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Conor Coady means Everton will play three at the back this season - Martin Keown
Martin Keown believes that the signing of Conor Coady means that Frank Lampard is keen for Everton to play a back three this season.
The 29-year-old joined the Toffees on an initial loan deal from Premier League rivals Wolves with an option to make it permanent next summer.
Keown, in a column for Mail+, suggested that Coady has the ability to command his troops in the back three.
“Lampard’s long-term vision may be a back four,” he wrote. “But the loan signing of Conor Coady – a back three specialist – tells us his approach for this season.
“Coady missed only three league games in the last five years for Wolves and his arrival is timely with Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina’s injuries.
“He can command the defence and use his long passes to feed the forwards directly from his central position, with James Tarkowski on one side and Mason Holgate on the other.”
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Everton had a horrible campaign last time around and the primary reason was the problems at the back. It is because of this reason that manager Lampard has put his focus entirely on making his defensive line solid and have already signed five players, three of whom are defenders.
One of them is Coady and undoubtedly his arrival will be a big boost for the Toffees as he is a real leader at the back.
He alongside Tarkowski and Holgate can form a more than decent back three for the Merseyside club to keep their place in the Premier League for another season.
Coady arrived at Goodison Park after spending seven successful seasons with Wolves following his move from Huddersfield in the summer of 2015.
He represented his previous club in 317 matches across all competitions where he managed to score seven times and provided a similar amount of assists as well [Transfermarkt].