IT’S THEO GRAND
Walcott takes plaudits as Everton find their rhythm
THEO WALCOTT was knocked unconscious in his last game, so walking off the pitch fully alert to bask in a standing ovation from Evertonians must have been particularly pleasing for the one-time boy wonder.
Manager Marco Silva, under so much pressure before these three fully deserved points, must hope the winger’s quick turnaround in fortunes will now lead to a general longer-term revival at Goodison.
West Ham were awful. Even so, Silva would have been heartened by the intensity his team played with. After four straight defeats and starting the day in the relegation zone, it was a must-win for the manager, and the players put in a huge shift for him.
Nobody more than Walcott, one of the surprise inclusions having been taken to hospital three weeks ago after being struck on the back of the head by a Raheem Sterling cross at close range.
He set the tone with a sharp turn and shot that showed Everton would be on the front foot. He set up the opening goal for Bernard after 17 minutes and exploited the absence of West Ham’s regular left-back Aaron Cresswell by tormenting his replacement, Arthur Masuaku.
Walcott was then able to sit back and watch the final few minutes in the dug-out having done his job and saw substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson clinch the points late on with a hammer drive from 22 yards.
The former Arsenal man — who went to the 2006 World Cup at 17 — is now 30 and this was only his second league start of the season. But Silva insisted: ‘Theo is a really important player for me and for us. He showed me during the week he was ready to play and I gave him a chance because he deserved it.
‘We had a plan to find space either side of Declan Rice and Theo was key. It was a tough moment for him when he got that injury against City in the first minute. His was an individual performance of the highest level along with others.’
Reacting to speculation about his own future, Silva said: ‘Pressure is a privilege. I told the players to express themselves. It is important but just a football match, not the end of the world.’
The winning margin should have been greater, with Richarlison and Walcott hitting the woodwork and Hammers goalkeeper Roberto making some inspired saves, most notably from Tom Davies five yards out, and a deflection off his own defender Issa Diop.
‘We had so many chances,’ said Walcott. ‘It showed how good we can be going forwards. We know the quality — the sense of urgency was what we needed.’
Silva gambled with his line-up. Davies, with just 20 minutes of league action this season, was in with Walcott. So too Andre Gomes, back for his first start following a rib injury. Sigurdsson had to drop to the bench while skipper Seamus Coleman was suspended.
From the first whistle, Everton were at it, with Walcott showing an awareness in his passing besides his rapid pace. After eight minutes, Bernard’s corner found Davies unmarked at the far post. He should have buried the chance but amazingly Roberto was able to follow the flight of the ball from such close range and clawed it away.
It didn’t matter. Everton took the lead after 17 minutes with a brilliant bit of improvisation from Bernard. Racing on to Walcott’s clever pass, he initially seemed to have spurned the opportunity by turning away from goal. But he turned again, wriggled past Masuaku and then flicked his finish past Roberto from an acute angle.
Everton went for the second goal. Richarlison hit the outside of the post while Alex Iwobi and Walcott both tested Roberto from distance — the Hammers goalkeeper safely holding on to each effort.
West Ham improved after the break, but only marginally.
Still Everton made and wasted chances. Bernard was close with a free- kick, Walcott’s thunderous half-volley cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and Alex Iwobi couldn’t beat Roberto one-on-one.
Cue Sigurdsson to come on and, in injury-time, he shimmied on the edge of the box and rifled a classy finish into the top corner.