Season 2021-22 Opinion Talking Points

Lampard Entering Uncharted Waters With Toffees

A former player used to lifting Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies, Frank Lampard is learning what it means to be battling for survival at the bottom end of the table.

Lampard’s previous roles with Derby County and Chelsea will have done little to prepare him for the battle to come but keeping a cool head and trusting his process will be key if Everton are to avoid an unthinkable drop down to the Championship.

Spurs Shocker Highlights Shortcomings

If Lampard’s squad didn't know it previously, then their 5-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur will have been a wake-up call to the serious threat to their Premier League status. Everton, who are 3/1 in the sports betting to be relegated this season, found themselves 3-0 down at the break against a Spurs side that had been struggling with inconsistency. Tottenham went into the game on the back of crashing out of the FA Cup at the hands of Championship side Middlesbrough, but they responded well with a dominant display over the Toffees. Spurs will have been the favourites in the betting tips before the game, but it was the manner of the defeat that will have been most troubling to the Everton faithful.

Lampard will have been tasked with learning from that defeat and putting it in the past as quickly as possible. The days are tough when nothing seems to go right, and a manager is looking to draw any positives from a heavy defeat. But fans will be hoping there were some lessons learnt and that the leaky defence can be tightened up leading into what could be a nervy end to the season.

Lampard Must Adapt to New Challenge

As mentioned, Lampard’s playing career was largely concerned with the top end of the table and winning countless trophies during his successful spell at Chelsea. Lampard had a small taste of what it’s like to battle the drop during his last season with West Ham, but that was all the way back in the 2000-01 campaign. Managerial spells with promotion-chasing Derby in the Championship and back at Chelsea won’t have prepared him for the challenge to come at Goodison Park.

Wins are the only thing that will lift the mood at the club and Lampard will take some comfort that there is still time to not only avoid relegation, but to pull well clear before the season is through. Getting wins on the board quickly will be the key, while hoping for the likes of Norwich City, Watford and Burnley to stall in putting some much-needed form together. Lampard certainly has the tools at his disposal to get the club out of trouble, especially after the backing he received in the January transfer market. Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli are still adapting to life at Everton, while star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is getting back up to speed after his lengthy injury lay-off.

Cool heads are what’s needed in this situation and, if Lampard turns things around, it will arguably be considered his biggest achievement in management to date.

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