4 challenges awaiting Frank Lampard at Everton

Everton beating Brentford in the FA Cup was the ideal start to the Frank Lampard era, but the former England midfielder will be fully aware of the scale of the task facing him following defeat at Newcastle United in his first league game in charge.

The Toffees are at risk of being dragged into the relegation zone, having plummeted down the Premier League after the first few weeks of Rafa Benitez’s reign proved a false dawn. Lampard has plenty to prove after his return to Stamford Bridge was cut short and replacement Thomas Tuchel subsequently led the Blues to the Champions League title within a few short months.

Here are the main issues facing Lampard over the coming weeks and months at Everton.

 

4 challenges awaiting Frank Lampard at Everton

 

Sort the leaky defence

Benitez is primarily known as a defensive-minded coach but Everton conceded an alarming number of goals on his watch. They have one of the worst defensive records in the league. Just three clean sheets all season is a dire record considering Everton have the England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, while conceding three at Newcastle was simply unacceptable.

Injuries undoubtedly affected Benitez’s ability to select a settled back line but the Spaniard also cut off his nose to spite his own face by ostracising, then selling, talented left-back Lucas Digne.

Lampard arrives with Everton having signed two new full-backs – Nathan Patterson from Rangers and the Ukraine international Vitaliy Mykolenko – with over £30 million spent on the pair, but the centre of the defence presents a puzzle.

Michael Keane has started almost all of the Toffees’ Premier League fixtures but he lacks consistency, with Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey youthful alternatives with high potential as partners for Colombia star Yerry Mina. Lampard used a back three against Brentford and that could be the best option for Everton.

 

Use the academy

While Lampard failed overall at Chelsea, there was no doubting that the development of young stars including Reece James and Mason Mount was a feather in his cap. The good news for the new Toffees boss is that Everton’s academy also boasts plenty of talent for him to nurture.

Anthony Gordon is enjoying a breakthrough campaign and the next player off the production line could be teenage defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who recently returned to full fitness after injury.

Lewis Dobbin, a sharp 19-year-old attacker with a handful of cameo appearances in the Premier League so far this campaign, is another young player Lampard should look to push to the fore.

 

Rejuvenate new faces

As well as the two new full-backs, Everton brought in Dele Alli from Tottenham and Donny van de Beek on loan from Manchester United, though both midfielders will be lacking confidence.

Van de Beek had become a spare part at Old Trafford while Dele has seemed in need of a fresh challenge for a couple of years. Both players represent a step up in class on some of Everton’s mediocre midfield options, but it will be a challenge for Lampard to help them both to find form.

Their talent is not in doubt. Van de Beek starred in Ajax’s run to the last four of the Champions League a couple of years ago, while Dele was thought of as one of Europe’s elite young players when he hit 18 Premier League goals in the 2016-17 season.

Both players need to feel the love from Lampard but could inspire Everton to climb the league but Dele’s debut off the bench against Newcastle was underwhelming to say the least.

 

Target a trophy

Premier League survival is the first priority for Lampard but, as long as Everton can move away from the bottom three with the new manager bounce, he should value the FA Cup very highly.

Being drawn at home to Boreham Wood cannot be considered a gimme for Everton considering the impressive Luke Garrard’s tough non-league outfit have already dumped out Championship high-flyers Bournemouth during a stellar cup run. Boreham Wood have yet to concede a goal in their five FA Cup fixtures this season but, realistically, Everton should have too much for them.

Nothing can be taken for granted but, assuming the theoretical gulf in class shows on the pitch, the quarter-finals are in sight. Everton have not reached the FA Cup final for over a decade and a generation of younger fans will not remember the last time they won the competition, all the way back in 1995 when Paul Rideout scored the winner against Manchester United.

A trip to Wembley would be the ideal way to get the fans on side for Lampard at Everton.

 

---

 

You could earn up to £10 (or currency equivalent) in bonus funds by joining Colossus with our New Player Bonus. Click here to join the action.

The post 4 challenges awaiting Frank Lampard at Everton appeared first on Colossus Blog.

• Coinsmart. Europe’s Best Bitcoin and Crypto Exchange.
• Platoblockchain. Web3 Metaverse Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. FREE ACCESS.
• CryptoHawk. Altcoin Radar. Free Trial.
• Source: https://www.colossusbets.com/blog/frank-lampard-everton-challenges/