By Joe Ellis

5th Sep, 2022 | 5:10pm

Everton: Richard Keys gives 'growing' Frank Lampard verdict

The first nine months of being Everton manager have not been smooth sailing for Frank Lampard but things are getting calmer.

He just about managed to see them to safety last season after a late surge in the closing handful of matches and after an initially slow start to the transfer window, plenty of new additions were eventually made.

They have all started to blend into the current crop of players and with every game, the Toffees look stronger and stronger and it won’t be long before victory occurs.

Richard Keys has been equally impressed with the way the boss has turned his fortunes around at Goodison Park and no longer sees him as a manager under pressure to get the sack this early on in the season.

While discussing a number of potential early-season managerial candidates for his blog, Keys said: “Frank Lampard is growing into his job at Everton,” before declaring that Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers is the one most in danger.

Project

It was a huge gamble to put faith in Lampard last season when the club was in such a precarious position both financially and in the Premier League but that is starting to pay off.

He did enough to keep Everton up last season and now he is starting to put a squad together that can take on anybody in the division on their day.

That would have been almost unthinkable back in February when relegation to the Championship looked the most likely outcome for the Toffees but the project is clear for all to see.

There is a nice blend of youth and experience around Finch Farm now that is beginning to blend together on the pitch and you could see in the Merseyside derby against a strong Liverpool that it was coming together.

Now that transfers can be put to one side until January, Lampard can really get stuck into his side and work out the final few things that could make Everton a real force when they gather momentum.