Hurzeler: We had the chances to win

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Head coach reflects on a 2-0 loss to Everton on Sunday.

Bruce Talbot

2025-08-24T16:30+01:00

Fabian Hurzeler was left to reflect on a frustrating result against Everton. 📷 James Boardman.

Fabian Hurzeler reckoned Albion had enough opportunities to have left the Hill Dickinson Stadium with something.

Instead, goals from iman Ndiaye and James Garner sealed Everton a 2-0 win in the first game in their new home with Albion's disappointing afternoon in front of goal summed up when Danny Welbeck's second-half penalty was saved by Jordan Pickford.

Hurzeler said, "Overall we were the better team, but football is about scoring goals and keeping clean sheets. In the final action, the small details, we weren’t at our highest level.

“We created so many big chances. We started well, Everton scored out of nowhere and then we hit the post and had a big chance before half-time. If we score the dynamic of the game is completely different but the result doesn’t lie. Scoring and defending our own goal – we have to do that better.

“[The missed chances] wasn’t down to not having early season sharpness. We had similar situations in the last game against Fulham. We have to work on being more ruthless. It’s not always about creating chances, it’s about the mindset of defending together and in some moments we didn’t do it well enough – from re-starts and throw-ins, we weren’t alive in these moments. These are things we have to focus on fixing quickly, which we can do."

The head coach confirmed Georginio Rutter wasn't involved because of a small issue sustained in training on Saturday and Carlos Baleba was withdrawn for tactical reasons at the break.