Andy Townsend: Frank Lampard needs time to get rid of Everton players who aren’t good enough
Frank Lampard needs time to replace Everton players who aren’t good enough, and suggestions he could be sacked are “utterly ridiculous” says Andy Townsend.
The Toffees boss has a record of four wins from 10 in all competitions since his January arrival, but repeated defensive collapses sees the team still just three points above the relegation zone in the Premier League, and dumped out of the FA Cup at the weekend (20 March).
Jason Cundy and Andy Goldstein on talkSPORT recently speculated that the form could see the ex-England star sacked before the end of the season, but Townsend has rubbished that idea, while suggesting Michael Keane and Mason Holgate are two of the players who need to leave.
The former Chelsea and Aston Villa player told talkSPORT: “I just don’t see the personnel they’ve got there ever being good enough to surge them up the table in a different direction.
“The question you asked about Frank that could he be sacked before the end of the season. That would be utterly ridiculous, the should not even be on the radar.
“Listen, he’s got to have some time to weed out some of the boys who are quite simply not good enough.
“I heard Danny Murphy talking and I could not agree more about Michael Keane. He just doesn’t look like he’s capable at the moment of playing with any sort of reliability whatsoever.
“Mason Holgate I don’t think is good enough to be a regular in the heart of your defence, I think he makes too many mistakes and doesn’t read the game well enough.
“Ben Godfrey is athletically very capable and is a player that could improve, the other two I just don’t think they can. I don’t think I’ve seen any improvement in them at all.”
Hospital pass
It’s starting to look like the Everton job was an impossible one when Rafael Benitez’s successor was being sourced.
Perhaps Wayne Rooney could see the writing on the wall when he refused to turn his back on his own relegation-threatened side Derby.
At least for him, a points deduction could be cited as a cause rather than simply terrible playing form.
The drop off since Carlo Ancelotti left has been shocking, and the club were only mid-table even under the Real Madrid boss.
As this dreadful season has continued heading in the wrong direction, the number of Goodison players who are definite keepers has dwindled.
Anthony Gordon, Demarai Gray, and potentially Andros Townsend have outperformed their fees and standing, although since they amount to a combined £2million or so in fees that speaks for itself.
But beyond that it appears to be a collection of underperforming big-money stars, ageing performers well past their best, and misfits who just need a new environment.
In other Everton news, the club have put one star who isn’t cutting it on an individual training programme to try to get him back to fitness.
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