West Ham and Everton have much in common. In the boardrooms of the London Stadium and Goodison Park, they dream of a Premier League where their clubs are part of the elite. At the moment they have more ambition than expectation.
Before the season, these teams imagined themselves on the tailcoats of the big six. They have similar pretensions about playing entertaining football. On Wednesday West Ham travel north with both sides stuck in the bottom six. Relegation is a very real fear.
It is ironic that David Moyes is back at Goodison for such an important game so early in his new job. The West Ham manager spent 11 years on Merseyside and made his reputation with Everton.
But the stable place that Moyes knew is unrecognisable from the chaotic mess it has become. The club who style themselves as ‘the School of Science’ could well end up with Sam Allardyce in charge. They will be both amused and sympathetic in the East End if that happens.
Everton offer Moyes the perfect opportunity to grab some desperately needed points. A victory on Wednesday is vital as December starts with a nightmare run of three games for West Ham. It is hard to see them picking up points away to Manchester City or when they host Chelsea and Arsenal.
The Scot’s appointment at the London Stadium may have been underwhelming for many fans, but Moyes has had an opportunity to work with the squad and stop the bleeding. Everton, more than a month after sacking Ronald Koeman, are still dithering. It gives the Hammers an advantage.
Everton’s 4-1 defeat by Southampton was shambolic. Teams in such disarray need to act fast. Any plan is better than none. The Toffees had a vague wish-list of potential managers, topped by Marco Silva, but nothing concrete in place when they dispensed with Koeman. The Dutchman was sacked two weeks before Slaven Bilic. The inaction at Goodison is stunning.
Engaging Moyes until the end of the season was not ideal for West Ham, but they have put their future in the hands of a man with proven ability. Everton have let the untested David Unsworth stumble from game to game in the vague hope he will find a magic touch.
There were some indications during the second half of the 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Friday that Moyes has put the brakes on the team’s backward motion.
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West Ham played with more energy than they have displayed for some time. They increased their tempo going forward and energised the crowd. The Scot was animated in the technical area, shouting himself hoarse, and there were burgeoning signs of organisation on the pitch.
Massive improvement is needed if the Hammers are to climb the table. They are particularly slack when the opposition have possession. In a division where pressing has become such a feature of the game, Moyes’s team stand off opponents, giving them time on the ball to make decisions and passes at their leisure. Their lack of pressure on ball-carriers leaves them vulnerable. It is a problem that needs addressing quickly.
Everton lack the pace to exploit this weakness. They are ponderous from front to back and the defence is the worst in the division. So far they have conceded 28 goals.
Scoring is a problem, too. They never replaced Romelu Lukaku after he left for Manchester United. West Ham’s strikers may be injury-prone, inconsistent and infuriating, but at least Moyes has options up front.
Goodison is the scene of some of the Scot’s finest moments. It could be the place where his short West Ham career has its defining moment. The fight shown by the team in the second half against Leicester showed a sense of purpose that was lacking in the waning days of Bilic. Moyes has to find a way to maintain that momentum.
For now, the clubs share a characteristic that neither wants. They look like relegation material. Moyes needs to show that the teams are heading in opposite directions.
Everton are one of the worst teams in the Premier League and are displaying no signs of getting better. Wednesday provides West Ham with a chance to pick up points that they have to take.
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