Ashley Cole drops Everton training reveal to solve new problem for Frank Lampard
Everton first-team coach Ashley Cole believes fans will soon “see the benefits” of their extra attacking training, as they seek to become more productive in the final third.
The Toffees arrived Down Under last week to compete in the Sydney Super Cup and started by beating Scottish Champions Celtic on penalties after a goalless draw.
Frank Lampard’s side has struggled for goals in the absence of the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin this season, only managing to net 11 goals from 15 games so far this term.
The Englishman’s side will face A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers on Wednesday 23 November as they seek to add a clinical edge to their attacking play.
And Cole admitted that the manager was looking at new attacking patterns of play ahead of their next fixture in an interview with Everton’s official club website.
He said: “We’re so focused on working on training and coming up with the ideas because goals win games. We are trying new ideas out on the training pitch and hopefully, we see the benefits in the next game.
“We are always striving for the best and to perform at a high level. The back end of last week was a difficult time for us but it’s been a great opportunity to come here, meet fans, play against good opposition and focus on what we have been trying in training.
“The focus is on us but we are a very determined group of staff and, of course, we always strive to be better.”
Goals needed
It comes as no surprise that Everton are dialling in on their attacking patterns during the six-week world cup break, as their lack of goals has been their undoing so far this season.
Now is the perfect opportunity for Lampard to work with his squad and go back to the basics of how to find the back of the net.
Goals breed confidence, and Lampard will be sorely hoping his side can dispatch Western Sydney Wanderers with relative ease – as pressure continues to rise on The Toffees manager.
With Calvert Lewin still sidelined though and Neal Maupay the only real centre forward Lampard can rely on, you aren’t quite sure where the goals are going to come from.
The January transfer window will be key in deciding The Blues’ fate this season. If they can purchase a top-quality centre-forward they should have the quality to survive the drop, but if they don’t, Everton could face consecutive seasons of scrapping at the bottom of the Premier League table.