Joe Ellis

Fri 4 March 2022 11:40, UK

While Everton may have advanced to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Thursday, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Toffees.

With the score 0-0 at half-time against non-league Boreham Wood, Frank Lampard opted to make a change for the second half which saw January signing Nathan Patterson hauled off.

The change worked as Salomon Rondon bagged both goals in a 2-0 win for the home side but it could spell disaster for the young Scot at Goodison Park.

Patterson was signed from Rangers very early in the winter transfer window while Rafael Benitez was still in charge but Thursday was his first taste of English football having only made the bench previously.

The cup tie was his chance to prove he can make an impact right now on Merseyside but he failed to live up to Lampard’s expectations and the resurgence of Jonjoe Kenny has compounded his problems.

The 20-year-old needs game time desperately but he has been left to just train for the majority of his time at Finch Farm so far and it is having a horrible effect on his progression.

The problem for Lampard now is that he can’t get him game time until next season now as the loan window is closed for clubs in England where he would have a beneficial time.

He could, in theory, go down into non-league for the rest of the season but he is probably too good to play that low in the pyramid and it would simply be a waste of his time.

Now he is stuck in a waiting game which will seem like forever as the summer transfer window creeps into view where he can get away from Goodison Park on loan and revitalise his career.

Thankfully, he has plenty of time on his side but he has to use that by playing and even the odd Under-23 game won’t satisfy his needs.

In other Everton news, Lampard has been raving about one of his players after the FA Cup win against Boreham Wood.