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West Ham 2 Everton 0: Blues’ beaten yet again in capital

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 21: Conor Coady and Frank Lampard, Manager of Everton, react after the team's defeat during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton FC at London Stadium on January 21, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 21: Conor Coady and Frank Lampard, Manager of Everton, react after the team's defeat during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton FC at London Stadium on January 21, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) /
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Is that it then, are Everton going to be relegated? After another crushing loss and poor performance at the London Stadium, it looks increasingly certain they will.

Everton simply had to get something from this game today and again have failed to do so. I know it’s been said time after time, but I really don’t see how this club can recover now.

What on earth can be done to rescue this catasrophic situation? The Toffees’ are now sitting one place above bottom of the Premier League (and that only on goal difference) and face league leaders Arsenal and then Liverpool at Anfield in their next two matches.

In the meantime at least there is the relief of a two-week break in which we the supporters of this club don’t have to endure afternoon’s like this.

The brutal facts from today’s game are West Ham scored twice through Jarrad Bowen in the first half. And, although the visitors had a few half chances particularly Alex Iwobi’s, it always looked more than enough to secure the three points for the London club.

The Blues’ had a spell on top at the start of the second half but couldn’t make anything of it and in the end the hosts held on comfortably to their lead.

So, Everton have lost for the eight time in their last ten Premier League matches. Toffees’ fans haven’t seen a victory for their team since the win over Crystal Palace almost exactly three months ago.

Looking at things now it’s hard to see this side winning another game this season. It will take a radical change and improvement both on and off the pitch to turn this around.

The other aspect that is concerning is that I’m not sure there is the same willingness among fans to give unconditional support for the team that we saw at the back end of last season.

There is a resigned sense amongst supporters of the almost inevitability of decline and a slide into relegation this time round that wasnt the case last term.

And of course the immediate question is what happens to Frank Lampard?

After this afternoon’s result it’s very hard to see how he can possibly stay in his job given such a terrible run of results.

We all know that while he has certainly made mistakes, he is not ultimately responsible for this mess.

But, in the end there is nothing that can be done in the immediate term but to make a change here and hope it will deliver enough of a bounce to make some difference.

Of course, the problem is look who is going to make those decisions yet again. It’s the same owner and board who have failed year after year and have brought this once great club to such a nadir.

There is a few weeks for the club to make this decision and for the new man to try and get a few players in perhaps.

All we can hope for as fans is that if Lampard goes, somehow they get the choice of successor right and it makes enough difference to save the club from the oblivion of relegation.