Everton XI: Pickford [Y:90+3'], Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Doucoure (90+3' Chermiti), Harrison (80' Gomes), McNeil (90+3' Dobbin), Beto (74' Calvert-Lewin).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Young, Coleman. 

West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma, Emerson (90+7' Ogbonna) , Souček [Y:90+2'], Álvarez, Ward-Prowse (66' Phillips), Paquetá (80' Antonio [Y:90+3']), Kudus (90+7' Johnson), Bowen

Subs not Used:  FabiaÅ„ski, Aguerd, Cresswell, Mubama, Ings,

Attendance: 39,262

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