Frank Lampard wants ‘major improvements’ to midfield in January transfer window – journalist
Frank Lampard will look to make “major improvements” to his struggling Everton midfield during the January transfer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips.
The Toffees boss will be short on bodies in the middle of the park throughout the festive period with James Garner injured until at least February, Abdoulaye Doucouré sidelined, and Idrissa Gueye suspended for their Boxing Day clash against Wolves.
Sitting just a point above the relegation zone currently, Lampard will want to add extra reinforcements to his paper-thin squad – especially in forward areas – as the club look to steer clear of the drop.
However, according to journalist Simon Phillips, the Toffees boss will in fact look to strengthen in midfield, even though they splashed the cash on Garner and Amadou Onana in the summer transfer window.
He told Give Me Sport: “They’re sensing opportunities to pick players up on cut-price deals, and the midfield is the main area still where Lampard feels they need major improvements.
“They have signed there in the summer but it’s not really working out with some of the signings.“
Better quality needed
Although Everton have plenty of options in the midfield, there has been a severe lack of quality on the ball so far this season.
Garner is yet to start in the Premier League since his deadline-day move from Manchester United, while Amadou Onana is a raw prospect who has yet to deliver his best football on a consistent basis.
A midfield trio of Gueye, Onana and Alex Iwobi has been the norm for the Toffees this campaign, and although full of effort and running, there is clearly a lack of quality on the ball.
Where are the through balls going to come from? Are any of this trio able to split a defence with a single ball? The answer is probably not, and this is Lampard’s issue as January approaches.
He knows better than most how a midfield should be balanced, and a creative player sitting at the tip of Everton’s midfield three is a must.