Darren Bent slams Everton summer signings as he makes ‘stagnant’ Frank Lampard claim
Darren Bent has questioned the signings of Dwight McNeil and Neal Maupay and has suggested the pair are just “good squad players” for Everton.
Maupay started in Everton’s 4-1 League Cup defeat to Bournemouth but failed to make an impact, and McNeil came off the bench in the second half.
Bent feels the Toffees are now “stagnant” and have been bypassed by other clubs due to their summer business, with the likes of McNeil and Maupay not being prolific additions.
“I think at the moment Everton are just stagnant,” said Bent (talkSPORT, 03:25, 9 November)
“They’re not going backwards, but they’re just staying in the same place. They’re getting bypassed by teams around them who did spend a bit of money in the summer.
“The two that surprise me are Dwight McNeil, who managed one assist last season, they bought him for £17million, and Neal Maupay. I think he’s a clever footballer, but he’s not a prolific goalscorer.
“I don’t know what they were expecting by signing someone like Maupay, but I guess they’re good squad players.”
Tough times
For the first time this season, it does feel as if Lampard is coming under a little bit of pressure. He didn’t help himself after selecting a second-string team for the League Cup tie against Bournemouth. The cup should have been viewed as a good opportunity for the Toffees. A win on the South Coast is a must for the Everton boss at the weekend with the World Cup break fast approaching.
Regarding Bent’s comments, it’s important to remember the mistakes which have been made in the past at Goodison Park. Everton have overspent on underperforming players before, and there was a clear plan in place to avoid the same thing happening in the summer.
McNeil and Maupay are by no means marquee additions, but they do provide Lampard with much-needed depth to call upon when needed. Another striker is a must for the Toffees in January, with Maupay clearly not a prolific goalscorer and Dominic Calvert Lewin’s injury issues.
Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz has told the board at Ewood Park that he wants to leave in the summer, with a £10million January move potentially on the cards (90min, 8 November). Everton have been a long-time admirer of the striker, so a winter move is certainly not out of the question.