Julen Lopetegui doesn't help his cause as flat West Ham draw blank against Everton
WEST HAM 0-0 EVERTON: West Ham looked lost without the suspended Mohammed Kudus as Everton kept Julen Lopetegui's team at bay in a dire draw at the London Stadium
by Tom Victor · The MirrorWest Ham manager Julen Lopetegui was the width of the post away from a victory which could have eased the pressure on the former Wolves boss, but had to make do with a point against Everton.
Crysencio Summerville looked to have done everything right as he burst free and fired the ball to the left of Jordan Pickford, but it bounced back off the woodwork and Everton survived. It would arguably have been more than the home side deserved, though, after a performance which lacked much of a cutting edge, and visiting keeper Pickford was equal to everything they threw his way - including a stoppage-time save as Danny Ings almost found a winner.
A home game against Sean Dyche's strugglers will have been just what the Spaniard wanted after a difficult 90 minutes at Nottingham Forest last time out. West Ham didn't look like a team in urgent need of a win, though - in fact, they didn't look in urgent need of anything until the closing stages.
There have been a handful of worse teams than West Ham and Everton over the course of the season, but neither produced the kind of display that will fill fans with confidence. Both will hope the international break offers a chance to regroup.
The Hammers were without suspended duo Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez for the visit of Everton, with Kudus' ban recently extended to five games from the original three. Niclas Fullkrug was missing, too, with the summer signing playing just 63 league minutes before picking up an achilles injury on Germany duty,
It made for a flat start from the hosts, though their opponents didn't offer much more. The closest either side came to troubling the scoresheet was a lively burst inside from the Everton left by Iliman Ndiaye, followed by a tame shot that trickled into the hands of Lukasz Fabianski.
Crysencio Summerville was the only bright spark for the hosts, making useful contributions at both ends. His block to deny Abdoulaye Doucoure was an important one, and he showed good strength to ride a couple of challenges in an effort to create something - anything - for his team.
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It wasn't until the very end of the first half that West Ham created a chance of note, but Jordan Pickford denied Jarrod Bowen. The England keeper had to be sharp to keep Michail Antonio at bay in first-half stoppage time as well, before producing a fine diving stop from Guido Rodriguez's drive after the break.
Lucas Paqueta tried to produce some magic, spraying passes around, but there was little of substance up front from the hosts. Everton were able to bring Jesper Lindstrom into the game a little more in the second half, with a wayward header from the loanee one of their better chances.
Another Lindstrm header was ably tipped over by Lukasz Fabianski, and West Ham almost took advantage when Summerville had his moment. There was time for another pair of late chances, with former Liverpool striker Ings denied by Pickford as he looked to make an impact from the bench, but it wasn't to be.
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