GOODISON VIBRATIONS
Lampard warns players they can’t pick and choose when to perform but must channel their home spirit into vital away games
FRANK LAMPARD has told his players they must channel the Goodison spirit on their travels if they are to beat the drop.
A rousing victory over Chelsea gave them a precious three points amid a seething atmosphere on their home ground. But Everton’s problems this season are not on their own turf.
They have taken only six points all season in 16 away games, scoring just 13 goals and have not picked up a single point on the road since Lampard took charge in January.
With visits to Leicester and
Watford coming up, Lampard (above) knows if that form continues, Everton will be on the edge of the abyss.
He said: “I thought it was first-class against Chelsea but people will have the right to ask questions if the players don’t produce that level of performance against Leicester and Watford.
“This isn’t the time to enjoy it and relax. There is a reason we are where we are and a big part of that is the away form.
“The situation is clear, we need to perform at that level in our remaining games. We can’t pick and choose which games we want to win.
“When the club comes together at Goodison that’s amazing and it’s why results have been so good here. The negative is when we go away from home our players can’t replicate what we do here.
“That really is the next challenge.”
With the Blues in the relegation zone and two points from safety, Lampard is aware winning home games alone is unlikely to save Everton.
They entertain Cystal Palace and Brentford in the week before the end of the season, but by then – if the team’s travel sickness continues – it could all be too late.
The visit of fellow strugglers Watford looks crucial, but Lampard knows a Leicester side who face a draining European trip to Rome on Thursday could be vulnerable next weekend. “I’ve prodded the players because I thought they needed it,” he said. “The basics are the same, but we’ve got to run more, we’ve got to show more desire, we’ve got to tackle harder than the opposition and do everything as the situation demands it.
“Leicester will be a completely different animal. The important thing is the players understand every game will have its difficulties but it’s the application to the job that will get us over the line or not, not necessarily just against Leicester but every game from now on.”
Lampard’s “prodding” included a sit down with his star striker Richarlison (above), who provided the vital finish against Chelsea, and has scored five goals in his last six games.
But Lampard told the Brazilian he wants even more because he has the talent to perform at the highest level. “I prodded him pre-game, because he always gives that sort of effort, but it has to be directed in the right way, in terms of energy and output to put people under pressure,” he explained.
“I told him when he gets those chances he has to be clinical. The level of striker he is, the talent he has, he has to be clinical, and he was against Chelsea, and won us the game through that.
“This is what we need now from all the players. We have to fight with spirit and togetherness, but it takes more than just good character to stay in this league. We have to show our quality too in the right moments, and the lads have done that.”