Frank Lampard waits on Dominic Calvert-Lewin replacement or Everton sack, BBC pundit baffled
Michael Ball believes the Everton board is a “mess” and has demanded they must deliver Frank Lampard a striker in the January transfer window.
The Toffees have scored a meagre 14 goals from their opening 18 games of the Premier League season, with the club subsequently dropping into the relegation zone following their 4-1 defeat to Brighton at Goodison Park.
Lampard has openly admitted he wants to add attacking options to his paper-thin forward line in January, and ex-Everton pundit Ball wrote in his Liverpool ECHO column (Tuesday 10 January) that the club must give the manager their vote of confidence by signing a striker.
He wrote: “It baffles me that Everton haven’t brought a forward-thinking player into the football club.
“Frank Lampard wants one, he’s been open and honest about it that he’s been looking. It sounds like a bit like chess in terms of ‘Is Frank staying? Will he go? Is he going to sign a player and have a Rafa Benitez situation where we sack him a few days after making a signing?’
“This is the mess the football club is in. From the outside, it doesn’t look like there’s a plan whatsoever.
“I cannot understand that there is no back-up for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Yes there is Neal Maupay but he’s not another target man, he’s not 6ft 2in and going to win headers.”
No depth
Ball is correct in his assessment of Everton’s transfer blunders over the past few years. Despite splashing the cash for numerous managers and seemingly spending £30 million on player after player, the club are still failing to pull away from the relegation zone.
The lack of attacking alternatives when Calvert-Lewin is injured is frightening. Neal Maupay doesn’t fit Lampard’s gameplay at all, while Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon can’t be expected to play as a false nine when their expertise lies on the wing.
It comes as no surprise Lampard recalled Ellis Simms from his successful loan spell at Sunderland, as at least he offers a partial threat from the bench, but Everton simply need to sign a proven striker in January.
However it is done, they just need to get it done.
If Farhad Moshiri and the board continue to fail to rectify the flaws in the Toffees squad, they will certainly be in a relegation dogfight come the end of the season.