A Game of Two Halves

The Times were thoroughly unimpressed with West Ham yesterday. They say that West Ham lost "with the sort of performance reminiscent of the darkest days of last season." They also thought Ashton and Camara "were less on different wavelengths, more on different planets."

The Telegraph however actually thought that West Ham were the better side in the first half. West Ham 'missed a series of excellent chances' and 'Everton had seemed fortunate to be going into the break level' before they scored just before the break.

The Observer agreed that the game "could have been West Ham's in the first half." In fact The Observer say 'West Ham were buzzing' in the first half with "a pleasing variety to the ... approach play, their multiplicity of options leaving Everton stretched and stressed."

However in the second half the "fizz and pizzazz that had characterised their first 45 minutes evaporated."

The Mail saw the game in a similar vein, with Everton "largely outplayed by a spirited West Ham side throughout the first 45 minutes." West Ham however wasted a series of chances and in the second half Everton 'seized midfield and began to command the crucial areas of the game.'