Thursday, October 1

Concentrating on the league

Everton 4 West Ham 1 (Carabao Cup)

Cup Final Breakfast at Nigel's gaff has been postponed — again. This was always going to be a difficult tie with only Rice, Balbuena and Cresswell retained from Sunday's side. 

Everton's opener was disappointing as it came from a simple ball over the top with Rice allowing Calvert-Lewin to get the wrong side of him. West Ham's first half efforts amounted to a long shot from Anderson and a Lanzini backheader that flicked wide.

The Hammers made a great start to the second half with Anderson playing the ball back to Snodgrass who sent a great shot into the far corner. After that Everton hit the post and then Richarlison scored with the aid of a rather lucky deflection off Rice's back. At 2-1 down Haller was unfortunate not to equalise with a skilful overhead kick from Yarmolenko's cross. 

It then got much worse as Iwobi hit the post and Calvert-Lewin reacted quicker than our defence to tap home. Then the Everton striker scored his hat-trick after a fine through ball from James and more poor defending.

Got to hope that Leicester will be a different game, with Fabianski, Masuaku, Ogbonna, Soucek, Bowen and Antonio all set to return. At least there seems to have been some progress on the transfer front with Czech right-back Vladimir Coufal having a medical and a £13m offer in for Club Brugges' Hans Vanaken. 

Going out of the League Cup is a blow, but the competition has been devalued by playing so many games so quickly, making it effectively a tournament for squad players. Just a shame Everton didn't rest Calvert-Lewin.

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