When West Ham came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in Chicago, it wasn’t just another pre-season friendly result. It was a snapshot of two Premier League clubs moving in dramatically different directions—one sinking fast, the other sailing toward calmer waters.
Let’s be brutally honest here: Everton aren’t just struggling, they’re drowning. And frankly, there’s one uncomfortable truth that Toffees fans need to face—their problems run much deeper than a few bad defensive performances.
The Everton Crisis: More Than Just Bad Luck
David Moyes didn’t mince words after the defeat: “We’re not ready to start the Premier League season.” Coming from a manager known for his measured approach, that’s the equivalent of screaming fire in a crowded theater.
The statistics tell a grim story. Two goals in four pre-season games, with one of those coming against fourth-tier Accrington Stanley. Let that sink in. This isn’t about defensive injuries anymore—though those certainly haven’t helped. This is about a club that has forgotten how to score goals consistently.
“I think our attacking play at the moment has been really poor,” Moyes admitted with characteristic bluntness. “I think we haven’t created enough chances.”
The math should be simple, right? Get the ball to your forwards, create chances, score goals. Except that’s not how football works when your entire system is built on hope rather than strategy. Much like a power bank that claims 10,000mAh but delivers far less due to inefficiency, Everton’s squad looks stronger on paper than it performs on the pitch.
West Ham’s Calculated Rise
Meanwhile, West Ham under Graham Potter are doing something remarkable—they’re actually learning from their mistakes. The impact of a full pre-season under Potter was evident from kick-off, with the Hammers showing a willingness to take calculated risks and play through their opponents.
“I don’t think we came back from a goal down last season,” Potter noted after the victory. “It’s not a habit you want to get into but it’s a good characteristic to have.”
That’s the kind of measured confidence that builds championship-caliber teams. West Ham’s new approach isn’t flashy—it’s surgical. They dominated possession throughout the match, and when Niclas Fullkrug came off the bench to net the winner with a placed finish from a tight angle, it felt inevitable rather than lucky.
The German striker’s impact exemplifies everything West Ham are doing right. As Potter put it: “His intensity off the bench is something unique but it’s nice to have the option with him from the start.” That’s depth. That’s planning. That’s what separates ambitious clubs from also-rans.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s talk about what really matters—squad strength and new additions. West Ham made seven changes at halftime and immediately stepped up their dominance. Seven changes! Most teams would collapse with that kind of rotation. The Hammers got better.
Everton, on the other hand, are operating with what Moyes himself called insufficient players. “I don’t have the players which I need and what I want,” he admitted. “We knew before we came [to the US] we were going to be really up against it.”
This isn’t false modesty—it’s a damning indictment of transfer policy and squad planning. When your manager publicly states he doesn’t have the players he needs just weeks before the season starts, you’re not building for success. You’re managing decline.
The Deeper Problem
Here’s the uncomfortable truth that nobody wants to say out loud: Everton’s problems aren’t just about this summer’s transfer window. They’re about a club that has consistently made poor decisions for years, creating a squad that lacks both quality and chemistry.
Remember, at one point last season Everton had the second-best chance conversion rate in the Premier League since Moyes’ return. That was never going to be sustainable because it wasn’t built on systematic improvement—it was built on individual moments of brilliance and opponent mistakes.
West Ham, conversely, are building something sustainable. Their possession-based approach under Potter, combined with smart signings like Fullkrug, suggests a club with a clear vision and the resources to execute it.
The Verdict
So are Everton drowning, or is West Ham just too good? The answer is both, and that’s what makes this comparison so revealing.
West Ham aren’t just good—they’re getting better. They’re making calculated moves, building squad depth, and playing with the kind of systematic approach that wins Premier League points consistently. Under Potter, they look like a club that knows exactly what it wants to be.
Everton, meanwhile, are fighting multiple battles simultaneously: injury crises, transfer market struggles, and most crucially, an identity crisis that goes to the very heart of what kind of football club they want to be.
With their opening-weekend trip to Leeds just 19 days away, time is running out for answers. As Moyes himself acknowledged, “We’re not ready to perform well enough.”
For Everton fans, that’s not just disappointing—it’s terrifying. Because in the unforgiving world of Premier League football, clubs that aren’t ready to compete often find themselves competing in entirely different leagues altogether.
The Premier League Summer Series continues this weekend, with both clubs looking to fine-tune their preparations. But the early signs suggest one team is preparing for success, while the other is simply hoping to survive.
