This weekend West Ham welcome Everton to the London Stadium, We will be hoping to return to winning ways after losing last time out against Crystal Palace. Ahead of the game I spoke to my old mate Jim Coke , occasional Guardian writer, and food blogger, who has recently moved out of London to the ‘Deep South’ of Devon, to see how he sees the season so far, and the game ahead.
Hi Jim, first off how is life down in the West Country? You must be missing the opportunity of seeing Everton when they visit the capital?
I’m loving it. It’s a contrast from that buzz of London everything just seems to chug along down here and its great just to be near the sea. As you know I won’t be at the London Stadium this weekend but plan to travel up next year for the other 4 premiership games and of course the culmination of our cup run at Wembley. In the meantime I’ve been catching up on my other love Exeter City. They are a great little club and were saved by the fans who set up the first supporters trust when they went bust. Obviously it’s a much smaller scale than West Ham or Everton but all clubs if possible should be owned by the fans it breeds loyalty and identity. City are playing West Ham u21s in that Mickey mouse cup in a couple of weeks. Any of you guys coming down will be well looked after in the centre spot where the cider flows freely. Before that its the Devon Derby against Plymouth Argyle. The acrimony between the sides borders on hate and the handbags will be out in force, but its normally a good laugh especially if Exeter have the tribal bragging rights.
It sounds terrible! Well Everton seem to have one of those starts that West Ham fans will be all too familiar with. Including losing to two of the newly promoted sides in Aston Villa and Sheffield United, this cannot be how you imagined the season would begin?
It’s been dreadful. I had high hopes at the start of the season as our early pool of games seemed very favourable but we have been so disappointing. Since Moshiri got involved we seemed to have turned into a pantomime team, spending an absolute fortune on a bunch of guys either past their best or happy to mug us off and take the lolly. I get the feeling that there is a lot of acrimony going on just by the body language with the players and the presence of Damocles sword fans above Silva’s head. We need stability but what we’re seeing week in week out is just not good enough.
When we spoke towards the back end of last season, you were still behind the manager, but what are your thoughts on Marco Silva now?
As you know my thoughts on Everton can swim like a barometer. Last season was case in point. When we dismantled you at the London stadium (thanks for paying that £50 bet btw before the teams had left the pitch) I thought we were over the ‘brow of the hill’ and things were looking up. We were playing some great football and finished in top form. However like the close season before we signed a lot but no one has appeared to step up to the plate or like Gomez, have been injured. Silva also has shown to much loyalty to the likes of Sigurdsson, who’s been bloody awful, and has failed to adapt his squad to get better results. He doesn’t look like he’s enjoying it and neither are we, especially with the run of games in the post. Subsequently unless he pulls a rabbit out of the hat his days are numbered.
Were you happy with the summer buys? Who looks to be good value after a couple of months of the season?
Same as last season they’ve flattered to deceive. Everyone went on about replacing Zouma but we didn’t and that’s cost us and the fabled search for the next Dixie goes on. Kean looks great but he’s a kid and responsibility weighs heavy but hopefully he’ll come good. We’ve seriously missed Idrisse Gaye who went to PSG and made all the difference in the midfield. I like Delph but he doesn’t show much attacking verve. Gbamin looked a handful but then got injured. Gomez is our talisman, so if he can keep fit things should improve but overall transfer policy seems to have been up in the air, disjointed and again concentrated towards midfielders which isn’t necessarily the area we need to be investing in.
You’ve certainly been one of the biggest spenders of the past few seasons, but this has not been reflected in results. Supposing ‘50 Grand Seamus Coleman’ was the best value, who of all the recent big money buys has been the biggest waste of money?
That’s what I mean we’ve been a pantomime Club – if Darth Vader was our manager, then the farce not the force would be with us! I cannot think of anyone we’ve signed in recent years besides of Idrisse who jumps out. Most of our big signings like Walcott and Tosun are just warming the bench and counting their pay packets. I was shocked when we spent over 35 million for Iwobi which had me questioning our director of football Brands. Perhaps Iwobi might be the fire fighter to fill the No 10 role but we shouldn’t be thinking maybe or what if – we should know. That’s the problem, I’m beginning to think there are too many jobsworths at the club and its lost a lot of its direction.
You must be casting envious glances across Stanley Park at the success that Jurgen Klopp is achieving, whilst spending less money?
I have my eyes Wide Shut when I look at Liverpool’s form and they’re undoubted quality. Klopp is a fantastic manager who could probably motivate any team. Our biggest achievement last season was to draw with them at Goodison which was the last points they dropped allowing City to pip them at the post. Its hardly something to be proud of and is indicative of how far we’ve dropped. I’d been saving this bottle of wine to celebrate a victory against them but me and the missus got bored waiting 8 years and drunk it. It was a cracking vintage unlike what we’re used to getting served at the school of science.
The days when Everton regularly had one of the highest attendances in the country are long gone, although I hear more rumours that you will finally be getting a new stadium, what’s the latest news on that?
I think you will find dude, despite our dreadful form in recent years we can still call upon a dedicated and resilient fan base. Goodison sells out every other week and is still iconic as it was in 1948 when 78,299 crammed in for the derby. Sadly the old lady’s days appear numbered, but you wouldn’t put your mortgage on Everton moving to the Bramley Moore dock as proposed. Dan Weis the US architect has come up with a brilliant design which will help regenerate the whole of North Liverpool and give us the ideal platform to build on, but until there are bricks and mortar in place nothing is guaranteed.
I must say Jim, that the experience for the away fan is not so good: stuck on that bottom tier you can hardly see when the ball is going up our or your right wing.
I’ve only been in there once. My mate who’s an Evertonian was given 2 tickets for the derby when Gary McAllister scored that injury time free kick. He wouldn’t swap the tickets and wè had to watch in the spot you are on about. It was an experience I’ll tell you that! The worst thing was I couldn’t get out at the end and had to endure a full rendition of YNWA in my Everton shirt. I still wake up screaming about it all these years later so don’t take me back there.
Anyway despite your poor start it is still very early in the season: where will Everton finally finish in your opinion?
Well it’s going to get worse before it gets better even if we manage to beat you. Besides of Man City we have got to play everyone else in the top 6 including Leicester by the end of December. On saying that if we can raise our game then we can be a handful for anyone but improvement is imperative otherwise we could quite easily be in a relegation dogfight with the likes of Southampton and Watford – 11th.
Where do you think West Ham can finish?
West Ham’s form is up and down but it’s a definite improvement on last season. I like the look of Haller and Yamerlenko is quality – I just hope he leaves his shooting boots at home on Saturday unlike last season. Pellegrini feels like the right fit and should only get better. I saw him in Exeter recently and asked him if he was taking over at the helm of the Grecians. He shook his head, laughed at me and sauntered off – so you should be fine. Happy to wager our nominal £50 if you dare – 8th.
Going against recent history West Ham twice beat Everton t your gaff last season, are you confident you will be able to reverse the result this weekend, predictions for score?
Outside of last season when you took the spoils your form at Goodison is poor. I can’t see Everton losing 5 on the bounce especially when the air raid siren turns the ground into a rabid bear pit. On saying that though we cannot defend set pieces, look jittery at the back, can’t score and have a dysfunctional midfield -so what could possibly go wrong? 2-2 Kean to open his account.*
Do Everton have any injury doubts? How will Everton line up against us this time out? Team/formation?
Coleman is suspended, Gbamin and Delph are out, but Gomez should be back. Silva needs to mix it up and be ruthless as otherwise he could be getting presented with his P45 on the pitch at 5pm
Pickford – Digne – Sidibe – Mina – Keane – Davies – Gomez – Bernard – Richarlison – Kean – Calvert Lewin
4-4-2
Well many thanks to Jim for his time. I would probably be happy with a 2 – 2 draw, but think we can just get the better of them. An early goal would unsettle the crowd, so hoping for the first goal I will go 1 – 2 West Ham. I myself am flying to Croatia for a week on Saturday, so will find out the result on landing. Let’s hope it’s a good one. COYI!