Sky Sports pundit blames Everton fans for unnecessary pressure on Frank Lampard after what happened
Tim Sherwood has blasted Everton fans for booing Frank Lampard and putting his job under unnecessary pressure after they were eliminated from the Carabao Cup.
The Toffees were battered 4-1 at the Vitality Stadium by Bournemouth (8 November) after Lampard controversially made 11 changes to his starting lineup for the game.
The boss and the team were booed in the second half for their performance, with the fans leaving early and the players apologising after the game, but Sherwood says the fans’ boos have now put the boss under pressure while appearing live on Sky Sports News (8 November).
“Well it would have put him under pressure, unnecessary pressure really,” he said.
“Like I say, he has to go to Bournemouth at the weekend now and win. It’s as simple as that. But I don’t think a club like Everton should be prioritising staying in the Premier League, I really don’t.
“They should have a good cup run, give the fans something to cheer about.”
Deserved
Frank Lampard has done excellent things since coming into the job nine months ago, but that doesn’t mean he is exempt from criticism.
The boos weren’t directly aimed at Lampard or any individual, but they were certainly aimed at everyone involved to voice the disgruntlement and anger at the performance on the night.
Making 11 changes was simply unnecessary, whether or not you’re prioritising the Premier League, but the team should still have been strong enough to at the very least compete if not win the game and progress to the next round.
Lampard has to take the brunt of the criticism for that on the chin because it was his team selection and his tactics that ultimately fell to defeat, and the players got their own boos too.
Now we have to go again against the same opposition at the weekend, at the same venue, knowing that we must win to avoid going into the World Cup break on the back of three losses in a row.