There are more questions than answers when it comes to the fates of West Ham and England says Mickey Ambrose

West Ham v David Moyes, now with Everton, was billed as the BIG REUNION with Hammer’s new boss Graham Potter out to spoil the party for West Ham’s former manager.

Everton have been rejuvenated under Moyes, but West Ham more so under Potter who I rate as a very good manager, although both clubs are currently at the wrong end of the table, 15th and 16th.

It was Everton’s Carlos Alcaraz who could have written the script with a great opportunity to make the game safe for the Toffees in the 92nd minute. But he spurned the chance wide in a game that we were all waiting for. And with chances galore at both ends it didn’t disappoint.

West Ham United produced a very much improved performance with Thomas Soucek putting them in the lead in the 67th minute to silence the Everton faithful. And David Moyes must have been very thankful to Jake O’Brien for rescuing a point against his former club.

Moyes’ reunion against the side he left in the summer and where he enjoyed distinguished success such as winning the 2023 Europa Conference League looked to be heading for disappointment until O’Brien struck.

With time running out, the Republic of Ireland defender converted from close range following Idrissa Gueye’s excellent cutback into the six-yard box.

“Brilliant character, deserved in the end,” Moyes told BBC Match of the Day. “We did quite well in the first half but didn’t create enough chances. In the second half West Ham started better. We made a few changes, the boys came on and made a difference. We got our reward.”

West Ham had offered more of a goal threat though during the contest and Jordan Pickford made two stunning reaction saves to keep out Jarrad Branthwaite’s inadvertent header which was flying towards his own net, before tipping over Jarrod Bowen’s sweetly struck shot from 25 yards.

The Toffees thought they had a chance to open the scoring on the stroke of half-time when referee Darren Bond pointed to the penalty spot for an apparent foul on Beto, but after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor he reversed his decision.

Everton battled on and O’Brien had the final say to spark a cacophony of noise from the home supporters and extend his side’s unbeaten run to nine games. And what of West Ham? Well there does seem to be more desire, but we have to wait and see how the rest of the season pans out for the Hammers.

Certainly, Graham Potter, who worked wonders at Brighton, will have to really sit down with the owners in the summer to get the right players in.

Now moving on to the national stage, the new England Manager Thomas Tuchel gave an honest and brutal appraisal of England’s Euro 2024 shortcomings under Sir Gareth Southgate in his first pre – match press conference saying the Three Lions had “played to not lose” as they stuttered past a number of smaller nations on their way to the final.

Maybe Thomas, but we got to the final for the second time and I don’t think you should start picking holes in Sir Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland, his assistant, when your debut performance against Albania, ranked 66 in the FIFA World ranking, was no masterclass in exciting, attacking football. Yes, we scored two goals, but the lack of inspirational football was all too evident.

Thomas I suggest you let England’s performances do the talking on the pitch because you have not achieved anything yet.

Of course, you were amazing at my old club Chelsea so show us what you are made of and only when you do better than Southgate and Holland’s legacy can you talk them down.

After the game, Tuchel admitted, ” We lacked a bit of runs off the ball, not enough passing and dribbling. Not enough driving with the ball. Not aggressive enough towards the goal. “Individually, we can have more impact from wingers,”

Hold on. I’m pretty shocked by this, aren’t experienced professionals playing in the biggest leagues in the world not instinctively just doing this anyway?

Tuchel, just like West Ham, will soon realise that the record books do not lie. Will Tuchel’s England win a major tournament for the first time since 1966? Will West Ham avoid relegation? And, while we’re on the subject of football futures, when will we finally get to know who the Chair of the much-hyped Independent Football Regulator will be?

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