Stan Collymore: Seamus Coleman is the only definite leader in ‘feckless’ Everton squad
Seamus Coleman is the only definite leader in a “feckless” Everton squad, and even he is past his best says Stan Collymore.
The former England striker is worried for the Toffees’ future because Frank Lampard looks like he doesn’t have the answers due to a lack of experience in relegation battles, and the club is devoid of leadership on the pitch.
Defeat at home to Wolves in what was billed as the first of two must-win home games has left the club’s survival hopes hanging by a thread, as they have games in hand on those around them but are in appalling form and face a brutal set of remaining fixtures.
In his Mirror column Collymore writes: “Everton are starting to really worry me now — they are feckless, they lack bottle and, in Frank Lampard… I see a man who isn’t down so much as someone who simply doesn’t have the answers.
“Is Seamus Coleman a leader? Definitely. Jordan Pickford? Maybe.
“But beyond those two I’m struggling and, let’s be honest, one of the two I’ve identified is past his peak and the other has a rick in him at any given moment.”
Although he doesn’t believe the manager looks capable of leading the team to safety he still doesn’t think he should be replaced.
He added: “Despite Lampard’s lack of experience, any board member who wants him out and Sam Allardyce in is barking up the wrong tree.
“Having been given the job just a few weeks ago, he deserves the right to to see it through, because getting rid of a promising young manager for Allardyce now would be nothing more than panic stations.”
Damning assessment
It is the sad truth about this Everton squad right now that there does not appear to be an abundance of leadership.
Senior players like Coleman and Michael Keane are some of those being the most ruthlessly exposed currently.
Goalkeeper Pickford is a strong character but he made an error to concede a goal at Tottenham as well.
The big names in attack seem to have completely lost their scoring touch, so it is hard to see who is leading by example, outside of perhaps youngster Anthony Gordon.
And for all that Lampard is a good talker and appears to have the right messages in press conferences, he doesn’t seem to be able to impress it onto the players in a way that will affect their play.
His history as Chelsea boss doesn’t inspire optimism either as when his team’s form started to slide he was unable to turn things around and was ultimately sacked.
And he would be far from the first top level player who simply cannot get the best out of players who are not of the same standard.
It only takes an ugly, fortuitous or undeserved win or two to change the outlook significantly at the bottom of the table, but on current form that feels like wishful thinking.
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